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Good morning, Portland! There is a 10 percent chance that we may see some snow today, with chances of snowfall slightly increasing throughout the week. If you love this weather, why not celebrate it by grabbing a drink at one of the 24 bars participating in the Mercuryâs Holiday Drink Week? If you detest this weather, why not cheer up by grabbing a festive $7 drink during the Mercuryâs Holiday Drink Week? Now, onto the news!
In local news:
⢠An Oregon Senate panel rescinded security measures against Senator Brian Boquist (Republican turned Independent representing Polk and Yamhill counties) Monday. Since July 2019, Boquist has had to give 12 hours notice before going to the state capital so that police could increase their presence due to threatening statements he made against fellow lawmakers and state police. That security protocol was removed Monday in response to Boquistâs ongoing lawsuit against the state, which claims that the security measure is a violation of his free speech.
⢠Over half of the New Seasons locations in the Portland area have moved to unionize this year. Check out which locations and the status of their efforts with this comprehensive breakdown from Alex Zielinski.
Is the revival of the Lloyd Center a mere moment of brightness on the heels of a very dark past couple of years? Or is this the beginning of more good news to come?https://t.co/hV9RfxjbNX
â Portland Monthly (@PoMoMagazine) November 29, 2022
⢠Fir trees in Oregon and Washington are dying at record numbers this year, creating a âFirmageddonâ according to researchers. Swaths of dead firs were observed on more than 1.23 million acres in both statesâthe largest die-offs ever recorded. Researchers believe that the event may be due to a combination of drought, last yearâs heat dome, insects, and fungal diseases.
⢠Itâs going to get pretty dang cold overnight this week. If you or someone you know needs a warm place to stay, you can call 211 or check the website to find available overnight shelters. The county may also open additional warming shelters, depending of the severity of the weather as the week progresses.
Check your old tickets... Oregon Lottery confirms it's still waiting for someone to come forward with $1 million Powerball ticket sold in Portland on November 2, 2022. It's currently the Oregon Lottery's largest unclaimed prize. pic.twitter.com/7EgNHxQWbt
â Kyle Iboshi (@KyleIboshi) November 29, 2022
In national news:
⢠Online Black Friday sales hit a record $9.12 billon this year, quelling fears that inflation would severely dampen end-of-year spending. According to Adobe Analytics, sales were 2.3 percent higher than last year thanks to greater electronics, toys, and exercise equipment purchases. Americans are taking on more debt and using "Buy Now, Pay Later" programs to afford the purchases, according to CNN.
⢠Over 10,000 sippy cups and bottles made by Green Sprouts are being voluntarily recalled after the discovery of lead used in soldering material on the cups. Thousands of cups purchased between January 2020 and September 2022 can break, exposing a solder dot containing lead. No injuries have been reported in connection to the cups.
Two jurors in the Danny Masterson rape trial test positive for COVID and are replaced with alternates, meaning deliberations must entirely restart.
â Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 28, 2022
Read the latest athttps://t.co/QjOs6ZvjTq
⢠The white gunman who killed 10 Black shoppers and workers at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, pled guilty Monday to murder and hate-motivated terrorism. During the hearing, the 19-year-old gunman confirmed that he murdered the shoppers because of their race. The charges carry a lifetime sentence.
⢠The San Francisco Police Department is looking to get clearance to employ robots to use deadly force (yes, this is real life, not the synopsis of a dystopian movie). When editing a draft of the defined authorized uses for all military-grade equipment used by the SFPD, a San Francisco official added a line prohibiting the departmentâs 12 robots from using deadly force against people in any circumstance. SFPD crossed out the line, writing "robots will only be used as a deadly force option when risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers are imminent and outweigh any other force option available to the SFPD.â The debate over robot usage continues in city meetings this week.
⢠I, like any self-respecting Portlander, have a soft spot for Big Pink. You go, Big Pink!
A COUPLE MORE⌠shots of that cool fog phenomenon around âBig Pinkâ last Thursday. A couple notes: I took the photos and own the sole rights to them. And itâs just fog, not an actual fire. Wanted to include a shot without the damn crow flying thru đŹ #LiveOnK2 #Portland #fog pic.twitter.com/ZQ6NHBdShM
â Mike Warner (@MikeKATU) November 28, 2022