Portland, OR

Friday in Portland: Mayor Wheeler issues emergency declaration, Oregon Truffle Festival kicks off this weekend

Emily Scarvie

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(PORTLAND, Ore.) Hello Portlanders! It's Friday, Jan. 27 - Here's your daily round up of all the news happening in the City of Roses.

1. Portland police make arrest in 2011 cold case of L.J. Irving, who was shot and killed after breaking up bar fight

Police have arrested a 37-year-old Portland man on murder charges for the 2011 shooting of Leonard “L.J.” Irving. Irving, 34, was shot in the back four times outside a bar on Northeast 82nd Avenue on June 26, 2011. He had reportedly broken up an argument between Lamar Hill, his nephew, and another man. As Irving and Hill walked to their minivan across the street, Irving was shot and killed. Hill was shot in the neck, but survived.

More than a decade later, Jawuan Marsean Polk has been arrested for the shooting. Portland police have not publicly announced the arrest, but an indictment lists Irving and Hill as the victims. Polk is set to be arraigned on first-degree murder and attempted murder charges.

Polk has been in Multnomah County Jail since May 2022 for another case in which he faces second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges. His prior convictions include assault, cocaine possession and delivery, and promoting prostitution.

2. Mayor Wheeler issues emergency declaration after city workers announce strike

After more than 600 city employees announced plans to go on strike in February, Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration on Thursday. The employees planning to go on strike include those that work in wastewater treatment operations, pollution testing, street maintenance and park ranger services. The emergency declaration makes it easier for the city to move around workers and hire contractors to fill in.

According to the city, they’ve been negotiating a new contract with Laborers Local 483 for nearly 10 months. To read Wheeler’s full emergency declaration, click here.

3. Oregon Truffle Festival kicks off this weekend with dog competition

The Oregon Truffle Festival kicks off Saturday with truffle-hunting dogs from across the Pacific Northwest competing in the North American Truffle Dog Championship in Eugene. The festival, which will run through February and into early March, is the premiere event of its kind in the U.S.

Other festival events include a “Truffles and Bubbles Sparkling Dinner” at Willamette Valley Vineyards, a fresh truffle marketplace in Corvallis and a weekend of truffle dog training in Banks. The full list of events can be found here.

January through March is peak truffle season for Oregon Truffles. Newberg Truffle Month also begins in February.

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