Marginal to the action

People are gathering (in the shade) on the first HOT day of the year (hot by local standards, soon to be remembered as cool, given climate catastrophe)--to defend Portland Street Response. 

It is the best program this city has, created by the brilliant, caring, wise Commissioner we had until 2023, JoAnn Hardesty. Those who have been with me for a while know that I was her campaign photographer, and we were very good friends. She was defeated in the election last year by a right-wing mean-hearted */%* (fill in your favorite term of abuse) who posted lies about her and appealed to people's racism and took her seat on the City Council.

He set about undoing everything she ever did (and she was amazing and created many excellent programs), and he is now trying to de-fund Portland Street Response, the program that serves mentally ill people living in the streets. Why, of all programs in the world, would anyone want to de-fund THAT program?

There is a rally to defend the program today at city hall, and I passed it on the way to Sue's house. I need to take her to the retinologist today to see what's up with her eyes since she had complications of cataract surgeries in December and January. She'll have her eyes dilated, so I'll need to drive her home.

The rally was to have started half an hour after I passed by. I hope more people showed up. I hope PSR can be saved. I saw many people I know there. And of course I hope Sue's eyes will finally come right. It has been a long and unpleasant struggle for her.

Update: the retinologist says the inflammation has (finally) subsided, and she can now get prescription reading glasses. There are some remaining issues, but there is no going back.