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Good Morning, Portland! It’s already Friday. Today, expect more of the soggy conditions we had throughout the week, with a high of 52 degrees and moderate winds up to 13 mph. 

In case you spent the last few days watching only the yule log screen to avoid having to watch “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” again, here’s what’s happening in Portland, and the rest of the world.

In Local News: 

  • It sometimes feels like the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) rarely listens to the public (For the love of our great city, PLEASE install signage and extra traffic control devices at the Division Street train crossing!) but this time, they’re inviting the public to help name a handful of snowplows. You can submit your name suggestions for the heavy equipment online by 5pm January 5. Portland, do your thing.

    Plowigi Snowmangione  
    ————————————
    #Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is having a snowplow naming contest for five of their 56 snowplows. #pdx #PortlandOR www.portland.gov/transportati...

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    — John E Bartley, III (@503bartley.bsky.social) December 24, 2024 at 10:08 PM

     

• As we reported yesterday, high winds and heavy rain left at least 20,000 Portland metro-area households without power Thursday, according to PGE estimates. The Christmas storm drenched the region and took down trees and power lines. By Thursday afternoon, PGE reported 211 active outages, but the number of households without power dropped to roughly 4,580. A majority of the lingering outages in Portland Thursday afternoon were reported in the Sunnyside neighborhood in Southeast.

• We reported at the top of the year that violent crime in Portland appears to be on the decline. November also brought a new low for gun violence, The Oregonian reports. While the homicide rate hasn't changed much, shootings dropped last month. 

• How much do you remember about the wild ride that was 2024? Test your news knowledge in this week’s Best (and Worst) Bullshit of 2024 Pop Quiz!

How much do YOU remember about 2024? Let's find out in this week's hilarious edition of POP QUIZ PDX! Including: Horrifying amusement park rides, drowning cars, burning ballots, and MORE. See how well YOU score!

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) December 26, 2024 at 9:56 AM

 

In National/World News:

• Israel’s military struck an airport in Yemen, killing at least three and injuring another 14 people, the BBC reports. Tedros Adhanom, the leaders of the World Health Organization, said he was inside the airport when the bomb hit. The strikes were an attack targeting sites controlled by Houthi rebels (which have previously indicated support for Hamas) and followed a series of Israeli strikes in Yemen. Just a few days earlier, the US military launched air strikes against suspected Houthi allies in Yemen’s capital, Al Jazeera reports.

• The far-right Freedom Caucus will now have an unusual amount of influence in Wyoming’s upcoming legislative session. Citing an agenda to “unwoke the state,” members of the Freedom Caucus recently won control of the state’s House of Representatives. The caucus, formed in 2020, has never risen to power in any US state until now. 

I think a lot about this quote from Anaïs Nin’s diary from 1939-1944:

“America is in even greater danger because of its cult of toughness, its hatred of sensitivity, and someday it may have to pay a price for this, because atrophy of feeling creates criminals”.

— Karen Attiah (@karenattiah.bsky.social) December 18, 2024 at 6:31 PM

• When you make an online purchase, do you check the reviews first? Ever wonder how some companies or products have tons of reviews? It's AI, baby! Even though the United States recently banned the use of fake online reviews, they're cropping up all over the web, especially on sites like Amazon and Yelp. The Associated Press reports that generative AI tools allow fraudulent companies to sell fake reviews to businesses looking to up their online presence or convey a favorable reputation. There are some ways to spot a fake review though. For instance, long reviews that use generic terms and include the specific name of a product in the review are likely AI-generated. 

And finally, an ode to the decorative vessel...

@nbcsnl

moms ♡ bowls

♬ original sound - Saturday Night Live - SNL

 

 

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