If youā€™re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercuryā€™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 canā€™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!Ā šŸ‘‹

There's a rumor going around town that you'reĀ SEXY. If you agree (AND YOU SHOULD), then be sure to take the Mercury's annual (and ohhhhh, so fun) SEX SURVEY! It's got a poop-ton of horny questions designed to reveal all of Portland's sexy secretsā€”but the best part is that it's all strictly anonymous, so take it and be absolutely honest. Then we'll print the sticky results in our upcoming Love/Sex Issue at the end of January! Finally we'll find out if you're actually weird in the sack, or just normal (AKA also weird) like the rest of us! And now let's read some normal-to-partially-weird NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

ā€¢ Your friends (I'm being facetious) from the Portland Metro Chamber (AKA the Portland Business Alliance) has been pushing the county to lower the supportive housing services tax rate for local rich folk because it's been raking in more money than expected, and the county is reportedly considering it. BUT! Much of that new money can be used to help fund affordable housing in the area, and so local activists and experts are sounding the alarm. It's another banger of an article from our own Courtney Vaughn, and you should give it a read!

Amid pressure from business groups to lower the supportive Housing Services tax on high-income earners, social service providers are sounding the alarm. A letter to Metro from more than 65 groups warns that cutting the income tax will stymie the agency's goals of adding more affordable housing.

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ā€” Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) December 13, 2024 at 4:57 PM

ā€¢ Calling all skiers and snowboarders:Ā Heavy snowā€”to the tune of 20 inchesā€”is expected to blanket Oregon's Cascade mountains as the National Weather Service issues a winter storm warning that will stay in effect until Tuesday. But be warned, the NWS also declares that travel will be anywhere from difficult to impossible. (That's not a dare... be careful.)

ā€¢ A disturbing stat: According to the latest figures (between 2020 and 2022), Oregon had the fourth-highest suicide rate among adults age 65 and up. And while the Oregon Health Authority has made strides to curb this upswing by authoring the Adult Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan, the state has yet to fund the program. The OHA says that in order to pay for the program, it needs about $10 million a year from the stateā€”the same amount it spends to curb suicide among Oregon's youth.

[PORTLAND] The 2024 Portland Steamie Awards are now up on my Instagram with photos of each winning item in my Story today! Check it out right here: www.instagram.com/p/DDnApu8S17...

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ā€” BILL OAKLEY (@thatbilloakley.bsky.social) December 15, 2024 at 11:32 AM

ā€¢ A 50-year-old Coos County man has been arrested after police searched his home and found more thanĀ two thousand psilocybin mushrooms, 49 guns, various grenades, and marijuana processing equipment. Sounds like someone was getting ready for a banger of a New Year's Eve party.

Need holiday food? This is where you'll find everything you need to make delicious plansā€”plus places to pick up food if you're staying in this year.Ā 
everout.com/portland/art...

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ā€” Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) December 13, 2024 at 3:28 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

ā€¢ While it's kind of hilarious that people are really beginning to freak out over multiple large drone sitings spotted in New Jersey and increasingly across the east coast, the unmanned flying machines have been slipping into protected airspace near flight paths and over military installations. And while authorities currently don't think foreign adversaries are involved (I'm telling you, the culprits are NERDS), congress is being pushed to create legislation to curtail the use of these nerd toys.

Federal officials have so far downplayed many of the reported sightings, saying they are likely small airplanes or other manned aircraft. But they nonetheless expressed concern on sightings seen across at least six states.

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ā€” CNN (@cnn.com) December 16, 2024 at 7:49 AM

ā€¢ The ABC television network is paying turd-elect Donald Trump a hefty $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit after the network repeatedly reported that Trump was ā€œfound liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll civil case." To be exact, a jury had found Trump guilty of sexual abuse, while being unable to prove Carroll had been rapedā€”though most would agree that's exactly what happened to her. While experts say that the network would have probably been able to beat the defamation case, ABC wanted to avoid the spectacle of facing a sitting president in court, and instead decided to cave to the wishes of the orange despot.

The settlement, which was publicly filed in the Southern District of Florida Miami Division on Saturday, states that ABC will make a $15 million contribution to a ā€œPresidential foundation and museum to be established by or for Plaintiffā€ and pay $1 million in Trumpā€™s attorney fees.

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ā€” The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) December 16, 2024 at 6:39 AM

ā€¢ Meanwhile economic experts are ringing the alarm over Trump's threats of mass deportation after he takes office, saying such a move could bring about an economic collapse that could eclipse the Great Depression, while also shrinking the nation's labor force and (here's one for you MAGAs in the back) exponentially raise grocery prices for all Americans. But sure... by all means, "own the libs."

ā€¢ In news that will probably not give insurance executives much solace, a fundraiser for suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter Luigi Mangione has already raised a surprising $120,000 as of Sunday night to help pay his legal bills. The organization, called the "December 4 Legal Committee," says it does not condone violence but will "guarantee the suspectā€™s constitutional right to fair legal representation"

ā€¢ And finally, Santa Claus is comin' to town! And just the way you want her.

@anaicadesire11

šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚ dandole sabor a la navidad šŸŽ„šŸŽ…

ā™¬ sonido original - Anaica Desiree