Murmurs Oregon Zoo officials are trying to explain away their misleading and false statements after the embarrassing news the zoo’s new baby elephant actually belongs to a California traveling elephant    More

News  Mayor-elect Charlie Hales has chosen a chief of staff: Former state Rep. Gail Shibley.Shibley, who currently runs the Oregon Office of Health Licensing, was the first out lesbian to serve in the state legislature, holding office from 1991 to 1996.She once held designs on City of Portland office herself. Shibley ran for City Council in 1996, beating Erik Sten in the primary before losing in a ...   More

Murmurs What can you say about a once-promising politician who lost? That he showed, even in a crushing defeat, Portland’s east-west divide still persists. State Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-East Portland) say   More

News The invitation to the Dec. 4 reception at the Gilt Club makes it clear this would be a fundraiser for a winner: The red “Charlie Hales for Mayor” logo is amended with...   More

News Mayor-elect Charlie Hales will be returning to City Hall in January with big plans to reform the Portland Police Bureau.    More

News The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability has issued a document that rejects any immediate changes to the city policy allowing apartments without on-site parking. The bureau says there's no need for a building moratorium, and no rush on zoning rule changes or an increase in design review."The moratorium we don't think is defensible," chief planner Joe Zehnder tells WW, citing restrictions ...   More

News  A much-anticipated city study of new apartment buildings without on-site parking confirms complaints from Portland homeowners: Residents in these buildings own cars, and keep them parked in front of their neighbors' houses.A boom in the construction of these apartments has caused an uproar among homeowners on the city's east side, with Mayor-elect Charlie Hales leading the call for a building ...   More

News A race for Portland mayor that once looked like it could be a closely fought competition turned out to be a blowout.Former City Commissioner Charlie Hales successfully completed his political comeback Tuesday by winning the job of mayor, crushing his fall opponent, Rep. Jefferson Smith (D-East Portland).In early returns, Hales leads Smith 62 percent to 30 percent. And 8 percent cast write-in votes.Hales ...   More

News Before the line of well-wishers began giving him hugs, before any results were announced, Portland Mayor-elect Charlie Hales had scheduled a meeting with outgoing Mayor Sam Adams. "I'll be meeting with the mayor tomorrow at 1:30," Hales told WW shortly before 8 pm at his election-night party at Holocene.Minutes later, the first wave of election results showing Hales' decisive victory over Rep. Jefferson ...   More

City Hall Janet Wojcik grew up in the shadow of Rocky Butte, the Northeast Portland bluff once known for its jail but that now features a park with a commanding view of the city. This year...   More