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Good morning, Portland! After weeks of 80 degree weather, we are fully in rainy season. Bring a raincoat with you everywhere you go for *at least* the next week. And now, the news:

- On Friday, Mayor Ted Wheeler and Commissioner Dan Ryan unveiled their vague, unfunded plan to criminalize homelessness in Portland within the next few years. There’s a lot to unpack—here’s a preliminary breakdown. The timing of this announcement—two weeks before election day—shouldn’t be overlooked. It has allowed Wheeler and Ryan (who aren’t up for election this year) to kindly put their colleague Jo Ann Hardesty in the hot seat as she heads to the polls. Case and point:

- In more local election news, a cushy political action committee spent $180,000 printing ads to support both Multnomah County chair candidate Sharon Meieran and Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez.  The ad blitz, funded by wealthy Portland business owners, is rife with misinformation about both the candidates themselves and their opponents. On Sunday, Meieran competitor County Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson held a press conference to denounce the deep-pocketed PAC that is "using their millions to try to contort the message of this race."

- Speaking of which: Have you checked out the Mercury's endorsements for the November 8 election yet? Before you fill out your ballot, give it a read

- First Biden, then Obama—now Elizabeth Warren. The Democrats are pulling out all the stops to keep the Oregon governor’s office blue. On Saturday night, Sen. Warren joined Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek at the Wonder Ballroom to motivate door-knockers ahead of election day. Then The Decemberists played. Democracy, Portland-style! 

- The number of firearm injuries treated in Oregon emergency departments has nearly doubled from 2019 to 2021, according to a statewide report from OHSU. Most injuries were treated in the Portland metro area, with the most common cause: "unintentional."

- I live for this shit: 


- A woman in Washington state survived a bear attack on Saturday after she punched the female black bear in the nose. This is a great recovery for the reputation of "woman in Washington state" news since that woman fell down a pit toilet in April. 

- Voters in five states (including Oregon!) will be voting this November on whether to close loopholes that allows for slavery of people convicted of a crime. The effort is part of a national push to amend the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that banned enslavement or involuntary servitude except as a form of criminal punishment. The changes don't ban prison labor, but could bolster legal challenges against it. 

- A federal appeals court temporary blocked President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, yet the White House urges people to continue submitting applications for debt relief. NPR helps explain what that means for the future of the program.

- Shortly after Boris Johnson announced he won't be attempting to return as prime minister of the UK following Liz Truss' resignation, Britain's conservative party selected former finance minister Rishi Sunak to be the country's next leader. Will the country's third PM in two months stick?

- I leave you with: Ted Cruz at the Yankees' stadium.