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Good morning, Portland! Quick weather report: It’s going to be sunny and warm today. Please join me in a prayer for rain. I am weary of the sun. (But I am currently shivering as I write this, because it’s so cold in the mornings.)
Let’s do the news now.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Last Thursday, three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend were killed by a 16-year-old with a shotgun. The shooter attacked the elementary school’s special needs classroom in a horrifying act of violence. Bend residents are reeling from the attack, and seeking more answers, some of which will never come. But the public has learned a bit more about those who died. One of the children killed was Rhoam Summer, who was only five years old. Rhoam’s parents, obviously facing indescribable pain, have generously come forward to share a bit about their son. In a statement, his parents described their little boy, sharing his love for dancing, dinosaurs, and making art. They also asked for people to memorialize Rhoam by creating art of their own. His parents said Rhoam “loved rainbows and unicorns from a very young age… cooked meals with his parents, cuddled at every opportunity, and sang to himself when he was upset. He told the sweetest, most amazing stories and was learning to give each character their own voice.” He and his classmates and teacher deserved to live, and their deaths should always be seen as a terrible injustice.
• Two unions for workers at the city of Portland—the City of Portland Professional Workers Union (CPPW) and Portland City Laborers—could soon go on strike. Members of CPPW, which represents 800 workers across the city, recently voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, after 10 months of contract negotiations. CPPW’s concerns are largely over wages and layoff protections. CPPW members could begin a strike as soon as November 1, leaving the city without many key administrative workers (the union represents jobs including financial analysts, multimedia specialists, and more). Meanwhile, members of the Laborers union—which represents about 750 workers, many of whom are tasked with key city maintenance jobs—are currently voting on whether or not to approve a strike. The Portland City Laborers went on a short strike in February 2023, and union leaders say workers don’t want to do it again, but concerns over wages could lead them to the picket lines once more.
• Remember that little arctic fox that was found near Portland’s Willamette Park two years ago? If you’ve a true Good Morning, News fan, you will remember—that fox got a lot of play in my morning roundups. The fox, now named Luna, was found in October 2024, wandering Portland all by her lonesome, far from the far north, where arctic foxes are supposed to live. Luna was captured and taken to the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s wildlife care center, and eventually sent to a zoo in Wisconsin, where she could hang out with another arctic fox friend. In a recent message to Luna’s Portland fans, the Wisconsin zoo confirmed the fox is doing quite well. Thriving, moisturized, in her lane, etc. In addition to her arctic fox friend, Luna shares an inclosure with two black bears! Somehow, this arrangement is okay for the animals. Please click on this link to read more about Luna (and most importantly, to look at some photos).
• In rather unsurprising news, most people in Oregon hold a negative view of new Portland Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon. (Those who know who he is, at least.) Dundon has not really sought to ingratiate himself with the people of Portland, and according to a recent poll of 600 Oregonians, his lack of charm has had consequences. Pollster DHM Research’s senior vice president John Horvick’s takeaway from the survey? “Tom Dundon is not a popular guy.” Not too shocking, considering the guy bought our beloved basketball team and immediately started making vague threats to move the team if the entire state didn’t dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars to renovating the stadium they play in. Dundon’s not here to make friends, I guess.
• What’s going on in Portland this week? Read the Mercury‘s Do This, Do That to find out. A few events you might find interesting: The Blazers play their first home game of the season tomorrow, the Portland Fermentation Festival is happening Thursday, and there’s a radicchio fest on Saturday. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE!
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• A federal judge took President Trump’s attorneys to task in a hearing yesterday over the president’s plan to redo a historic golf course in Washington, D.C. The judge, Ana C. Reyes, issued an order last week to pause work on the golf course. Government attorneys said Reyes shouldn’t worry, because the plan was still under development. But on Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social to share detailed plans about the golf course project. Trump’s little posting spree undoubtedly annoyed his own lawyers, who got an earful from the judge yesterday. Reyes summarized her frustrations: “I have, on the one hand, the president of the United States saying to the American public three times now, I think, in the last two days, there is a final plan to redesign the golf course…Then I have you all telling me and witnesses saying…that there’s no final plan. Which is it?” Great question! Of course, Trump was super pissed that Reyes—who was appointed by Biden and is kinda a badass, look her up—dared to call him out. In another Truth Social rampage yesterday, the president called Reyes a “crazed lunatic.” He also, once again, said the opposite of what his lawyers have been saying about the golf course, writing that “work is scheduled to begin IMMEDIATELY!” (For a minute, I felt a pang of empathy for the attorneys forced to deal with the worst client in the world. But TBH, they brought this on themselves.)
• More corruption:
• Protests have been rocking France for the last few weeks, led by students rallying against declining public services and rising costs. It’s not just France, either—people across Europe are rising up against their governments for similar reasons, with protests making waves in Italy, Albania, Spain, and Portugal. Many of the protests share motivations—dwindling resources for education, unaffordable housing, corruption. It’s clear many people are mad about the state of the world, and rightfully so.
• A recent survey of 5,200 American adults found that Republicans are increasingly likely to view empathy—yes, empathy—as a social ill. The survey found that while 84 percent of registered Democrats and 70 percent of Independents see empathy as a benefit to society, just 53 percent of Republicans share that view. Just under half of Republicans surveyed said they think empathy is dangerous if it leads society away from God. Hmm. It has become popular amongst some on the right to criticize “toxic empathy,” which some people say is used to keep people in a “victim mindset.” I would call that perspective highly antisocial, but maybe that’s the toxic empathy speaking.
• Really horrible stuff out of Mississippi, where it seems you can get away with shooting a child if he’s Black and you’re a cop. (As we know, our country doesn’t do much to prevent children from gun violence, but this is still abhorrent.)
• Finally, check this seal out. And have a good Tuesday!
