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by Wm. Steven Humphrey

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Don’t put your head on my shoulder, sink me in a river of tears. This could be the best place yet, but you must overcome your fears. LET’S GO TO PRESS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• There are a lot of people screaming about how “not enough is being done” about the city’s homeless problem (*insert a hard sideways look at the sketchy People for Portland campaign here*). Actually, there’s A LOT being done, and anyone who wants to know what’s actually being accomplished should read this fascinating, informative deep-dive from our Alex Zielinski about what the county and organizations are doing with your money.

As Portland enters its 19th month living with the COVID-19 pandemic, public outrage over homelessness is at a boiling point. Here’s where voter-approved funds are going to address the long-simmering crisis: https://t.co/Omqy03SE6u

— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) October 14, 2021

• The investigation into who leaked the blatantly FALSE information that Commissioner Jo An Hardesty was in involved in a hit and run (which led to the mysterious resignation of the police union’s president) has finally been completed and… even after seven months, we probably still won’t find out anything more about it for several weeks! (It’s almost like cops has a different system of justice than the rest of us!)

• Oregon Democratic Sen. Betsy Johnson has announced a run for governor, but here’s a switch—she’s choosing to run without any party affiliation or help.

Rent assistance delays leave thousands of Oregon renters on brink of eviction https://t.co/EJHqtNNC8S pic.twitter.com/bEUc6Lumow

— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) October 15, 2021

• Jackson County in southern Oregon is asking the governor to proclaim a state of emergency—not for wildfires or drought, but for illegal weed farms that are reportedly cropping up everywhere and stealing precious water from the region.

• Woo-hoo! It’s time for the newest POP QUIZ PDX, featuring sassy-pants Qs about Portland oddball trivia & political scandals, as well as volcanoes and being trapped in the body of a Backstreet Boy. LET’S GET BRAINY!

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• The draconian Texas abortion ban is back in business after an appeals court rejected Biden’s attempt to stop the law. Unfortunately, this also means the case will continue inching its way to the conservative-heavy Supreme Court.

Vaccinated foreign travelers will be allowed into the U.S. starting Nov. 8 https://t.co/TNGqGUA0Q7

— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) October 15, 2021

• David Amess, a British Conservative lawmaker, was stabbed to death during a meeting with constituents this morning. While a suspect has been arrested, a motive has not been revealed.

• Remember former FBI official Andrew McCabe, who was unfairly fired by Trump a couple days before his retirement, thereby robbing him of his pension? Welp, the Justice Department has not only agreed to restore all his retirement benefits, they’re paying his legal fees as well.

Breaking News: Nikolas Cruz plans to plead guilty to 17 counts of premeditated murder for the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, his lawyers said. The rampage was one of the deadliest school shootings in American history. https://t.co/MClDVes3Ix

— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 15, 2021

• Former Prez Bill Clinton was admitted to a Southern California hospital for a non-COVID related infection, but doctors are saying he’s doing well and hopes to release him soon.

• Today in “OH, C’MON TEXAS!”: “Texas school official tells teachers that Holocaust books should be countered with ‘opposing’ views.”

At NRSC retreat, Trump continued false claims of fraud, urged GOP to stick together and relitigated much. “I’m not into golden showers,” he told the crowd. “You know the great thing, our great first lady—’That one,’ she said, ‘I don’t believe that one.’”
https://t.co/NEpvbLmSN4

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 14, 2021

• Get ready for the fun fright of your life with SLAY—the Mercury‘s short HORROR film fest coming at ya online from Oct 22-31, and LIVE and IN-PERSON at the Clinton Street Theater on Oct 29 & 30! GET THOSE TICKETS NOW.

• And now… THE WEATHER REPORT: A mostly sunny day today with a high of 65!

• And finally, even the DEAD think that $40 haunted houses are too expensive!

The girl who haunts me doesn’t understand the $40 haunted house pic.twitter.com/Y4QgWq2zpS

— Chelsea Popekin 🎃 (@chelseathepope) October 11, 2021

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