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by Wm. Steven Humphrey

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IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Oregon’s Office of Emergency Management has issued a report about the state’s failures to deal with our last deadly heatwave and has made suggestions for how to improve… just as highs in the upper 90s to low 100s (!!) arrive today and tomorrow. Multnomah County is trying to get ahead of the situation this time around, by opening five cooling sites (an increase from last month’s three centers), extending the hours at 15 public libraries, and sending out cellphone public alerts. (By the way, you have to reply “yes” to make them stop calling you. THEY REALLY WANT YOU TO KNOW!) Our Isabella Garcia has more on the story.

Those calls/texts you’ve received today from the county warning of this weekend’s temps? It’s a lesson learned from the June heatwave. A few more: https://t.co/aPfESvobDw

— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) July 29, 2021

• By the way, here’s the list of cooling centers and public libraries with extended hours, if you (or someone you know) needs it!

• Mask up, kids! It was announced today that Oregon will require all students from kindergarten through 12th grade (including teachers and staff) wear masks during school starting in the fall. This overrides the previous decision to allow individual school districts to decide whether or not their kids would wear masks.

Umatilla County, with one of the lowest vaccination rates in Oregon, reports about 8% of the state’s total cases over the past two weeks despite accounting for just 2% of its population. https://t.co/2fWSBqfV4s

— OPB (@OPB) July 29, 2021

• As promised, the city began sweeping the Laurelhurst Park homeless camp this morning, claiming the situation had “devolved into something unsafe and unhealthy for everyone involved.” There were also claims of camp residents with firearms, though one advocacy group is saying those claims were fabricated in order to expedite the sweep. In any case, the residents will be sent off in the middle of a heatwave to find a new place to set up camp… possibly in a location near you.

• Everybody is RAVING about Dev Patel’s epic turn in The Green Knight! Find out what all the hub-bub is about with the Mercury film review from Chase Hutchinson.

IN NATIONAL NEWS:

• President Biden issued tough new rules for federal employees who are vaccine hesitant, ordering every employee of the government (all four million) to get vaccinated or subject themselves to mandated masking, weekly testing, and social distancing.

WATCH: A large group of GOP members of Congress are walking maskless to the Senate side of the Capitol to protest the House’s mask mandate. pic.twitter.com/pXNL1NQPeK

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) July 29, 2021

• Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas has rightly declared a state of emergency over the shockingly high number COVID cases racing through his state… BUT! Is not asking for a single mandate or protective measure to slow the spread. Sounds like a plan!

• Thanks to a ruling by the Supreme Court, the Biden administration says it will be forced to let the nationwide moratorium on evictions expire at the end of the month (that’s SATURDAY)—but is asking Congress to step in and pass their own extension.

• Let’s hear it for Team USA’s Sunisa Lee, who grabbed the gold with an outstanding performance in the women’s individual all-around gymnastics final, making it the fifth straight time America can claim the win.

A word. pic.twitter.com/GjTaN0euTG

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) July 28, 2021

• Accused sexual predator Harvey Weinstein got a lucky break in court today when one of the 11 charges of sexual assault leveled against him was dismissed. Naturally, it was because of a technicality.

• Here’s yet another example of Catholic malfeasance: “Theodore McCarrick, once a high-ranking American cardinal, charged with sexually assaulting teen.”

• In better legal news, a former cop who was indicted for participating in the Jan 6 domestic terror attack on the capitol will remain in jail after it was discovered he’d gone on a “shopping spree,” purchasing nearly three dozen high-powered assault weapons.

Air traffic controllers warned pilots to be on the lookout after a “man in a jetpack” was spotted near Los Angeles International Airport.

“Use caution, the jet man is back,” an air traffic controller said in an audio transmission obtained by CNN. https://t.co/HlJ4SeyngF

— CNN (@CNN) July 29, 2021

• Claiming a “breach of contract” that she said deprived her of potential earnings, Scarlett Johansson has decided to sue the Walt Disney Co. for allowing a streaming release of Black Widow, instead of opening it exclusively in theaters.

• Too hot for ya? Get ready for a cool July because the Mercury‘s SUMMER OF SLUSHIES is serving up $5 delicious, boozy frozen concoctions from your fave bars all damn month long! BUT HURRY! The “damn month” runs out this Sunday!

• And now… THE WEATHER REPORT: As previously mentioned, it’s getting HOT up in here with an expected high tomorrow of (gulp!) 102 degrees. Stay safe, and look out for your neighbors!

• And finally, it’s like Trump… but if he were funny.

I love mr bean pic.twitter.com/sTimCIgUrI

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) July 29, 2021

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