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Good morning, Portland! I'm back after taking a week off to
Okay, here are the headlines.
• In case you missed it: According to state authorities, wildfires are starting to get a little more under control—but the Portland area will probably have this lovely mood-setting smoke with us at least until the end of the week. Quick, time to shoot that indie apocalyptic film you've always dreamed of making!
• A Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy was placed on leave over the weekend after a video surfaced of him blaming "antifa motherfuckers" for starting the wildfires (they didn't!). But it turns out that deputy wasn't the only Clackamas County official to spread the misinformation—last Thursday, Capt. Jeff Smith did the same in a public meeting.
• Just as a reminder, two of the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor still have their jobs. But this is, at least, some good news:
Breonna Taylor's family has reached a settlement with city of Louisville, @strickdc reports.
Settlement will include a list of police reforms that will address officer accountability and the execution of search warrants.https://t.co/B2BTuz5lda
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) September 15, 2020
• A federal judge has ruled that Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf is in his role illegally—and that, therefore, new asylum restrictions he's levied against immigrants aren't valid. But something tells me Wolf isn't likely to step down from his sham position, because the fascist coup we've all spent the last five years worrying about is now well underway.
• On Sunday, Donald Trump held an indoor campaign rally in Nevada, in a venue full of maskless supporters. Per the Washington Post, campaign workers gave Trump the safer option of having a drive-in rally—but Trump of course rejected that, and then told rally-goers that the country is "making that round, beautiful, last turn" to an economic recovery from COVID-19 (we're not!).
• Amid wildfires that have turned the entire West Coast into a haze of smoke, Trump took the opportunity yesterday to deny any of this is the result of climate change, saying "It'll start getting cooler. You just — you just watch," and "Well, I don't think science knows, actually." Actually!
• Feels about right:
Data released by Pew Research Center on Tuesday suggests that the international reputation of the United States has dropped to a new low https://t.co/xzngZ9K1xu
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 15, 2020
• Alaska Air suspended all flights to Portland International Airport yesterday, saying "thick smoke and haze" makes traveling to Portland too dangerous. It's the first airline to do so.
• With under two months to go until Election Day, Mayor Ted Wheeler's campaign manager has left for another job. A new manager with experience running campaigns in New York and New Hampshire will join Wheeler's campaign today.
• The smoke is awful here in the Portland area, but we're still lucky compared to many of our fellow Oregonians, who have lost homes or been displaced by evacuation orders. Here's a handy list of ways you can help those affected by the wildfires.
• Your move, Readers' Digest!
Scientific American has never endorsed a presidential candidate in our 175-year history—until now.
The 2020 election is literally a matter of life and death. We urge you to vote for health, science and Joe Biden for President.https://t.co/8TlH7shjFn
— Scientific American (@sciam) September 15, 2020
