The Bootleg Fire in Southern Oregon is growing and is zero percent contained.
The Bootleg Fire in Southern Oregon is growing and is zero percent contained. Oregon Fire Marshal

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IN LOCAL NEWS:

• We made national news again (and for a scary reason): “Oregon’s Bootleg Fire burns more than 150,000 acres as wildfires rage through West.” As of Sunday night it was zero percent contained.

• People in the community of Gates, Oregon are filing a class action lawsuit against Pacific Power and its parent company, PacifiCorp for neglecting to shut off the power during last year’s wildfire season, which they contend led to the burning of their town.

• This Thursday, Portland will host a first-of-its kind event, the Human Rights Commission for Oregon Sex Workers, in which academics, researchers, medical experts, disability advocates, labor union representatives, and sex workers from Oregon and around the world will testify about why decriminalization of sex work is long overdue. Sex work activists Elle Stanger and Alex Andrews break down why it’s so important.

• Portland’s hockey franchise, the Winterhawks, are finally, finally, FINALLY getting rid of their problematic Native American logo, and the new one will debut Wednesday. Fun fact: The reason why the Winterhawks originally chose the logo was because they were donated jerseys in 1976 from the Chicago Blackhawks! (Still racist, tho!)

• Police are investigating two explosions in Northeast Portland, one of which was one of those “little library” book exchange boxes! WHAT KIND OF MONSTER

• Do you ever wonder if ALL big burly truck drivers from Vancouver are dicks? Well, one of them certainly stays on brand in this edition of the “I, Anonymous Blog Quote o’ the Day!”

IN NATIONAL NEWS:

• In an effort to block Texas Republicans’ racist attempts to pass even more restrictive voting laws, at least 51 state Dems are leaving Texas to stop the bills from advancing, and to pressure Congress to pass federal voting legislation. (Hey Oregon Republicans who duck out whenever the going gets tough: I guess what’s good for the goose is good for the gander!)

• Cubans took to the streets in Havana on Sunday protesting the country’s abysmal economy, food shortages, and worrying rise in coronavirus cases. It’s suspected that the government cut off the internet to discourage dissent.

• Experts are predicting a new wave of COVID-19 deaths in the US, particularly in those areas where the people are vaccine resistant—and you can partly thank Fox News and their consistent anti-vaxx messaging for that.

• The FDA is adding a warning to the J&J vaccine, noting the oh-so-very-slight possibility of it causing an extremely rare neurological disorder in patients. Out of the more than 12.8 million people who have taken the J&J vaccine, just 100 contracted the disorder.

• The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Trump Organization is kicking CFO Alan Weisselberg—currently charged with multiple counts of tax fraud and conspiracy—off dozens of the company’s subsidiaries which he previously led… though he’s expected to remain with the company, OR SO THE WELL-KNOWN BACKSTABBERS SAY.

• Like sex, weed, and scares? Get a sweet taste of ALL our fun film fests (HUMP, SPLIFF, and SLAY) with the Mercury‘s SUMMER MOVIE MASHUP! Get those tickets now!

• Too hot for ya? Get ready for a cool July because the Mercury‘s SUMMER OF SLUSHIES is serving up $5 delicious, boozy frozen concoctions from your fave bars all damn month long!

• And now… THE WEATHER REPORT: More “sunny and warm” tomorrow with a high of 86.

• And finally, the brilliant Blaire Erskine roasts Jeff Bezos alive… if you like to see that sort of thing!

Bang bang, choo-choo train, let me see you shake that thang. Wm. Steven Humphrey is the editor-in-chief of the Portland Mercury and has held the job since 2000. (So don’t get any funny ideas.)