Good morning, Portland! The weather forecast says we’re in for a partly sunny, but chilly day. Today’s temps will likely peak at 45 degrees and drop down to a bone-chilling 34 degrees.🥶
As Festivus approaches, we’ve reached that point of the year where roof lines and porches are aglow, and string lights dance across tree limbs. It’s truly a joyous, spirit-lifting sight. And for some reason, a month from now, when we’re entering a long, dark stretch of winter and everyone’s seasonal depression is in full gear, many of those lights will be yanked away. It makes no sense. In a city that loves its unique, quirky traditions, why haven’t we embraced the concept of winter lights? We have an annual festival for exactly this purpose. There’s no reason the light displays have to be relegated to a curated festival downtown for just a week each year. Besides, Portlanders seem to have no qualms about leaving Halloween decorations out through March. Normalize leaving the lights up through February!
That’s it for the airing of grievances. Next up: feats of strength!
In Local News:
• While the subject of denied insurance claims is fresh on our minds for… reasons, this story of a Medford family getting a $60,000 bill for an air ambulance ride that insurance initially wouldn’t cover is worth a read. As KGW reports, a family was prompted to have their daughter flown to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital from an emergency room in Medford, so she could receive emergency pediatric surgery for a broken elbow. Their claim was denied by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, leaving them with a $60,000 bill. The family continued to appeal, but it wasn’t until KGW’s inquiry that the insurer magically approved the claim.
• Two people were hospitalized over the weekend after being stabbed at a MAX train station at the Gateway Transit Center in Northeast Portland. Police say there were no transit officers at the platform, and they're not sure whether the assault happened on a train or at the platform. They believe the injuries aren't life-threatening. No suspects have been found.
• ICYMI: City officials in Bend are begging a local vandal to stop placing googly eyes on public statues. In a spate of recent incidents, someone, or some group, affixed fake eyes to several public sculptures in the Central Oregon city. City officials say it’s a costly pain in the ass to remove the silly eyes, and the adhesive used could damage the statues. OK fine, but the photos are hilarious.
The City of Bend is asking for a vandal who has been putting googly eyes on statues in roundabouts to stop. www.koin.com/news/oregon/...
— KOIN 6 News (@koin6.bsky.social) December 6, 2024 at 5:31 PM
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• Ever wondered what government agencies spend on their equipment? In the spirit of holiday spending and government transparency, we did some digging! Here are a few big ticket toys (like buses and street sweepers) taxpayers bought for local agencies in recent years. Cheers, and you're welcome, Uncle Sam!
Who needs a street sweeper?
In National/World News:
• The NYPD arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, Brian Thompson. Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested Monday and charged with murder. Mangione graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020 with a master’s degree in computer science, according to the university’s student newspaper, the Daily Pennsylvanian. Magione was reportedly spotted at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, PA.
@thattwinmama_ Wtf Steve?! 😫 Did yall know this? #90skids #80smusic #80sbaby #throwbacksongs #millennials #genx #nostalgia #4u ♬ original sound - Lauren Berty
• Jay-Z has been named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit from a woman who claims she was raped by him and Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2000 at an MTV Video Music Awards after party when she was just 13. The allegations come as Combs faces a massive criminal case against him for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy is also accused of serial abuse and coercion by his longtime on again, off again romantic partner Cassie, who says she was beaten and manipulated by Combs for years.
• The lawsuit was initially filed in October and solely named Combs, but was refiled over the weekend to include Jay-Z. Through his artist management company, Roc Nation, Jay-Z addressed the litigation threat with a lengthy statement directed at the attorney behind the case, Tony Buzbee. Jay-Z said Buzbee is running a “blackmail attempt” and implored the attorney to file a criminal case if he feels the allegations are true. “My heart and support goes out to true crime victims in the world, who have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap suit,” the rapper stated.
• The brief, but chaotic martial law order put into place last week in South Korea by President Yoon Suk Yeol promptly led to calls to impeach Suk Yeol. Most recently, a former defense minister was arrested for his alleged collusion with the South Korean president. The AP reports Army Special Warfare Command leader Kwak Jong-keun, was instructed by former defense minister Kim Yong Hyun to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly’s chamber so they could vote with the nation’s parliament on overturning the president’s martial law order.
Kwak said he was instructed to “destroy the door and drag out the lawmakers,” but the Army forces agreed that wasn’t an option, and neither was shooting blanks or cutting electricity to the building.
