We need your help. The economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis is threatening our ability to keep producing the quality reporting you've come to love. If youâre able, please consider making a monthly contribution to the Mercury.
Good morning, Portland! Today, in holiday music that does not suck:
Here are the headlines.
⢠This just in: Gov. Kate Brown is calling for a special legislative session on Monday, December 21. Brown wants lawmakers to tackle $800 million in relief funding for Oregonians impacted by COVID-19 and the wildfires. That includes "aid for tenants and landlords, funding for vaccine distribution and contact tracing, wildfire prevention and community preparedness, and support for reopening schools," per a press release.
⢠The first batch of Pfizer vaccine doses are here, baby! The first couple thousand arrived yesterday, and much more arrive todayâand vaccinations could start as soon as tomorrow. State officials hope to have 100,000 Oregonians vaccinated by the end of this year.
⢠Oregon may have an eviction moratorium in effect right now, but that doesn't mean renters don't have a lot to worry about:
Oregon's eviction moratorium is still in place, but some tenants say landlords are harassing and threatening them.@Rjaellis has details @ 6:45 a.m. on OPB. https://t.co/1gG75CBxb8
â Geoff Norcross OPB (@OPBmorning) December 15, 2020
⢠An Umatilla County judge has found that the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) has forced a paralyzed inmate to live in "inhumane" conditions, and is ordering that the man be released from prison. Read more about the case from the Oregonian.
⢠More good vaccine news: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the Moderna vaccine is safe and effective, and is expected to grant the vaccine emergency approval on Thursday. That means we'll have two vaccines on the market, meaning more people can get vaccinated more quickly.
⢠But even as wealthy countries like the UK, Canada, and the US are starting to roll out vaccines, poorer countries in Africa and Asia will have a long wait for vaccines to arrive. That's because a worldwide initiative to secure enough vaccines for each country next year is facing an uphill battle, as richer countries are quick to snatch up the vaccines for themselves.
⢠Joe Biden has been elected the president-elect of the United States, for approximately the hundredth time this year. You can watch Biden's speech, delivered after he won the official Electoral College vote yesterday, here. âThe flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago," Biden said. "And we now know that nothingânot even a pandemic or an abuse of powerâcan extinguish that flame.â
⢠And, lo and behold, Sen. Mitch McConnell finally congratulated Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris this morning, noting that "the electoral college has spoken." McConnell's move signals that more establishment Republicans realize they have not options left and are ready to give up the actâthough plenty of Trump loyalists are still beating the false "stolen election" drum.
⢠Income inequality got worse this year, we've got the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression, and Big Tech only grew in size and powerâbut hey, at least shelter adoptions for dogs and cats shot up! Check more dismal trajectories and bright spots in this fun piece from Vox, "2020 in 20 Charts."
⢠Pornhub, one of the internet's largest porn sites, purged more than half of the videos from its site this week. The website had faced increasing criticism for hosting videos that didn't include all participants' consent, and so scrubbed all unverified uploads that weren't shared by an official Pornhub partner. The move likely makes it easier for Pornhub to control the videos uploaded to its siteâbut it also poses a problem for a lot of independent adult performers who make their income by posting on the site.
⢠Finally, I give you my love letter to Grocery Outlet:
Our @BlairStenvick was given $15 to buy and prepare a festive holiday meal from Grocery Outlet. Find out how they did in this episode of "Blair's Grocery Games!"https://t.co/zJoR1BO321
â Portland Mercury đ (@portlandmercury) December 14, 2020