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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Expect another rainy day punctuated by showers, and with the high topping out at 65. BUT! The sun will return this weekend, soooooo... I have no ending for this sentence, other than I will be happy when it does. In the the meantime: NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Bad news for Portland conservatives who HATE Measure 110: According to a new report issued by the CDC, scientific data indicates there is no link between Oregon's groundbreaking drug decriminalization measure and rising overdose deaths. Turns out that while Oregon has had a troubling surge of deaths from overdoses, so has the rest of the country and in equal amounts—and those folks don't have a Measure 110. This means local conservative billionaires (and their political enablers) are going to have to spend their money on other cynical propaganda campaigns—you know, instead of helping address the true causes of addiction. Our Courtney Vaughn has the details!

• Target announced they are closing three of their small format stores in Portland, claiming without giving proof that theft is "threatening the safety of our team and guests." (Their big box stores will remain open... because I guess they don't care about the "team and guests" there?) Anyway, they are also closing these tiny Targets in other markets including Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, and New York City, so don't get too excited and make a new ridiculous billboard about DA Mike Schmidt, People for Portland!

• Good news: Local nurses have reached a tentative labor agreement with OHSU, which will most likely avoid a strike. The 3,100-plus health care workers will receive higher wages, safer working conditions, and enough staffing to allow for dinner breaks. Sorry they had to go through all this just to get basic needs met, but... good work team!

• Other mostly good news: Thanks to a new rent cap, Oregon landlords will only be able to raise rents for tenants by 10 percent during 2024 and no more than one rent hike per year, though this cap only applies to buildings that are 15 years or older—not new construction. 

• Portland's Bureau of Transportation is facing a major budget cut that, according to PBOT Director Millicent Williams, includes laying off 127 employees and cutting both beloved and basic services. Their funding largely comes from gas and parking taxes, but those have decreased over the years due to the increase of electric vehicles and fewer drivers on the road since the pandemic.

• Query: Should one warn their sex partner before doing poppers? Dan Savage sniffs out the truth in this week's SAVAGE LOVE!

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Sad trombone day for Trump: A New York judge has ruled that the former president "persistently" committed fraud by overvaluing his property assets by close to $2.2 billion (!). The judge also decided to revoke Trump's company from doing business in New York... and guess what? Trump was very unhappy about the news. (HEE-HEE-HEEEEE.)

• The second GOP presidential debate kicks off tonight—and nope! Trump still isn't attending, which means the rest of these losers will have another attempt to pathetically embarrass themselves.

• After Biden marched with UAW strikers yesterday, Trump is going to try to convince auto workers in Michigan that he never consistently sided with big business during his presidential term, while also making things worse for everyone except the billionaire class. So good luck with that!

• American soldier Travis King—who you may remember as the man who dashed across the North Korea border back in July—has been returned to US custody. According to a North Korean statement, King made his original escape because of systemic racism within the military and "inequality existing within the American Society." (They may be lying, but they ain't wrong.)

• And finally... make Fox News mad, and "embrace the decay."