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Good morning, Portland! Have you selected which wings you will be consuming next week yet?
Okay, here are the headlines!
• In case you missed it yesterday: Portland City Council approved a new five-year contract with Clean & Safe, the shady, Portland Business Alliance-backed organization that sends private security goons to oversee downtown Portland. Apparently, most city commissioners' primary concern is making sure Portland looks good on Nextdoor and Trip Advisor.
• According to a weekly report from the Oregon Health Authority, there are currently 79 schools in the state with active COVID-19 outbreaks. That's a big jump from last week's count of 48—and even 79 is probably an undercount.
• Here's a little feel-good news for you:
Clackamas High teacher, an immigrant who helps students find their voices, named Oregon Teacher of the Year https://t.co/M2xlyD3KZz pic.twitter.com/TEIiMyzz9r
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) September 30, 2021
• Last year, protesters tore down several statues of historical figures, including known slaveholder George Washington and racist Oregonian editor Harvey Scott. Now, the city's Regional Arts & Culture Council is recommending that the statues shouldn't be replaced, but should stay in the city's art collection. A final decision will be made after public input, so get ready for a lot of hand-wringing about how we shouldn't forget our history, as if a missing statue will render George Washington an unknown. (However, the Elk statue is coming back!)
• This morning, a Facebook executive is in the hot seat at a Senate hearing, following claims from a Facebook whistleblower that the company knows how damaging its products are for kids' mental health, and isn't doing anything about it—and is even moving forward with an "Instagram for kids." You can watch the hearing live here.
• Meanwhile in DC, Congress is focused on passing an emergency bill that will temporarily avoid a partial government shutdown.
• Did you miss the recent news about the surfacing of a terrifying GOP memo outlining how to secure a coup leading up to January 6? If so, you weren't alone:
A Trump lawyer wrote an instruction manual for a coup. Most of the media yawned. … My column on the John Eastman memo to Mike Pence https://t.co/IxzlE2CBdq
— 💫 Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) September 30, 2021
• According to new data from the Rural Policy Research Institute, COVID is now killing Americans in rural areas at twice the rate of people in cities. The main cause of that gap? A lag in rural vaccination rates.
• Alright, #FreeBritney hive, you know I couldn't ignore this good news today: Britney Spears' controlling, opportunistic father has been removed from her conservatorship! Next month, a judge will decide whether the conservatorship should be disbanded altogether.
• And finally, here's something fun you can do TONIGHT!
Tomorrow night at the Hollywood Theater, you can catch a showcase of short films made by homeless and marginalized youth—including a music video collaboration with Mic Crenshaw and the Oregon Symphony. https://t.co/BoU2MDOeMT
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) September 29, 2021