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GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! And this absolutely stunning Portland October weather continues, with sunny days and highs in the low 80s through the weekend. Now prepare to be stunned by some NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• The pandemic dropped a massive dump on lots of city services, including TriMet who have been struggling to resume their pre-pandemmy bus schedules. Our Isabella Garcia reports on TriMet's attempts to get public input on its plan to overhaul bus service (while also equitably increasing ridership).
Your daily reminder that the Portland Police Bureau was never defunded, and currently has the largest budget in Portland history.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) October 11, 2022
• The WW published a profile of wildly unqualified candidate for City Council, Rene Gonzalez, whose sole public service experience seems to be... coaching kids' soccer? And then complaining that the schools should've reopened during the pandemic? Most baffling of all, at least one poll says he's well ahead of Jo Ann Hardesty—the most accomplished commissioner in memory. Portland, I don't know how to say it any other way: Stop believing the lies of rich people. They mean you harm.
• Oh, look. They're doing it in Bend, too.
Three Bend City Council positions and the mayor's seat are up for grabs in November, and cash-fueled political committees are trying to shake things up. From @JoniAudenLand https://t.co/uMbPMCBgNY
— OPB (@OPB) October 12, 2022
• Get ready, Oregon! President Biden is swinging by our state this Friday to stump for Democrat Tina Kotek—who needs a little "Dark Brandon" magic to push back on Republican Christine Drazan and "Shadow Republican/Spoiler" Betsy Johnson in the race for governor.
• Hey music lovers! It's time again for Jenni Moore's weekly column, HEAR IN PORTLAND! This week: Hey Love's fourth anniversary, a new zine that profiles local rappers, a rooftop show for a good cause, and the first ever Trap Kitchen Weekend.Â
If you love this week's awesome Mercury online cover art, then check out this fascinating interview with the artist, Mx. Morgan Robles!https://t.co/ZkmdxsTjpn pic.twitter.com/EWs5btuTpr
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) October 12, 2022
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• You gotta love it: InfoWars asshole liar Alex Jones has been ordered by a jury to pay nearly $1 billion to the grieving families of Sandy Hook, after he spent years reporting that the massacre was a hoax.Â
Punishing Alex Jones is less important than destroying the business model that allows people like him to profit by pumping toxic horseshit into the national discourse. Let's hope this accomplishes both. https://t.co/8u1JO9s9bp
— jason wilson (@jason_a_w) October 12, 2022
• A Trump employee is spilling his guts to the Feds, and claiming that the former president told him to move boxes of documents to Mar-a-Lago AFTER Trump had been subpoenaed to return them.
• Days after stepping down as president of the Los Angeles city council following the revelation of some VERY racist things she said, Nury Martinez announced today that she's giving up her council seat entirely. (Remind you of the incremental movements of a certain Merritt Paulson you may know?)
• Both alarming and unsurprising: "Oath Keeper testifies about massive gun pile stashed in hotel on the eve of Jan. 6."
PARENTS, please check your kids candy this Halloween. I just found the One Ring forged in secret in the fires of Mount Doom, which the Dark Lord Sauron poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. pic.twitter.com/F1HhnQgtcH
— Higgybaby (@TheHiggybaby) October 11, 2022
• And finally... me, trying to knock back all the lies spewing out of rich people's mouths. ðŸ˜
i think it went well pic.twitter.com/SIIophkwdG
— Tweets of Cats (@TweetsOfCats) October 12, 2022