Murmurs: Portland Schools Dispose of a Discipline Idea.

1. Portland Public Schools has put a stop—for now—to the practice of forcing students at César Chávez K-8 School to clean walls, doorknobs and desks and pick up trash as discipline (“Little Janitors,” WW, March 11, 2015). PPS officials had defended the program before issuing a one-line statement March 12 that it was being suspended. WW asked all nine Portland School Board candidates in the May election what they thought of the program—most responses were critical. Check out wweek.com to see what they had to say.

1. Opponents of a proposed 600-room Hyatt hotel at the Oregon Convention Center want voters to have a chance to weigh in on the project and its $78 million in taxpayer subsidies. Foes are currently in court battling Metro, the regional government that’s backing the hotel and wants to avoid a vote. Metro is now trying to sidestep the judge by asking state lawmakers for a bill that would exempt the project from a vote. The measure has already passed the Senate. Opponents, led by downtown hotelier Gordon Sondland, say the bill is dirty pool. “Metro doesn’t want required voter approval,” says Peter Watts, the opponents’ attorney, “because they know they can’t sell the project to voters.” Andy Shaw, chief of staff for Metro Council President Tom Hughes, says the bill removes any question about whether the hotel requires a public vote. “We’re going to take every step we can,” Shaw says, “to make sure we get this important project finished.”

1. In January, WW told the story of Portland activist Hart Noecker’s banishment from local protest groups after several women accused him of sexual misconduct (“Purged,” WW, Jan. 21, 2015). Byrd Jasper, 21, accused Noecker of rape. Portland police—who have been investigating Jasper’s claim—have not charged Noecker. Meanwhile, he has won a legal fight against Jasper, turning back an effort to get a restraining order against him. Noecker’s attorney, Jay Bodzin, says Jasper withdrew the petition March 10 rather than produce text messages, social-media posts and medical records. “Domestic violence is a serious social problem, and victims must have a voice in our legal system,” Bodzin says. “However, that voice cannot exclude the right of a person accused of wrongdoing to a fair hearing.” Jasper declined to comment.

1. State lawmakers are close to establishing March 22 permanently as Tom McCall Day in Oregon. The day—McCall’s birthday—wouldn’t be an official government holiday but instead a commemoration of the former Republican governor, who served from 1967 to 1975 and established Oregon as an environmental and progressive leader. Says Rep. David Gomberg (D-Otis), a chief sponsor of the bill: “The idea is to encourage Oregon schools to teach students about McCall’s legacy.”

WWeek 2015