A MAX train going to the airport
The Portland International Airport dropped its mask mandate Monday, while TriMet is holding out for more federal advice. Credit: TriMet

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A MAX train going to the airport
The Portland International Airport dropped its mask mandate Monday, while TriMet is holding out for more federal advice. TriMet

Good morning, Portland! Today’s forecast is a bunch of rain with a chance of thunderstorms—fun!

In local news:

• Masks are now optional at the Portland International Airport after a federal judge in Florida struck down the CDC’s public transportation mask mandate Monday. It’s unclear whether TriMet will continue to require masks—the agency tweeted yesterday that it was waiting for an updated recommendation from the Transportation Security Administration. The CDC is still recommending masks on public transportation.

• As various committees and health officials debate how to implement psilocybin therapy in Oregon, we’ve got lots of questions. For example, what does a psilocybin therapy session look like? How much will it cost? And—maybe the most important question of all—when can Oregonians start legally tripping on shrooms? Calley Hair has the answers.

• US Marshals shot and injured two people in Southeast Portland yesterday while trying to apprehend a wanted person from Washington. Both people were taken to the hospital. It’s unclear whether the wanted suspect was one of the people shot.

• The city of Portland and Metro are doling out $300,000 to a bicyclist who flipped over an unmarked cable gate installed along a blind curve on a bike path in 2018. The cable was meant to indicate that the trail was closed, but it’s unclear which regional government installed it. Since tumbling head over handle bars four years ago, the cyclist has had wrist and shoulder surgeries and persisting back, neck, and shoulder pain.

In national news:

• The CDC dropped its “Do Not Travel” COVID recommendation for nearly 90 countries Monday. As viral transmission lowers across the global, the CDC announced its reserving the “Do Not Travel” label for countries who are having unusual spikes in COVID cases. Many countries, like the UK, Japan, and Italy, were lowered to a Level 3 recommendation, meaning unvaccinated Americans are discouraged from traveling to the country.

• The Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports of people who fell ill after eating Lucky Charms cereal. Since 2021, thousands of people have complained that the magically delicious cereal caused nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (yikes). No recall has been issued by either the FDA or cereal manufacturer General Mills.

• In even more COVID/mask news: A group of business owners is suing the city of Philadelphia over the city’s decision to reinstate its indoor mask mandate following a spike in COVID cases. The lawsuit says the mandate violates the state’s Constitution and ignores CDC guidelines. Notably, businesses in Philadelphia are allowed to remain mask-free under the mandate as long as they require proof of vaccination.

• CALLING ALL PIZZA LOVERS! Your favorite week of the year is here: It’s the Mercury’s PIZZA WEEK featuring $3 specialty slices at 28 locations across the Portland area, starting NOW through Sunday, April 24! Eat ’em up!

• When you look up the origin of the phrase “having a ball,” it’s just this video:

Isabella Garcia is the former News Editor for the Portland Mercury. She covered City Hall, transportation, the environment, breaking news, and more.