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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! There are so many things for us to do and see. Let's take some time to be alone. Lock the door, pull out the phone. LET'S GO TO PRESS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• WOOOO-HOO! Happy OPENING BACK UP DAY, Oregon! As of today, the state has lifted almost all restrictions designed to protect us from COVID-19 thanks to Oregon reaching almost a 70 percent vaccination rate. That means all businesses are allowed to return to full capacity (unless they choose not to) and the masks can come off. BUT! BUT! BUT! Still bring your mask along with you, because certain places (such as health care operations or public transportation) will still require masks, as well as those businesses who choose to do so to protect their customers. Also those who have not been vaccinated should still wear masks to protect themselves from the highly transmissible variants that are still sweeping the country. So before you lose your goddamn mind today... maybe check out our first entry in our "IN NATIONAL NEWS" section below.

Tomorrow, Oregon will lift its Covid restrictions, but that doesn’t mean the pandemic is over.

🙂It’s ok to wear a mask at the store even if it’s not required.
🙂It’s ok to avoid crowds as businesses will no longer have capacity limits.
🙂Do what feels comfortable for you.

— APANO (@APANONews) June 29, 2021

• Due to the extreme heat and dryness of the area, Portland has finally joined cities all around the region in banning fireworks until further notice. Will this fuck up your July 4 plans? I dunno... will causing untold fire damage and death while possibly filling the skies with black smoke for weeks put a damper on your lifestyle? Guess you'll have to decide that for yourself.

• And the after-effects of this heatwave remain: Officials report that more than a half-dozen deaths in Oregon and Washington were caused by this weekend's extreme heat, and that fires are breaking out across the state—particularly Redmond, Oregon where a blaze has caused evacuations and the local airport was closed.

How unusual is the heat that’s been smothering the Pacific Northwest? Off the charts. https://t.co/R0atewMMis pic.twitter.com/W0xBLM1WRT

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 29, 2021

• New Blazers' coach Chauncey Billups had his first news conference yesterday, and when it came time to talk about his 1997 sexual assault allegation (for which he was never charged), Blazers management refused to elaborate on the "independent investigation" they held, and basically just said that we should trust them. Oh, hello. WE DO NOT TRUST YOU.

• Need a feel-good story about shit getting done? Our Isabella Garcia attended the celebration of the transfer of the historically dangerous 82nd Avenue from the state to the City of Portland, who has a lot of cool plans to make it much safer for pedestrians and businesses. Check it out!

IN NATIONAL NEWS:

• Even as Oregon reopens today, public health officials in Los Angeles County, California are urging unvaccinated and vaccinated folks to put back on their masks while in restaurants, shops, and other indoor public spaces out of fear of the quick spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant—which isn't killing those who are vaccinated, but the vaccinated are still spreading it.

The Delta coronavirus variant is one of several “variants of concern,” according to the CDC and WHO.

It has spread rapidly through India and Britain, and its prevalence in the U.S. doubled in the last two weeks.

Here’s what to know.https://t.co/gs5I46K4ot

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 30, 2021

• Get that popcorn poppin': Tomorrow the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is expected to level charges against the Trump Organization for tax-related crimes—those it's unclear at this point whether or not the company’s chief financial officer and Trump's right-hand guy, Allen Weisselberg, will also be charged.

• Stories are starting to surface from the survivors of Florida's collapsed high-rise condo—where 12 16 have been found dead, and 149 are still missing—and they are, as expected, horrifying.

BREAKING: A fire official says the bodies of four additional victims have been found in the rubble of a collapsed condo tower near Miami, raising the death toll to 16 people. https://t.co/gxOrkMaZfm

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 30, 2021

• Fox News has been fined $1 million for their "rampant" examples of sexual harassment of employees followed by retaliation against those who spoke up about it.

• Today in "Get a load of this asshole": Jerky Republican Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota is deploying National Guard troops to the southern US border to scare off migrants—how come? Oh, because a rich GOP mega-donor told her to, of course!

Actress Allison Mack to be sentenced for role in NXIVM cult https://t.co/M4qrWMb55T pic.twitter.com/RDJTKDbudE

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 30, 2021

• Like sex, weed, and scares? Get a sweet taste of ALL our fun film fests (HUMP, SPLIFF, and SLAY) with the Mercury's SUMMER MOVIE MASHUP! Get those tickets now!

• Too hot for ya? Get ready for a cool July when the Mercury's SUMMER OF SLUSHIES kicks off on July 1! $5 delicious, boozy frozen concoctions from your fave bars all damn month long!

• And now... THE WEATHER REPORT: The weather continues to cool in Portland with temps dropping today to a (relatively) frosty 87 degrees.

• And finally, ugh! Kids these days and their terrible, horrible ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC!

This dog playing the piano and singing alongside his little buddy is the Twitter content I’m here for…pic.twitter.com/KJombg6Rfb

— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) June 28, 2021