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 Mayor Sam Adams announced this morning at City Hall that the encampment of the Portland occupation is scheduled to close at 12:01 am Sunday morning. The Portland occupation has been a relatively peaceful one, setting an example for the rest of the country. However, lately there have been safety concerns from the Chief of the police (Mike Reese) and Adams himself. Chapman and Lownsdale squares will remain closed after Saturday while repairs to the parks are made. During this time and after, all city laws and park violations will be enforced. Commissioner Nick Fish and the mayor both urged people in the camp who need shelter and services to call the city’s human services hotline at 2-1-1.
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 Sam Adams In a press release issued today by the Mayor’s office Sam Adams has said that he will not be running for re-election, turning the 2012 race into wide open contest. After a soul-searching staycation Adams has come to believe that this choice is better for both the city of Portland and for him personally. He acknowledges that it would be a tough race, though not un-winnable, saying that it would take away too much time from making the city a better place while he is still in office. He also takes some time out to point out what he has done for the city, and to thank those who have helped him along the way.
Adams has not endorsed any other candidate, although two have already thrown their hats in the ring, New Seasons co-founder Eileen Brady and former city commissioner Charlie Hales. Last week Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen announced that he will not enter the Portland mayoral race, ending months of speculation.
Despite the many trials and tribulations of Sam’s time as chief Portlander I gotta say I will miss having a big gay bike rider in the big city seat.
You can read the entire press release after the break and listen to Adams talking with Willamette Week in the podcast player below.
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  Tina Kotek offers up a challenge on the mic Oregon State Representative, and out lesbian, Tina Kotek is a good sport. She wants to help raise money for Basic Rights Oregon as part of their summer organizing campaign. So here’s to hoping that our Mayor Sam Adams is also a good sport (and from what I’ve seen I think he is), because Kotek has thrown down the gauntlet, saying,
…I’ve decided to up the ante. I’m laying down a challenge – if you help raise $7,500 by next week, I will challenge Mayor Sam Adams to a Karaoke contest at a Basic Rights Oregon summer garden party!
It’s a lofty goal for 7 days or less to be sure, but even meager contributions help get us on the path to 7500.
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  Good news today from the Mayor’s office:
Today, Mayor Sam Adams, with the co-sponsorship of every member of Portland City Council, brought forward and unanimously passed transgender-inclusive healthcare for City of Portland employees.
The City of Portland values diversity, and strives to be an equitable and diverse employer. Adding transgender inclusive benefits truly recognizes the importance of all employees covered under the City’s health plan. The Mayor believes this action is about keeping and attracting the best and the brightest, in addition to being about basic fairness.
“To the trans community of Portland, who each and every day makes this city a better place, it is my honor and privilege to serve on a city council that can bring an ounce of fairness in return,” Mayor Adams said. All Commissioners offered passionate commentary. Commissioner Amanda Fritz said: “I appreciate living in a city and serving on a City Council where we look at what is the right thing to do…even though it may not be politically popular.”
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 Twitter was all abuzz yesterday with with the news that Mayor Sam Adams has issued a press release proposing trans-inclusive health care coverage for city employees (well, that and the the Stumptown Coffee sellout). Some called him an “idiot” while others backed him up  saying that if supporting fairness made you an idiot they’d gladly be one.
You can read the entire statement below:
This week, Mayor Sam Adams is filing an ordinance for City Council on June 8 that would add trans-inclusive health care benefits, including sexual reassignment surgery, to one of the plans offered to City of Portland employees. The American Medical Association (AMA) has identified transgender health care as being medically necessary. In 2008, the AMA passed a resolution supporting public and private health insurance coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder and opposing the “exclusions of coverage for treatment of gender identity disorder when prescribed by a physician.”
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  Yesterday Mayor Sam Adams released a statement concerning Sunday’s bias crime against 2 men holding hands:
“On Sunday evening, May 22, two men were attacked by several suspects as they walked, holding hands, from the Hawthorne Bridge on the trail to the East Bank Esplanade, on the east end of the bridge. The victims were pushed, and hit in the head, face, back and ribs. The suspects ran away after one of the victims broke away and called 911. Portland Police detectives have interviewed both victims, and a Portland Police Bias Crime Detective has been assigned to this case. Full details on the case can be found at PortlandPolice.com.
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  Last year's Gender (Free) For All march. Photo by Heather Smith Gender (Free) For All recently changed its name to TransEnough, and it looks like the group may have many transitions on its plate, even in the midst of a summer full of Pride. This year’s gathering, which already splintered off from June’s Pride celebrations last year, has not been widely publicized and will not include a march at all.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t go. At tomorrow’s rally in Unthank Park elected officials will assure us of their support and hopefully, give us examples of what they’ve accomplished and Amy Ruiz, LGBTQ Liaison from the Office of the Mayor, will read a proclamation establishing August 1-7 as Trans Week of Celebration. The lineup also includes speakers from Q Patrol, much loved Katie Carter and Amber Rollins from In Other Words, and comedy from Belinda Carroll.
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Sam Adams likes basil and stays mayor.
Portland Mayor Sam Adams has been “in the wars”, as my Mum would say. A little affair with Beau Breedlove turned into a media snowball resulting in two recall attempts and a quasi-political-deadlock for Adams. A few years later, we’re still debating the ins and outs of, ah, the bloom of youth.
The bespectacled politico has been trying hard to […]
The general consensus is that 2009 has been a tough year. No one knows that better than the sex scandal embroiled Mayor of Portland Sam Adams. But unlike cynics like Just Out and I, Adams exits the year on a positive video note. Oh, you bouncy bicycling optimists…is it teenage sex that makes you cheery?
2009 Video Highlights from Mayor Sam Adams on […]
 Houston Mayor-elect Annise Parker, center, celebrates with her partner Kathy Hubbard, left, Parker’s runoff election victory at a campaign party on Saturday. David J. Phillip/Associated Press Looks like Portland has lost its ability to boast the largest city with a gay mayor. In a fairly conservative Houston, Texas city controller and openly lesbian Annise Parker was elected Mayor this Saturday night.
Though this news has a lot to do with a fellow Democratic competitor, it is still quite exciting and surprising. Parker also seems to have a sense of humor about it, bragging that she was the first graduate of Rice University to be elected mayor (and indeed she is) before continuing on to serious topics in her acceptance speech.
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