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Good Morning, Portland! The weather for the weekend is looking beautiful and temperate, but it is too warm, overall.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Yesterday afternoon the Oregonian reported that a hack of the Oregon DMV extended to 90 percent of the state's driver’s license and ID card files. Though the agency had known about the hack since June 1, they were planning to wait until today to announce the security breach (and tell 90 percent of drivers license and state ID holders to check their credit for identity theft) because Friday is the day politicians hide their mistakes. I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you really want to stick it to the Man, read the news on Friday.
• If you are one of those people who clenches their fists, stares at the sky and wails "traaaaaash," today is your day. Gov. Tina Kotek announced yesterday that one million from the Governor's Strategic Reserve Fund will be used to clean up trash in Portland. TRAAAAASH!
• Fuck the fuck off, Oregon legislature. Do you deserve some sort of prize for achieving the quorum needed to actually vote on shit just ten days before the 2023 legislative session is set to end? Yesterday marked the end of the longest Republican walkout in Oregon’s history. What did Democrats give up to get Republicans back on the job? News Editor Courtney Vaughn explains some of the weak sauce offer-ups.
Oregon Senators have reached a deal to end the longest walkout in state history.
— Dirk VanderHart (@dirquez) June 15, 2023
It includes Dems agreeing to water down provisions on abortion and gun control. Here's what we know about the deal so far. #orleghttps://t.co/F50DRvVtHX
• OPB reports that 60 out of 120 modular homes, purchased by the state to house victims of the 2020 Alameda Fire, have been judged uninhabitable. Reasons: Mold and building code issues. While a disaster relief team organizer in the story says this is likely due to "sitting for about a year while local and state officials kind of figured out where those mobile homes were going to be placed," State Senate Representative Pam Marsh disagreed, instead blaming faulty construction. BTW, where are those other 60 homes? Still at the manufacturer in Idaho and potentially also ruined.
• Oregon's state auditors have recommended that Multnomah County Animal Services stop asking for public donations until it figures out how to actually spend the money it receives. OPB's April Ehrlich reports a recent investigation by the auditor's office revealed MCAS has been "sitting on more than $1.5 million in donations and government funds collected over the past five years." Why? Read on.
• FROM THE INBOX: Cat Adoption Team pretty much had me at "mega kitten adoption event." It can't hurt to spread the word that the well-regarded nonprofit "no kill" animal shelter in Sherwood, OR is holding a Kitten Palooza adoption event next Saturday, June 24, aiming to match 100 kittens with oh let's just go ahead and say furever homes. You can't just waltz in, you need an appointment. Read the organization's FAQ here.
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• It's Friday morning and tickets are about to go on sale for Os Mutantes at Aladdin Theater. Nice. What else can you grip this morning? Our Everout calendar team has the LIST.
IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• For some reason everything on the AP news site is SUPER TINY for me today, but it appears that Minneapolis police are still corrupt.
BREAKING: Minneapolis police officers have engaged in a pattern of violating constitutional rights and discrimination against Black and Native American people, the Justice Department finds following an investigation prompted by the killing of George Floyd. https://t.co/4rgipAGEVf
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 16, 2023
• New York City uses ranked choice voting, and they seem fine—a New York Times investigation.
• In Russia, artists and activists signal dissent and fury over the country's invasion of Ukraine with anonymous and occasionally miniature protests.
• Thred time:
I hate to say this, but this piece is not up to the standards of the @NewYorker's generally v. good fact checking. For example, a claim that the Biden admin "exempted" families from Title 42 is pure fiction. It never happened. In reality, MEXICO refused certain family expulsions. https://t.co/T5IR98S8Wb pic.twitter.com/KQhXt7piBH
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) June 12, 2023
• Finally, a reason to buy records: To celebrate this year's Juneteenth—Monday June 19—Bandcamp will donate its share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
• Okay, now do this for Portland MAX light rail:
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