The Mercury provides news and fun every single dayâbut your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!
GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! How are you? Fine, I hope. Hey, did you know that the Mercury just loves "tips"? And we love two types of tips in particular! Find out more about those here. And now, allow me to tip you off to some NEWS!
IN LOCAL NEWS:
⢠Idaho's draconian near-total abortion ban (except in the case of medical emergencies) went into effect today, and Portland's Planned Parenthood says that they're already seeing an increase of patients from states who have banned the procedure. (BTW, here's how to say "fuck YOU, Idaho Republicans" and donate to Planned Parenthood.)
The complaint alleges that new benefits announced by Starbucks were a tactic meant to discourage more baristas from organizing. https://t.co/lkDFm8Yq55
â Portland Business Journal (@PDXBIZJournal) August 25, 2022
⢠OH YAY (sarcasm): Betsy Johnsonâthe machine-gun owning, tax form hoarding, shadow Republican candidate for governorâhas turned in more than enough signatures  to make it onto the November ballot. Yaaaaaaaay.
⢠Speaking of Betsy Johnson: Thinking caps on! It's time to play Portland's funnest trivia game, POP QUIZ PDX. This week: More shenanigans from Betsy, a possible local alien invasion (?), the greatest chip in the world, and... tote bags? TOTE BAGS! Â
⢠In local film news (with đĽ casts):
The LAIKA family just got bigger. Meet the spellbinding cast of #Wildwood. pic.twitter.com/xpqkgKM5ad
â LAIKA (@LAIKAStudios) August 25, 2022
⢠Speaking of spitting đĽ, it's a YUGE week for new music and local festivals! Check out all the shows you better not sleep on (such as the Lose Yr Mind fest) with Jenni Moore's newest edition of HEAR IN PORTLAND!
Electro-pop duo (and lifelong besties) Phantogram will close out a short-but-sweet 11-stop fall tour in Portlandâit should be one for the books. https://t.co/uZl2lkE0vE
â EverOut Portland (@EverOutPortland) August 25, 2022
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:Â
â˘Â Pop up some corn, because a federal judge has ordered the Justice Department to release the redacted affidavit associated with the FBI's search warrant of Trump's Mar-a-Lago, where he was hoarding scads of classified files. Tomorrow's release should contain LOTS of spicy details on why the FBI was so concerned about Trump's possession of such top secret materials.
âThe problem with a party being ruled by one figure is that, sooner or later, every vote tends to become a referendum on that one person,â @MollyJongFast writes about the Republican Party's stumbles ahead of the midterm election.https://t.co/DbiEvnXusN
â The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) August 25, 2022
⢠Today in UGH: Two Floridians have plead guilty to stealing the diary of presidential daughter Ashley Biden, and selling it to conservative media company Project Veritas for $40,000. (However, the creepy company says they refused to publish it, for rarely implemented "ethical reasons.")
⢠Oh, I do love a sweet White House burn:
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene had $183,504 in PPP loans forgiven.https://t.co/4FoCymt8TB
â The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 25, 2022
⢠Whether due to desperation or overconfidence, Russia's Vladimir Putin is boosting the number of fighting troops he's sending into Ukraine, to the tune of 137,000 soldiers.
⢠Right on brand: "Missouri school district allows parents to opt in to corporal punishment of their children."
⢠Good news for kids: A federal appeals court has ruled that Arkansas cannot enforce it's horrible, shitty ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender children.
⢠And finally... get it, Karen Carpenter.
In case you didnât know KAREN CARPENTER wasnât just a Drummer, she was a really freakinâ great one.
â Michael Warburton (@MichaelWarbur17) August 24, 2022
None other than Buddy Rich seriously rated her.
pic.twitter.com/4vjj6fCuMJ