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In Kyiv, the city’s mayor is dismantling monuments to Russia. Here a young woman drinks with a statue’s severed head. Alexey Furman/Getty Images

Good Afternoon, Portland! May all the hail that dropped after lunch only make you better able to appreciate the incoming clear, cool evening.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Although the Portland Street Response has only operated citywide since March, a new report from Portland State University’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative says that it’s meeting the program’s ambitious goals. The Mercury‘s Alex Zielinski explains how.

• Oregon Senator Ron Wyden tested positive for COVID-19 today—his staff says his symptoms are mild—but don’t feel left out, the Centers for Disease Control says that most people in the US have had some version of coronavirus by now.

• A QR code has to be a lot easier to scan than a grainy picture on someone’s phone. Oregon Health Authority’s new digital vaccine verification tool might save a few blessed bouncers some eye strain—although they’re still going to grasp around for wherever it is the Secretary of State put my birthdate.

• This afternoon, the Oregonian‘s Shane Kavanaugh reported out a list of Portland United contributors. Though the Super PAC describes itself as “coalition of small business owners, realtors, neighborhood activists, union members, and community leaders,” on its site, it seems to actually just be monied developers.

Portland United, the local Super PAC spending big money to boost Jo Ann Hardesty challenger Vadim Mozyrsky & incumbent Dan Ryan:

“We are coalition of small business owners, realtors, neighborhood activists, union members & community leaders from across the Rose City.” pic.twitter.com/jgYOiuZqpv
— Shane D. Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) April 26, 2022

• We’re almost a week out from 420, and if you’ve been blazed until now, don’t forget to check on our 2022 cannabis guide where we explain everything from why your edibles might be suddenly twice the dosage to where the state of Oregon is at with legal psilocybin therapy.

It’s another “Quickies” edition of SAVAGE LOVE, in which Dan Savage fields an array of quick queries with his brand of classic, snappy advice. All your sex problems solved… in half the time!https://t.co/3xGpMm2LeF
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) April 26, 2022

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

• Defense officials from over 40 countries—the US among them—met in Germany today to form a group that will support Ukraine’s military long term, in the event that the Russian invasion becomes further entrenched. Russia’s foreign minister responded that supplying Ukrainians with arms made it difficult to negotiate peace terms, which is probably TECHNICALLY true, although certainly an odd way of looking at it.

• In retaliation for Poland’s support of Ukraine, Russia announced today that it will suspend the flow of natural gas to the country. The stoppage could lead to heating shortages in Poland, which draws 45 percent of its natural gas from Russia.

Doctors who ‘mislead’ on social media could soon face regulatory action https://t.co/G0ibcEMqL7
— The Guardian (@guardian) April 26, 2022

• The New Yorker doesn’t want you to forget that National Guard is trying to unionize.

• It’s easy to view people who want to marry inanimate objects and fictional characters as lesser somehow—because WE’RE ALL DOING ROMANCE PERFECTLY!—but this long form piece from the New York Times presents a handful of people who have abstract romantic relationships with anime characters, and it’s actually kind of sweet.

• I insist you watch this idealized commercial of a guy and his tiny hologram partner.

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