Off Topic
Alpha, I appreciate you giving your neighbor city a chance. This post certainly was a nice change of pace.
Unfortunately I saw the opposite as I venture into Portland downtown (but still feel the relative safety walking around, thanks to small blocks, good lighting, and easy parking) in terms of actual police force.
Portland south and southwest neighborhoods have more businesses with merchandise removed / blocked from windows at night, roll down shutters, and other measures than I had seen in the past. I have seen 2 gas station mini marts that close overnight that now have barred or grated windows that were just glass for decades (and are in middle - high middle income neighborhoods). Maybe this was required for maintaining an insurance policy?
The open drug use is definitely shattering, yet you can be dining in a clean, beautiful restaurant less than a block away from someone in distress (sometimes even across the street). This is not from media sensationalizing, but me viewing some of it first-hand.
Unfortunately I saw the opposite as I venture into Portland downtown (but still feel the relative safety walking around, thanks to small blocks, good lighting, and easy parking) in terms of actual police force.
Portland south and southwest neighborhoods have more businesses with merchandise removed / blocked from windows at night, roll down shutters, and other measures than I had seen in the past. I have seen 2 gas station mini marts that close overnight that now have barred or grated windows that were just glass for decades (and are in middle - high middle income neighborhoods). Maybe this was required for maintaining an insurance policy?
The open drug use is definitely shattering, yet you can be dining in a clean, beautiful restaurant less than a block away from someone in distress (sometimes even across the street). This is not from media sensationalizing, but me viewing some of it first-hand.