Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today.

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BLAIR STENVICK

Good morning, Portland! You may have heard that today is National Hug a Newsperson Day. Fortunately, as our dedicated online critics tell us every day, the Mercury isn't a legitimate newspaper, so I guess I don't have to worry about anyone trying to hug me!

Here are the headlines.

Not So Fast, Barr: Some members of Robert Mueller's team have told the New York Times that the special report's findings are "more troubling for President Trump than [Attorney General William P. Barr] indicated." Do you think the Times' sources are just Rachel Maddow in a bunch of different disguises?

Advocating for Abusers: The National Rifle Association, a fun club for the future murderers of America, is using its lobbying clout to oppose the Violence Against Women Act—which has been in effect since 1994, until a recent lapse. The Act prohibits abusive partners from purchasing a gun.

I Have No Words For This: The Trump Administration is tracking migrant girls' periods in an attempt to stop them from obtaining abortions. As Harper's Bazar reports, "There are 28 pages detailing the periods, pregnancies and reason for the pregnancy (whether by rape or not) of teen girls in custody, some of whom are as young as 12."

Legalize (and Report) It: Only about 15 percent of Oregon's medical cannabis growers are in compliance with inventory reporting rules. State leaders worry much of this unreported inventory is ending up on the black market, so they plan to start cracking down soon.

You Can Fight City Hall: Portland's first budget townhall was on Tuesday, and it was a doozy. After about 60 people were locked out due to lack of space, those in attendance fought for their community centers in danger of closing, and asked the city to fund strong policing alternatives.

Freeway, No Way: Transportation Commissioner Chloe Eudaly came out with a pretty strong statement criticizing the Oregon Department of Transportation's plan to widen the I-5 in the Rose Quarter. Eudaly also said she wants to see congestion pricing implemented sooner rather than later—a new traffic-curbing effort New York is starting to explore.

Well Done: You might have seen our reporting from earlier this week about Burgerville's continuing anti-union tactics. It seems their strategy isn't working, as the Montavilla location just voted to be the fourth unionized location:

Adopt This Cat: What's funny about this is that "Mr. Biscuits needs a new home!" is also what I screamed at my realtor when I was house hunting!