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🌱 Patch AM: How taller Central City buildings could reshape where Portlanders live and work

Be sure to catch Now Booking Moves For November on the Portland Patch calendar

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Hello Portland! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How taller Central City buildings could reshape where Portlanders live and work
  • How a Portland renter made old honey-oak cabinets look intentional
  • What Portland scientists learned from tiny owls hunting in Forest Park

Also on today's calendar: Now Booking Moves For November and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why do some birds fly south for the winter? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Monday: Abundant sunshine, with a high of 65 and low of 40 degrees.
  • Tuesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 65, low: 46.
  • Wednesday: Clouds and sun with a shower, with a high of 70 and low of 49 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Portland weighs zoning overhaul to unlock more central city housing and taller buildings (kptv.com) — Portland's City Council will vote Wednesday on a sweeping Central City zoning overhaul that could allow more housing, taller buildings, and easier reuse of vacant offices downtown and in the Central Eastside. The plan aims to boost housing and economic activity while raising concerns about industrial jobs, infrastructure capacity, and skyline impacts, with changes potentially taking effect March 1, 2027.
   

2. Designers Are Making Dated Honey-Toned Wood Cabinets Look Totally Fresh for 2026 Kitchens (thespruce.com) — A Portland renter shows how to embrace dated honey-toned kitchen cabinets using peel-and-stick wood film, matching wooden pulls, and cohesive colors instead of costly replacements. Her approach, paired with another renter's budget-friendly ideas, offers practical inspiration for local tenants and homeowners who want fresher-looking kitchens without painting or major renovations.
   

3. Oregon's tiny pygmy owls are adorable little murder machines (oregonlive.com) — Researchers working in Portland's Forest Park have been uncovering how northern pygmy owls' diets and breeding success shift from year to year, revealing a surprisingly fierce predator living right on the city's doorstep. The story follows local scientists, agencies, and birdwatchers across Oregon, explaining how habitat, prey, and even backyard snags around Portland can shape the fortunes of these tiny daytime hunters.
   

4. Elder's Jack Donovan Recovering After Open-Heart Surgery (themosh.net) — Elder bassist Jack Donovan is recovering after emergency open-heart surgery that followed a pneumonia-related collapse and ICU stay in Portland, where he was treated at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The band credits quick action by friends and local doctors with saving his life and plans to announce rescheduled North American tour dates once logistics are finalized.
   

5. Ethics Commission Launches Probe of State Rep. Lamar Wise (wweek.com) — An Oregon ethics investigation is examining whether state Rep. Lamar Wise, who represents parts of Southeast Portland and nearby suburbs, properly disclosed income from Portland-based nonprofit Seeding Justice and listed lobbyist contacts tied to Oregon AFSCME. Wise says the omissions were an honest mistake, has amended his disclosure forms, and expects the matter to be resolved with an educational letter.
   

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🪧 Patch Classifieds

  • ▬MOVERS Near Me ▬MOVERS Same Day ▬Piano DELIVERY ▬Hot Tub MOVING ▬
    ▬Local MOVERS ▬DELIVERY ▬MOVING ▬JUNK REMOVAL ▬HAULING ▬LABOR ▬PACKING ▬ASSEMBLY ▬PDX MOVERS ▬Long Distance MOVERS ▬Hot Tub MOVERS ▬Piano MOVERS ... (More info)

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • This is a Zippy sleeping on my balcony a couple years ago.
    After getting a hummingbird feeder and leaving it out in the fall, I found out that this little bird is dependent on my food for the entire winter. … (Nextdoor Garden Home)
  • I found him!
    Ragnar is sitting on my lap where he belongs right now. I want to thank everyone for the support and good wishes and ultimately tips that lead me to… (Nextdoor Foster Powell)
  • Columbia Hospitality posted a job opening for Full-time Porter | The Pinnacle Portland in Portland. Apply here.
  • Domino's Pizza posted a job opening for Domino's Pizza Maker/CSR - 2020 SE Division Portland, OR the (7231) in Portland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Portland here.

Ok Portland! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why do some birds fly south for the winter?" — Because it's too far to walk..! (Thank you Theresia F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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