The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but 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!

Willamette Falls
Willamette Falls Metro Regional Government

Good morning, Portland! In the past week it’s both been in the mid-70s and
 snowed? If this is confounding to you, it’s time you get caught up on the latest UN report on climate change. (Spoiler: Humans have done irreversible harm to our planet’s future!) Today's snow should start melting around 11 am. Now, the news:

- Let’s start with campaign drama: The proposed Metro ballot initiative that would reallocate taxpayer dollars reserved for permanent housing for homeless individuals and spend it on mass shelters has failed to pass the muster of Metro attorneys. In a Friday letter, Metro Attorney Carrie MacLaren explained that the initiative—posed by “tough-on-crime” lobbyist group People for Portland —was written in a way that doesn’t meet constitutional requirements. We’re certain this won’t be the end of People for Portland, though.

- In other campaign news, a group of local business interests is allegedly pooling its funding to back Portland City Council candidate Vadim Mozyrsky in hopes of defeating Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. Nothing like a bunch of people with money trying to take down the first Black woman elected to City Council to define a Portland election!

- Portland General Electric is vying to condemn and control a piece of property alongside Willamette Falls that is critical to tribal fishing access. On Friday, the utility filed a legal complaint against the state to be able to operate its hydroelectric project at the falls without being beholden to tribal fishing treaties.

- Today in: “Seems Bad”:

- At least a dozen states are following Florida's cue in drafting their own versions of legislation that would prohibit public schools from discussing gender identify or sexual orientation in the classroom. Dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” bills, these policies are nothing less than institutionalized homophobia and transphobia. "What is truly concerning,” a legal expert tells NPR, is that these bills have been “coupled with legislative proposals that forbid teaching about structural racism and slavery, and patriarchy and sexism, on the grounds that these concepts make others uncomfortable."

- Elon Musk will not be joining Twitter’s Board of Directors, if you were wondering.

- After a shooter targeted houseless people living in DC and New York, reporters gathered perspective from unhoused DC residents. None of them expressed surprise by the deadly spree, and instead explained how frequently they’ve been targeted with violence for living outside.

- Pakistan’s parliament ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday, a decision some say were spurred by US’ displeasure with Khan’s support of Russia and China. More than 20,000 protesters demonstrated in the streets of Karachi following the vote of no confidence, demanding Khan’s reinstatement.

- The US says it will give Ukraine the “weapons it needs” to fight off an expected offensive from Russian troops this week. Russia keeps plugging away at the war crimes in the meantime.