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Rep Ilhan Omar, laughing at her haters.
Rep Ilhan Omar, laughing at her haters. ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES

Good morning, Portland! This morning continues a trend of being deceptively sunny yet cold, but it's supposed to cloud up by the afternoon.

Here are the headlines.

Area Man Not Running for President: Sen Jeff Merkley announced this morning that he won't be running for president in 2020, ending months of speculation that he might. He'll instead run for re-election in the Senate, where he says he can be more useful. I guess once a guy named "Hickenlooper" throws his hat in the ring, the ring becomes a little less alluring.

"Surviving war gives you a perspective on life": Politicians from both major parties continue to give Rep Ilhan Omar a hard time, equating her valid criticism of Israel with anti-semitism. For her part, Omar's seen worse and isn't giving in.

The Cure: A patient in London appears to have been cured from HIV. This is just the second time that has ever happened, and the first cure was 12 years ago. “This will inspire people that cure is not a dream,” said one expert. "It's reachable.”

Gag Me With A Spoon: Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is leading a 21-state lawsuit against a new Trump administration policy that puts harsh restrictions on abortion providers that receive federal funding for other services. The policy, nicknamed the "gag rule," would be particularly devastating for low-income people and people of color.

One Thorny Rose: A planned expansion of Interstate 5 in the Rose Quarter would cause a substantial uptick in greenhouse gas emissions, one local think tank has found. Their conclusions clash with the Oregon Department of Transportation's optimistic outlook that more freeway lanes will lower greenhouse gas emissions because of better traffic—even though freeway expansions never succeed in doing that.

Infill Update: The Portland Tribune has the latest info on the city's controversial new residential infill policy, which is expected to pass a council vote next week.

Do Better: OPB has been closely tracking the fallout after recent revelations that Salem has a harassment problem. Oregon's Democratic Chair is now pressuring lawmakers to take effective action to ensure the trend doesn't continue.

Ending the Death Penalty: A new house bill would end the death penalty in Oregon, except in instances where multiple people die as the result of a terror attack. There haven't been any executions in Oregon since 1997, though 30 people currently sit on death row, the Oregonian reports.

The Only Headline That Really Matters: