Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: For all of you who hate Democracy and voting, have I got a new law for you!
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: "For all of you who hate Democracy and voting, have I got a new law for you!" Joe Raedle / Getty News

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:

• Good news: Oregon currently has a surplus of COVID-19 vaccines, meaning if you want one (and you should) you can get one very easily! In fact, the vaccine clinic at the bustling Oregon Convention Center will be accepting walk-ins without an appointment starting tomorrow.

• The members of around 40 organizations—including Chelsea Clinton!—are calling for Oregon's Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to grant relief to prisoners who were convicted in the state by non-unanimous juries... an old-timey, racist practice that has been overturned by the Supreme Court. So is Rosenblum gonna do it or what? Our Blair Stenvick has a great explainer about what's involved.

• New Portland DA Mike Schmidt—voted in on a promise of justice reform—has appointed an outside lawyer to review the death investigation of Israel Berry, a man killed by a Gresham police officer nearly a year ago, in order to provide "an outside set of eyes to challenge potential bias" within the DA's office. Our Alex Zielinski has more!

• On the heels of an announcement from Oregon State University, Portland State University has announced that it will require all faculty, staff, and students to be fully vaccinated before they're allowed on campus in the fall. MORE OF THIS, PLEASE.

• Hey stream fans! The third and final season of Hulu's Shrill drops tomorrow, and our Blair Stenvick has the review!

IN NATIONAL NEWS:

• Corrupt Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the country's latest anti-voting law, specifically designed to stop residents—particularly people of color—from using drop boxes and voting by mail. It's yet another desperate attempt from increasingly desperate Republicans to stay in power, and will most likely wind up in... oh! Right on cue: "Florida's new voting law immediately hit with lawsuits."

• Yep, another school shooting: This one happened in an Idaho middle school, in which police say a student shot and injured two other students and a custodian before being taken into custody.

• Why are school/mass shootings happening on nearly a daily basis? Here's a hint: "Texas Senate approves bill allowing people to carry handguns without license."

• The FBI is still rounding up the Trumpy domestic terrorists who attacked the nation's capitol on January 6, and have thus far have charged more than 440 of the chuds—with the "worst of the worst" still to come. Also from this story: "The FBI said Reed Christensen of Oregon, accused of assaulting officers on the Capitol's lower west terrace, was identified with the help of his son." THAT'S MY BOY!

• Something else that can clearly be blamed on Trumpy Republicans: "Anti-Asian hate crimes more than doubled from last year, organization reports."

• A 22-metric-ton disintegrating Chinese rocket is about to hurtle into earth's atmosphere, and no one has any idea where it's going to land. However, scientists say that the odds of any of the debris hitting Fox News' Tucker Carlson is "astronomically low." :(

• 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!

• HUMP! HUMP! HUMP! If you enjoy sexy stuff (and I know you do), get your tickets NOW for HUMP's Greatest Hits, Volume 3—THIS WEEKEND—featuring some of the best short sex flicks from 15 years of HUMP! HUMP! HUMP!

• And now... THE WEATHER REPORT: A few morning showers tomorrow with a high of 59!

• And finally, STOP! IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!