The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! I know it's still breakfast time, but if you're already dreaming of lunch and dinner, then may I guide your dreams to the Mercury's delicious NACHO WEEK? Because it starts today and runs through this Sunday, July 14! Gobble up 36 varieties of creative takes on nachos from your fave Portland restaurants, and they're only $8 each!

Psst! But be sure to save room for today's semi-delicious NEWS!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• In case you haven't noticed... HOT!! 🌞🔥😥 And today you can expect temps to possibly hop up to a sweltering 103 (!) and repeat this blistering number tomorrow, before finally chilling the fuck out (a bit) on Wednesday and through the end of the week. This dangerous weather is no joke, friends, so look out for your neighbors (with homes or without) and if you see someone who needs help, please direct them to any of the county's cooling centers which reopen today at noon. Find out more from our Courtney Vaughn, and stay hydrated!

• As we know, Commissioner Rene Gonzalez regularly issues Twitter warnings/scare tactics about how giving tents to houseless people supposedly leads to deadly fires, thereby putting firefighters in danger... and yet? During this past July 4 weekend, he did not say a single word on the platform about the much greater danger of fires caused by fireworks. 🤔 (File that under "things that make you go 'hmmmm....")

• Remember how terrible Portland traffic was back in 2019? Well, according to a new traffic study, we're heading in that direction again as vehicle congestion has been on a big upswing following a pandemic dip, and Portlanders are now spending up to 39 hours per year (a full work week) in their cars. And since it will probably get worse, you might want to consider getting a bike or cueing up a few good podcasts!

• A hot topic in education these days is whether schools should take away students' cellphones during the day, and while the Oregon Department of Education is currently working on plan on dealing with the student/phone conundrum, it's currently up to the individual school to decide their own policy. Portland Public Schools is also in the process of drafting their own policy, which may not take away phones outright, but could insist all phones are "off and away." (Take it from my daughter who often texts me during math class to let me know she "needs money for a peach Celsius"... that probably won't work.)

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Despite repeated urging from top Democrats, President Biden has informed congress via a letter (probably sent by pony express) that he is "firmly committed" to staying in the race, and has challenged "the elites" who think he's unfit for office to run against him. In the letter, he ordered Dems to “come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.” 😬 Let's just hope we have a good election day (like they did in France).

• Hurricane Beryl, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, has hit the Texas coast and is still causing a lot of damage to inland areas where it has already caused intense flooding while knocking out power for more than 1.5 million Texans.

• Boeing is pleading guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States in regards to two fatal crashes of their 737 Max planes, and will be paying up to $487 million in fines. However, that's just a teensy portion of what the families of the victims wanted them to fork over ($24.8 billion), and who are now shaming the Justice Department for setting up the plea deal. 

• Actor Jay Johnston—who you may remember from Anchorman, Mr. Show with Bob & Dave, and providing voices for Bob's Burgers—has pleaded guilty to his involvement with the January 6 domestic terrorist attack on the nation's capitol. The comedian has been charged with helping take a cop's shield during the riot, as well as participating "with other rioters in a group assault" against police officers. According to a text that proved he was there, Johnston seemed to regret his decision to join the terrorists, saying “It was a mess. Got maced and tear gassed and I found it quite untastic.”

• And finally... what you say to someone when they correct you about something totally inconsequential: