Good afternoon, Portland! If you don't think it'd be much fun working for Commissioner Dan Ryan, guess what, you're not alone! Here are the headlines.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
- The director of the City of Portland's equity and human rights office resigned last Thursday, abruptly ending her tenure at City Hall after less than two years. In a letter to staff, Lisa Watson cited tension between her and Ryan, the commissioner in charge of the office. “It is time for me to move on and for the Commissioner to find a director who is able to effectively and efficiently move his vision forward,” Watson wrote.
Two directors leading city bureaus overseen by Commissioner Dan Ryan unexpectedly stepped down last Thursday.
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) March 6, 2023
One of them cited Ryan's oversight in her resignation letter.https://t.co/H5oLBZMxcj
- The man charged with the killing of June Knightly at Normandale Park at a racial justice protest last year is set to plead guilty in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Wednesday. Benjamin Smith is charged with one count of murder, four counts of attempted murder, and four counts of assault and will reportedly be sentenced at a later date.
• Oregon and Washington are both ending their mask requirements for healthcare settings in less than a month, with the announcement coming as the COVID-19 test positivity rate in the state hovers around ten percent.
Questions about the Portland police’s upcoming body camera program were front and center during a hearing before a federal judge Tuesday, as the city and the Portland Police Bureau continue to struggle over a policy agreement.https://t.co/DgSDEY3iVB
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) March 5, 2023
- Amtrak is finally resuming service between Portland and Vancouver, B.C. after a nearly-three year interruption due the COVID-19 outbreak nearly three years ago. The Amtrak trip between the two cities takes roughly eight hours, but costs less than a flight.
IN NATIONAL NEWS:
- At least 23 climate defenders protesting the construction of a sprawling new police training facility in a forest outside Atlanta have been charged with domestic terrorism after they were arrested Sunday during violent protests at the construction site. One of the people charged with domestic terrorism is reportedly a legal observer. Extremely chilling!
Last night, Atlanta police arrested 30 people charging many with domestic terrorism.
— BreakThrough News (@BTnewsroom) March 6, 2023
Those arrested included at least one legal observer during a festival and gathering organized as part of a week of action to stop Cop City, a $90 million dollar police militarization facility. pic.twitter.com/Ur9tew7F9S
- Israel continues to see massive protests over Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to strip the country's judiciary of much of its independence and power, with hundreds of members of the IDF now reportedly signing onto letters expressing their frustration or even pulling out of training missions altogether.
- I'll tell you what doesn't sound real good: this bird flu business. The US is currently experiencing its largest avian flu outbreak ever, and the virus it causes, H5N1, can spread to humans. The CDC says the risk of a pandemic is low, but—and forgive me for saying this—doesn't that sound a little bit too familiar for comfort?
“If we continue spending four-plus billion dollars over the next two years on ‘deterrence-only’ policies, we’ve already wasted our money. You might as well just go up to the rotunda and set it on fire.”https://t.co/SolMOUxbkC#BorderControl #GregAbbott
— Texas Observer @TexasObserver.Social 🐘 (@TexasObserver) March 6, 2023
- Four US citizens who crossed the southern border from Brownsville into Matamoros to buy medicine on Sunday were kidnapped. US ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said that a Mexican citizen also died in the attack. The FBI is offering a $50,000 for the return of the missing Americans and the arrest of the kidnappers.
- This week in wage theft: employers falsely labeling their workers as "managers" to avoid giving them overtime pay! How crafty!
- Finally...
Polish edition of @UrbanGoals: pic.twitter.com/GVHg29fZ5H
— Danny Last (@DannyLast) March 6, 2023
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Benjamin Smith's plea.