HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR. HEARNE@KCSTAR.COM

Streetcars or light rail? Portland weighs in

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“Absolutely,” Diede says. “It’s called New Starts, and that’s where the light-rail and commuter rail funding comes from.”

Need for speed alert

The $1 billion question: Could the streetcars of today be hopped up to go 60 miles per hour, as some have implied would be needed for 20-mile runs to the airport, suburbs and the like?

“I think that would be problematic,” Diede says. “I’m not a technician, but my sense is they cannot or should not.”

While at this stage of the game streetcars are not being made in this country, Oregon Iron Works is working on a prototype.

Avenue R-rated?

About that Avenue Q puppet show headed for the Music Hall Tuesday ... local puppeteer extraordinaire Paul Mesner is issuing a parental advisory of sorts.

“It’s a great show,” Mesner says. “And I saw kids in the audience when I was there (in New York) but they were 12 or 13. And the parents were like, ‘We know this is naughty.’  The puppets have sex, but it’s fun.”

Puppets have sex?

“Yeah, well, as much as puppets can have sex,” Mesner hedges. “It’s quite comic. You know puppets aren’t very sexy. That’s what makes it so funny, because it’s so improbable.”

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