🪥Yes my friends it’s Wednesday. Rain and possible thunderstorms today, high around 52°F. Portland's police staffing ranks near the bottom of major U.S. cities. The Archbishop weighs in on Trump vs. the Pope. And a beloved SE tapas spot calls it.
🚨 THE NEWS
Portland's Archbishop: Trump's Holy Week Rhetoric "Falls Short" of His Office
Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland went on record Monday condemning President Trump's recent attacks on Pope Leo XIV. In a statement posted to the Portland Archdiocese's website, Sample said he has been "deeply concerned by the rhetoric of President Trump" during Holy Week. He called Trump's threat to "eradicate an entire civilization" in Iran beyond what is "just or morally acceptable in war," and defended Pope Leo's calls for peace as coming from "his Christian identity and mission" — not partisanship. Trump had called Leo "weak" and "very liberal" over the pontiff's opposition to the Iran conflict. Trump also posted an AI image depicting himself as Jesus Christ over the weekend, which was later deleted. KOIN
New Report: Portland Police Response Times Have Nearly Doubled as Staffing Hits Crisis Level
Portland ranks 47th out of the 50 largest U.S. cities for police officers per capita, according to a report released Tuesday by the Oregon Criminal Justice Truth Project. The city has 1.26 officers per 1,000 residents — compared to Seattle's 1.4, Oakland's 1.6, and San Francisco's 2.3. The practical result: average response times for high-priority calls have nearly doubled, from 7 to 8 minutes between 2015 and 2019 to 20 minutes today. Former Chief Rosie Sizer called staffing levels "dangerous," saying the shortage hits vulnerable communities hardest. Former Chief Chuck Lovell put it plainly: "I've seen first-hand what happens when we divest from our police." Downtown retail vacancy hit 32% in 2024 — second worst in the nation. KOIN
Bar Casa Vale, One of Portland's Last Spanish Restaurants, Is Closing
Bar Casa Vale, the wood-fired Spanish tapas bar on SE 9th that's been one of Portland's most celebrated neighborhood restaurants since 2016, is closing. OregonLive reported the closure Tuesday, noting it's one of the few remaining Spanish restaurants in the city. Owner Nate Tilden built Bar Casa Vale after a stint running Clyde Common downtown, which closed during the pandemic. BCV survived COVID, went through a kitchen controversy in early 2026, and was still on OregonLive's 2025 list of the 21 best restaurants in Southeast Portland. The fire pit patio, the jamón, the sherry list — and that octopus — will be missed. No closing date has been announced. KOIN
🍵 NEW CAFE SPOTLIGHT
Mako Matcha Mill opened in mid-February at 414 SW 13th Ave. in the former Cacao space, and it's already drawing hour-long lines. Co-owners Edison Zeng and Emily Dewey source tea directly from Japanese farms, mill it on site, and price most drinks around $4. They're also growing matcha in Salem. on Instagram @makomatchamill
Which Portland neighborhood is the best? PDX Monthly just put out a deep dive into the data HERE ⭐ Use the slider on the bottom of the spreadsheet⭐
📚 ON THIS DAY
On this date in 1865, Abraham Lincoln died at 7:22 a.m. — nine hours after John Wilkes Booth shot him at Ford's Theatre. He was 56.
🥳 UPCOMING EVENTS
🌧️ Well…
Portland has fewer cops than Oakland. The Archbishop has concerns. At least the octopus was good while it lasted.
by Michael Simpson Contact: [email protected]