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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND!👋
Get ready for a week of "rinse and repeat" partly sunny skies with highs in the mid-70s. And now? Get ready to rinse out your eyeballs, because here comes today's NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• It was another looooooong day yesterday for Portland City Council who continued to debate on the many amendments associated with Mayor Wilson's proposed city budget. The big news of the day came from Councilor Mitch Green, who suggested taking $2.2 million from the money Portland Police was unable to spend this year, and putting it in a pot (controlled by City Council) that ALL of Portland's safety bureaus—including Portland Street Response—could access if it met with council approval. The resolution passed in an 11-1 vote, which should please just about everybody... except, I assume, the police who will cry over not getting ALL THE MONEY EVERYWHERE (even the money they're apparently unable to spend).
• Our Courtney Vaughn was watching this marathon City Council meeting and has this to report:
Wednesday's budget discussions resurfaced tensions over police funding, particularly after a few councilors threw around the word "defunding" to describe the shift of an extra $2 million from the Portland Police Bureau's budget to the parks bureau.
Councilors Angelita Morillo and Candace Avalos chastised their colleagues who used a boogeyman approach to drum up public fear over the move. "I’m not interested in slogans that are just trying to make political tension out of what is a fiscal responsibility," Avalos said.
If you loved "BlackOut: A Five-Year Retrospective on Portland’s Racial Justice Movement" then you don't want to miss the City Club's special BlackOut event on the state of racial justice in Portland. Featuring a panel of BlackOut contributors, a live hip-hop performance, and more!
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) June 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
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• Surprise... even more toxic cops: The Oregonian published an infuriating banger of an article exposing a draft of a recruitment email for the Oregon State Police's SWAT unit, which tried to entice new members by bragging about their ultra-violent tactics. The email was written by SWAT team Sgt. Jamin VanMeter, who scoffed at "the modern policing age," and attempted to attract new membership to the team with lines like this: “Are you jonesing to fire 40mm less lethal rounds and gas munitions through windows, gables, cameras, and at fleeing suspects? How about tossing diversions (flash bangs) or launching gas cannisters with a shotgun launcher? Anyone want to shoot some pepperball into vehicles or basements or crawlspaces or the attics of houses to flush out hiding suspects?” The OSP fought against the release of this email, saying it revealed "confidential tactics"... which if true is more damning than the email itself. VanMeter is apparently facing "corrective action" 🙄 for his absolutely disgusting toxic behavior—which means his li'l baby wrist might sting a bit, if it's ever actually slapped.
• Protests have been ramping up against the Portland ICE facility in response to the agency's mass deportation of immigrants without due process. Last night a group of 70 protesters attempted to block the facility's exit and were reportedly fired upon with munitions from ICE agents. Later, Portland Police got involved and arrested three people—two for allegedly attempting to light a fire against the building (which was quickly extinguished) and another for trying to stop the arrest, and allegedly punching an officer.
• A reminder that thousands of people are expected to rally and march in Portland this Saturday, June 14 from 11:30 am to 4 pm, as part of the national "No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance"—that not so coincidentally will conflict with Trump's narcissistic birthday/military parade in his ugly honor. The Mercury will be there to cover it, so we'll see you there!
• Oregon's wildfire season is well underway, with a blaze barreling through the Columbia River Gorge near the Dalles. Thousands have been given evacuation orders, and while firefighters are attacking the blaze, the fire is thought to be covering 2,500 acres.
We've got more queer parties for you!
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) June 11, 2025 at 3:02 PM
• a dedicated meet-up for queer Asians at a wife-and-wife owned wine bar
• a polka dot theme dance night in St. Johns
• a horny gay teen comedy that does not quit!
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IN NATIONAL WORLD NEWS:
• More than 240 have been reportedly killed in an Air India flight which went down shortly after takeoff, and reportedly smashed into the campus of a medical college, killing at least five more. The crash is adding even more scrutiny of Boeing, who made the downed plane, and is still reeling from deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019, as well as the door plug blowing out of one of their planes in 2024.
• According to officials, around 700 marines have completed their training and are set to be deployed in Los Angeles in two days—about the same time as the national "No Kings" march on Saturday. Trump ordered the deployment of the marines and national guard despite objections from California officials, who were absolutely correct when they warned it would simply inflame tensions. Meanwhile, there's a hearing set for today in which California will challenge Trump's assertion that he can send federal troops into the state without buy-in from local officials.
• Remember when Fox News, local conservatives, and MAGAts tried (and largely succeeded) in doing this to Portland? Los Angeles is already trying to get ahead of it:
What's actually happening during the ICE sweeps and protests across Los Angeles.
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes.com) June 12, 2025 at 8:15 AM
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• Trump's attendance at the recently MAGA-fied Kennedy Center to see a production of Les Miserables didn't go exactly as he hoped when much of the crowd booed his entrance and then cheered when a group of fabulous drag performers entered the space and began protesting. ("But other than that, Mr. President... how did you enjoy the show?")
Trump snapped at a reporter after 12 ‘Les Misérables’ cast members refused to perform for him at the Kennedy Center: “I couldn’t care less!”
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) June 12, 2025 at 8:19 AM
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• It's been a sad week for music lovers as both Sly Stone and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson have died. Wilson was a one-of-a-kind creative force behind such classic albums as Pet Sounds, while Stone transformed music in the '60s and '70s with his fusion of funk, soul, rock, and psych sounds. Both died at the age of 82.
• And finally... here's a sneak peek at this week's Mercury editorial meeting. (While you may not believe it, we actually got a LOT accomplished... though as you can see, not everyone participated. 😒)
@bassamgazy_hanan_elkon شنقليلي
♬ الصوت الأصلي - bassam Ghazi farwanah - حنان الكون
