Where Rove and Wizarding meet.

[July 20th, 2005] WINNERS

Fans of Potter (Harry, not Mayor Tom) ended their two-year wait for fresh material outta Hogwarts when the latest J.K. Rowling tome landed with an earth-shattering thud. No spoilers here, but let's just say some Muggles may be a little weepy when they close the 652-page novel. (See page 58 for review.)

Who says romance is dead? Oregon's U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden will take another crack at marriage, getting hitched for the second time. The lucky gal: Nancy Bass, who co-owns the New York landmark Strand Book Store. Wedding bells will ring in September. May we suggest some more Democratic colleagues in the Senate as a gift for the couple?

Outgoing Portland Development Commission chairman Matt Hennessee tasted vindication when a PDC report cleared him of pulling strings to land commission contracts for a friend. Commissioner Doug Blomgren declared, "I believe this concludes this matter entirely." Whew. Glad that's cleared up.

LOSERS

Sneaky, leaky Karl Rove finds himself caught in an old-fashioned Washington, D.C., summer scandal. Media reports keep dripping out on Rove's role in outing CIA agent Valerie Plame. El Prez stands "resolute" on firing the "criminals" involved in the leak. Will the boy wonder of spin escape the clutches of his own loose lips? Stay tuned!

You can't squeeze blood from a turnip.... Enron will probably pay the State of Oregon pennies on the dollar out of $336 million the company harvested from Beaver State ratepayers through market manipulation and price gouging.

A brutal, unprovoked stabbing shocked shoppers and lunchers on Northwest 23rd Avenue last week. The random assault reminded habitués of the upscale street that they are never safe, no matter how far from the scary bus mall they dine.

The Tualatin Police Department reeled after the resignations of three officers who redefined the suburban cop shop's "Explorer" program for teens. An inquiry found that the male officers (and an Oregon state trooper) had "illegal sexual contact" with an underage girl in the program five years ago. The victim won't press criminal charges, but the cops will never carry a badge in Oregon again. Is Lloyd Center hiring security guards?