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Unmasked anti-vaxxers disrupt a Portland School Board meeting. Nathan Howard / Getty News

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IN LOCAL NEWS:

• While a bunch of out-of-town a-holes inspired by Ammon Bundy invaded a Portland School Board meeting last night to protest student vaccine mandates which are under discussion, the board quickly shut them down and continued the meeting virtually. So what did the board get accomplished when they were able to continue their thoughtful discussion, unimpeded by no-nothing a-holes? Our Isabella Garcia has the story.

PPS board chair says far-right extremists including Proud Boys were among protesters at a vaccine mandate meeting Tuesday night https://t.co/rta4y1p5B5

— KOIN News (@KOINNews) October 27, 2021

• An Oregon National Guard member has been accused of sexually harassing OHSU staff while under assignment to assist the hospital during the pandemic. Our Alex Zielinski has the details.

• As expected, occasional Oregon resident and politically inexperienced former NYT columnist Nicholas Kristof has officially thrown his hat in the ring in a bid to become Oregon’s next governor. (LOL, eye roll!) As a reminder, here’s a great piece from our Blair Stenvick on why that’s a baaaaaaaaad idea.

• Just a few days before being ordered to shut down by the city and state, oil transport company Zenith Energy has challenged the permit denials and seemingly intend to stay in business while fighting the challenges in court. Our Isabella Garcia explains how they may be able to get away with it.

Zenith Energy challenged Oregon DEQ’s denial of the company’s air permit Wednesday. The oil transport facility will continue to operate while the legal battles take place. https://t.co/RE5WEM5Fij

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) October 27, 2021

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• While a deal is getting tantalizingly close, thanks to Democratic obstructionists Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, Biden’s sweeping plan to repair the social safety net will be losing a key component: providing paid family and medical leave to millions of Americans.

80% of Americans support paid family leave—an established norm in nearly every other country on the planet—but just over half of the Senate is bought and paid for by powerful people who don’t want it. And so, it’s dead.

Disgraceful stuff. https://t.co/unrqGxNpnz

— Jesse Mechanic (@JMechanic) October 27, 2021

• Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, who is leading the investigation of a fatal shooting caused by a prop gun on the set of Alec Baldwin’s new movie, says there was some “complacency” in the way crew members were handling the firearm before it was passed to the actor.

• That’s more like it: Pharmaceutical company Merck has given the okay for poor countries to license and make their life-saving COVID-19 antiviral pill.

New York Attorney General Letitia James will run for governor, according to three people familiar with her plans. The Democrat’s profile rose after her office’s damning report that drove Andrew Cuomo from the governorship in a sex harassment scandal. https://t.co/lsiBb1Uzpo

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 27, 2021

• Today in “HEE-HEE-HEE”: “Betsy DeVos was misled by Theranos founder before investing $100 million, rep says.”

• Related “HEE-HEE-HEE” news: Republican creep/Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will potentially lose a shit-ton of money after investing as much as $50,000 in a Donald Trump shell company whose stocks are currently tanking. In addition… HEE-HEE-HEE!

• 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 66. (But a sunny Halloween is coming!)

• And finally… WEDNESDAYS. Amirite?

It gets worse the longer you watch 🤦🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/lgZKyiLh0s

— Nu3¢3nt$ (@Nuevocentos) October 25, 2021

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