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In our year-end round-up of the numbers that defined Portland in 2017, WW reported that Gov. Kate Brown's twitter account had blocked exactly two users: @Jordanronald13 and @Surfingranny4DT.
@Jordanronald13's account isn't much to look at—two followers and a lot of major league baseball re-tweets. But the other blocked account, @Surfingranny4DT, reveals a much more fascinating Twitter user.
The account has 3,153 followers, and is a demonstration of the downward spiral that the platform has the potential to encourage.
It belongs to Florence Stone, an 82-year-old grandmother in Roseburg, Ore.
Though, after finding a link on the twitter account to an Etsy page with overwhelming amounts of pastel-colored, crocheted blankets and baby hats, we had to email Stone to verify the account was in fact hers. The retired dental assistant and sawmill worker confirmed, she hadn't been hacked.
"I have enjoyed both knitting and crocheting when I found time. Lots of afghans and throws," Stone's bio writes.
But the sweetness ends there.
Stone's Twitter feed features mostly Trump-loving and Obama- and Clinton-hating tweets.
One tweet, with a photo of Hillary Clinton, reads: "Thank God this vile, evil, profane bitch lost the election despite all her cheating and lies, w/help from the corrupt liberal media. God was watching over America in the 2016 election as He will be again in 2020."
In many of her tweets, Stone has tagged a long line-up of Oregon Democratic politicians, in an effort to keep them informed of "the corruption in the democrat party, and the number of democrats being indicted or already found guilty, and going to prison for their crimes."
Stone tells WW that she's not surprised Brown won't listen.
"Kate Brown probably blocked me because I try to keep her informed of the good things that President Trump is doing for the people of America," Stone says. "She, like all Trump haters, does not want to hear the truth."
The 82-year-old knitter is active on conservative Twitter, frequently re-tweeting right wing celebrity opinions and articles.
It may come as no surprise that she thinks being blocked by Gov. Brown was unconstitutional.
"If Gov. Brown held a town hall," she says, "would she slam the door on me silencing my First Amendments rights? I think it is unconscionable that an elected Oregon official, meant to serve the best interests of Oregonians, would block an 82 year resident of Oregon, for tweeting information to her that is relevant to Oregon. Put that in your paper and see what your readers think!"
According to Gov. Brown's media strategist, Natalie King, blocking twitter users is rare.
"It's important to us that we hear all views and receive the concerns and triumphs people feel toward our policies and actions," King says. "In rare occasions, some comments and followers are particularly derogatory and require blocking as a last resort. Additionally, we monitor for threats and if they seem credible, they are reported to state police for further evaluation."