Injunction Junction, What’s Your Function?

[January 2nd, 2008]

Winners

1Local political junkies who’d resigned themselves to an election-year siesta at City Hall get a new year’s bonus with news that Commissioner Erik Sten will step down. (See this week's cover story for more.) That opens up a second council seat and the best political free-for-all since the Chávez debate.

2 Live Wire! radio producers Robyn Tenenbaum and Kate Sokoloff had their Portland-based show selected for a New Year’s Eve broadcast in the Big Apple. New York Public Radio aired Live Wire! ’s Wordstock edition at 9 pm. Recorded monthly before a live audience at Portland’s Aladdin Theater, the program features authors, musicians and original sketch comedy. Talk about showcasing Portland.

3 The Oregon Supreme Court gifted malpractice lawyers and their doc-damaged clients last week when it ruled the $200,000 liability cap that protects OHSU and other public bodies violates victims’ constitutional rights. The upshot is, the university will remain protected by the cap but its doctors will not, which could cost tens of millions annually.

Losers

1 Hold up on any party for gays and lesbians hoping to start signing up this week as domestic partners in Oregon. As reported Friday on WWire, federal judge Michael Mosman—an appointee of the current president—issued a temporary injunction halting the Jan. 2 start date of the new domestic partnership law.

2 Portland’s weather forecasters better hunker down—but not because of snow. Expect them to face a blizzard of criticism after their post-Christmas white-out predictions came to naught. And it might serve them well to reread Aesop’s 210th fable.

3 Part-time cabbie David Yandell, who founded Radio Cab’s long-running holiday turkey giveaway, is no longer picking up shifts with the company after a dispute over money. Radio Cab manager Steve Entler says the charity will return next year. But Yandell, who spent Christmas alone and unemployed, isn’t so sure.