🌱 More Bikes For Biketown + City Approves $50M For Mass Campsites

Good morning, neighbors! I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new copy of the Portland Patch newsletter. Let's get this weekend started off right, with a quick review of everything you need to know about what's happening around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Remaining cloudy. High: 66 Low: 51.
• Sunday: A couple of showers. High: 58 Low: 45.

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Here are the top three stories today in Portland:

1. On Friday, Portland officials announced that they will be adding around 500 new e-bikes to the city's bike rental program. The new addition will bring the total of bikes in the Biketown fleet to around 2,000. In honor of Earth Day on Saturday, anyone can use Biketown for unlimited free rides for up to one hour. (OregonLive)
2. On Wednesday, the Portland City Council voted unanimously to award a five-year, $50 million contract to Urban Alchemy, a California-based non-profit, for the organization to run city-sanctioned campsites to aid the city's population of people experiencing homelessness. The organization has agreed to run five mass campsites in the city with the first one at 1490 SE Gideon St. scheduled to open sometime this summer and expected to cost around $5.1 million per year to run. (Fox 12 Oregon)
3. Portland passenger ferry Frog Ferry is asking for the Portland City Council's help to apply for federal grant funding that would go towards making the ferry a public transport option along the Willamette River. Depending on whether or not they are able to secure funding, Frog Ferry plans for the first route to go from the River Place dock to Cathedral Park; the first ferry would have a capacity of 70 passengers and ticket prices of $3.50 per passenger. (Fox 12 Oregon)

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Today and tomorrow in Portland:

Saturday, April 22

• PSU Farmers Market & Spring Wellness Fair At SW Park & Montgomery (8:30 AM)
• Small Batch Trivia from Geeks Who Drink At Saint Pizza Lounge (8:00 PM)

Sunday, April 23

• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night At The Twilight Room (7:00 PM)
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night At Ecliptic Brewing — Moon Room (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Check out this list of activities going on in and around the Portland area, including an Earth Day Cleanup event throughout Portland on Saturday. (KGW.com)
• It's race weekend, and there will be multiple traffic interruptions and bridge closures along the Willamette River on Sunday. If you're traveling, be aware of the closures starting at 6:00 a.m. and running to approximately 11:30 a.m. at the Hawthorne, Morrison, and Broadway bridges. (Fox 12 Oregon)
• Do you love plants? Here's good news for you — Portland Public Schools' Community Transition Program is holding its Spring Plant Sale at various locations through May 13. Learn more here. (Portland Public Schools via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be back in your inbox soon with your next update.

— Michelle Paul

About me: Michelle Paul is a Utah-based writer and photographer with a professional background in content management and registered nursing. When not working on projects ranging from photo editing to copywriting, they enjoy traveling, video games, and expanding their skills.