Darcelle XV Plaza opens to the public today, bringing new life to a downtown block that has been closed off for years.

Why it matters: The new $9.2 million park is part of the city's push to revitalize downtown.

• It replaces O'Bryant Square, which once was known as Portland's "dining room" but fell into disrepair and closed in 2018.
• The new name honors Walter Cole, the trail-blazing drag performer and local LGBTQ+ icon known as Darcelle XV.

Driving the news: Portland Parks & Recreation will host a ribbon-cutting celebration from 11am to 1pm at the plaza, located across the street from the Ritz-Carlton.

• The half-acre block now features a performance stage, event space, benches and lunch tables, a small dog run and sun shade structure.
• Historic cast-iron columns and gates salvaged from the historic Smith and Watson Building were also incorporated into the design.

The plaza will be fully fenced and operated by Downtown Portland Clean & Safe, which will open and close the park each day.

• City officials previously said the fence would allow the park to be secured overnight, preventing public drug use and other issues that plagued O'Bryant Square before it closed.

Catch up quick: Built on land that once was Portland's first park, O'Bryant Square — named after the city's first mayor, Hugh O'Bryant — opened in 1973 with the condition that it include underground parking.

• Due to the park's proximity to downtown office buildings and food cart pods, it became a popular lunchtime people-watching destination.
• Yes, but: Over the decades, leaks and structural problems in the underground garage contributed to the square's decline, while open drug use and public safety concerns earned it the nickname "Paranoid Park."

Follow the money: About $7 million came from system development charges — fees collected from new construction — while $2.2 million came from the city's general fund for downtown activation.

If you go: A grand opening celebration is set for 5-10pm June 25, featuring host Poison Waters, drag performances from entertainers "connected to Darcelle's legacy," food and drink vendors, as well as a dedicated glam station.

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Seven World Cup pitches use grass seed produced in Oregon, underscoring the Willamette Valley's outsized role in supplying turf for major sporting events.

Why it matters: Our grass seed industry has planted itself verdantly and visibly on one of the world's biggest sports stages.

• Even though some of the World Cup pitches are at stadiums that use artificial turf for other sports, FIFA has mandated all fields be natural grass to ensure player safety.

What they're saying: Oregon's superior grass isn't just about the climate, though, according to Oregon Seed Council's second vice president, Rachel Hankins.

• "It's not just that we have the best environment for growing it, we also have the best growers and the experience and knowledge to have quality grass seed," Hankins told OPB.
• Oregon is home to several "world-class breeding facilities," Hankins said, that create varieties that use less water, resist disease and regenerate faster.

By the numbers: The Willamette Valley is known as the "grass seed capital of the world" and produces roughly two-thirds of the cool-season grasses in the country.

• There are roughly 1,500 grass seed farms in Oregon, accounting for around $640 million in production.
• Grass seed — mostly annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, bentgrass and fine fescue — is the state's fourth-largest agricultural commodity, according to Oregon State University.

The bottom line: Portlanders may not be able to spot any local players on the U.S. team, but we can still take in the matches knowing we played our part.

Tell a grass lover

😢 The Oregon Zoo's oldest lion, Kya, died this week. Two of her offspring, Mashavu and Niara, remain at the zoo. (The Oregonian)

🎓 Portland State University leaders are weighing a three-year enrollment growth plan that would sharply increase marketing spending to attract more students and stabilize its finances. (OPB)

🚫 City Council President Jamie Dunphy is proposing a ban on concealed firearms in public buildings during official meetings, potentially removing a longstanding exemption for concealed-carry permit holders. (KOIN)

🏗️ Global logistics company DSV broke ground on a new 750,000-square-foot warehouse hub in Hillsboro this week, nearly doubling its local footprint to serve Oregon's semiconductor industry. (Portland Business Journal)

School's out and teens seeking to socialize together in public this summer are discovering that their presence is often treated as a problem.

Why it matters: The decline of malls, cheap hangout spots and welcoming public spaces has left teenagers with few places to gather without money or access to a car.

💭 Your thought bubble: Where are Portland teens spending their summer?

• Are you the parent of a teen? Let us know how you or your teen are navigating a city with fewer places to go.

Hit reply to this email or click here to drop us a line.

• We may use your response in a future story.

Juneteenth, also known as Black Independence Day, will be marked around Portland with a weekend full of events.

Driving the news: June 19 marks the day in 1865 when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free.

Here a few local events worth checking out:

💅🏾 Keep it fabulous at Style, Story & Legacy, a night of fashion, comedy and celebration of Black drag history at Race Talks PDX, tonight at 7pm.

🚴🏿‍♂️ Celebrate on two wheels with the Black Liberation Ride, pedaling out of Irving Park tomorrow at 6:30pm.

🥁 Take in live music, dancers and a march through North Portland at the 54th annual Juneteenth Oregon Festival and Clara Peoples Freedom Trail Parade, starting at 11am Saturday at King Elementary School.

Find a full list of Juneteenth events in Portland and beyond here.