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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on May 12, 2009 9:54 AM. The previous post in this blog was Welcome, viewers in Villers-le-Bouillet!. The next post in this blog is The bell hop's tears keep fallin'. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Not that I loved César less

A big episode in the César Chávez Boulevard Sóap Ópera is in the offing today. The Portland Planning Commission is meeting this afternoon to consider the three streets that have been placed in the renaming ring: Broadway, Grand Avenue, and 39th Avenue. It's not exactly a fair contest among those three any more -- the city's history panel has pretty much tied 39th's arms and legs up, and it's writhing on the deck as the city presses the button to open the gates for the lions.

There's a story in the O today suggesting that there could be trouble for the renaming proponents over the wording of the city code, but we're skeptical. It wouldn't be the first time that our moribund local daily paper attempted to play a note of uncertainty about a train that's already started to leave the station. At least one street is going to get the green light as the planning board makes its recommendation to the City Council.

Of course, there will be lots of hemming and hawing -- there always is when neighborhoods are getting trampled. One idea being floated last night was that, in the spirit of compromise, Commissioner Randy Leonard would agree to have his Caesar Salad recipe (coincidentally posted on the Water Bureau blog yesterday) relabeled "39th Salad" as part of a package deal. Esparza's Restaurant would also be renamed, "Bob's Steak House." Alternatively, there is talk of giving everyone who owns property on the new Chávez Boulevard two free tickets to a Tuesday night Portland Beavers game next April.

Comments (8)

How can a PDF file be "printed on recycled paper?"

Why don't they name the proposed Thomas Cully Park, Cesar Chavez park? We have one of the denser populations of Latinos in Cully. No money for new signs needed.

The article continues to call the deciders on the committee, "historians" while none of three serving on the committee hold any such credentials. I have no idea why these people were chosen over any of a number who are better qualified.

If they're like most Portland advisory groups, they were selected on the basis of the likelihood of telling the politicians what they want to hear.

Hand-picked . . . like rotten fruit.

Jack, they are apparently so incompetent that the city hired a consultant to "assist" them:

(from Oregonian article, April 28th, "Renaming 39th Avenue for Chavez would cost city $86,000")

"The city has allocated $150,000 to cover the city renaming costs, including $35,000 to hire a consultant to assist the historian panel and to make recommendations about code changes for future renaming efforts."

Re. the title of the article:

" . . . the 7.22 miles of 39th Avenue have 172 intersections, and would require 242 Chavez signs. The figure includes the cost of installing the new signs and removing the existing signs and a 20 percent contingency. Both street name signs remain up for five years."

The figure doesn't include the cost of the consultant, the mediator's fee, the time spent by the City Council in special hearings and regular meetings and the cost to businesses and individuals along the route. If these figures were added to the cost, it would be far higher than most people imagine.

But it's shovel ready and is creating a handful of jobs!

From a recent Oregonian blog:

"The head of the "Historian" panel making the recommendation to the planning commission has a direct connection to the UFW and Cesar Chavez.

"Gilbert Paul Carrasco wrote Everyday Law for Latinos. Dolores Huerta-the co-founder of the UFW and sister-in-law to Cesar Chavez endorsed Mr. Carrasco's book."

The other two members are a woman from a N Portland neighborhood association (?) and an Oregon National Guard officer.

Why not appoint people like Dr. Robert Hadlow, Senior Historian, ODOT Region 1 (Portland) or Lewis McArthur, who (with his father) is a proven local geographic historian specializing in Oregon place names and has been responsible for continuing the publication of OREGON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES which first appeared in 1928. McArthur lives in Portland. McArthur's appointment to the Oregon Geographic Names Board in 1959 initiated his work in this field.

If I know about these two outstanding resources, and more, it's hard to believe that the Mayor of Portland wouldn't have aimed a little higher unless he was trying to weight the roulette wheel in favor of a particular decision.

Re: "it's hard to believe that the Mayor of Portland wouldn't have aimed a little higher"

NW Portlander, the mayor's office is an integrity-free zone.

Is there an Hispanic term for "mau-mauing," which is how Tom Wolfe described how things were done against the white power structure in NYC during the '60s and '70s?

The entire effort by the proponents of this vexing matter would certainly have embarrassed César Chávez. There appears to be little capacity for shame among those who are pushing this and those allowing themselves to be pushed.

I live just a few houses off of 39th. You cannot imagine my husband's and my rage about this ridiculous plan. To have these morons on the Planning Commission play the race card by equating Abraham Lincoln with Cesar Chavez is frankly more than I can handle. Chavez is fine...he's not Abraham Lincoln and let's stop pretending that he his. I am not a racist because I want my street not to be renamed. It is inconvenient and annoying. Both the initial commission and the Planning Commission are stacked with biased individuals who don't give a rat's (*@ what the people of Portland actually want.

My question to every City Commissioner and the Mayor will be...why not a street, any street, on the west side? Why not the street you all live on? Why not every street you live on? How about NW 23rd if numbered streets don't matter? Can you think of a more well known numbered street in Portland???

This is a democracy. The opinion of the people must matter. THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THIS!! None of them and especially the people who live on the street. Any commissioner who ignores the will of the people ought to be tossed out on his or her ear.

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Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
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L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
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La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
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Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
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Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
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Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
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Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
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Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
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Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
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Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
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Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
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Jeff Noon - Vurt

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