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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! First, let’s eyeball the weather. 👀 Today you can expect more rain showers with a high of 48, BUT DIG THIS: As the week progresses, the sky will get increasingly sunnier and by the time we hit Saturday? There’s a possibility of a balmy 72 degrees! So start hand-washing those thongs, NOW. And while we’re at it, let’s hand-wash some NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• If you’re a fan of getting from one place to another, then may I happily suggest our Taylor Griggs’ new Mercury column called “Street View”—which is a very smart ‘n’ sassy take on Portland transportation. In this edition: Taylor takes down those self-titled “avid cyclists” who say they really love bike lanes… until they cause snowflake drivers (and Commish Mingus Mapps) the slightest bit of annoyance. Don’t miss it! 

“In the face of progress, some people will turn away, clinging tight to the steering wheels of their Ford F-150s.”

–@taylorjgriggs in her first “STREET VIEW” column on all things Portland transportation. https://t.co/KPtSBVWLCh

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 8, 2024

• Look out! Here comes more potential water and sewer rate hikes. For the city council’s consideration, the water bureau is proposing a nearly 8 percent water rate hike, while the Bureau of Environmental Services wants a 5.15 percent increase in sewer rates. Wait… didn’t these two groups raise rates just last year? Yep, indeed! And our Courtney Vaughn offers up their reasoning for reaching into our pockets again.

• Welp, here comes yet another lawsuit for the Portland Police. This one has been filed by the family of Jaquez Clark-Johnson, a Black man who was shot by police in the back during a 2022 traffic stop, in which the cops mistakenly believed Clark-Johnson was a suspect in an armed robbery. After shooting the man, the lawsuit alleges “the police then left him to lay on the concrete parking lot, writhing in pain and bleeding out, for 26 minutes before providing any medical attention.” The family is asking for damages and fees, as well as a jury trial.

One of the coolest pre-pandemic Portland events is back: “Content” features fashion, design, and art in a constrained but also immersive space:

A hotel room. https://t.co/f7leGl4iZ3

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 8, 2024

• As expected, Governor Tina Kotek announced she will sign House Bill 4002—a measure that will roll back the voter-approved Measure 110, recriminalize hard drugs, and return the state to fruitlessly pursuing its failed “war on drugs.” The Oregonian wrote an article about the upcoming changes in which they can barely contain their glee, so as usual, DON’T READ THAT ONE. The much smarter, less cynical take is from OPB, which lays out in plain words how communities of color will suffer from our leaders’ turning a blind eye to the state’s continuing and shameful perpetuation of white supremacy. READ THIS ONE.

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

• The first photo of Kate, the Princess of Wales, following her recent surgery has been rejected by news organizations because the pic was apparently manipulated by the princess herself to paint a rosier picture of her health. (Wait… the royal family lied to protect their reputation?? I thought this sort of thing was only in episodes of The Crown!)

One day after posting a $91 million bond that allows him to appeal the defamation judgment he owes E. Jean Carroll, Donald Trump might have defamed her again and opened himself up to a third lawsuit.

Last night in Georgia, he said Carroll’s story was “totally made up.”

“$91…

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 10, 2024

• More trouble for the robotic Sen. Katie Britt who embarrassed the Republican party with her weird post-State of the Union rebuttal: The sex trafficking survivor Britt invoked in order to attack Biden’s border policies has slapped back, saying the senator had no right to tell her story for political gain, and that she “should first take into account what really happens before telling a story of that magnitude.”

• OH! And In case you missed it… don’t miss it!

Sen. Katie Britt delivers the Republican response to President Biden’s State of the Union Address pic.twitter.com/x7mDzO1sWP

— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) March 10, 2024

• The “oh HELL yes” headline of the day: “NAACP calls on Black student-athletes to boycott Florida public colleges over anti-DEI policy.”

• If you’re a person who enjoys the Oscars (but not enough to watch it), here are the night’s big winners: Oppenheimer (which took home seven awards, including Best Picture), Emma Stone (who barely squeaked past the wildly talented Lily Gladstone) for Best Actress, Billie Eilish’s Barbie song (which beat out Ken’s Barbie song), actor John Cena (who didn’t win anything, but was naked, which works for me), and everyone who wants to end the war in Gaza (as evidenced by the pre-award protests and celebs sporting red pins). 

• And finally…. here’s how I’m woken up every Monday morning. 

Mama duck leads her babies to a cozy spot in the house. i.e. a cat bed..🦆🐈🦆😍 pic.twitter.com/wmNqcP5AGe

— 𝕐o̴g̴ (@Yoda4ever) March 10, 2024