Skip to main content• Where's Mayor Sam Adams? A big part of the mayor's job is representing the city at official and ceremonial functions. But as previously reported on WWire, Oregon's two U.S. senators didn't invite Adams to a recent stimulus rollout; nor was he present when President Obama met with 85 mayors last week. Other recent no-shows of note: The famously pro-art Adams didn't write a recent Oregonian op-ed urging support for the arts—Multnomah County Commish Jeff Cogen did; Commissioner Randy Leonard represented the city at the Portland Auto Show earlier this month; and Leonard accepted a Pendleton blanket at the annual Home and Garden Show last weekend on behalf of the city. "Once the city budget is finalized, we foresee being able to resume his regular pace of the public functions he values so highly," says Adams spokesman Roy Kaufmann.
• Lincoln High boys basketball coach David Adelman—the 27-year-old son of ex-Trail Blazers player and coach Rick Adelman—was arrested for DUII on Saturday, Feb. 21, in Northwest Portland. Portland Police would not reveal Adelman's blood alcohol content. But Saturday's arrest was not his first. On June 10, 2005, Adelman was stopped in Southwest Portland for DUII. At that time, his blood alcohol content was .19 percent—more than twice the .08 percent legal limit in Oregon. Lincoln principal Peyton Chapman said Tuesday Adelman would keep coaching through the end of the basketball season. Adelman did not respond to a request for comment.
• Phil Busse, the ex-Mercury editor recently hired by Portland State University to teach a weekend seminar called "Media and Social Reality," earned $1,700 for teaching the three-day class last week. A PSU spokesman says Busse will earn $200 more than the minimum pay for instructors in two-credit courses because of his experience; Busse has a law degree. But he also has plenty of other experience more directly related to media and reality. Last November, Busse was forced to resign from a one-semester gig teaching media studies at St. Olaf College in Minnesota after he bragged on the Huffington Post about pulling John McCain signs from yards.
• A Portland State University grad accused of sexually harassing her teacher has filed a $1.3 million federal lawsuit against the school. Connie Olson's lawsuit says she suffered delusions of "love and affection" in 2004 for Natalie Vasey, an anthropology professor. As first reported on WWire, Olson's suit claims the school discriminated against her for being mentally ill when it banned her from the anthropology department before she graduated in 2005. PSU spokesman Scott Gallagher declined to comment.
• Former House Majority Leader Wayne Scott (R-Canby) suffered a defeat Feb. 19 when the House voted 31-28 to roll back a 2003 law that let one of the ex-lawmaker's business associates put a fireworks business on zoned farmland. Rep. Chip Shields (D-Portland) called the 2003 law a "sweetheart deal" for Western Display Fireworks, which has bought fireworks from Scott's own company, Western Fireworks. Scott, who did not run for re-election last year, did not return a phone call for comment.
• As Portland Parks and Rec joins other city bureaus in trying to cut budgets, it's spending $15,000 on Portland "Teen Idol." The singing competition is in its third year and aims to be a way to introduce teens to their local community centers, says program director Madalyn Bach. Most of the program's budget will go to staff over the program's six-month life. Another $300 will go to prizes for contestants, with additional prize money supplemented by private donations. Bureau spokeswoman Beth Sorensen says a Bureau goal is to develop programs relevant to teenagers and "Portland Teen Idol" has proven it can do that.
• Here's another piece of Parks and Rec news. Earlier this month, Ilmar Kasparek allegedly drove his vehicle around the lawn next to the pond in Laurelhurst Park, gouging spaghettilike divots into the turf and doing an estimated $3,800 worth of damage. Police arrested Kasparek about 1:30 am as he exited the park on Southeast Ankeny Street. Kasparek pleaded not guilty to charges of DUII and criminal mischief. He didn't return a call seeking comment.
WWeek 2015