OPB’s First Look: Citizenship ceremonies canceled across the Northwest

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Good morning, Northwest.

Several citizenship ceremonies in Oregon and Washington have been canceled with little to no explanation.

The ceremony is the final step to becoming a U.S. citizen. Today’s newsletter starts with a look into why so many ceremonies have been nixed in the Northwest and whether prospective citizens can expect another appointment.

Also this morning, Oregon’s largest school district is shortening the school year to balance its budget.

Here’s your First Look at Monday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

Canceled citizenship ceremonies across the Pacific Northwest remain unscheduled

A day before his citizenship ceremony was supposed to take place, 74-year-old Avelino Gonzalez laid out his jacket and tie. Then, he got a call from his lawyer. The ceremony had been canceled.

“It was as if I had been splashed with a bucket of cold water,” Gonzalez said in Spanish. “No explanation. The only thing the lawyer told me was that the process was on hold and that I had to wait.”

Months later, he is still waiting to learn when, or if, it will be rescheduled. At least 25 naturalization ceremonies have been canceled in the Pacific Northwest since December, according to reports from immigration attorneys and various media outlets. (Johanna Bejarano)

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3 things to know this morning

• Portland Public Schools announced yesterday it’s effectively ending the school year early in an effort to patch a budget hole first made public last month. (Rob Manning)
• White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed Sunday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will be sent to airports starting Monday. It’s unclear, though, how that deployment will play out at Portland International Airport — if at all. (Joni Auden Land)
• Ontario in Eastern Oregon issued a notice yesterday encouraging users of its water system to boil their water “vigorously” for at least one minute before using it for drinking or cooking, after a mechanical failure at the city’s water treatment plant. (Joni Auden Land)

Mulugeta Seraw, an Ethiopian immigrant who changed Portland, Part 1

OPB producers Nora Colie and Dan Evans join us to tell the story of Mulugeta Seraw, a young Ethiopian immigrant whose murder in Portland inspired a wave of antiracist activism and led to a requirement for police to report hate crimes. (Mia Estrada, Nora Colie, Dan Evans and Jenn Chávez)

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Headlines from around the Northwest

• Oregon energy grants will seed solar investments and more in Troutdale (Monica Samayoa)
• Lane County physicians sue to block PeaceHealth deal with staffing company (Amelia Templeton)
• Washington County Sheriff’s Office is testing drones as first responders (Riley Martinez)
• Project to map public restrooms, handwashing stations and water fountains gets underway in Eugene (Brian Bull)
• Coast Salish wool weaving, once nearly lost, enjoys a renaissance (Ruby de Luna)
• At B5 in Kennewick, refugees and immigrants build English skills and community (Renee Diaz)
• Nuggets beat Trail Blazers 128-112 to snap Portland’s 3-game win streak (Arnie Stapleton)
• Timbers play 70 minutes short-handed, still earn 1-1 draw with Galaxy behind James Pantemis (Associated Press)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org, and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• This Vancouver nursery owner says everyone can and should grow their own food — and not just in spring

‘Evil Dead’ star Bruce Campbell pivots genres with Oregon film

Bruce Campbell may best be known to cinephiles as Ash, the protagonist of the classic cult-horror franchise “Evil Dead” by director Sam Raimi. In the last 40 years, since the first “Evil Dead” movie, Campbell has been prolific, acting and producing in television and film every single year since.

Now, the Oregon-based actor has written, directed and starred in a new movie called “Ernie & Emma.” It was filmed entirely in Southern Oregon, featuring iconic Pacific Northwest landmarks like Table Rock and the Rogue River.

At its core, “Ernie & Emma” is a story about processing grief: A widower is sent on a road trip — a scavenger hunt via letters from his late wife, detailing where she wants her ashes spread.

The movie premiered on Valentine’s Day in Medford, and will screen in Portland on Saturday, April 4, at the Hollywood Theatre, before a nationwide release in the fall. (Crystal Ligori and Donald Orr)

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