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Goooood afternoon, y'allâhere are the headlines!
In local news:
â˘Â Before you buy your Oreos, Ritz, and other snacks, you may want to catch up on the Nabisco strike. Over 200 workers walked out of the companyâs Northeast Portland facility two weeks ago as contract negotiations between Nabiscoâs parent company and worker unions stalled out. Workers across the country are now joining them.
â˘Â With COVID-19 hospitalizations expected to exceed Oregonâs hospital capacity in September, healthcare leaders will have to decide which COVID patients to prioritize. While some people argue that vaccinated patients should take priority over hospitalized anti-vaxxers, state health officials say thatâs unethicalâand inequitable.
âThe BLM has a drought trump card, and they use it sometimes when they want to take additional horses off the range.â https://t.co/iyRIzPCaLB
â OPB (@OPB) August 19, 2021
â˘Â In more COVID news, Gov. Brown is requiring all K-12 staff and volunteers to get fully vaccinated by October 18, or six weeks after the FDA approves the COVID vaccines, whichever date comes later.
â˘Â A former Portland club owner reached a settlement with several Black Portlanders who accused him of using arbitrary dress code rulesâlike wearing âtoo many chainsââto discriminate against Black patrons. Alex Zielinski has the details on the settlement, and how the plaintiffs involved have been put off Portlandâs nightlife following the discrimination.
One Oregon county adopted outdoor masking requirements. Will others follow? https://t.co/q5bHBhfrNo pic.twitter.com/aLnuo5GCzi
â The Oregonian (@Oregonian) August 19, 2021
In national news:
â˘Â HEY LOOK, SOME GOOD NEWS: The first mRNA-based HIV vaccine is about to start human trials. Moderna is using the same technology used in its COVID-19 vaccine to create the HIV vaccine.
â˘Â OnlyFansâa website where fans pay creators for photo and video contentâwill ban sexually explicit content on October 1. The site is primarily known as a place where sex workers can upload and monetize pornographic content in a relatively safe manner.
â˘Â Law enforcement held an hours-long standoff with a man claiming to have a bomb near the US Capitol today, causing nearby government buildings to be evacuated. The police eventually took him into custody and found bomb-making materials in his truck.
55 U.S. senators are urging President Biden to expeditiously evacuate Afghan special immigrant visa applicants whose lives are in jeopardy in the aftermath of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.https://t.co/YjH8VZ03zd
â NPR (@NPR) August 19, 2021
â˘Â Look your best (and support local journalism) by purchasing a new Mercury T-shirt! Check out this monthâs hot designs here!
â˘Â From the makers of HUMP! and SPLIFF comes a new film fest that features short documentaries made by YOU! It's called SCOOP! and you can find out more about it here.
A judge has ruled that the Boy Scouts of America can enter into an $850 million agreement aimed at settling thousands of child sex abuse claims, but rejected key provisions, leaving the deal in doubt. The Boy Scouts are trying to emerge from bankruptcy. https://t.co/O0Hr6Tx8SZ
â The Associated Press (@AP) August 19, 2021
â˘Â REJOICE! Portlandâs favorite food event is back! Sample 37 delicious, one-of-a-kind burgers from the greatest local restaurants (and only $6 each). Itâs the Mercuryâs PORTLAND BURGER WEEK, coming at you August 16-22!
â˘Â And finally, I canât decide if I want to be Lauran or Roxy:
Lauran and Roxy pic.twitter.com/nKJLlGHITk
â Oregon Zoo (@OregonZoo) August 19, 2021