GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! It’s gonna be another day of mostly April showers today, with some afternoon sunshine coming out for a visit. It might be spring's okay-est weather, with a high of 62 degrees and a low of 39.

Let's dive into the headlines!

In LOCAL NEWS:

  • A wave of Democrats and left-leaning voters across the country have been using the Democratic primaries to vote “uncommitted” or cast similar protest votes, in an effort to send a message to President Biden that voters disapprove of his handling of the crisis in Gaza. Oregon is no exception. Activists here are encouraging voters to write in “uncommitted” on their ballots this May, but there might be a snag with that plan. Oregon’s elections offices don’t allow them to tally votes for phrases written on ballots, only names of candidates who are running for office, but don’t appear on the ballot. Kevin Foster has more on the local plan and its implications.
  • In what sounds like the most/worst suburban headline, on Sunday, one person was injured in a shooting near the Cheesecake Factory at the Clackamas Town Center. Police say two groups got into an argument that led to gun fire, but not much else is know yet. No suspect has been identified or arrested, but one gunshot wound victim was checked into an area hospital shortly after the incident.  
  • If you, like me, forgot there was a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant downtown, you probably won’t care much that the downtown “B-Dubs” is now closed, citing crime and safety issues. The sports bar and restaurant chain was leasing a city-owned building and said crime and vandalism at the property and adjacent parking garage had gone unchecked for years. The city eventually closed the parking structure after numerous complaints, but that tanked BWW’s business. The downtown restaurant stopped paying its rent about eight months ago. The company’s website now lists its Cascade Station location near PDX as its only Portland restaurant.  I’ve come to the conclusion that the only people who enjoy Buffalo Wild Wings are either there to watch sports, or have some fondness or longing for the simplicity and creature comforts of the suburbs, or chain restaurants in general. Anyway, Portland still has Wing Stop, Fire on the Mountain, and plenty of other eateries to devour several chickens, or a vegan version of such.
  • Listen up! We know how much Portland loves its pizza, and how much we love to eat on the cheap. Brace yourself because next week marks the Mercury’s Pizza Week! Starting Monday, March 15 pick up a slice for just $3 at one of the more than 50 participating shops around the city.

In NATIONAL NEWS:

  • Last weekend marked Wrestlemania, which may not matter to many readers, but to more than 72,000 fans who flocked to Philadelphia, and thousands more who watched at home, it was a big freakin’ deal. The weekend-long World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) extravaganza featured surprise appearances from John Cena–who rushed the stage in signature jorts and baseball cap–and old time legend, the Undertaker. Fans also got a brief cameo from former Philadelphia Eagles players Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, who entered the ring as masked men showing up to help famed lucha libre wrestler Rey Mysterio and partner Andrade clinch a win against a two-man team that included Mysterio’s own son. Dwayne, “The Rock” Johnson was also a fixture in the weekend event, as the wrestler-turned-actor basked in his return to wrestling, even if fleeting. TL;DR: the event ended with Roman Reigns, the longest running universal champion, losing his belt to Cody Rhodes in a very emotional finale. Sidenote: Many of WWE's star wrestlers had to perform two days in a row. Yeesh.
  • Lots of people in Oregon likely skipped Monday’s solar eclipse, mostly because this area wasn’t in the path of totality. Personally, I’m not wowed by a brief obstruction of the sun. We get that nine months out of the year here. But if you’re curious about it, the Weather Channel captured video of the moments when the moon fully eclipsed the sun over Dallas, Texas.
  • In a shock to just about no one, but still a disappointment to many, the Vatican released guidance on transgender people and transitioning that trans Catholics say is not only a misstep, but a fundamental misunderstanding of their lives, as the AP reports. The document never uses the word “transgender” but seems to reiterate longstanding teachings that don’t condone changing one’s sex.
  • We're all sick of hearing about Donald Trump, but consider this: the man is not all that different from a pro wrestler. Doused in self tanner on the reg. ✔️ Talks a lot of shit to stir up an audience. ✔️ Constant displays of bravado and embellished story telling with very little basis in reality. ✔️ The latest on T-Rump: Special counsel Jack Smith is asking the US Supreme Court to reject Trump's claims of total immunity from criminal charges related to his involvement in the January 6, 2021 capitol riots and attempts to subvert the 2020 election. “To the contrary, a bedrock principle of our constitutional order is that no person is above the law – including the president," Smith wrote in a legal filing. Honestly this feels like we're in a car, but we don't know whether the brakes work, we know they're at least faulty, and we're just careening down the street with our eyes closed, hoping for the best.