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Its official: Kids ages 5-11 have been given the green light to get their COVID vaccines.
It's official: Kids ages 5-11 have been given the green light to get their COVID vaccines. Ivan Pantic / Getty Images

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! I'm like a boy among men. I'd like a permanent friend. I'd like to think that I was just myself again. LET'S GO TO PRESS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• The homelessness crisis isn't just a Portland-specific problem. Don't miss this fascinating deep dive look from our Alex Zielinski into how the houseless are mistreated, and in some cases, respected in eastern Multnomah County. It's a real eye-opener!

• A state advisory committee meeting to discuss the historic value of Black landmarks in Portland was interrupted and had to be canceled due to hate-filled racist and homophobic remarks left in meeting's chatroom. The Oregon State Police is investigating.

• In an Oregon first, the Washington County Board of Commissioners have voted to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products—including menthol cigarettes and vape pens—which have caused an epidemic of young people getting addicted to nicotine.

• Oregon Dem Sen. Jeff Merkley has come out against appointing Rahm Emanuel to an US ambassadorship, due to his spotty civil rights record in Chicago.

• If you like your rock on the female-forward, heavy side, then you won't want to miss this fun, touching, and uplifting interview featuring Evanescence's Amy Lee and Halestorm's Lzzy Hale from the always entertaining Elinor Jones.

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Democrats got a disturbing wake-up call in last night's elections, in which Republicans won the governor's chair in Virginia and are currently in a neck-and-neck battle with Dems in New Jersey. This is especially concerning as Democrats head into midterm elections next year. Meanwhile Minneapolis voters said no to a measure that would've replaced their police department with a new Department of Safety. But the news wasn't all bad! Democrat Shontel Brown won a House seat in Ohio, and Michelle Wu is the first woman AND person of color to become Boston's mayor.

• It's official: The CDC has approved COVID-19 vaccinations for kids 5-11, which means children in Oregon could be eligible for their shots any day now. (And right on cue, here come the anti-vaxxers.)

• The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case on a New York state gun control law that forbids carrying firearms in public—the biggest guns rights case in a decade.

• For the first time in decades, Atlanta's major league baseball team won a World Series last night, defeating the Houston Astros in a 7-zip win in game six of the series.

• Congrats to actor Kristin Stewart who has announced her engagement to girlfriend Dylan Meyer!

• If you need a drink, you won't want to miss the Mercury's "Shot & Beer" week, featuring creative, one-of-a-kind pairings of shots and beers from your fave local drinkeries. It all goes down from November 8 through 14, and you can get a taste of all the offerings here!

• And now... THE WEATHER REPORT: Dry and warmer today with a high of 61.

• And finally... "Okay, FINE. Don't say hi!"