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Good Morning, Portland! Are you ready for RAIN? because today will have a lot of RAIN, lingering into Saturday and bringing daily highs down to mid-70s temperatures for the weekend. Sun returns after a few days, but even next weekend should have some pretty reasonable highs of mid-80s. GOOD THING SOMETHING IS BEING REASONABLE. Because the news is not.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
ā¢ Get your dog outta the pond, folks! A harmful cyanobacteria bloom that began in the Ross Island lagoon last week seems to be rapidly spreading thanks to the recent heatwave, prompting Oregon Health Authority to issue an advisory for most of Portlandās stretch of the Willamette River from Ross Island to Kelley Point Park. Seems like we get this at least once or twice every summer. Taylor Griggs spoke with a river advocate who wants state action to prevent algal blooms in the future.
ā¢ It's not that local government is ridiculous, but:
Today in the continued irony of City Hall: "A Portland City Council meeting about how to change council meetings to address the problem of meetings being cut short because they run too long, was cut short after running over time Thursday."
ā Alex Zielinski (@alexzee.bsky.social) August 15, 2025 at 7:35 AM
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ā¢ Rage Rooms aren't really new, but they may be new TO YOU. Contributor Corbin Smith photographed folks donning jumpsuits and safety gear to gleefully smash TVs etc. and blow off some stress.
ā¢ Also in catharsis this week,Ā Bob Odenkirk's dad justice series kicks up the brutality in Nobody 2 with the help of Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto. Critic Dom Sinacola thought it was okay, but expected more from Tjahjanto's history of truly gruesome scene-creating. He recommends a couple non-English Tjahjanto films to check out if "flesh not just splits, but ruptures, sizzles, curdles, and explodes" is what you aim for.
ā¢ I've worked at theĀ Mercury long enough that I remember the devastating cookie preference fight of 2016, and the ruined friendships and office wars amongst staff it left in its wake. Well, something along those lines unfolded again regarding hotdog toppings, and now, Wm. Steven Humphrey is TRYING TO PROVE SOMETHING by asking "what food should be declared Portland's official signature dish?" LET HIM KNOW, Portland!
ā¢ But not you! You're gripping tickets to TV on the Radio, Mobb Deep, and Forwarren in today's Friday morning ticket drop! EverOut has a handy list to make your grab choices even easier.
ā¢ And now that you spent all your money on concert tickets, take solace in the idea that Bike Summer is heckin' freeāas long as you're willing to go along with the organizers' themes! For instance,Ā Lucy Kennedy-Wong and Priscilla Wu created a ride around an earnest celebration of āEx-Boyfriend Music,ā like Bright Eyes, the National, Pavement, and Neutral Milk Hotel, among an exhaustive list of other deep cuts, the earlier stuff, and super-specific B-sides. Join in the fun!
ā¢ Speaking of fun, being a reporter isn't exactly FUN, but it is super important. We're looking for another one!
We're hiring another news reporter at @portlandmercury.com! Ideally this is someone with: ā¢ At least 3-5 years of experience working on a news teamāthis can include internships and college newspapers. ā¢ A body of work published within the past three years.
ā Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith.bsky.social) August 14, 2025 at 12:41 PM
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IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
ā¢ NO MORE FUN. We're in the world news section now. President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin today, in Alaska, to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now three and a half years in, and if that shit could stop anytime soon. If you think anything good can come out of this, you haven't really been paying attention. Then again, I'd love to be surprised.
ā¢ Meanwhile, in US capital Washington, DC, the President has been trying to take over the area police department, following the absolute physical trashing of DOGE figure "Big Balls" by "approximately 10 juveniles at the beginning of the month. Now, the District of Columbia has sued to block the President's attempts to name DEA boss Terry Cole as the new emergency head of the department.
ā¢ Another place Donald Trump is trying to take over, New York City?
President Trump is threatening to seize control of New York City. But the city may face even bigger problems from Trumpās policy agenda than the military potentially marching through Central Park.
ā CNN (@cnn.com) August 15, 2025 at 8:53 AM
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ā¢ [With an Elizabeth Banks Hunger Games voice] Today marks the opening of the inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games! Sixteen countries sent teams to Beijing this week to compete in rounds of biped robot boxing and races for speed and distance. There'll be plenty of photos and video in the coming days for those who want to feel unsettled by early versions of the bodies our eventual AI masters will wear, but there's also some opportunity to be slightly relieved when the robots fall down.
ā¢ Whether you want to admit it or not, summer is winding down, andĀ you're running out of time to do THIS:
