If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. 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!  It's going to be a verrrryyyy hot one today, with temperatures expected to hit 102 degrees. Yeesh. But fear not, autumn lovers, as this looks to be the last summer heat wave of the year (for real). Take a look at the 8-14 day temperature and precipitation outlook, and get hyped. Get your rain jackets out of storage, too.

There are cooler and wetter days on the horizon. noaa

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• The election season is heating up and everybody is handling the stress in their own way. For a smart, healthy way to take the edge off, we recommend the Mercury's Fall Arts Guide, which you can find online NOW or in print VERY SOON. The Fall Arts Guide includes stories such as this interview with local artist Carson Ellis, who has a new book of old diary entries (and new paintings) coming out next week, sure to satisfy any hunger you have for old Portland nostalgia.

Yay for fall, yay for arts, and yay for this great guide! 

• Portland has a thriving pickup basketball scene, but much of it is infused with a heavy dose of toxic masculinity. Not so for Dyke Hoops PDX, a pickup basketball league that consists of non-cis men and queer people who just wanna ball. The group plays pickup games twice a week at local Portland parks, and has a tournament scheduled for this Saturday at Irving Park, starting at 11 am. Check out Cameron Crowell's article in the Mercury for more on this awesome group of hoopers. 

• Downtown Portland shift incoming...(will the employees prefer Gresham???) 

• Remember what I said earlier about today's HOT, HOT, HOT weather? Well, the forecast has gotten so bad that Multnomah County has declared a state of emergency, and opened two hot weather shelters countywide: one at Cook Plaza in Gresham, and one at Portland Covenant Church on NE MLK Blvd in between Prescott and Fremont Streets. It's supposed to be almost 100 degrees on Friday, too, but things will cool off this weekend. Just stay safe in the meantime! 

• A poll of 419 likely voters in Oregon's 5th Congressional District reveals a neck-and-neck race between Republican U.S. Rep Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who currently oversees the district, and Democrat Janelle Bynum, who is challenging Chavez-DeRemer for the seat in November. The amount of likely voters polled is admittedly not very many, but pollsters think the numbers give a good preview into the results of the race, which could determine whether or not the Democrats keep the House this fall. Aaaah! There are going to be so many nail-biter races this November. 

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Tragic news out of Georgia, where four people (two adults and two students) have been killed in a school shooting at a high school in Barrow County. Nine other people are injured. The suspected shooter is a 14-year-old boy who was arrested on the scene and who prosecutors plan to try as an adult. In a response from the White House, officials asked Congress to "do something," suggesting universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, prevention programs, and a national red flag law. Of course, these are the same solutions that have been suggested after each horrific instance of mass death that is so unique to the United States, and nothing has changed so far. My anger at this country aside, my heart goes out to the victims of this terrible tragedy and their families. 

• Despite his flagrant disregard for what most people consider "Christian values," Donald Trump has historically done very well with American Evangelicals. Now, a political action committee called Evangelicals for Harris wants to change that. The PAC is running ads that insinuate Trump is a sinner and Kamala Harris is a godly woman, and its leaders are saying Jesus would vote for the party who wants to protect and defend the vulnerable, including poor people, people suffering from environmental catastrophe, and people in need of healthcare. 👀 I wish this group luck, but I must say they're in for a difficult task. 

• I wonder who Barron Trump's roommate is at NYU...

• In other unexpected Kamala Harris supporter news, former Republican Representative (and daughter of former VP Dick Cheney) Liz Cheney endorsed Harris for president. Cheney, a major critic of Trump, co-chaired the House investigation into the January 6th insurrection. She was ousted from her Wyoming House seat as a result of her outspoken criticism of the former president. Now, she said "as someone who cares deeply about the Constitution...[she] will be voting for Kamala Harris." 

• Con artist Anna Sorokin (AKA Anna Delvey, her pseudonym when she was a wealthy NYC 'It Girl' in disguise) will be the next contestant on Dancing With the Stars...and she's bringing along her hefty ankle monitor! Sorokin is currently under house arrest after swindling her way to the top of New York's social scene  in the late 2010s, but apparently they're letting her out of the house to film the show. Girl boss alert! 

• Enjoy this beautiful creature. And stay cool!! BYE.