WW: Best cause, reporter, scandal, legislator, nonprofit... and place to make out.
What else did 2178 of Willamette Week's readers declare the "Best of Portland" in the reader's poll?
Here's a few vaguely political selections... What do you think?
Best Local Band
Pop orchestra Pink Martini came in with an easy, 160-vote lead over the competition. Runners-up: In order, the Decemberists, the Shins, Menomena and Storm LargeBest Independent Bookseller that Isn't Owned by Michael Powell
When you want to shop somewhere a little less mind-boggling, you go to Annie Bloom's Books (7834 SW Capitol Highway, 246-0053). Runner-up: Looking Glass BooksBest Place to Jog
You huff and puff along the Eastbank Esplanade . Runner-up: Waterfront Park. Notable write-in: "Anywhere I can watch you power walk."Best Oregonian Reporter
You admire Jeff Manning for his hard-hitting coverage of real issues. Good on you, Jeff. Have you taken that place over yet? Runner-up: Anna Griffin.Best Local Political Cause
Top five: Up with bikes! Biodiesel for all! Ban smoking! Enough with the trigger-happy cops, already! Start smoking the weed—legally! Notable write-ins: "Abortions for everyone!"; "Are the Benson Bubblers wasting water? We should turn those off"; "Ban pedestrian right of way!"; "Can we pump our own gas already????"; "equal rights goddamn!!!!!!"; "Get over the stripper obsession. Xoxo—a former stripper"; "Go gay marriage, go gay marriage, go!"; "Just stay in frickin' Williamsburg, already! Don't move here! OK!"; "Local economys [sic]! Are good!"; "More Public Restrooms!"; "No exposed flabby bellies on men or women"; "Mandatory hygiene classes for alt-lifestyle folks"; "Photovoltaics for every building— let's get off the oil tit"; "Stop studded snow tires! It only snows two fucking inches a season here!"; "Start the Society For The Preservation of Portland Earlobes."Best Scandal
The Tram Debacle was the shocking-est, most shameful scandal of the past year, you say. Runner-up: The Derrick Foxworth Flame-outBest Member of City Council
Is it his smoldering eyes or hot talk in Council sessions? Whichever, you like Sam Adams . A lot (see below). Runner-up: Erik StenHottest Member of City Council
Again, his hotness, Sam Adams , is your dishiest Commish. Runner-up: Gap-toothed Erik Sten
Best County Commissioner
The new guy gets a break. Ted Wheeler turns your wheels. Runner-up: Lisa NaitoHottest County Commissioner
Blond "Mean Girl" Lisa Naito steals your throbbing heart. Runner-up: Maria Rojo de SteffeyHottest Political Activist
Sorry, Jeff. Fellow Bus Project driver Anna Galland makes our civic heart go thumpity-thump. Runner-up: Jefferson SmithBest Local State Rep/Senator
Rep. Diane Rosenbaum . She loves the gays, and Kate Brown, too! Runner-up: Rep. Mary NolanHottest Local State Rep/Senator
This is weird. Or is it just some Democratic conspiracy? Tie: Rep. Diane Rosenbaum/Rep. Mary NolanBest Local Nonprofit
You animal lovers tugged at our hearts when you voted for the Oregon Humane Society (1067 NE Columbia Blvd., 285-7722, oregonhumane.org). Runner-up: Mercy CorpsBest Reason to Move to Portland
Top five: "Young Creatives," Bike-friendly streets, Stumptown Roasters, Strippers, VeggiesBest Reason to Move Away from Portland
Top five: Gentrification, the Pearl, the dating scene, "Young Creatives," StrippersBest Place to Make Out
You folks are bolder than we are: Playing tonsil hockey on the Tram?
Head on over to Willamette Week for the full "Best of Portland" story. Discuss!
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Jul 26, '07
There should be a category for Best Improved City Councilor.
Randy Leonard gets the prize. And with all due respect to Sam, Randy's emerging populism is HOT!
Jul 26, '07
WW has become more and more worthless with each passing month. The only thing I'll hope for is that the current revenue stream generated from Budweiser and Tobacco ads is replace by Ikea one's (which isn't much better).
9:57 a.m.
Jul 26, '07
The Shins - from Albuquerque.
10:47 a.m.
Jul 26, '07
How is the Eastbank Esplanade even "vaguely political?" (Not that it matters.) I'm surprised by that one, because there's a section that stinks overwhelmingly of raw sewage. But hey.
I've always thought this was one of the strangest, most contrived things the WW does. Hottest legislator? Is there really anyone in the entire state who cares? Surely not the hipsters WW is trying to attract.
Jul 26, '07
Really sad that Erik Sten is considered runner up as best member of the city council. This sleaze ball gave away 40 million tax payer dollars in the behind-locked-doors Civic Stadium deal, lost us over 30 million tax payer dollars because of his ineptness running the water bureau, and also took enough contributions from local and non-local Fat Cats to concern any progressive (but the looked the other way, as usual, when one of their sleazeballs does it or has connections, like Serena Cruz-Walsh, heiress to the Walsh Construction Fat Cat politically connected fortune.
Ka-CHING! Ka-CHING!
Bob Tiernan
Jul 26, '07
So the TRAM was the biggest scandal of the past year?? We must be pretty starved for jiucy scandals to pick something that didn't actually happen during the year in question.
But the strangest one is the "hottest County Commissioner" question... anyone who's ever spent time in the same room with our Commissioners would let out an audible "eewww!" if asked to pick the "hottest" one.
-John
12:32 p.m.
Jul 26, '07
The Shins - from Albuquerque.
But they typically claim Portland as their base, don't they? Most mags cite Portland as their town.
Bob R-- Sten didn't "lose us 30mil dollars"; quite the contrary--we got $28mil of free water. The $7mil paid to the contractor was fully recovered.
I have no idea what the "fat-cat" charge is supposed to imply; as we know, Sten took NO contributions beyond $5,000 in seed money, and to get that sum the amounts were capped at $100. Not very fat. And if I recall right; he was able send about half that much back to the City after the election was over.
Nice try, though. If you're going to bash the projects with negative bottom lines, does he get credit for PDC loaning money for improvements and streets around the Brewery Blocks, resulting in about a 30-fold increase in value for that formerly forlorn area (and being paid back in full for the loans?)
Jul 26, '07
Best weekly tabloid impersonation of Fox News: Williamette Week!
Jul 26, '07
It's like the Oregonian today. That stupid "kitty" tale has been on about 50 different news websites and papers today. So much for original and local news.
11:44 a.m.
Jul 27, '07
Dang, somehow I missed the issue(s) of WW that had this poll. Best Local Band: The Tactics (sadly, only very recently defunct.) And Kate Brown is pretty hot...
Jul 27, '07
BoJack made BOTH lists -- best of Portland and a great reason to leave town.
Hmmm....
Jul 27, '07
Torrid Joe:
Sten didn't "lose us 30mil dollars"; quite the contrary--we got $28mil of free water. The $7mil paid to the contractor was fully recovered.
Bob T:
What does that have to do with the billing fiasco?
Torrid Joe:
I have no idea what the "fat-cat" charge is supposed to imply; as we know, Sten took NO contributions beyond $5,000 in seed money, and to get that sum the amounts were capped at $100.
Bob T:
Check the C&E reports for previous campaigns, not the most recent using the taxpayer funded (ripoff) system.
Had a well-known local Republican ran for city council and had the same list of contributors as Sten had in reality then he would have been trashed by the so-called progressives. But no, it was Sten, so he got a pass (the way the hated Bechtel Corporation got a pass when it made a sweetheart deal regarding Airport MAX -- I guess if Halliburton agrees to build (mostly with your tax dollars, of course) a MAX line to, say, Estacada, then you guys won't make a peep (again). You like MAX and Sten, so the double standard kicks in.
Torrid Joe:
Nice try, though. If you're going to bash the projects with negative bottom lines, does he get credit for PDC loaning money for improvements and streets around the Brewery Blocks, resulting in about a 30-fold increase in value for that formerly forlorn area (and being paid back in full for the loans?)
Bob T:
Oh, I don't know. Did private landowners make a bundle?
I'd get rid of the PDC anyway.
By the way, stay tuned for a list of Sten's sources of campaign money from earlier campaigns. Print it out and keep it on file -- I'm tired of you guys forgetting about this two minutes later and then claiming he's a saint again.
Bob Tiernan
Jul 27, '07
Some contributions to Erik Sten (Portland City Council)
GSL Properties-------------$3,000.00 ---$500.00
Kenneth Novack (Schnitzer Investments)----$5,000.00
Tom Walsh (Walsh & Assoc.)-----------$2,500.00 ---$7,940.00
Bob Walsh (Walsh Construction)-------$7,500.00
Don Morrisette Homes-------$1,000.00 ---$500.00
Bob Gerding (Real estate)--$2,500.00
Conwest Resources, Inc.----$5,000.00
H. Naito Corporation-------$1,000.00
Imsport, Inc.--------------$1,000.00
R. B. Pamplin Corp---------$2,500.00 ---$1,500.00
HDR Engineering, Inc.------$2,500.00
Rose Quarter---------------$1,000.00
John Russell (Office bldg owner)--------$1,000.00
Joseph Weston (Real estate developer)----$1,000.00
James Winkler (Real estate developer)----$2,500.00 ---$500.00
Ramis Crew Corrigan & Bachrach LLC---------------$1,000.00
Bay City LLC---------------$2,500.00
BPM Associates, LLC--------$2,000.00
D Park Corporation---------$2,000.00
MWS Holdings (Tempe, Ariz.)-------------$1,000.00
MWH Global (wastewater; UK/Pasadena based)---------$2,500.00
Frank A Bitar & Assoc (property mngm't)----------$1,000.00 ---$1,000.00
Philip Smith (Finance manager)----------$2,500.00 ---$647.00
Heritage Investment Corp.--$1,000.00
Pat Pendergast (Real estate developer)----$950.00 ---$500.00
(Source: C&E Reports, 2002 & 1996)
Jul 29, '07
The Shins started in Albuquerque. They have lived here since 2002 which, I think, qualifies them as a local band. Its like saying the Decemberists are from Montana because Colin Meloy sings old Tarkio songs on Decemberists records.
9:02 p.m.
Jul 30, '07