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Good morning, Portland. Once again, it was too hot yesterday. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 80s today (still too hot, but a little cooler) and perhaps autumn weather will finally follow after that. 

And hey, at least we’re still here, even though I was told the rapture was happening yesterday. Maybe it'll happen tomorrow? Or maybe I just wasn't chosen. Things have been looking pretty fire and brimstone lately. 

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Will the plan to replace and expand the current I-5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver ever commence? That's the question for lawmakers and transportation leaders in Oregon and Washington, many of whom have been working on this project for years with very little progress to show for it. The project, which includes a plan to extend the MAX Yellow Line from Portland to Vancouver, was deemed significant by the Biden administration, who granted federal funding for the bridge replacement. The states have also promised billions in funding for the project. But the current cash reserve, while significant, is likely nowhere near enough to pay for the project, which is currently projected to cost around $10 billion. And previously-promised federal funding is not guaranteed under the chaos of the Trump administration. It seems particularly unlikely Trump's Department of Transportation will be happy to grant money for a light rail extension, what with the communist nature of mass transit and so forth. NUMTOTs are Antifa, etc. Find out more about the current Interstate Bridge kerfuffle here. 

 

This summer season will be the last time some lower-income Oregonians will receive boxes of locally grown produce or meat as part of a federally funded program. That’s after the Trump administration abruptly ended the program earlier this year.


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— OPB (@opb.org) September 23, 2025 at 2:39 PM

 

• Earlier this week, ABC announced Jimmy Kimmel would return to TV following his recent suspension and the national outcry that followed. But two of the network's broadcasting affiliates—Sinclair and Nexstar—are standing by their man (Federal Communications Commission leader Brendan Carr) and will continue to preempt Kimmel's show, per Carr and the Trump administration's wishes. The reason this is relevant to Portlanders? Sinclair and Nexstar are the conglomerates that own and operate Portland's KATU and KOIN channels, respectively. What's more, Nexstar is currently trying to merge with Tegna, which owns Portland's KGW-TV. Willamette Week's Aaron Mesh summed it up well in a story yesterday, writing that if Nexstar is able to purchase KGW's owner, "three of Portland’s four major local broadcasters will be owned by media companies that offered anticipatory obedience to the president." 

So, what's the big deal? Who cares if it's a little harder for Portlanders to get their Kimmel fix? I'm glad you asked! It's bad when the news media cannot operate independently, without the state and/or capital interests breathing down the necks of reporters. The media industry has always been susceptible to sway from powerful groups, but when only a few corporations hold all the power—and government officials feel free to weaponize the power of the state over those corporations—the situation becomes truly dire. I am sorry to the good reporters at these organizations who went into this industry wanting to make a difference. If things continue as they are, it will be much more difficult for them to do their jobs effectively. It's also a major loss for society in general, which benefits immensely from access to an independent press. 

• In really awful news, there's been a spate of attacks on trans women in Seattle, seemingly prompted in part by the transphobic rhetoric spewed by our top national leaders. Attacks on LGBTQ+ people are increasing in Portland, too. Cis people: Now is the time to fully back our trans siblings, even as you receive propaganda from bad (evil) actors telling you not to. For example, trans people in sports–totally fine. Silence, failed Democrats. 

 

• The Trump administration has made this year’s Covid booster shot situation complicated and confusing. It really shouldn't be—just get it. Here’s what you need to know for getting it in Oregon: 

 

The COVID-19 virus is still evolving, and so are federal and state guidelines on vaccines. In Oregon, health officials recommend the booster for all adults 65 and up, children 6 months to 23 months, and other high risk groups like pregnant women and people with underlying conditions.

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— OPB (@opb.org) September 23, 2025 at 7:30 AM

 

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

• Donald Trump was truly soooo embarrassing during his appearance in front of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. He spent an hour spouting off grave misinformation about the climate crisis ("If you don’t get away from the ‘green energy’ scam, your country is going to fail") and going on racist, xenophobic tirades against migrants, encouraging European leaders to "stop people that you've never seen before that you have nothing in common with" from entering their countries. I'll just note that, like most Americans, I have nothing in common with Donald Trump.

Trump also accused Sadiq Khan, the Muslim mayor of London, of attempting to impose sharia law on the English city (an extremely racist and stupid lie), said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize and explained his belief that, in general, he is "right about everything." And these are only a few of many completely idiotic statements Trump made at the UN event. At this point, the best outcome for the world is that the US will cement its place as the laughingstock of the world, and other world leaders will move on without us. Perhaps his inane ramblings at the UN make that scenario more likely. 

• Back to Jimmy Kimmel, who returned to his ABC slot last night (except, of course, on certain local channels). Kimmel reiterated the importance of free speech ("What's important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this") and acknowledged the importance of speaking out against attempts to quash dissent. Of course, Trump was not pleased with Kimmel's return to the screen, calling the late night comedian an "arm of the DNC" and threatening legal action against ABC. 

"I can't believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. "The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his 'talent' was never there. Why would they want someone back who does so poorly, who's not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99% positive Democrat GARBAGE."

Whatever, man. 

• A lawyer in California is in hot water after using ChatGPT to write a court appeal. As generative AI tools are wont to do, ChatGPT apparently made up a bunch of stuff, including fabricated quotes, which the lawyer copied into a court appeal back in 2023. Now, the attorney is on the hook for $10,000, and others in the legal industry are taking note. You should, too, if you rely on ChatGPT. Even after several updates to the AI software, the chatbot still conjures stuff up all the time, and is absolutely not a substitute for your own brain. 

• To make you smile this week: Kids in Mexico City riding their bike bus. Happy Wednesday, folks.