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Good Morning, Portland! We’re in for a cloudy day with likely afternoon rain showers. Can’t wait to see all the flowers and foliage the rain brings this spring. 💐

In Local News: 

• One of the many executive orders Donald Trump enacted shortly after taking office for his second term was an order that blocks federal funding to medical institutions that provide gender-affirming care to youth 19 and younger. Attorneys say the order, which is currently held up in the courts and is expected to be blocked for an extended period, is unconstitutional. Despite other states that saw health providers immediately cave to the order, including a children’s hospital in Seattle, Portland-area health care providers say they’re carrying on with their gender-affirming care services, but they fear what a loss of federal funding could do to their organizations. Abe Asher has more on the situation here. 

One of Trump's many executive orders calls for an end to federal funding for medical institutions that provide gender-affirming care to people under the age of 19. The order faced legal challenges and remains on hold, but Portland health care providers say losing federal funds could be catastrophic.

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com)March 10, 2025 at 4:33 PM

• A couple of weeks ago, District 2 City Councilor Sameer Kanal held a town hall to meet with constituents and take questions. He expected North and Northeast Portland residents to show up. What he didn’t expect was a handful of police officers to show up, unannounced, as they reportedly did.

Kanal has been an advocate for police accountability, previously leading the city’s Police Accountability Commission when he worked in the Community Safety Division prior to getting elected. Since taking office, he’s talked about the potential for cutting (or at least, not expanding) the Portland Police Bureau’s budget along with other bureau budgets, in light of a massive city budget deficit. He’s also advocated for tweaking the nominating committee criteria for selecting members of the city’s upcoming police oversight board, all to the chagrin of the police union president.

During his town hall event, five Portland police officers in uniform reportedly showed up, uninvited. They weren’t there for security or safety purposes, and the Oregonian reports the officers didn’t interact with town hall attendees. Police also showed up unannounced to a recent event at a church in Southeast Portland attended by District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo. A Police Bureau spokesperson said a PPB commander asked officers to attend, as they do with many other community events, but the circumstances have raised eyebrows. The Bureau has yet to clarify the intent or benefit of having uniformed officers lurk around at events–particularly those hosted or attended by elected police accountability advocates–without interacting with the community. 

New Portland City Councilor Sameer Kanal is quickly emerging as a thorn in the side of the Portland Police Bureau at City Hall. The bureau reciprocated the attention during a town hall Kanal held last week. www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/0...

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— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh.bsky.social) March 7, 2025 at 3:38 PM

• Portland State University is among 60 universities across the country to get a letter from the US Department of Education warning of “potential enforcement actions” over what the agency calls “antisemitic discrimination and harassment” largely stemming from campus protests against the war in Gaza. The federal education agency, which is now headed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) co-founder and former Small Business Administration leader Linda McMahon, alleges that by allowing protests against Israel and its military actions, the universities are failing to protect Jewish students on campus. The notice sent out also accuses the colleges and universities of being out of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The action comes roughly a month after PSU was among a handful of universities the Trump administration singled out for investigation of its campus protests, despite things staying relatively quiet since the major multi-day occupation of the PSU library last spring.

• Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the former Congressional rep for Oregon’s 5th District who was ousted last November by Janelle Bynum, was confirmed Monday as the new US labor secretary. Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed on a 67-32 vote, with many Democrats voting in favor of her nomination. She failed to gain the votes of former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said he disagreed with Chavez-DeRemer’s pro-union stances, and also failed to gain support from Oregon Senators Ron Wyden or Jeff Merkley. 

@kendahllandreth You may have seen her at the farmers market buying 4 loaves of bread even though she is gluten intolerant. #comedy #america #american #conedyvideo ♬ original sound - Kendahl Landreth

• Portland General Electric wants to start work on a new utility project, which the company says is necessary to meet growing energy demand and facilitate the transition to clean electricity. Sounds cool, right? Well, there's a catch—the project would be built in Forest Park, and would require cutting down 400 trees. On Friday, Portland's hearings officer announced she would approve PGE's plan, after months of back and forth between project proponents and detractors (the latter group including several of the city's own bureaus). The decision report contains some spicy rebuttals to city bureaus who were against the project, notably Portland Permitting & Development. At least one group, the Forest Park Neighborhood Association, plans to appeal the decision. Taylor Griggs has the full story.

• If the news has been bumming you out lately, treat yourself to some comedic reprieve. Next Thursday marks the return of the Mercury’s annual Geniuses of Comedy showcase, featuring nine sets from an array of comedians, including special guest Mohanad Elshieky. This year’s show is hosted by the endearing Adam Pasi and takes place at the lovely Revolution Hall. Tickets are just $20 for one of the best comedy events in the city. 

Hurry, hurry! Tickets for Portland's biggest night of laughs—the Mercury's Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy showcase—are selling FAST. Get yours before they sell out! 🏃‍♀️

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) March 5, 2025 at 2:35 PM

In National/World News:

• The iconic Black Lives Matter street mural in Washington, D.C. is being painted over this week, after a bill introduced by a Georgia lawmaker threatened to withhold funding to the city if the mural wasn't painted over. Instead, the new regime wants the block to be called “Liberty Plaza.” The city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, initially wanted the mural to be permanent, but this week, she took to social media to give a big eye roll to the state of current affairs. "The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a very painful period, but now we can't afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference," Bowser posted on X. 

I'm in DC the week that they're going to start dismantling Black Lives Matter Plaza 😑😢 I've never seen it in person, I'm gonna try to see it tomorrow before they really start tearing it apart 💔

— Candace Avalos (@candaceavalos.bsky.social) March 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM

• If you're freaked out by the economy, you’re not alone. Whispers of a recession are quickly turning to full-throated acknowledgement among economists and within the White House, as Trump’s trade wars are causing the stock market to tank.

• And lastly, meet the new hero amid Elon Musk's government takeover, Karen Ortiz. Ortiz is an administrative law judge at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission whose unflinching, rebellious "reply all" email among her federal department landed her in trouble, but also represented a sorely needed resolute response amid the forced-hand resignations called for by Musk and the recent wave of anti-LGBTQ policies cropping up left and right in institutions like the EEOC, which are supposed to protect marginalized folks from discrimination. 

@yunabugs

If my friends see this.. keep scrolling 👀

♬ original sound - ✞𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒚✞