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Portland, this week was weird. I really can't tell if people can't pump their own gas, care a ton about ocean pressure, or if this is all just us making up stuff to freak out about because there's a writers strike and no good TV. BUT BOY DO I HAVE SOME REAL PROBLEMS FOR YOU. Let's read the news.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• On Thursday, the Multnomah County filed a lawsuit against several fossil fuel corporations for their role in climate change that led to the catastrophic heat dome Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest experienced in 2021, which led to the deaths of 69 people. 17 companies were named as defendants, including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, Koch Industries, American Petroleum Institute, and McKinsey & Company. 

• "Portland Street Response is without a champion at City Hall," writes the Oregonian's Nicole Hayden. After a recent freeze on purchases, being barred from distributing tents, and then ordered to assist with city-ordered sweeps, Street Response employees and supporters say the policy changes indicate an obvious move to destroy the program or change it beyond recognition. Hayden reports that "some city officials say handing out a pair of pants is more enabling than helpful." In Detroit, people break into your car for your dirty black barback pants. Give the people some fucking pants.

• The Oregon Legislature is in a fucking WHIRLPOOL of passing bills because the Republican walkout took so long—without an extension, the session must end by Sun June 25. 

• You may know that the Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio exhibit is now open at the Portland Art Museum, but did you know that PAM CUT is holding del Toro film screenings all weekend? Yes, they still do movies. 

• No one fucking cares that the state vegetable is now the potato because, like, three other states already have that. And before that, Oregon's state veg was the onion (yes, just regular onion), which about five states already had some variation of. What we're looking at here is monied vegetable lobbying groups doing their thing. In the grand scheme of things who cares? But also, whenever wealthy lobbying consortiums do something stupid it makes me think they probably need more taxes.

• As many of you know, our news quizzes are the envy of the nation. Get that jealousy taste from this week's survey of things you outta remember—or at least find out about from the kuh-wiz:

 
 
 
 
 
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• It's Friday morning, and tickets are about to go on sale for two true comedy wives: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler at Moda Center... IN JANUARY—it's okay we are wives and can plan ahead. The list of music shows going on sale this morning is... meh, but back over in comedy Eddie Izzard is coming to the Schnitz. Our Everout calendar team made a LIST for your perusal, so feel free to disagree and really show me by scooping some seats.

IN NATIONAL / WORLDISH NEWS:
• It's only been a year since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade. In this longview look, the the New York Times reports that:

"for the first time a majority of Americans say abortion is 'morally acceptable.' A majority now believes abortion laws are too strict. They are significantly more likely to identify, in the language of polls, as “pro-choice” over “pro-life,” for the first time in two decades."

• The people on the Titan submersible vessel, which went missing on Sunday, likely died from a sudden and tragic implosion of the deep sea exploration vehicle, soon after departing on a sightseeing tour of the infamous Titanic wreckage. The dramatic and resource-heavy search for a potentially intact but lost sub lasted until Thursday morning when pieces of the vessel were found on the ocean floor.

• Keep Mexico's power grid in your heart this week (Texas and Oklahoma, what have you done for me lately?):

• In closing, fuck it—I'm intrigued.