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The first image released from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
The first image released from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope NASA


Good Afternoon, Portland. It's a scorcha out there, and tomorrow is looking to be similarly inside-out butts, temperature-wise.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• As another result of the Multnomah County Library Bond, the county will purchase a Gresham park and ride lot from TriMet and turn it into a new library. Plans are in preliminary stages regarding what services the library will offer, but Multnomah County Library noted that the new location would solve a problem, revealed by census data, suggesting the area is underserved. We love to see a library on a MAX line!

• Today is the 100th birthday of Mark O. Hatfield who, though he died in 2011, remains a significant piece of understanding Oregon politics and history. The Mercury reviewed a recent biography of Hatfield, but found it to be a little light on many of the more fascinating Hatfield Facts, like his public outing by Act Up or his against-the-grain opposition to the Gulf War.

• As a not-unhappy consequence of the pandemic, outdoor concerts are more popular than ever. But it turns out that Pink Martini's Hunter Noack has been dragging a grand piano through scenes of natural grandeur since as early as 2016.

• Now, you know how we do when it's "a hot one."

• Hey! It's Nacho Week, but there are also a bajillion other things going down: live shows from Mariah the Scientist, Chastity Belt, and Michael Hurley; comedy from Tim Heidecker at the Aladdin and Michelle Wolf at Helium. Check on what's happening this week:

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Today's top story is guaranteed to make us feel appropriately small and insignificant. The world just got a first image from NASA’s newly unveiled James Webb Space Telescope. In less than 24-hours, the telescope captured the sharpest / deepest infrared image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 to date. And she looks gooooood. NASA promises a full suite of images tomorrow morning, so hold onto your grandeur.

• Despite questions about what—if anything—President Biden's Friday executive order on abortion and privacy rights achieved, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced today that it is is committed to protecting the privacy of consumers, particularly regarding medical and location information. It warned that it will legally pursue companies that fail to safeguard consumer privacy. This is likely meant to address post-Roe v. Wade widespread concern over period tracking apps and healthcare searches.

• It may be insufferable outside but Steve Bannon is once again sending the message that no one's more of a hot mess than him. While the former Trump advisor has finally agreed—as of this past weekend—to testify before the Jan 6 Committee, that doesn't mean he can evade the impending trail scheduled to address the nine-months it took Bannon to agree to do so. Bannon's contempt-of-Congress trial is scheduled to begin on July 18.

• Abnormally hot weather? That's just like us! The Washington Post's famously funny TikTok team explains punishingly high temperatures with daaaaaance.

@washingtonpost Projections from federal agencies suggest abnormally hot weather, an expansion of drought and well above average wildfire and hurricane activity in the months ahead. Though the summer season of 2022 is young, parts of the nation have already experienced punishingly high temperatures, extreme drought, wildfires, severe storms, flooding or some combination.
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