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Good morning, Portland! Today we’re in for partly sunny skies, with a high of 80 degrees and a low of 63. Damn fine weather for August.
Let’s check in on things.
In Local News:
• We need to talk about Wynne. For those who aren’t familiar, Wynne is a Portland-based rapper who grew up in Lake Oswego and cemented her place in the hip hop scene in 2019, when she dropped her debut album. Her blonde locks already set her apart, but her lyrical flow is what built a solid fanbase. As Jenni Moore reports, local fans are in for a treat: the rapper just announced a slew of local shows she’s dubbing the “Tour Next Door.”
Hot new details dropped this morning from Portland rap star Wynne, involving several local shows and a live backing band!
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) August 4, 2025 at 11:39 AM
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• In the “some people really fucking suck” department, someone set fire to a playground at an early learning center operated by the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO). The fire was set shortly before 2am Sunday at the CAIRO Academy in East Portland, which serves immigrant, BIPOC, and low-income families. The play equipment, which was recently installed, was destroyed. A GoFundMe fundraiser for the academy has been established.
• ICYMI: A judge overturned fines levied against former Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez by the Portland Auditor’s Office last year. Gonzalez, who lost his bid for mayor in November 2024 and now works as a truck stop company lawyer, had been slapped with fines for violating local election laws. The Auditor’s Office determined Gonzalez’s expenditure of city funds to clean up his Wikipedia page before the election constituted a violation. The office levied additional fines when Gonzalez took in campaign donations that exceeded the contribution limits in city election code. A judge ordered the city to return the fees to Gonzalez, arguing the former city commissioner was deprived of his right to defend himself at a hearing before being subject to hefty fines.
• Yesterday, the city of Portland announced a new outdoor day center that will primarily serve unhoused folks who need access to a shower, restroom, or need help getting connected with housing or employment services. The new center, which will be operated by … none other than the city’s favorite shelter operations org, Urban Alchemy, is dubbed the Oasis Day Center. It will go in at NW Glisan and 6th. The city is also partnering with JOIN to expand the hours of operation at an existing day center at NE Halsey and 81st. The city says the day centers are part of a “holistic approach that complements the City’s overnight emergency shelter system and expands pathways to stability for people experiencing homelessness.”
• It's here! The latest installment of Do This; Do That has a roundup of noteworthy events happening around the city, from movie showings, to live performances, a hot sauce expo, and a wholesome pug pageant. Check it out!
Have you really *lived* if you haven't witnessed a grumble of pugs judged for their attractiveness? If that's not your thing, Portland's got the new Kiyoshi Kurosawa flick, an avant-garde DJ set, and a hot sauce expo happening this week. It's Do This, Do That!
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) August 4, 2025 at 3:46 PM
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In National/World News:
• As Trump’s tax plan will nix the SAVE Act that gave student loan borrowers an easier repayment plan, and loan forbearance programs for people who work in specific fields are canceled, there is one group of federal workers who can still catch a break and even get a recruitment bonus under the Trump administration. The Intercept reports newly hired ICE agents will now be eligible for student loan forgiveness and repayment options, along with a $50,000 hiring bonus.
DHS is offering student loan forgiveness and repayment options to new ICE recruits — along with a $50,000 signing bonus. interc.pt/3H5ck0D
— The Intercept (@theintercept.com) August 3, 2025 at 7:35 AM
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• Not sure anyone is clamoring to visit the US right now, but visitors to the United States seeking a visa may now be asked to fork over $15,000 to attain one. According to the Associated Press, the US Department of State is proposing requirements that would make applicants for business and tourist visas post a bond of up to $15,000. The AP says a year-long pilot program could require “people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls” to pay $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 when they apply for a visa to visit or temporarily work in the US. While a visa waiver program exempts citizens of certain countries from that rule, most of those countries are in Europe, with some in Asia and very few from the Middle East.
Why the hell do we keep the Statue of Liberty? Apparently, we know longer want your tired, your hungry, your poor. 'State Department may require visa applicants to post bond of up to $15,000 to enter the US'
— Zenalicious - Recovering beltway junkie and doom scroller. (@confuzation.bsky.social) August 4, 2025 at 12:02 PM
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• President Trump, whose behavior during his second term has mirrored that of a dictator much more heavily than before, fired the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics last Friday, following a weak jobs report from the BLS. The BLS, which conducts surveys and analyzes other data, produces regular jobs reports about the unemployment rate and jobs added during certain periods. As CNN notes, it’s an independent department, but Trump accused the BLS of cooking the data to make him look bad, with no evidence to support that claim.
That's not all the news, but it's enough for today. For now, let us all remember that patience is a virtue. (Sound on!)
@alyssatrahan Best spot in town 😹
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