Perhaps the positive thing that’s come out of the grant Portland Trails proposed to convert the railroad bridge to a bike and a pedestrian crossing, which died, is that backers of rail got (better) organized and started to make themselves heard.

Portland would do well with a light rail system. Look at how the other Portland benefited from their streetcar. It would certainly do well with a holistic approach to transportation, human powered and efficient and enjoyable (yes, enjoyable) mass transit.

The Block Party Saturday was great! There could have been more vendors, and a few of the spaces (I won’t put them on the spot and name them) might have chosen to be open to the crowds, but the weather was great, the music was great, and it was a really good time.

I don’t know if this is going to be an annual event. It has my vote, and even my support, if it’s needed!

Coffee By Design just redid the interior and the Congress Street facade to this store. It looks fantastic! This is the back door entrance.

A picture from a part of Portland I’ve got some connections to: Munjoy Hill. When I moved to Portland from Chicago my wife and I lived on Munjoy Hill until we bought our house. So great working in the kitchen and looking on Casco Bay in that apartment! My first business had its offices on India Street, in the Grand Trunk Building, which looks vacant right now… and a surrounded by parking decks.

These “Open” signs were on Congress Street.

And… it’s First Friday, which means Art Walk! We won’t be showing photography at Yellahoose today. But get out, hurricane shmurricane, and look at art, buy stuff from local businesses and artists (or just window shop), eat at a local restaurant tonight!