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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! I don’t want no fly guy, I just want a shy guy. That’s what I want, yeah. You know what I want, yeah. LET’S GO TO PRESS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• On the one-year anniversary of right-wing Proud Boy ding-dongs coming to Portland and fighting local protesters for hours as Portland Police refused to interfere, the ding-dongs are scheduled to come back for a repeat performance this Sunday. Time will tell if the cops decide to do their job or once again stand on the sidelines.
“Portland itself is seen as this soft target, I think, by the far right, because there’s good activism going on here and a police force [and a City] that doesn’t give two shits about policing the far right.” @inafutureage
— Oregon Justice Resource Center (@OJRCenter) August 18, 2021
• According to officials, one Multnomah County resident is suspected to have died from the past weekend’s heatwave. This is a dramatic change from June’s heatwave which led to the deaths of 62 people county-wide, and while the latest row of hot days was significantly less sweltering, big changes in the way government handled the high temperatures may have possibly saved lives. Our Alex Zielinski has more.
• Things are getting to the breaking point for the 1,500 inmates of the Sheridan correctional facility, who continue to struggle and suffer after more than a year of COVID-19 outbreaks, saying they are being subjected to “dangerous and unbearable conditions.”
Today is the first day of the murder trial of David Bogdanov, the Vancouver, WA man accused of killing 17-year-old Nikki Kuhnhausen because she was trans: https://t.co/rUIJe7DSOm
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) August 17, 2021
• Oregon legislators Sen. Kayse Jama and Rep. Khanh Pham are calling for the Biden administration to lift the cap on the number of Afghan refugees being let into the US who are trying to escape the Taliban takeover of their country, adding that “As Oregonians, we welcome vulnerable and displaced families seeking refuge from violence and oppression.”
• Sad news for Portland Thorns fans: Top notch goalkeeper Adrianna Franch has been traded to KC NWSL for goalie Abby Smith and $150,000 in allocation money. Franch was named goalkeeper of the year for both 2017 and 2018.
IN NATIONAL NEWS:
• The Biden Administration and health officials have announced a plan to start offering booster shots to Americans starting in the third week of September to ward off the far-more transmissible Delta variant, and will be available to individuals eight months after their first shot.
The plan for booster shots is awaiting an FDA evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose. Health officials say people who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also probably need extra shots, but more data is needed. https://t.co/Ys1H5IKJW1
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 18, 2021
• One day after promising to be more tolerant to women and detractors, the Taliban has already begun shooting and beating Afghan protesters demonstrating against the new regime.
At least three people were killed and more than a dozen injured after Taliban militants opened fire during protests against the group in the Afghan city of Jalalabad, two witnesses and a former police official told Reuters.
— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) August 18, 2021
• Today in… WAIT, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott—after declaring a statewide mandate against mask and vaccination rules—has tested positive for COVID-19.
• Speaking of Texas, local school boards have figured out a possible way of legally skirting around Gov. Abbott’s “no mask mandates” rule: making masks part of the dress code.
• Some potential GOOD NEWS: House Democrats are finally, finally, FINALLY making a move to update the landmark Voting Rights Act in an effort to stop the slew of voter suppression happening in Republican-led states across the nation. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Democrats plan on passing the bill when the House returns next week.
• At long last R&B singer R. Kelly will make his appearance in a New York court today to answer multiple charges of sex trafficking and racketeeing. If found guilty, he could spend decades in prison.
To successfully cultivate an organized system of sexual abuse, prosecutors will argue during R. Kelly’s trial in Brooklyn federal court opening, the disgraced R&B singer relied on those closest to him https://t.co/6Nx8glydtN
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) August 18, 2021
• REJOICE! Portland’s favorite food event is HERE! Sample 37 delicious, one-of-a-kind burgers from the greatest local restaurants (and only $6 each). It’s the Mercury’s PORTLAND BURGER WEEK, coming at you ALL THIS WEEK, August 16-22!
• Look your best (and support local journalism) by purchasing a new Mercury T-shirt! Check out this month’s hot designs here! BUT HURRY, THEY GO AWAY ON AUG 22!
• And now… THE WEATHER REPORT: Expect a mostly sunny Wednesday with a high of 84.
• And finally… just a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bit off.
When you lie on your resume and still get the job. 😳😏😂🎷 pic.twitter.com/b1qLENavA1
— Fred Schultz (@fred035schultz) August 17, 2021
