We don't need steroids to set our records.

[August 8th, 2007]

Oregon's king of anti-tax ballot initiatives, Bill Sizemore , has submitted 130,215 unverified signatures to put a measure on the 2008 ballot that would link teachers' pay raises and job security to students' "performance." Oregon Education Association president Larry Wolf tells Murmurs that "performance" is code for test scores, and Wolf says the teachers union believes those scores provide a too narrow view of students' abilities to judge teachers' skills. In order to qualify for the ballot, about 60 percent of the signatures will have to be verified for the initiative that Sizemore calls the "Kids First Act."

Wes Rhodes, an investment adviser accused of cheating dozens of Portland-area investors, pleaded guilty Aug. 7 in federal court to mail fraud and money. As previously reported in WW ("The Collector," June 27, 2007), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission says Rhodes fleeced investors of at least $24.6 million by telling clients he'd invest their money in stocks and bonds. Instead, the feds say he spent the money building a collection of muscle cars and sports memorabilia or paying off other investors. Rhodes faces up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine at his scheduled Nov. 14 sentencing.

Alan Tresidder —whom The Oregonian described in a June profile as "one of the most well-connected lobbyists at the Capitol"—no longer represents the powerful Oregon Trial Lawyers Association . "He chose to drop us as a client," says Beth Bernard, OTLA's executive director. Tresidder says "13 years is a long time to represent one client." But Tresidder was coming off one major loss last legislative session for the trial lawyers: a failed effort that would have ended or extended time limits on consumers' ability to sue companies for selling dangerous products. Tresidder notes, however, that the association did pass 14 other bills, a success he likened to "winning the Super Bowl."

Since sensitivity training is so mid-'90s, the latest in workplace-identity politics is self-identified "affinity groups." Last week Portland City Council agreed to let city employees form affinity groups around race, disability, sexual orientation and other "historical barriers." The groups are supposed to help with networking and recruiting. But the groups, which can get city money, are barred from promoting any "political or social agenda" (except, presumably, tolerance). But this is one progressive bandwagon Portland has been slow to join. Affinity groups are old news within the Fortune 500 and even the notoriously WASPy Central Intelligence Agency . "We all have certain biases," said Commissioner Erik Sten. "I have one against the CIA, so, I'm working on that." Careful, Sten: They know where you live.

How much cash does the city get to close off traffic on three blocks of downtown Portland for two weeks so a company can mount a huge ad campaign? Absolutely none, if the company is smart enough to disguise the whole thing as an art exhibition. That's what Austria-based Red Bull GmbH has pulled off with its Illume exhibit. The energy-drink company filled Southwest 6th Avenue between Salmon and Morrison streets with giant black boxes that light up with images of extreme-sports athletes. And the city let them have the space for free, according to the Portland Department of Transportation. The boxes went in July 29, and the exhibit started Aug. 2 and goes until Aug. 12.

An intriguing rumor out of Multnomah County headquarters had it that Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey, who recently announced she won't seek re-election in 2008, planned to step down soon in order to give her chosen successor, Gale Castillo, an incumbent's advantage in the 2008 election. "There is no truth to the rumor," Rojo de Steffey told WW. But a very well-positioned source told us Rojo de Steffey has made it known she may step down after the May primary. Rojo de Steffey accuses that source of "making shit up."