Salt & Straw Cuts Ties to Provenance Hotels Amid Controversy Surrounding Founder Gordon Sondland

It’s Friday, which means it’s time for the weekly EaterWire round up of all those news items we didn’t quite cover. This week’s food news cycle was dominated by closing news, but a few stories did fall through the cracks. Read on for more:

SALTY — Salt & Straw, Portland’s most famous ice cream brand, will no longer be available at Provenance Hotels, the expansive chain of hotels founded by ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland. Sondland has come under fire as a major player in President Donald Trump’s attempts to get Ukraine to investigate the Bidens, and has been subpoenaed by House Democrats. US Representative Earl Blumenauer has been calling for a boycott of Sondland’s hotels, which includes hotels like Woodlark and Dossier, until he agrees to cooperate with congress. [OPB]

AWARDS SEASON — It’s been a big month for Portland’s food and drink scene. WalletHub just named Portland 2019’s “Best Foodie City,” based on metrics like restaurants per capita and “affordability and accessibility of highly rated restaurants.” Meanwhile, five Portland breweries brought home medals from the Great American Beer Festival; Von Ebert, Old Town Brewing, and Migration all brought home gold medals. [WalletHub, Willamette Week]

PLASTIC PERISHES — As of October 1, Portland businesses can’t automatically provide plastic straws, utensils, or condiments, unless they’re requested. Restaurants will be fined $100 on first offense, so those who need plastic utensils or straws will need to ask for them; that includes delivery apps. [PoMo]