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Good morning, Portland! Now starts the dreary winter when there aren't any more near-term holidays to spice things up. If you're feeling bluesy, mark your calendars for the Mercury's Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy show on January 13 to give yourself something to look forward to! You can also look forward to all this NEWS:

In local news:

ā€¢ Your electric bill will probably go up this month (sorry I don't make the rules). Both PGE and Pacific Power won approval for 14.8 percent average rate increases in January. While the actual rate increase depends on the type of energy the customer uses, a typical residential customer with PGE can expect a seven percent increase and the typical customer with Pacific Power can expect a 15 percent increase.Ā 

ā€¢ ICYMI: Portlandā€™s Police Review Board released its analysis of the fatal police shooting of Robert Delgado in 2021. The report illuminates why the police department determined that officer Zachary DeLong was justified in shooting and killing Delgado, a homeless man who appeared to be having a mental health crisis at the time of the shooting. The report also recommends getting more police shields for the department to *checks notes* avoid the poor optics of shooting beanbags at people who have already been lethally shot by the police.

ā€¢ Lawsuits challenging the political status of tribal nations in Washington state and before the US Supreme Court have pushed once-fringe legal theories into the mainstream, legal experts say. The two lawsuits, which focus on limitations of gambling outside of tribal lands and Native families receiving preference when adopting Native kids, both allege tribes are receiving preference because of race, not tribal sovereignty. Underscore News looks at how a ruling in favor of the legal challenges could fundamentally alter the way the US government interacts with and regards tribal nations.

ā€¢ Portland nonprofit Brown Hope has delayed its planned monthly payments to the 25 Black families that are part of its inaugural guaranteed basic income program. Brown Hopeā€™s bank account is currently frozen as the organization goes through structural upheaval amid unspecified allegations against its CEO and an investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice. The $2,000 monthly payments were originally scheduled to begin December 20.

In national and international news:

ā€¢ NFL Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday and left the game against the Cincinnati Bengals in an ambulance. According to the NFL, Hamlin is in critical condition after going into cardiac arrest on the field. Hamlin, 24, tackled a Bengals receiver during the first quarter of the Monday night game, stood up, and took a step forward before collapsing backwards. Medical staff appeared to give Hamlin CPR before he was taken off the field.

ā€¢ Massive flooding in the Philippines has displaced thousands of residents and killed at least 51 people as of Monday. While the floodsā€”which swelled around Christmasā€”have subsided, more than 8,600 people are in emergency shelters and at least 19 people have been reported missing. Multiple areas areas are still struggling with disrupted power and water supply.

ā€¢ Ukraineā€™s military is taking responsibility for a January 1 explosion that killed an unconfirmed number of Russian troops occupying an illegally annexed part of Ukraine. Ukrainian sources say the blast killed hundreds of Russian troops, but Russian sources say only 63 troops were killed. Western journalists have been unable to enter the area to verify the conflicting information from the two countriesā€™ militaries. If Ukraineā€™s information is correct, the attack potentially sets a record for Russian casualties in a single attack during the war so far.

ā€¢ Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013, died Sunday at 95 years old. Over 65,000 mourners visited Benedictā€™s body Monday at St. Peterā€™s Basilica, more than double what security predicted. Over 25,000 people visited the church by mid-day Tuesday and a third day of viewing is scheduled on Wednesday.

ā€¢ Wishing you all healthy work boundaries in 2023: