Here's your daily roundup of all the latest local and national news. (Like our coverage? Please consider making a recurring contribution to the Mercury to keep it comin'!)
IN LOCAL NEWS:
ā¢ Hope you haven't grown too attached to "water": Thanks to a dry winter and spring (and climate change, of course), around three-quarters of Oregon will be experiencing drought conditions in May and it's expected to persist through the summer.
More than 97% of Oregon is abnormally dry. About three-fourths of the state is in moderate drought or worse.
ā Bradley W. Parks (@Bradley_W_Parks) May 3, 2021
For @OPB: https://t.co/E5iZnp99af
ā¢ This past Saturday, activists marched to Portland's ICE facility to bring attention to international workers' rights, and the plight of migrants in our country. Our Isabella Garcia was on the ground and filed this report.
ā¢ Police are searching for the piece (or pieces) of Nazi shit who scrawled swastikas on the Oregon Holocaust Memorial in Portlandās Washington Park.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum acknowledged non-unanimous juries are linked to racism. But she won't - yet - topple this racist monument. Human Rights Watch calls Rosenblumās inaction "inconsistent with international human rights standards." https://t.co/PCyx9wHpGG
ā Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) May 3, 2021
ā¢ You want to look GOOD, true or false? If "true," you'll want to purchase a new, wicked awesome Mercury T-shirt... just in time for tee season!
IN NATIONAL NEWS:
ā¢Ā After catching shit for keeping refugee admissions at a Trump-era level, the Biden administration announced they will be increasing the migrant cap to 62,500 (up from 15,000) for this fiscal year.
A U.S. judge has temporarily barred the police in Columbus, Ohio, from using tear gas, pepper spray, batons and rubber bullets against nonviolent protesters, writing in a scathing opinion that officers had ārun amokā with power. https://t.co/DG111BdlLt
ā The New York Times (@nytimes) May 3, 2021
ā¢ During today's funeral for Andrew Brown Jr.āa Black man fatally shot five times (including in the back of the head) by North Carolina copsāRev. Al Sharpton spoke to mourning family and friends, demanding transparency from the police and the release of body cam footage of the killing, calling the bureau's response "a con game."
ā¢ Buckle up, needle squeamish youngsters! As early as next week, reports indicate that the FDA will authorize the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as 12 years old (currently 16 and older).
NEW: Weāre launching our āShot and a Beerā program to encourage eligible New Jerseyans ages 21+ to get vaccinated.
ā Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) May 3, 2021
Any New Jerseyan who gets their first vaccine dose in the month of May and takes their vaccination card to a participating brewery will receive a free beer. š» pic.twitter.com/REiHTEa6mi
ā¢ Largely thanks to thoughtless Republican butter-dicks and selfish anti-vaxxer buttholes, experts think it is highly unlikely, and perhaps we will never reach "herd immunity," which means I guess we can just all get used to wearing masks forever and randomly opening and closing businesses for the foreseeable future. (Isn't this what the GOP didn't want?)
ā¢ After 27 years of marriage, billionaire Bill Gates and Melinda Gates are getting divorced.
white boy summer is a GO pic.twitter.com/kKeAvd7xy1
ā Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) May 3, 2021
ā¢ Former president and once-and-always loser Donald Trump will find out this week whether he will be able to return to Facebook and continue spreading his particular brand of lies and bile.
ā¢ After scrambling to enact new voter suppression rules, it's beginning to dawn on Florida Republicans that "waaaaait a minute... these draconian laws are going to make it harder for Republicans to vote for us, too!" Sigh. Life does come at you fast.
ā¢ SCIIIIIIIENNNNNNCE!
A rare blue giant star located 20,000 light-years from Earth in the Milky Way galaxy has experienced explosive convulsions that created its distinctive halo. The Hubble Space Telescope imaged the star to celebrate 31 years since the observatory launched. https://t.co/xcpXmMzsSL
ā CNN (@CNN) May 3, 2021
ā¢ Need some guaranteed laughs? Then don't miss the I, Anonymous Show (Livestream edition) featuring nutzo rants and hilarious commentary from comedians Neeraj Srinivasan, Sam Tallent, Steph Tolev, and your host Kate Murphyācoming at ya this Wednesday, May 5! (Act now for a FREE ticket option!)
ā¢ HUMP! HUMP! HUMP! If you enjoy sexy stuff (and I know you do), get your tickets NOW for HUMP's Greatest Hits, Volume 3āTHIS WEEKENDāfeaturing some of the best short sex flicks from 15 years of HUMP! HUMP! HUMP!
ā¢ And now... THE WEATHER REPORT: A nice sunny day tomorrow with a high of 68!
ā¢ And finally, the best part of this video is how he keeps on keeping on... even when the staff is packing everything up around him!
My man shooting his shot at the school cookout is just what I needed today... pic.twitter.com/LYJxPlndWO
ā Rex Chapmanšš¼ (@RexChapman) May 2, 2021