Plus: Trail Blazers have a new TV deal.
 
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💦 The highway of water

Frog Ferry jumps at fresh start with new Portland government
People involved with Friends of Frog Ferry stand a board a docked vessel on the Willamette River in Portland.
With proper funding, Friends of Frog Ferry says service can be operational in three years. | Photo courtesy of @frog_ferry
There are a handful of ideas that have floated into Portland over the years that didn’t make a big splash but also refuse to sink.

The Frog Ferry is one such ribbiting concept — its proponents envision a safe and sustainable public passenger ferry service on the Willamette River and Columbia River. In its proposed pilot stage, operation would run between Cathedral Park and the RiverPlace Hotel for $3.50 a trip. Once fully realized, the voyage would include nine stops, from Oregon City to Vancouver, connecting with other regional transportation modes like Portland Streetcar, TriMet, and BIKETOWN.

A rendering shows the proposed Frog Ferry, with a covered cabin and storage for bikes on the bow.

The pilot, 70-passenger ferry would run on biodiesel. Ultimately, the fleet would grow to seven electrified ferries that could charge on the shoreline overnight.

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Rendering courtesy of @frog_ferry

Locally, there are similar, existing projects; for proof of concept (albeit on a much smaller scale) you only have to look as far as the Canby Ferry and the Wheatland Ferry. It’s also a practice that’s growing in popularity around the world.

In recent years, funding hurdles have left Friends of Frog Ferry stuck in the mud, but as Portland transitions to a new form of government, the nonprofit is jumping at the opportunity to make its mission stick.

“The new City Charter enables bold innovative ideas. It is time to come out of hibernation and activate Portland,” said Friends of Frog Ferry’s founder and president Susan Bladholm in a recent press release. “Frog Ferry is... ready to partner to apply for federal dollars that will fund a new green transit solution.”

St. Johns Bridge rises above the new swimming dock at Cathedral Park.

Frog Ferry would also increase access to Portland’s largest green space in nearby Forest Park,

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Photo via Gangstaoflove

Yesterday, the project’s advocates, including members of Human Access Project and the Downtown Portland Neighborhood Association, made their case beneath the St. Johns Bridge, calling on city leaders for help securing investment from the federal government’s Infrastructure Bill and the Portland Climate Investment Plan. Frog Ferry would reportedly offset 3,170 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year (rising to 95 million pounds of CO2 annually with seven electric vessels).

Other more tangible benefits would include revitalizing several waterfront spaces, reducing commuter time (especially for OHSU employees), and paving the way for more people to be able to live car-free.
Stay up to date
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
 
Events
Wednesday, Sept. 25
  • Portland Latin American Film Festival | Wednesday, Sept. 25-Sunday, Nov. 24 | Times vary | Hollywood Theatre | $7+ | “Beyond the border there is a new cinema to discover” — and it comes to life across eight screenings.
  • DakhaBrakha | Wednesday, Sept. 25 | 8 p.m. | Revolution Hall | $30+ | This quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine entertains crowds around the world by taking folk songs of their country and remixing them through various genres.
Thursday, Sept. 26
  • Rad Myco | Thursday, Sept. 26-Sunday, Sept. 29 | Times vary | Brown Bottle Farm, Mulino | $50+ | Fungis and mycology mavens, come one and all to this celebration of art, science, and competition.
Friday, Sept. 27
  • The Reflex - 80s Dance Party | Friday, Sept. 27 | 9 p.m. | Ponderosa Lounge & Grill | $20+ | Don your best neon getup and get ready to groove to tunes from The Cars, J. Geils Band, INXS, Duran Duran, and more.
Saturday, Sept. 28
  • Annual Trivia Night & Auction | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Baerlic Brewing - Southeast Brewery & Taproom | $35+ | Drink beer, eat pizza, bid on silent auction items, and compete at trivia, all to benefit college scholarships and coaching for low-income youth.
Sunday, Sept. 29
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Bella Organic Farm
 
Seasonal

Corn mazes, and pumpkin patches, and hayrides, oh my
Fall Bella Organic Farm.gif
Gather your family and friends for an autumn adventure at Bella Organic Farm (yes, your furry friends are invited, too). | Photos courtesy of Bella Organic Farm; GIF by PDXtoday
Grab a hot cup of apple cider, and head to Bella Organic Farm for autumn fun on Sauvie Island. The stunning Instagram-worthy spot allows visitors to:
Don’t forget to swing by the farm store and gift shop to stock up on fall goodies to take home.
Take me to the pumpkin patch
News Notes
Sports
  • The Trail Blazers have struck a new TV deal, where all non-exclusive games (not national broadcasts) will be available over-the-air on KATU and KUNP. Hear Locked On’s Mike Richman break down the news, including the debut of a direct-to-consumer streaming option called BlazerVision. (KGW)
Health
  • Researchers at OHSU and other institutions are collaborating on a “flu vaccine to end all flu vaccines” that will target the interior of the virus. Previous science was based on treating each year’s different strain by identifying the virus’ surface, which can change rapidly and quickly render antibodies ineffective. (OPB)
Fun Fact
  • Wonder what it takes to grow a gargantuan gourd and paddle it around a pond? According to four-time West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta winner Gary Kristensen, it starts by finding a seed with pedigree and ends with smooth, consistent strokes through the water. We’ll let you discover all the other steps in between. (Portland Monthly)
Eat
  • Fallow’s is a new Sellwood-Moreland restaurant feeding people with fare prepared using seasonal produce and protein caught wild or sustainably. If you thought that was a mouthful, wait until you stuff your face on dishes like steak tartare + roasted farm hen. Oh, and bring your questions about regenerative farming. (Eater Portland)
Plan Ahead
  • On Halloween, dress your dog for the holiday and get them a free pup cup at Salt & Straw. Costumed kids also get a free scoop. The Halloween Series returns Friday, Sept. 27 with flavors like Jack o’ Lantern Pumpkin Bread, Blackberry Tamales, and Essence of Ghost (last served in 2018).
Ranked
Plan Ahead
  • Mark your calendars, Portland. Literary Arts presents bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, in conversation about his new book, “Revenge of the Tipping Point,” on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Snag tickets to this exclusive event before they sell out. Bonus: Select tickets include a copy of his book.*
Finance
  • Did you know some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster? (Yes, it sounds pumpkin-spice bananas. But it’s true.) The secret: Find a credit card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. Here are hands down some of the best.*
Number
 
Development

⚾ Portland Diamond Project goes yard

Portland Diamond Project to purchase Zidell Yards for future baseball stadium
Older adults walk up to chairs and tables set up in Portland's Zidell Yards carrying their own camp chairs. In the background, the Tilikum Crossing rises.
Not a bad backdrop for a walk to a baseball game. | Photo via TriMet
Reports are rounding the bases that the Portland Diamond Project, the organization working to attract a Major League Baseball team to the city, has entered an agreement to purchase Zidell Yards along the Willamette River.

On top of hosting a potential future baseball stadium, the 33-acre South Waterfront property will also have space for retail shops, hotels, and residential developments according to sports columnist John Canzano.

“This really is a dream come true,” Craig Cheek, founder and president of Portland Diamond Project, told KGW. “We’ve spent years talking about a future Major League Baseball team calling Portland home. Now we can say Portland will have professional baseball in the heart of the city, along one of Oregon’s most iconic rivers.”

Mayor Ted Wheeler also chimed in on the news saying, “This is a tremendous opportunity to shape our waterfront, create new economic opportunities, and build a vibrant and sustainable neighborhood.”

The transaction for the site will now go into a 120-day due diligence period with 42 months to complete the deal.
The Buy
Shop the best shoes to pair with your fall wedding guest look, from Nordstrom’s “Wedding Guest” selection:

🥿 Save your ankles with sparkly Betsey Johnson flats.
👡 Choose champagne or silver for this five-star rated sandal.
💎 Add a touch of sparkle to your outfit with jeweled slingbacks.
👠 Go for style + function with a kitten heel on pointy-toe pumps.
More worth The Buy
Answered

What would you name Portland’s new WNBA team?
A graphic of a basketball on fire streaking across a black background.

The original Portland Fire moniker was the top choice with 42% of the votes.

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Graphic via Canva

Here are some of your best write-in suggestions coupled with patented PDXtoday commentary:
  • Swifts, an homage to our annual avian visitors
  • Roses/Rosebuds, smells pretty self-explanatory to us
  • Rivers, we’ve got two of them + they’re mighty
  • Power, a local ABL team that folded in 1998
  • Phoenix/Firebirds, rising from the ashes
  • Tridents, a nod to our city’s seal
  • Pterodactyls, because “Keep Portland Weird”
Get your head in the game
 
The Wrap
 
ben-mcbee-headshot-2024.png

Today’s edition by:
Ben
From the editor
I must say there’s a palpable sense of excitement around our city, from the WNBA announcement and recent OMSI District updates to today’s Portland Diamond Project news and even recent community activations like Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail. It really feels like Portland is building toward something.
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