TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY Romain FONSEGRIVES, "Portland, the ex-utopia of the American left, in the midst of an identity crisis"
Lisa Schroeder, chef and owner of Mother’s Bistro, speaks about the challenges to her business after the pandemic brought a dramatic decline in office workers and revenue to the business along with concerns about safety after the passage of Measure 110 in downtown Portland, Oregon on January 24, 2024. In the midst of a presidential election year, Portland's decline is brandished by the conservative press depicting a city ravaged by its progressive ideals, in a state controlled by the left for over 40 years. "There are drugs on every corner," notes Ms. Schroeder, who has lost two-thirds of her sales since the pandemic. "So people have even more reasons not to come downtown." Yet the 60-year-old voted for decriminalization, with the hope of treating drug addicts rather than punishing them. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)