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Good morning, Portland! Here are some relaxing nature sounds to listen to while scanning through the news today. If nature is not your thing, how about "Relaxing Bossa Nova & Jazz Music For Study" (a personal favorite)? Alright, deep breath and onto the headlines.
In local news:
⢠Hundreds gathered in Bend Monday night to mourn Glenn Bennett and Donald Surrett, the two people killed by a gunman at Safeway this weekend. Surrett, a Safeway employee and former combat engineer, attempted to disarm the gunman, likely saving lives according to police. âI ask us tonight to refuse to believe that this must be normal,â local pastor Morgan Schmidt said at the vigil. âThat is my only ask, that we refuse to believe that this is the status quo.â
⢠Itâs going to be hot one today (high of 97 degrees), but health officials are advising against seeking refuge in the Willamette River near St. Johns due to a toxic cyanobacteria bloom. Ingesting the affected water from near Cathedral Park to the Willamette Cove area poses serious risks to human health, so donât go in the waterâincluding on jet-skis and high speed boats!
Seattleâs jail has had an "astronomical" suicide rate in the past year. Elected officials have taken little action to support inmatesâ mental health.
â The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) August 29, 2022
Read the Times Watchdog story: https://t.co/s6LDBrBSRx pic.twitter.com/NyrXWxkmJa
⢠Traveling along SE Division Street via bus may get a lot faster next month when TriMetâs new FX2-Division line launches. The route will run high-capacity buses every 12 minutes during most of the day. The launch of the line is the same day TriMet is cutting or reducing 10 bus lies amid a historic driver shortage, but the agency said the FX line will be prioritized.
⢠Farmers in the Klamath Basin are worried that their crops will wither and die due to recent federal cutbacks in water availability. The US Bureau of Reclamation announced limited water releases from Upper Klamath Lake earlier this month in order to preserve enough water in the lake for an endangered fish population. âIf they have onions in the groundâ those onions are probably going to die and wilt,â irrigation director Gene Souza told OPB.
Happy first day of school to everyone who observes it!
â Dave Miller (@DaveMillerOPB) August 30, 2022
In national and international news:
⢠The Australian e-Safety Commissionerâa government position dedicated to protecting internet usersâis demanding Meta, Apple, and Microsoft share their strategies for mitigating child abuse material on their platforms. If the companies donât provide the materials within 28 days, theyâll will face a a fine of A$555,000 ($383,000) per day.
⢠A Shiite clerk announced their resignation from Iraqi politics Monday, prompting protests at the government palace. At least 15 protesters were killed during clashes with security forces, which included mortar rounds and machine gun fire.
Rising temperatures from climate change may have a connection with the spread of diseases â including COVID, a new study finds.https://t.co/Dz3TlGk8GF
â NPR (@NPR) August 30, 2022
⢠Ukrainian forces launched a counter-offensive attack Monday in southern Ukraine in an attempt to retake Kherson, a city currently occupied by Russian forces. An attempt to retake Russian-occupied cities has been expected for several weeks.
⢠Jackson, Mississippi, residents are being told not to drink their water after the cityâs along-struggling treatment plant failed Monday. Governor Tate Reeves said water would be shut off while the problem is fixed, but there is no timeline for when residents will have access to safe running water again. The state is supplying bottled water for drinking and potable water for flushing toilets, and all the Jackson Public Schools switched to online learning because of the water crisis.Â
⢠I live for this shit. Congratulations on your boot, Lucas.
A penguin with bumblefoot, a degenerative foot condition in birds, is enjoying more stability, thanks to new custom orthopedic boots pic.twitter.com/kIRPeRD3zw
â Reuters (@Reuters) August 30, 2022