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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND!👋

I'm sorry to make your mouth water so early in the morning... but what other choice do I have? Today is the first day of the Mercury's WEINER WEEK! That's right, more than 40 of Portland's most creative chefs doing their own individual take on the hot dog—and dear lord... do they look DELICIOUS. Even better? These doggy delights are only $8 each, but hurry-hurry, the wiener-ific fun ends this Sunday, January February 2! And now let's wolf down a hot tube of NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• We've now reached the three week mark for the Providence health care strike, in which nearly 1,500 hospital workers—including doctors and nurses—walked off the job to demand better wages, staff sizes, health benefits, and support. For their part, management says that the workers demands are not financially sustainable, and since negotiations are continuing at a snail's pace, we can expect to settle in for a lengthy strike. 

• Query: Do you like cute pictures of DOGS and sweet, informative stories about DOG SHOWS? Then don't miss Corbin Smith's photo essay about the recent Rose City Classic dog show, which not only has lots of adorable pics of sassy pups, but also explains the love and care that these poochies receive!

Meet the adorable dogs from the Rose City Classic dog show! In this fun, informative photo essay, @corbinsmith.bsky.social takes gorgeous pics and talks to the owners and experts on what it takes to train (and love) a champion. 🐶

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) January 25, 2025 at 10:22 AM

• For those concerned about the state of journalism, this story is not going to make you feel better: While the Hoodview News—a print product serving 14,000 Clackamas County residents every month—may seem like a good sign for communities who are losing access to local news, this particular one is... not good. It's owned by ultra-Republican Mike Wiley who spent the better part of the '80s and '90s as communications director for the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and repeatedly pushed for anti-LGBTQ legislation. And alongside a few local news stories and listings for community events, the Hoodview News also includes, according to this chilling report from OPB, "Fox News-style tirades on transgender rights, critical race theory, climate change, immigration, political protest and fearmongering about liberals." It's your must-read of the day.

At a time when anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric is ascendant nationally, a former communications director for the Oregon Citizen's Alliance is mailing his "newspaper" for free each month to thousands of Clackamas County residents. 

New @leahsottile.bsky.social just dropped!

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— Ryan Haas (@ryanjhaas.bsky.social) January 27, 2025 at 8:08 AM

• Portland's Rev. W.J. Mark Knutson is just one of many of the nation's pastors who are pushing back against President Donny's cruel and draconian anti-immigration sweep, and is promising to provide sanctuary to undocumented migrants at his church. “Theologically, we’ll stand our ground against the government—an unjust law is no law at all,” Knutson said. “These are sacred spaces.” (If only the decidedly non-Christian Christian Nationalists felt the same way.)

• Milwaukie, Oregon-based comics publisher, Dark Horse, has cut ties with long-time contributor and author Neil Gaiman who's been on the receiving end of multiple sexual abuse and assault accusations. Gaiman—whose works famously include Sandman and his current project for Dark Horse, Anansi Boys—denies the allegations.

• A Beaverton man has been arrested for a suspected DUI and reckless endangerment after reportedly driving erratically on a Lincoln City beach, cutting "cookies," and nearly hitting families enjoying bonfires on the beach. The suspect was allegedly trying to escape police when "a half-open bottle of vodka fell out of the open trunk."

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• The consistently panicky Wall Street took another of its steep dives today—under Trump's watch?? HOW DARE IT!—following the soaring popularity of an inexpensive AI app from China called "DeepSeek" that threatens the success of American competitors like Microsoft and Meta. China's dominance in the AI field has US officials worried, especially since they are able to launch advanced products such as DeepSeek which is a cheaper alternative to ChatGPT and has rocketed to the top of the download charts.

For 30 years, Republicans have used the threat of a national default to make Democrats negotiate over GOP demands. 

Now Democrats see an opportunity to turn the tables to cut off Trump’s agenda and take the debt limit off the table in future legislative battles.

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— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) January 27, 2025 at 7:03 AM

• Tens of thousands of Palestinians are making their way back to their homes in northern Gaza after 15 months of aerial and ground attacks, as the tenuous truce between Israel and Hamas continues. Meanwhile the hostage exchange between the two groups is also underway though, according to Israel officials, at least eight of the hostages being freed by Hamas during the ceasefire's first phase are reportedly dead.

Meanwhile, close to the Israeli border in southern Lebanon, Israeli troops opened fire on protesters, killing 22 and injuring 120, according to Lebanese officials.

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— NPR (@npr.org) January 27, 2025 at 5:44 AM

• It was 80 years ago today that Soviet troops marched into Auschwitz and discovered one of the most horrific atrocities ever committed. On that day 7,000 prisoners were liberated, and the full scope of the Nazi's truly evil plan to exterminate the Jewish population was revealed. Today, as survivors gathered to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it's a reminder that such an atrocity—or worse—could easily happen again thanks to the global resurgence of far-right politics.

• In "Shut the fuck up, Donny" news: Trump is expected to sign an executive order banning transgender troops from serving their country; immigration raids by ICE resulted in the arrest of 956 migrants across the nation on Sunday; wildly unqualified former Fox News host Pete Hegseth has been sworn in as Defense Secretary; and the government of Colombia has agreed to accept the planes loaded with deportees from the United States after Trump threatened the country with tariffs and visa restrictions.

• In sporty-sports news, the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Taylor Swift Chiefs at the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show starring Kendrick Lamar and SZA. (No word yet on where Drake will be hiding out that day.)

• And finally, if you haven't watched the hilarious Cunk on Earth and Cunk on Life on Netflix (and why haven't you?), then check out these fall-down funny outtakes from the show just for a taste of what you've been missing!

@bbc Let no #Cunk moments go to waste ♻️ #CunkOnLife #PhilomenaCunk #DianeMorgan #DeletedScenes ♬ original sound - BBC