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Good cheer is in the air as we head into the holiday season! Vendors are feeling it, too, crowding the office with the latest edition of Street Roots, ready to hit the pavement selling. Here’s what’s coming your way this morning:

Five from the line with Damian Lillard: An interview with the Trail Blazers’ new guard about staying grounded in the high-pressure world of the NBA.

Sex, lies and homelessness: An in-depth look at the connection between sexual assault and homelessness, and what local advocates are doing to create a nationwide awareness plan.

Defending Rachel Corrie: An interview with Craig and Cindy Corrie about keeping the legacy of their daughter alive, nearly a decade since her death.

The Judah Explosion: An interview with Judah Bauer of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Plus lots of great poetry from our vendors and the streets, and commentary from the Partnership for Safety and Justice in light of Portland’s adjustments to police strategy and the mentally ill. Don’t forget to tuck a buck for Street Roots before you head today. And remember to share a smile with you friendly neighborhood SR vendor. Thank you!

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The ballots are coming! The ballots are coming! Soon it will all be over but the counting. Until then, stay on the ball with the latest edition of Street Roots, packed with information about the upcoming election, and much, much more. Here’s what’s rolling on the press:

Your call: Mayoral and City Council candidates Charlie Hales, Jefferson Smith, Amanda Fritz and Mary Nolan take a shot at Street Roots’ questions for the future of Portland.

Measuring up: Street Roots weighs in on the important state and local measures up for consideration.

Survivors’ stories: Three women reflect on what it means to escape the grip of domestic violence.

Ninety-nine percent solution: Professor Joseph Stiglitz, author and Nobel Prize winner in economics, is pleased to see that his latest book ‘The Price of Inequality’ is already grabbing the attention of world leaders.

Plus, the second in a series of reports by Dr. Samuel Metz, health care professional and activist, on what Obamacare really means for Oregonians. And the Partnership for Safety and Justice checks in on the ongoing issue of federal policy and local police enforcement mingling over immigration. And of course, we’re packed with powerful poetry from the streets. Pick up your copy first thing Friday morning and your weekend will be off to a great start! Thank you!

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Even the busiest weekend plans have room for friendly smile and a good read. So swing by the local turf tomorrow morning and pick up the latest edition of Street Roots. Your vendor will thank you and you’ll be glad you’ve got your copy before they sell out! Here’s what’s rolling on the press now:

Natalie Merchant: An discussion with the former 10,000 Maniac’s front woman about her life today, her passion for music for all ages, and her latest tour.

Veterans could soon join ranks of specialty courts: Multnomah County is preparing to start a special veterans-only docket to address the circumstances behind former soldiers caught up in criminal behavior. Service providers who to learn why so many veterans who had no problems in the service, return to enter our criminal justice system.

Lenders bypass foreclosure mediation law: Created to help keep Oregonians in their homes, the state program appears thwarted by bank tactics.

Realtors’ constitutional rewrite: The national push to end real estate transfer taxes has one real estate agent crying foul.

Plus, commentaries by police activist Jo Ann Hardesty and Portland Police Chief Mike Reese on the latest report on the Portland Police Bureau, words of wisdom from Mel Favara and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, and more news and poetry from the homeless front. Get your edition early, and spare a smile or two for your fellow reader. Thank you!

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Soon we’ll be tossing our galoshes to the back of the closet and wearing nothing but shorts and flip-flops, both of which pair well with some classic reading material. Thankfully, the new edition of Street Roots hits the block tomorrow morning. Here’s what’s rolling on the presses right now:

 The gravity of abuse: The first in a series examining the complex personal toll of domestic abuse.  Reporter Rosette Royale spent 22 months researching the path of violence in Brandy Sweeney and Richard Duncan’s lives. The result is an intense dissection of abuse in America.

Bugged out: New federal guidelines for low-income housing support cut out explicit tenant protections regarding bed bug infestations. The result could deter eradication in Portland apartments.

 Where wisdom sleeps: Author Linda Ross Swanson chronicles the lives of addiction and recovery on the streets.

The endless journeyman: Portland icon Lewi Longmire has found success on many stages, but his roots still run deep beneath the Rose City.

Plus commentary from the Western Regional Advocacy Project, and poetry from the students of the Native American Youth and Family Center. All for only $1! So don’t forget to keep a buck on hand when you head out this weekend, and share a smile for your friendly neighborhood vendor. You will make their day!

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Street Roots vendors pack the office every other Friday morning and share their positive stories about you, our readers. It’s an important relationship for so many of the men and women who work every day, rain or shine – and sometimes a little snow! Here’s what’s on the press right now:

“People will be talking about it:” An interview with Jo Ann Hardesty (formerly Bowman) about the Portland Charter Commission and the lost opportunities for police reform.

Social determinants of health “intrinsic” but left out in Salem: As lawmakers work to create a new health care structure around the Oregon Health Plan, people who work on issues of housing, addiction and socio-economic concerns are getting short shrift in new policies.

Vancouver, B.C.’s drug revolution: How the Canadian city pushes the envelope when it comes to harm reduction, addiction and recovery.

“Play your heart out … and hope that someone is out there listening:” An interview with musician Lindsay Fuller on her unusual lyrical style and need to inflict a little discomfort now and then.

And so the madness continues: Angela Martin with Economic Fairness Oregon follows up on our report on foreclosure reform efforts in Salem by looking at the real impact the laws could have to save people’s homes.

Plus, commentaries by economist Robin Hahnel and Neighborhood Partnerships, along with vendor poetry. New paper hits the streets Friday morning, so don’t forget to stash a buck in your wallet before heading out tomorrow, and carry a smile for your friendly neighborhood vendor. Thank you!

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The weekend is almost here, and when it arrives, be ready for the new edition of Street Roots, rolling on the presses right now. It’s still only $1, and delivered by the finest vendors in town. Here’s what’s headed your way:

An end to the madness? A discussion with Sen. Chip Shields on his efforts to get foreclosure reform measures passed in Salem. It’s an uphill battle, but the difference could help Oregonians threatened by foreclosures today.

‘Unemployed need not apply’ ads targeted by state lawmakers: A bill in Salem would prohibit companies from advertising jobs that don’t allow the jobless to apply.

‘We’ll have to come together and do our best’: A discussion with City Commissioner Dan Saltzman about his work in office and the challenges ahead.

Amanda Fritz, Mary Nolan and $: The latest rundown on campaign fundraising by Janice Thompson with Common Cause.

All this, plus commentary by the Western Regional Advocacy Project, Planned Parenthood, OPAL and economist Robin Hahnel. And much more, including news, poetry and notes from readers who wrote in about their experiences with vendors. A fun read! So don’t forget to tuck a buck before you head out tomorrow and say hello to your friendly neighborhood Street Roots vendor! Thank you!

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The presses are rolling with the latest edition of Street Roots. Rain or shine — and who can predict these days — your friendly neighborhood vendor will stocked with the new issue early Friday morning. So don’t forget to pack a dollar for the best deal in town. Here’s what’s rolling now:

Manufacturing a new community: Is turning manufactured housing parks into resident-owned cooperatives the key to preserving Oregon’s largest stock of affordable housing?

In memoriam: A moving series of images from the funeral of Stevenson L. Roy, a homeless Vietnam veteran laid to rest in Portland with full military honors.

Families in need stretch Oregon’s safety net: The state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is beyond capacity, reaching it’s highest enrollment since the program began in 1997. But relief is nowhere in sight.

Portland Afoot is getting around: An interview with Michael Andersen, the man behind Portland Afoot, the city’s “10-minute” transportation magazine.

Plus, new commentaries by Mayor Sam Adams, Leo Rhodes, and the Western States Center, with a refreshing dose of poetry from the streets. It’s all coming your way Friday and still only $1! Thank you for your support!

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Hot cocoa season has arrived, and nothing goes better with a cup of chocolate goodness than an engaging read. Your neighborhood Street Roots vendor has the answer with the latest edition of SR, packed with news, opinion and poetry like no other publication in the city. Here’s what will be waiting for you Friday morning:

Just what the legislature ordered: Oregon races the clock to restructure its low-income health care system to cut nearly a quarter of a billion dollars from its budget. Amanda Waldroupe reports on the new Oregon Health Plan delivery system.

The challenger: Mary Nolan, the only candidate challenging an incumbent in City Hall, wants to bring Oregon’s cultural and commercial hub into focus

The unlabeled man: An interview with Leon Rosselson, a singer, songwriter from the 60s still singing to the excluded.

Mental health and criminal justice: Penny wise and definitely foolish: Attorney Chris O’Connor writes from experience on the two and calls for a reform of how our courts process people with mental illnesses.

Plus, commentary from Western States Center and Jay Thiemeyer, and a perspective from the heart of Occupy Portland from Amanda Eckerson. And look for the latest Curbside, featuring the voices of people living on the streets, along with new poetry and artwork. So grab your Street Roots first thing Friday and you’ll be ready when that warm cup of cocoa is served. As always, send us your thoughts and opinions – we love to hear from our readers!

Vendor Profile: Donald Grubb

By Cole Merkel, staff Writer

Don Grubb commands few pretensions. His quiet, friendly smile and shaved head don’t easily lead on to the fact that, in a few short years, he has seen more places outside the United States than most people see in a lifetime.

“I try to live life peaceful and do the right thing,” says Grubb, whose year and a half in the Navy took him to Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Sicily and the United Arab Emirates. Of them Italy was his favorite country.

Beyond his time in the military, Don has lived in a half-dozen cities across the United States. He was born in Baltimore, Md., but grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. He lived in Lansing, Mich. for a while and also Great Lakes, Ill. He has seen the East Coast, the West Coast and a smattering of states in between.

Don has now lived in Portland for two months, though he previously lived here for six years. He moved back after spending four years in Las Vegas. “I got tired of Vegas and just wanted to come back, get a fresh start, possibly get an apartment again and a full-time job,” says Grubb.

In Vegas, he says, “It’s just a lot of oppression, a lot of rich oppressing the poor, it shouldn’t be that way. A lot of gambling. Not a lot of jobs. It’s pretty much like that economically everywhere.”

The football teams Grubb follows reflect the states he has lived in. He has been a fan of the Baltimore Ravens since before he can remember, and he follows the Philadelphia Eagles and remains a huge fan of the Chicago Bears.

If he could have any job in the world, Grubb would own a landscaping business — an industry in which he has seven years experience — or his own restaurant. He says he would enjoy, “cooking delicious food for people at an affordable, reasonable price to the point where I can make a profit, and they can still enjoy themselves.” His signature dish would be a “quadruple, three-cheese, bacon, avocado burger with a side of fries and onion rings.” That means four ground beef patties glued together with three different types of cheese topped with bacon and avocado. Homer Simpson would be proud.

When selling papers at the Starbucks on NW 23rd Avenue and Overton Street, Don is pragmatic. “I just pretty much plead my cause,” he says. “I don’t like to approach them (his customers) in a begging style or anything like that. I just pretty much kindly ask them if they can help out a homeless veteran by buying a copy of Street Roots. I joke with them sometimes and make them laugh.”

If he could go anywhere in the world, Don would love to return to Italy. Although he doesn’t know the language fluently, he can speak enough Italian to get by. He would also enjoy returning to Ontario, where his family spent a few months during his childhood while his stepfather went bear hunting. For now though, he’s content in Portland. “I’m trying to be in a position where I can help other people and also make myself more improved by stepping up, getting off the streets and getting an apartment,” Grubb says.  “That’s basically what I look forward to, being in a position where I can reach out and help other people after I get myself established.”

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In this hustle and bustle world, isn’t nice to know there’s one place you can always go and get a smile and a thank you, along with solid information? That’s your neighborhood Street Roots vendor on the job, holding down the corners and holding up the finest independent news source in Portland. The new edition arrives early Friday morning. Here’s what’s headed your way:

Head cases: Screening, tracking and treating traumatic brain injury on the street is possible. Stacy Brownhill continues our in-depth series on traumatic brain injuries and homelessness, and how health care systems networks for the homeless could get involved.

 Interstate and beyond. Jake Thomas gives a historical perspective on the impact urban renewal efforts in North and Northeast Portland, right as the city prepares to take it even further.

 Janet Byrd: Getting the policy ball moving forward begins with how we craft the message. Israel Bayer interviews the executive director of Portland’s Neighborhood Partnerships_.

Diamonds are the poor’s best friend: An interview with environmentalist Saleem Ali about the benefits of a corporate structure, the dynamics of consumerism and the balance between green and greed.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s commentary from the Western States Center, poetry from the streets, letters and art! Don’t forget to tuck a buck in your back pocket on the way out the door tomorrow, and get your copy of Street Roots first thing! Thank you!

Watch, record, TIVO – “Two Spirits” airs tonight on OPB

Award-winning documentary looks at the gay, or “two spirited” people within the Native American community

By Stacy Brownhill
Staff Writer

Independent Lens offers a new and beautiful look at growing up gay and Native American in a conservative state. The award-winning documentary premieres  11 p.m. tonight on OPB and profiles the life and death of Fred Martinez, a 16-year-old hate-crime victim who was killed 10 years ago.

Martinez was known in Navajo culture as two-spirit, or nádleehí, because he embodied both genders. Historically, two-spirited people were celebrated in many Native American cultures and occupied esteemed roles as counselors, storytellers, matchmakers and herbalists. Their ability to personify both the masculine and the feminine was considered a treasured gift. Gender was fluid rather than binary, and many tribes had as many as five different words for gender.

But Martinez came out in the 21st Century in homophobic Cortez, Colo., a border town next to the Navajo Nation. Through interviews with his family, friends, anthropologists and activists, the documentary portrays a young person with big dreams and a strong sense of self. His brutal murder in 2001 was not charged as a hate crime in Colorado at the time, but would be today under the Matthew Shepard Act passed in 2009.

The May 22 attack against two men holding hands on the Hawthorne Bridge reminds us that Portland is no stranger to hate crimes. In fact, according to 2010 police records, the number of bias crimes reported in Portland due to gender orientation was greater than those reported due to race. “Two Spirits” is a stunning portrait of an American culture that embraced drag queens and same-sex couples long before hate crimes tried to silence them.

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It’s not too soon to start planning your weekend, even if that means little more than a cup of spiced chai, a well-cushioned chair and a good read. On that last note, we’ve got you covered. The new edition of Street Roots hits the pavement tomorrow morning, and you’re friendly neighborhood vendor will be ready. Here’s what’s coming your way:

Life support: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and related employment services has helped thousands of people get back to work. Its own future looks less positive. Joanne Zuhl reports on what’s at stake for children and families if the governor’s budget plans go through.

Striking out: Measure 11’s failing report card fans sparks for reform. Amanda Waldroupe reports on the efforts by some prison-reform advocates and lawmakers to chip away at the controversial mandatory sentencing law.

The American Dream — Redux: Stacy Brownhill reports on how Proud Ground uses its land trusts to help lower-income families obtain their own home, and preserve it as affordable for generations to come.

The Aloha State’s turbulent relations: And interview with author and radio personality Sarah Vowell on her new book about Hawaii’s history.

Plus, columns by officer Robert Pickett, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, housing guru Heather Lyons and more poetry and good stuff than you can shake a stick at. As always, we like to hear from our readers, so please send us your comments and letters to streetrootsnews@gmail.com, and have a great weekend!

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A little rain hasn’t slowed down our vendors — or our readers, who have kept Street Roots’ circulation growing this past year. Your support is making a difference in the lives of many men and women working in our community. This Friday, a fresh edition rolls off the press and on to the streets. Here’s what’s coming:

Building a bigger tent: Street Roots Executive Director Israel Bayer joined Commissioner Nick Fish and other county business and program representatives on a tour of Seattle housing and homeless programs. In this interview, Fish talks about the lessons learned there and here in Portland, as the city grapples with impending budget constraints and a struggling economy.

Proposed budget cuts: Amanda Waldroupe breaks down the federal plans to slash and burn a host of programs that help the poor, disabled and elderly, and what it could mean for Oregonians.

Postmortem for the left: A talk with Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges on “Death of the Liberal Class”

Wrench Raiders lends a hand to homeless cyclists: Vendor Terris Harned interviews C.J. Speelman about a unique program offering bicycle maintenance to the homeless who rely on their bikes for mobility and independence.

Plus, commentaries from The Bicycle Transportation Alliance on meshing business development and transportation, and from Police Officer Robert Pickett on the defense training that police employ when faced with danger. All that, plus more news, poetry and artwork from the streets. Send a buck and smile your vendor’s way and you’ll have a great start to the weekend. Thank you!

Vendor Profile: Loving Portland through Jenni’s eyes

Street Roots vendor Jenni sells outside of Zupan's at Belmont and 33rd Avenue.

By Kaisa McCrow
Contributing Writer

Jenni, a petite woman with short hair and an endearing smile, describes her post selling Street Roots outside of the Zupan’s on Belmont and 33rd as the location for the happiest shoppers in Portland. This seems to delight her, and she describes the area as a “super neighborhood,” where everyone is smiling and with beautiful children and dogs, carrying flowers and enjoying life. In Jenni’s Portland, people seem to be happy, the forests are beautiful, and there is space for any kind of person to find peace and home. Jenni moved here two years ago from Michigan with her best friend and traveling partner Justin. They had already been close for years when together they decided to sell everything that they owned and venture west. They say it took 5-6 months of saving money, a lot of soul-searching and one-way Amtrak tickets to get both of them to leave behind the only home either of them knew for Oregon.

Jenni described Michigan as a much harsher place to live. She experienced more violence there and recalls getting held up at gun point, on her birthday no less. The dangerous environment, coupled with a bad economy and a desire for adventure, led her and Justin through the mountains on a two-day train trip with the few things left that they owned. It was a beautiful way to travel and Jenni describes the trip as gorgeous, barring the less than inspiring scenery in North Dakota. Traveling in March at the end of winter, the pair began to feel panicked as they approached Oregon with the scenery around them still covered in snow. They began to rethink their little tent and lack of winter gear, sprouting final seeds of doubt and cold feet after nearly half a year of preparation. The image of arriving in a city blanketed by snow, with no home or possessions was nerve-wracking and scary. To their happy relief, they pulled into Portland’s downtown train station to greet an unseasonably nice, 65-degree day, just the greeting they needed to start over in this new city.

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More vendors than ever are selling Street Roots, so you’ll be seeing a few new faces out on the beat. Like all of our crew, they’re working hard to bring you the latest edition, which is on the press today. Here’s what’s coming your way Friday morning:

All the world’s a stage: Musicians and performers vie for attention in downtown Portland sidewalks. Now the city is looking at revisiting an aging agreement on how buskers and businesses can peaceably share the spotlight.

Sidewalk management clears sit-lie hurdles of years past: Nothing is perfect, but the ordinance in place seems to have quelled much of the fury over how we use our downtown sidewalks.

Health care, once — and for all: Dr. Margaret Flowers talks about the renewed campaign for single-payer health care coverage, even as Washington D.C. looks at gutting reform altogether

Street Roots 2010 Annual Report: A rundown of the past year, recognizing our vendors, volunteers and supporters who made 2010 remarkable.

Plus, commentary, poetry and opinion from the streets, with just a dash of weather forecasting from Soup Can Sam. Get yours Friday morning and your prep for the weekend will be complete!