From local meltdowns to Texas shakedowns.

[May 11th, 2005] * Portland entrepreneur Mary Liss , who founded the now-defunct Portland Reign of the American Basketball Association, is working on an American Idol-style TV program that would put the winner on an NBA team. Liss says the pitch has gone to UPN and that at least two NBA teams have listened to the proposal. So why would an NBA team put a contest winner on its roster? Liss says the answer is simple: entertainment. "Everyone in America will be watching that player," she says. "The show definitely has a shot."

* Meltdowns and musings after the Portland Development Commission's hyper-controversial decision to award the Burnside Bridgehead project to Opus Northwest over Beam Development. First, Opus PR rep Nathaniel Clevenger staged a full-scale online freakout on the Portland Communique blog . Clevenger, who has had "political relations" with PDC chairman Matt Hennessee, challenged Communique's author, Christopher "b!X" Franconis, a supporter of Beam's proposal, to a debate. "I'll bring a group of friends and some chips 'cause I know you can't really afford to buy snacks on your parent's allowance," Clevenger wrote. Read the entire late-night exchange at communique.portland.or.us/05/05.

Meanwhile, City Commissioner Erik Sten wants to pull in another major development question: the fate of Portland Public Schools' Blanchard Building , located just north of the five-block Bridgehead site. "It's a tantalizing thought," Sten says of using PPS' moribund HQ in a Bridgehead project. (For more on this murmur and others, go to wweek.com.)

* More backstory to a recent murmur about challengers to Multnomah County Chair Diane Linn: Murmurs noted that political Svengali Mark Wiener (right) is orchestrating ex-firefighters union boss Tom Chamberlain 's campaign and that timber heir Ted Wheeler is also interested in running. Turns out the race also is creating a rare competition between Wiener and ally Liz Kaufman , who's guiding Wheeler. Kaufman and Wiener, who dominate strategy in most local political races, haven't opposed each other since 1998, when Wiener backed Dan Saltzman for City Council and Kaufman backed Tanya Collier.

* Former Mayor Vera Katz got some good medical news in her fight against a rare cancer . The 71-year-old goes in for another scan in a few weeks but can be considered in remission for the moment. Katz, who survived breast cancer in 2000, says she'll need treatment for this second bout of cancer-adenosarcoma-for the rest of her life. Next month, she'll serve as Grand Marshal for Portland's Rose Parade.

* Maybe it's Oregonian sports columnist John Canzano 's "unfeeling'' coverage of the Trail Blazers that explains the otherwise inexplicable decision of a Blazers manager to register the domain name JohnCanzano.com last month. Canzano busted management for its plan to refund Darius Miles' fine after Miles went postal, and he highlighted Zach Randolph's facility for bouncing checks. The employee is now gone and Canzano wrestled his name back.

* Mark Hemstreet's eyes and hands have turned to Texas. The Killeen Daily Herald reported recently that the Shilo Inn magnate signed an exclusive six-month deal to develop a Shilo with restaurant and meeting space next to the city's conference center. The city will hand over 10 acres of land and forgo property taxes if Hemstreet builds-with the prospect of $15 million from local investors. But after Killeen City Council members and the mayor found out about the Oregon conservative bankroller's bankruptcy troubles, Hemstreet wrote them April 18 to apologize for any "embarrassment" caused them by the undisclosed information.

CLARIFICATION: Our May 4 article "Enron's $200 Million Problem" incorrectly characterized the $200 million the Utility Reform Project seeks for PGE ratepayers. Ratepayers were charged for profit on Trojan, rather than operating costs after the plant closed permanently. WW regrets the error.

CORRECTION: A May 4 murmur incorrectly stated that Portland police officer Derrick Foxworth Jr., the chief's son, was not placed on administrative leave during an investigation. Foxworth, who was cleared of wrongdoing, spent three days on paid administrative leave. WW regrets the error.