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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!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Oregon’s DEQ has issued a whopper of a fine—to the tune of $2.1 million—to a Portland roofing company who failed to notify the state that it was installing a second smoke stack that caused an increase of at least 10 tons of formaldehyde emissions per year. Our Isabella Garcia has the details.

The Oregon DEQ fined Malarkey Roofing Products $2.1 million—the state agency’s largest fine to date—for underreporting its North Portland facility’s formaldehyde emissions for over a decade. https://t.co/fZQSHfQmGc

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) October 25, 2021

• Last week OHSU forecasters predicted that the state could reach herd immunity from COVID-19 by just after Christmas. This week they’re tapping those brakes a bit, and saying that our progress has slowed and that COVID hospitalizations probably won’t fall below 400 until after Thanksgiving. This is due to people being less inclined to maintain social distance or wear masks indoors, as well as those who still refuse to be vaccinated.

• Around 3,000 Portland PGE customers are still without power following yesterday’s “bomb cyclone” that hit the West Coast, while 60,000 people in Seattle are currently without electricity. Expect another rainy/showery day tomorrow, but somewhat less breezy.

Showers now increasing across region. Expect brief heavy downpours and perhaps small hail with the stronger showers. Still breezy today, with gusts 35 to 45 mph along the coast, and 25 to 35 mph at times farther inland, including the Willamette Valley. #orwa #wawx #pdxtst

— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) October 25, 2021

• Portland City Commish Jo Ann Hardesty has officially declared her intention to run for re-election next year, saying she will continue to focus her efforts on “public safety, housing and homelessness, economic resilience, and bold action on climate change.”

• Police have reported a shooting at Idaho’s Boise Towne Square Mall, saying that at least five people and one officer have been injured. While details are scant, one person is reportedly in custody.

• Six women athletes who previously participated in the University of Oregon track and field program are saying they were body shamed by coaches who put too much emphasis on a data-driven approach that calculates weight and body fat percentages, leading some competitors to allegedly “starve themselves.”

• It’s SPOOOOOOKY STORY week at the Mercury, with lots of fun, scary Portland-based Halloweeny articles which are either brand new or from our voluminous archives. Check out this terrifyingly funny entry that asks the creepy question, “Which is more haunted: Lloyd Center Mall or Mall 205?”

Halloween is getting horrifyingly close, and the Mercury is celebrating with lots of spoooooky stories this week—starting with one from @PDXDraper that asks the terrifying question, “Which is more haunted: Lloyd Center Mall or Mall 205?” 💀🎃👻https://t.co/wP9fz3xUre

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) October 25, 2021

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• No promises, but a deal on Biden’s big spending plans to bolster infrastructure and the social safety net could be reached later this week, according to lawmakers who have been furiously working on a plan that even Democrat obstructionist Joe Manchin may agree with.

• According to internal documents provided by a former employee, Facebook’s CEO/replicant Mark Zuckerberg made decisions that often ran counter to the company’s values—such as turning a blind eye to the spread of misinformation, ignoring violent, anti-Muslim propaganda, and ignoring the pleas of employees—in order to retain market dominance. Here’s a good explainer on what you need to know about the “Facebook Papers.”

Facebook employees repeatedly flagged misinformation and inflammatory content about the U.S. election, though leadership has publicly placed the blame elsewhere. Documents obtained by The New York Times give new insight into what went on behind the scenes. https://t.co/a8dIcyCnA3

— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 25, 2021

• Related and infuriating: “Facebook reports $9 billion profit on day documents highlight internal anger.”

• Meanwhile Amazon’s Jeff Bezos has announced his intention to build a privately owned space station that will function as a… (*squints*) “mixed-use business park.” OH FOR THE LOVE OF FUCK.

• Let’s check in on the Dave Chappelle situation, annnnnnnnd YEP! Still being an asshole.

1) the trans community must halt all uranium enrichment

2) the trans community must close down the plutonium enrichment facility at Fordow

3) the trans community must allow the IAEA access to all areas related to any nuclear program, civilian or military pic.twitter.com/VTWavEDrvP

— Hayes Brown (@HayesBrown) October 25, 2021

• Democrats are rightly calling for throwing out members of Congress who, according to reporting from Rolling Stone, met “dozens” of times with January 6 rally organizers ahead of the domestic terrorist attack to coordinate attempts to overthrow the election.

‘Friends’ would not have been the same without you.” Jennifer Aniston paid tribute to the late James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on ‘Friends’ https://t.co/baALHUvBj8

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) October 25, 2021

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

• And now… THE WEATHER REPORT: Expect more showers tomorrow with a high of 55.

• And finally, happy 50th birthday to the fantastic, classic kids show The Electric Company (as well as Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of Dracula).

Today is the 50th anniversary of The Electric Company, the Children’s Television Workshop first big television project after Sesame Street and a show I watched a ton in reruns. Since it’s October, here’s Morgan Freeman playing Dracula. pic.twitter.com/wi4sTEs9Ff

— Pop Arena (@pop_arena) October 25, 2021

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