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Protests across the country heat up as SCOTUS prepares to overturn Roe v Wade.
Protests across the country heat up as SCOTUS prepares to overturn Roe v Wade. Scott Olson / Getty Images

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! How was your rainy weekend? Expect cloudy, but mostly dry days until Wednesday when the heavy rains return again. Now let's explore this thing called NEWS!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• On Friday night, four Portland police officers exchanged gunfire with a suspect, shooting and critically injuring the driver during a traffic stop. As of this point, the officers have not revealed why they stopped the person, but claimed it was for multiple violations. What's more, two of the cops are named in a lawsuit connected with the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and our Isabella Garcia has more.

• Desperate to separate himself from the large pack of Republicans running against him, Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam is fueling his run for Oregon governor by cynically styling himself after Trump and declaring a racially charged "War on Woke." OPB has a profile on this creep and his doomed tactic.

• BTW, have you VOTED yet? Election day is a week from tomorrow, and I bet you could use the handy services of the Mercury's Endorsement Cheat Sheet! So here it is, right here!

• The yearly LGBTQ celebration, Keizer Pride Fair in Keizer, Oregon, will not be taking place this year due to threats from extremist groups and claims that the city is not doing enough to protect the participants.

IN NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

• It's "Victory Day" in Russia, and while Vladimir Putin didn't use the opportunity to escalate his war against Ukraine, he did FALSELY call his invasion an attempt to stop the spread of Nazism. Meanwhile the last civilians have been evacuated from the Mariupol steel plant where they have endured near constant shelling, hunger, mold, and more.

• The Biden Administration announced a new agreement with 20 companies to provide discounted internet services for low income Americans, making some 48 million households eligible for $30 monthly plans.

• If the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v Wade (as their shitty leaked draft suggests), it calls into question what they'll do with other decisions such as same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, the governor of Mississippi refuses to confirm or deny if his state will take the next steps to ban contraception.

• SQUEEEEE! Actor Ncuti Gatwa—who is freaking FANTASTIC in his role as Eric on the Netflix show Sex Education—will be the first Black person ever to take on the role of The Doctor in the show Doctor Who! SQUEEEEEEEEE!

• THE-UH-TUH NEWS: Michael R. Jackson’s critically acclaimed autobiographical musical, A Strange Loop, has garnered a whopping 11 Tony nominations.

• And finally... HAPPY MONDAY, and have a great week everybody!