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Good Morning, Portland! Today is gonna be a beaut. Meteorologically. High of 73, sun and clouds, by the time you’re reading this, the day’s rain should be done. On Saturday, we might get a THUNDERSTORM! But we’re not there yet. We’re in THE NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
•As an all-out war over redistricting upends voting rights law and a battle over congressional maps plays out across the country, Democrats are looking for opportunities to cancel out Republican gains—and they have their sights set on Oregon. But despite pressure from top-ranking Democrats in Congress, political experts in Oregon say it’s the wrong move, and isn’t a realistic strategy. For the Mercury, Abe Asher takes us through it.
• A new chapter in the will-they-won’t-they saga over using taxpayer dollars to fix up Moda Center is actually an old chapter. The Oregonian‘s Shane Dixon Kavanaugh reports that Portland officials commissioned a study to estimate the cost of keeping the aging arena functioning over the next 20 years. That figure was just over $500 million, substantially less than the projected $600 million price tag the city is now being asked to invest to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland.
• In a 10-2 vote, Portland city councilors voted to approve $2.5 million in funding for two homeownership development projects. Both projects are part of an ongoing process to address the city’s past harms against Black Portlanders. For the Mercury, Jeremiah Hayden has more.
• Mercury columnist Donovan Scribes has a new BLACK BYLINE column this week and some words to share with Gov. Tina Kotek as she prepares to defend the state’s chief executive position from challengers this fall. On his agenda: centrist policies, a bloated carceral system, Preschool for All, and other pieces of the governor’s 4D chess game.
• But what about Hillsboro I hear you wail. Do you remember a couple weeks back when the Oregonian’s Mike Rogoway highlighted a veritable fire sale of deals the city’s leadership was extending and cementing with big tech companies—ahead of state legislation’s attempt to put a freeze on such promises? WELL, Hillsboro residents testified before their city council for nearly two hours on Tuesday—catch up on the story and what they said. We do appreciate this “there are dozens of us” call back from the Oregonian‘s social team.
• Oaks Park is getting a new drop tower ride in 2027 and is looking to give it a cool band ride name! IF YOU have an idea, submit it at the Oaks Park site for consideration. You could win two 2027 season passes, if yours fits the bill. Oak Park says the Larson International ARM Park Model Super Shot Drop Tower (this is just the model name) will show riders “a breathtaking view of Portland before delivering a heart-pounding free-fall.” How about the Portland Mayoral Experience.
IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• Hooooo dandy! They’ve done it! On Wednesday, the House approved a war powers resolution to curtail US military action against Iran, pulling in four Republicans to do so. If you know your Congress’n you know the measure is now on it’s way to the Senate, and there’s no way the president is likely to actually SIGN A BILL limiting his own powers. However, the Senate did advance a similar vote to curtail the US war on Iran last month. If the resolution makes it to his desk that’ll certainly be what the Associated Press has labeled “a rebuke of the president’s war strategy.” Dang, you didn’t run on that, did you bro? You did? Bro.
• Meanwhile, what is President Trump doing? Oh, he’s calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “crazy” on a phone call between the two of them on Monday. AP reports that the call also included use of expletives. Peace talks with Iran have been strained by Israel’s broadening war with the Iranian-backed militia group in Lebanon. But it’s also not like President Trump cares if the US war on Iran ends anytime soon.
• A farmer in Bangladesh raised an albino buffalo, realized it looks a lot like the current US president, and named the animal appropriately. And this is why there’s now a Wikipedia entry for Donald Trump (buffalo). According to AP, Donald Trump the buffalo was sold for slaughter, but the government of Bangladesh worried that killing the animal could lead to some sort of international incident. They ordered him transferred to a zoo, where he now draws large crowds of onlookers. Wait wait… has anyone seen that Ivan Reitman movie Dave?
• Sending you into Thursday with this “from now on it’s just the real us. Let’s live it up together!” energy.
