Portland mayor defends storm response

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) –Portland’s mayor is defending how the city responded to a winter storm that brought traffic to a standstill for several hours on Wednesday as commuters left work en masse.

Mayor Charlie Hales told KGW-TV on Thursday that city crews were prepared for the storm but there are many people who don’t have a lot of practice driving in snow.

KGW said it had been contacted by many residents who criticized city and state agencies for what they viewed as a haphazard response.

Hales told KGW that people should not have assumed that they would be able to drive home when snow was in the forecast.

Hales talked with KGW for a program to be broadcast on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Portland extended the grace period for not ticketing cars abandoned in downtown metered spots to 8 a.m. Friday.