Portland, ME – May 4th was Star Wars Day, Naked Gardening Day, and Free Comic Book Day, but only the latter-most resulted in violence. One man was arrested at a Free Comic Book Day event after allegedly assaulting a Stormtrooper, a Ghostbuster, and then finally being Tasered.

Adam Barnes of Westbrook was arrested on Saturday at Coast City Comics after assaulting two people dressed up for Free Comic Book Day and threatening police, according to Portland authorities.

The comic shop was hosting an event associated with Free Comic Book Day, with a dozen people showing up in costume as Ghostbusters, Stormtroopers, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman.

Barnes showed up intoxicated and began assaulting store patrons just looking to celebrate comics and get their hands on a free one. Bobby Daggett, dressed as Green Lantern, recalled the scene for the Bangor Daily News.

“There were a bunch of people standing outside trying to drum up business and one guy was dressed as a Stormtrooper,” he said. “Out of nowhere this guy tried to put [the guy in the Stormtrooper costume] in a chokehold from behind and then throws him to the ground. He was trying to be intimidating above him and screamed obscenities to everybody.”

Daggett said that the scene was surreal.

“I didn’t think it was malicious [at first]. I thought they were messing around,” he said. “But the guy in costume had no idea who this guy was.”

Barnes apparently punches a man dressed as a Ghostbuster, and then left. Police caught up with him a block away.

“He was taunting and challenging police officers and then he got Tased,” said said Portland police Lt. Gary Hutcheson, who agreed that the scene was bizarre.

“I’ve been a cop for 23 years, I’ve never heard of a Ghostbuster and a Stormtrooper getting assaulted,” he said.

[Image via: Chris Harvey, Shutterstock.com]

Portland Man Tasered, Arrested On Free Comic Book Day After Assaulting Stromtrooper is a post from: The Inquisitr

Portland, OR – “Chicken sitters” are needed in Oregon.

Linda Walker reportedly took a job as a chicken sitter for pet owners who will be away from home for an extended period of time. Instead of looking after a dog, cat, or hamster, the Portland woman will take care of chickens.

According to The Daily Astorian, Walker will feed and care for the birds until her employers return home. She will even collect any eggs the chickens happen to lay during that time.

The chicken sitter said she learned how to deal with the animals while working at a feed store last summer. The experience taught her how to care for chicks and ducklings. She was then able to apply that knowledge to her current profession.

Linda Walker told ABC News that she was surprised by how many people own chickens in the Portland area.

She explained:

“Just in my neighborhood there’s got to be at least 20 households that have chickens. Your neighbor can take your cat or dog, but not a whole lot of them know what to do with [chickens] or what to look for.”

Walker said she secured her first job from a friend who was going on her honeymoon. Although she thought she was in over her head caring for nearly 200 animals, the chicken sitter said she was quickly able to develop a routine.

According to MSN, Walker feels that many folks don’t know what to do with their chickens when they need to leave home for a length of time. This is where the chicken sitter’s role comes into play.

Walker said of her charges:

“They’re beautiful and really funny and better than TV, they’re fun to watch. And they have great eggs!”

Are you good with animals? Would you accept a job as a chicken sitter?

‘Chicken Sitter’ Jobs Available In Portland is a post from: The Inquisitr

Portland, OR – A man was recently cited by police for his loud whistling.

Authorities explained that Robert Smith could be heard whistling from at least a block away. Since so many people found his habit to be “irritating,” police decided to cite the man for disturbing the peace.

According to The Associated Press, Smith reached a deal with police and the Portland Downtown District. If he wants to continue whistling, then he isn’t allowed to linger in one spot for very long.

The Westbrook resident has been cited by police for whistling twice in the past year. Area businesses, which likened the noise to hearing a loud radio, aren’t very big fans of Smith’s work.

Although the man said his whistling is protected by the First Amendment, Portland police felt otherwise.

During a chat with the Portland Press Herald, Smith said that people are usually amused by the whistling.

He explained:

“I whistled a tune one day. I don’t know where it came from.” It came from God — that’s where it came from. God is showing me what I’m doing is OK. He shows me every day with laughter.”

Smith added:

“I’ve heard that drug thing. It doesn’t faze me one bit. They just want an answer to what I do every day. They want to put an answer to something they have no answer to.”

Oddly enough, business owners and residents in Lakeland, Florida have also had to contend with their own “Whistling Man.” According to The Ledger, 63-year-old Harold Hauser was arrested by police in 2008 for disturbing the peace after downtown shoppers were annoying by his whistling.

Do you think Portland police should have cited Robert Smith because of his loud whistling?

Portland Man Cited For Loud Whistling is a post from: The Inquisitr

Portland, OR – A 20-year veteran of the Portland Police was seriously injured on November 19, 2012 during an on-duty ATV training at Hayden Island. The accident rendered Officer Paul Meyer, 42, paralyzed. His paraplegia was a result of a 110-foot tree breaking and striking him during the training exercise. Prior to the mishap, Meyer had served as the lead Taser and AR-15 rifle instructor for the bureau.

Meyer, his wife Mary, and their two sons, are thankful he is alive. Mary Meyer, 42, recalls getting the call when the accident happened:

“As the wife of a police officer, you think shooting, stabbing. To hear he’d been hit by a tree. I mean, you don’t prepare for that. It’s unbelievable.”

The Oregonian reports that Meyer was recently released from Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital and moved into a temporary transitional home with his family, until their Tualatin house is renovated for wheelchair accessibility.

An anonymous couple, hearing about Meyer’s unfortunate paralysis on the news, purchased a 2013 Limited Toyota Sienna minivan in cash for nearly $40,000 from Dick Hannah Toyota in Washington, and had it donated to Paul Meyer.

Brian Sanders, the dealership’s general manager said:

“They paid for it and asked us to title it in the name of Paul Meyer. In my more than 15 years in this business, I’m still at a loss of words. This whole thing just has been remarkable.”

Sanders posted on the dealership’s facebook page about his experience with the goodwill couple:

“He and his wife are not wealthy. They were both in the military and recently received a modest inheritance. They decided that a new vehicle would be a great thing to purchase with the money … They paid for it and asked us to title it in the name of Paul Meyer … These are not close friends of Paul’s. When they saw the news of the accident on tv, the husband recognized him as a man he had spoken with briefly once during a traffic stop. Outside of that brief encounter, they had never met.”

Appreciative of their unusual generosity, Meyer spoke by phone with the couple and was overcome with emotion. The station wagon the Meyer’s currently owns isn’t able to accommodate the wheelchair, and Meyer is unable to get into their SUV.

Meyer says the van is a blessing and intends to pay the deed forward.

“This is going to make an incredible impact in our lives. We’ll be able to go visit my wife’s family in Central Oregon and go as a family. We’ll be able to drive to the coast and do the things we’ve done as a family. Right now I have to focus on my health and recovery. But I promised when opportunities arise, I’ll be there for others.”

Anonymous Couple Donates A New Van To Paralyzed Portland Police Officer is a post from: The Inquisitr

The shooting in Connecticut, as well as several others nationwide over the holiday season, has sparked debate among the higher-ups over a topic that has a lot of gun owners outraged. Our government wants to put stricter laws on our usage of guns (in particular, assault rifles).

Two men were seen walking down a Portland street armed with assault rifles, causing quite an outcry among passerby. They told police they were exercising their rights given by the Second Amendment and hoping to educate the public on gun rights. Several calls were made to 911 on Wednesday afternoon, with reports of two men weatring assault rifles on their backs walking through Portland’s Sellwood neighborhood.

The two 22-year-old men, when confronted by police, openly told them that they each possess a valid concealed handgun license in Oregon, according to FOX News.

One of the men, who declined to release his full name, stated:

“Exercising my rights with a rifle to try to decrease the demonizing of peacefully exercising your rights in public.”

The men were identified as Warren Drouin and Steven Boyce Portland in a followup by authorities. Officers informed them that carrying a gun openly is legal in Oregon, as is carrying a concealed gun with a valid license. But doing one or both may generate 911 calls and trigger situations that literally waste police time. They were not arrested due to the passive nature of their display of the weapons, says Oregon Live.

Drouin and Boyce said they were hoping someone would approach them instead of calling the police. One of the men suggested:

“What they really should do is observe the person to determine if the person is aggressive. We’re not doing anything threatening to anyone.”

The Portland Police Bureau still urges anyone to call 911 immediately if they see any suspicious activity involving a gun.

Assault Rifle Owners In Portland Walk The Streets For Gun Rights is a post from: The Inquisitr

Portland, OR – Talk about adding insult to injury. One Occupy Portland protestor, who was photographed getting a mouthful of pepper spray, has been fined by a judge for ignoring police orders.

Occupy protestor Liz Nichols (pictured above, swallowing pepper spray) became infamous worldwide after the image up top became iconic of the clash with police during last year’s Occupy demonstrations. Of course, no self-respecting protestor is going to lie down for “the man,” and it’s for this neglect to follow police orders that Nichols has been fined $260 by a judge.

KATU reports that Nichols filed a lawsuit over the incident in October. She said that the officers in question violated her constitutional rights and used excessive force.

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what kind of effects swallowing a mouthful of pepper spray can have on your health. Nichols explains her experience in a video below from The Oregonian, and while she seems mostly okay, pepper spray can actually have some pretty nasty effects on your health.

The Wall Street Journal reports that though pepper spray obviously burns the skin and causes blindness, it can cause a variety of respiratory problems that are of real concern: “burning of the throat, wheezing, dry cough, shortness of breath, gagging, gasping, inability to breathe or speak .. and rarely, cyanosis [blue or purple skin or mucous membranes], apnea and respiratory arrest.”

Sounds sexy! Additionally, oleoresin capsicum, a pepper plant extract used in some pepper sprays, is listed as having 2 million and 5.3 million Scoville units. Scoville units are like “spicy” units, to be incredibly reductive. For comparison’s sake, habanero peppers boast about 200,000 to 350,000 Scoville units.

The moral of this story is to never open your mouth when you are being pepper sprayed. Stay safe, Occupy!

Judge Fines Occupy Protestor Who Swallowed Mouthful Of Pepper Spray [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The masked gunman, who opened fire in the Clackamas Town Center mall in Portland, Oregon, killing two individuals before killing himself, has been identified by police. However, at this time authorities have not yet released his name.

According to ABC News, the shooter was wearing a white hockey mask, black clothing, and a bullet proof vest as he attacked the mall around 3:30 pm on Tuesday. The gunman entered through a Macy’s store and proceeded to the food court and public areas where he started shooting.

Police have yet to release the names of the deceased.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Department Lt. James Rhodes said that authorities are still in the process of contacting and informing victims’ families.

According to Clackamas County Sheriff Craig Roberts, an injured victim has been transported to a local hospital where she is “fighting for her life.”

Nadia Telguz, a friend of the injured victim, told ABC News affiliate KATU-TV in Portland that the victim is expected to recover.

Telguz said:

“My friend’s sister got shot. She’s on her way to (Oregon Health and Science University hospital). They’re saying she got shot in her side and so it’s not life-threatening, so she’ll be OK.”

Roberts said that police responded to the scene of the shooting within minutes. Upon arrival, four SWAT teams began sweeping the 1.4 million-square-foot building searching for the gunman.

The gunman was eventually found dead due to an apparent suicide.

Rhodes said:

“I can confirm the shooter is dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. By all accounts there were no rounds fired by law enforcement today in the mall.”

Here is ABC News‘ report on the Oregon mall shooting.

Oregon Mall Shooting Gunman Identified After Apparent Suicide is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Oregon woman contacted the bubonic plague from a stray cat that was choking on a rodent. She tried to save the feline from a sure and sudden death, but was bitten in the process. Early detection is credited with saving the unnamed woman’s life, according to the Daily Mail.

Four days after the cat bite, the animal lover began showing symptoms of the disease which is credited with killing millions of people during the Middle Ages. The woman started to feel pain in her lymph nodes, and had both chills and a fever. After being treated with antibiotics at a Portland area hospital, she made a full recovery.

The unnamed bubonic plague patient was reportedly bitten about the time as her friend, Paul Gaylord, made national headlines for contracting the same rare disease, according to KATU News. He spent a month on life support and had multiples fingers and toes amputated after they turned black from the deadly infection. The stray cat which bit the woman had been adopted by Gaylord. Doctors feel the rat that was choking the pet had been infected by disease-carrying fleas.

Crook County Health Department representative Karen Yeargain had this to say about the medical case:

“We got to her just in time. If this hadn’t happened, we would have had another critically ill person on our hands.”

The plague is spread through infected flea bites or via direct contact with an infected person or animal. Approximately seven cases of the nearly extinct disease crop up in the United States each year. Earlier this month Sierra Jane Downing, 7, contracted the bubonic plague disease while on a camping trip in Colorado.

Oregon Woman Contracts Bubonic Plague Trying To Help Stray Cat Choking On A Rat is a post from: The Inquisitr

A woman who strapped a teddy bear into the passenger seat of her car was busted for attempting to use the carpool lane, according to the Daily Mail. Scarlett Zibritovsky was driving through Portland, Oregon when the proverbial light bulb went off inside her head. Instead of having a useless teddy bear in the back seat, Scarlett thought he would serve a much better purpose in the front seat. Unfortunately for Zibritovsky, authorities didn’t feel the same way.

KATU reports that the carpool faker was embarking on a short vacation when she hatched the aforementioned scheme.

“I was going on a camping trip trying to get home fast, I knew it wasn’t the right thing to do, but I just got over and I thought you know, if I can get a couple cars behind me why not,” she explained.

Unfortunately for Scarlett, it didn’t take long for local authorities to spot the cheater in the carpool lane. The next thing Zibritovsky knew, police were attempting to flag her down.

“I’m rolling by in my car driving and I turn and I see a motorcycle cop and I just have this huge smile on my face ’cause I’m like yep, I am getting a ticket right now,’” the culprit said.

For her clever attempt to avoid heavy traffic, authorities slapped Zibritovsky, who claims she never breaks the law, with a $260 fine. To immortalize the violation, Scarlett snapped a photo of herself with the ticket and the aforementioned teddy bear.

Although Scarlett’s use of a teddy bear is certainly unique, people attempt to unlawfully use the carpool lane on a fairly regular basis. In order to take advantage of the lane in her city, 61-year-old was fined for riding around in the carpool lane on the Long Island Expressway with her friend. According to The New York Times, her BFF was a mannequin, complete with makeup and a stylish outfit.

Carpool Teddy Bear Earns Woman $260 Fine is a post from: The Inquisitr

The TSA list of most unusual items confiscated so far this year is both a bit alarming and amusing. Airport TSA screeners have rounded up typical contraband weaponry and more than a few items not commonly packed for a tropical vacation or business trip as well. So far in 2012, 375,432,402 airline passengers have maneuvered through the TSA screening process in the United States. All of the items noted on the TSA contraband list were found either on passenger’s bodies or in their luggage.

Guns: The TSA has confiscated 821 firearms in 2012. Of the 821 guns taken from passengers or their bags, 691 were loaded. A total of 210 of the guns were locked and loaded, according to the TSA blog where contraband information is updated weekly. The most guns found in a single location was at the Atlanta airport. The .380 handgun was the most popular firearm with airport travelers, found 197 times this year. A Portland passenger attempted to hide a gun inside a potted plant, The Blaze notes. The TSA also found ammo and a disassembled gun stored inside three stuffed animals.

Explosives: A bottle wrapped with electrical tape with flash powder inside was also among the airport contraband found by the TSA. Additional live explosives found at American airports include a 40mm grenade, a “viable” cannonball, and three M-80 firecrackers.

Odd Items: A TSA scan revealed a chastity belt was being worn by one passenger; the item was not confiscated. Airport screeners also unearthed bear mace, a grenade launcher, a walker with a knife mounted to the side and a chainsaw during scans at United States airports in 2012. Marijuana was also found hidden inside a jar of peanut butter.

TSA List Of Most Unusual Items Confiscated At Airports So Far This Year is a post from: The Inquisitr

A few days ago, we brought you the heartbreaking story of a south Texas shooting of a teenage lesbian couple. Now, the heartbroken father of one of the teens is demanding justice for the death of his daughter.

Mario Olgin said that 19-year-old Mollie, his daughter, didn’t deserve to die. She was shot in the head with her girlfriend in a Portland park and dumped in a patch of tall grass by an unknown shooter or shooters. “There was no reason to take her life the way they did,” Olgin said. Mollie’s girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, was also shot, but survived and is in stable condition at the local hospital.

Police still have no suspects.

Although it has been rumored that the couple were targeted due to their sexual orientation, police Chief Randy Wright said there was no evidence that “the attacks were motivated by that relationship.” Still, investigators haven’t ruled out the possibility that the shooting was a hate crime, notes NY Daily. The fabled Texas Rangers have offered their assistance in the investigation. “We offered our assistance and they accepted and we have been actively involved in the investigation since Sunday,” Tom Vinger, spokesman for Texas Department of Public Safety, told MSNBC.

According to friends and family, no one condemned their relationship. “Mollie was one of the sweetest girls I ever knew, and from the sounds of it so is Kristene,” said Jillian Manuel, a friend of Olgin’s. “So we’re trying to figure out why someone would just do that because Portland is a safe community.”

Mario Olgin says he does feel comforted that his daughter is in “a better place.” Calling her his “guardian angel,” he said “She was happy,” continuing, “She didn’t need for her life to end the way it did. Justice will be served.”

Heartbroken Texas Father Of Murdered Lesbian Daughter Demands Justice is a post from: The Inquisitr

Two teenage lesbians were found shot in the head in a south Texas park on Saturday, and police currently have not announced any motive or arrested any suspects for the crime.

The weekend shooting at Violet Andrews Park left one teen dead and the other hospitalized in critical condition. Two park visitors stumbled onto the scene, finding the young girls laying in the grass, reports KRIS-TV. Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other girl, 18-year-old Mary Christine Chapa, was rushed to the hospital, suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. Most recent reports have put her in serious yet stable condition.

The two girls were in a relationship with each other, and had been dating for roughly 5 months, according to reports.

It is currently unknown if the girls’ sexuality played a role in the shooting. Authorities can’t say for sure if this was a hate crime or a targeted killing, reports MSNBC. “This particular case, it does have some of the earmarks of a targeted attack,” Portland Police Chief Randy Wright said Sunday. “We’ll know more about that as we go forward in the investigation.”

Police were unable to find a gun, though bullet casings were found on the scene. Currently, investigators believe that the girls were walking with he assailant or assailants down a path into the grass, though the “tall grass didn’t allow any identifiable footprints,” said Wright. It can’t be said for certain whether or not the two knew their assailant(s) or whether they were escorted to their own execution coercively.

One friend of Olgin’s said that the couple were fun-loving and hadn’t gotten any negative traction concerning their relationship. She doesn’t know why anyone would have wanted to harm them.

More on the story as it develops.

Teenage Lesbian Couple Found Shot in Texas: No Suspects, No Motive is a post from: The Inquisitr

Authorities say that an Oregon woman was trapped under a dresser in her home for four days before anyone noticed her absence and called the authorities to investigate.

Neighbors began to worry when they hadn’t seen, spoken to, or heard from neighbor Virginia Cartier in four days. Neighbors then called the authorities after not seeing their 67-year-old neighbor, and asked them to go and check on the Cedar Mill community resident. Neighbors noted that Cartier lives alone, but her car hadn’t moved from the parking lot in days and that she usually lets them know if she leaves for long periods of time.

The authorities ultimately decided to force their way into Cartier’s home, and found her pinned underneath a dresser. The piece of furniture had apparently fallen on top of her while she was trying to move it. She was alive, but had injuries to her legs and was weak, in-and-out of consciousness, from days without food or water. She was sent to a hospital and later released, according to reports.

After being released from the hospital for minor injuries, Cartier is now recovering at the home of a friend.

Sgt. Vance Stimler of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office told KGW that without the intervention of Cartier’s neighbors, the situation could have been much worse. “If not for the concerned neighbors and decisive action of the deputies on scene the result of this situation could have been tragic,” he said.

Portland Woman Pinned Under Dresser For Four Days Before Neighbors Called Cops is a post from: The Inquisitr

Portland, Oregon natives discovered a strange turf phenomenon and luckily for us, they got video of it. Meet the “turf blister”, AKA, the single weirdest thing you will see all day.

You might want to scroll down and watch the video for yourself before you read any further.

Back? Okay good. Let’s start with the obvious. What the heck is that? According to YouTube user UrbanGardenSupplyPDX, the original poster of the video, “Found this out behind our store during a customer appreciation party with live music. Portland, Oregon,” and that’s all we get from them. They don’t know what it is either. Did they pop it? “It popped. No video that I know of. Sorry,” posted the same user on Reddit.

So what was it? MSN said that, “apparently it’s what occurs when water builds up beneath grass turf,” which sounds like a pretty good educated guess. CBS simply fielded comments and responses, asking any of their readers to provide some kind of explanation that would make sense. One commenter, posting under the name “panacam”, wrote what at least sounds like the best explanation for what we’re looking at here:

“Depending on where exactly this is, often times, landscapers will lay down plastic sheet on bad soil then plant sod on good soil laid on the plastic. If this is the case, a water line may have broke and now you have water under the plastic liner, hence the bubble. If it’s not liquid, natural gas could also be a cause. The safe bet is though, there is a plastic liner under the sod and whatever is under the liner has caused the bubble.”

Works for me. Here’s the video. Crazy, right?

Ground Bubbles And Ripples Like Waterbed In Strange “Turf Blister” Video is a post from: The Inquisitr

Portland, Oregon woman was arrested Monday for trespassing, hiding in a suitcase. Why? Well, she just wanted to visit her boyfriend.

Kola J. McGrath, 50, was picked up by Portland authorities earlier this week after workers at the downtown apartment complex started wondering why a particular resident always carried around a large pink rolling suitcase. Once they found out that he had his girlfriend inside, naturally they thought he’d kidnapped her. The caller Monday told cops that a man had abducted a woman in a rolling pink suitcase and brought her to Oak Apartments, reports the Columbian.

When cops arrived, the building manager helped them finger 52-year-old resident Curtis T. Lowe as the suspect. They searched his apartment, finding the pink suitcase in the living room, and McGrath hiding in a closet.

How could she fit into that suitcase? Because she only weighs 96 pounds and stands at 5 feet 6 inches, according to reports.

Further wrapping up of loose ends: why was she arrested for trespassing in the first place? Because last year, during a domestic dispute with Lowe, McGrath broke a fire extinguisher and was subsequently banned from the building by the property manager. Apparently that spat wasn’t enough to keep her from Lowe, as the two continued their love affair. Given her banning from the property, they had to find a “creative” solution to see each other, so that’s how you get the pink suitcase.

Clever.

I guess.

Awww…Woman Arrested for Hiding in Suitcase to Visit Boyfriend is a post from: The Inquisitr

Prior to the start of the NBA season, former Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy had to retire from his position with the Portland Trail Blazers, and the NBA, apparently due in some part to a degenerative knee disorder. Surprisingly, it looks like Roy may not be done with the NBA just yet.

According to a report by international basketball website USBasket, Brandon Roy is actually considering making a comeback to the NBA, provided the treatment he’s undergoing for his knee problems is able to get him back into playing shape.

“It’s hard being away from the game. Don’t be surprised if you see Brandon Roy make his way back to the court,” Roy told the site, referring to himself in the third person.

A big part of Roy’s decision to retire came down to his battle with his knee disorder, but the 3-time All-Star guard said that health problems weren’t the only reason he decided to bow out of the NBA.

“There’s something to it, but it’s not the right time for me to get into it right now,” he said. “I’ve been doing some treatment, and I’m trying to leave the window open to returning to basketball.”

Should Roy get through his ongoing knee problems and look to get back into the NBA, he won’t be able to get back in with the Trail Blazers. When the team let go Roy, it exercised the “amnesty” clause, part of the league’s new labor agreement, meaning that he wouldn’t be able to play for the Trail Blazers until his contract expires in 2015. He can play for any other NBA team, however.

Would you like to see Brandon Roy make an NBA comeback?

Brandon Roy Contemplating an NBA Comeback is a post from: The Inquisitr

Comcast and Verizon are prepping to kick off a joint marketing effort in the northwest starting this week in Seattle and Portland, Ore., according to a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The two companies will reportedly be selling each other’s products and services, with Comcast promoting Verizon Wireless services, while Verizon will be selling Comcast’s Xfinity products in Verizon stores. Comcast and Verizon will also be offering cross-company service bundles, inluding wireless, cable-TV, landline phone, and residential Internet services.

While the joint marketing effort will initially only take place in the midwest, Comcast senior vice president Cathy Avgiri said that the two plan on introducing bundled Comcast and Verizon services throughout the nation after the company has amply tested the waters in Oregon.

“We know that our customers want to stay connected no matter where they are. That’s why we’re offering a wireless deal with America’s best wireless carriers,” said Avgiris.

Eventually, Comcast and Verizon plan on introducing all-new products to stream content seamlessly between wireless and cable-TV/Internet platforms, explained Tony Heyman, president of integrated media services at Verizon Wireless.

What do you think of Comcast and Verizon’s new partnership?

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Comcast and Verizon kicking off joint marketing effort in Northwest is a post from: The Inquisitr

More than one dozen Occupy Portland protesters were arrested on Saturday night after a clash with police that resulted when city officials closed a city park an hour before schedule.

The city closed South Park Blocks park at 8:30 p.m. (11:30 p.m. ET) instead of the regular 9:30pm time because city officials claim that park employees and a park ranger were unable to complete their jobs after being confronted by protesters.

Demonstrators held their ground as the park closed early and chanted:

“This is a peaceful protest! We have the right to assemble!”

Under park rules areas are suppose to be cleared of structures (tents and other sleeping areas) which were set up by the few hundred protesters who took to the park.

City spokesman Mark Ross told CNN:

“Immediately (after) they went to the park, they were surrounded.”

After being pushed out of the park protesters marched to City Hall and into the streets where a police loudspeaker warned protesters that city parks were now closed and trespassers would be arrested.

By early Sunday morning many protesters were returning to the park and one Occupy Portland protester said of their protest and being pushed out on Saturday night:

“The First Amendment has been around longer than park ordinances.”

According to city Mayor Sam Adams the move to clear protesters has been necessary because of:

“A series of increased drug overdoses… an arsonist that used the camp as camouflage and almost a 20% increase in crime surrounding the encampment.”

Do you think police overstepped their authority in closing the park one hour early or should Occupy protesters at various locations around the country better understand city rules before occupying certain areas.

Occupy Portland Protesters Arrested After Clash With Police is a post from: The Inquisitr

I admit this is a few days old, but it’s pretty cute, so I thought I’d share. Some jolly prankster has been decorating the bike lanes of North Williams Avenue, Portland with Mario Kart items – including a banana, a star, a speed boost, and a mushroom.

I’ve no idea if the city plans to clean these up, but here’s hoping the authorities maintain their sense of humor. Here’s a news report on this good-natured graffiti:

[BikePortland, via Kotaku]

[VIDEO] Mario Kart items appear in Portland bike lanes is a post from: The Inquisitr

Meet Julian Kreusser, a 5 year old with a difference: he has his own cooking show on Portland TV.

Airing at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays on Channel 23 in Portland and east Multnomah County, Big Kitchen with Food features the cute 5 year old sharing loving recipes such as Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread and Chef Julian’s “Persinnamon” Smoothie.

According to local reports, Julian’s show is part of his home-schooling, with his parents seeing the show as a way for him to both learn, and share with others. Filming is a family project, with Julian’s 2 1/2-year-old sister, Eva, working the lights, his mom directing and occasionally shooting, and his dad, also a producer for the community station the show airs on, runs the camera and editing software.

He’s a dose of Big Kitchen with Food with Julian Kreusser for your viewing pleasure:

Cute: 5 year old has his own cooking show on Portland TV is a post from: The Inquisitr