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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Who do you know? Where will you stay? City life is not what they say. LET'S GO TO PRESS.
• On day 34 of protests in Portland, about 200+ protesters showed up at the Justice Center to demonstrate against police brutality—something that was definitely exhibited the night before when cops arrested three journalists and gassed protesters, a North Portland neighborhood, and innocent drivers stuck in traffic against the ruling of a federal court. However, the police were distinctly less violent last night (the bar is low), and our Alex Zielinski who was on the scene reported that the biggest action was protesters tearing down boards from US courthouse windows (and using them as bonfire firewood). Police eventually responded by shooting pepper balls and tracer paint at protesters to get them away from the windows.
• According to the Oregon Health Authority, yesterday the state took a big jump in new coronavirus cases, reporting 281 new infections (that's 100 more since the previous day), and one additional death.
• Gov. Kate Brown issued a tough warning yesterday to those who refuse to wear the state mandated face masks that can help control the state's worrisome surge: Either wear them or face the possibility of re-closing businesses and no school this fall.
• Today in "cops cannot be reformed":
On the first day of Oregon’s statewide mask order, a group of Oregon State troopers refused to wear face coverings inside a Corvallis coffee shop despite being asked to so.
— Shane D. Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) July 2, 2020
“F— [Gov.] Kate Brown,” one of the troopers reportedly said. There’s video, too. https://t.co/Lt8kIPxDCK
• Don't Shoot PDX has chastised the City of Portland for refusing to reign in these tear gas-happy cops who are flagrantly defying a federal court order. Read more from our Alex Zielinski.
• Portland City Council has voted to extend its current contract with the Portland Police Association (the city's police union) by one year due to delays caused by the COVID pandemic. The delay (especially considering the cops' current, terrible behavior) is causing legitimate concern, and our Alex Zielinski has more on that.
• Restaurant group Toro Bravo (the local empire started by John and Renee Gorham) is dissolving following blowback from a Facebook tirade written by John toward a trans woman of color. After many of his staff quit in protest, John stepped away from the daily running of the eateries such as Toro Bravo and Tasty & Alder, but is now pulling the plug entirely.
IN NATIONAL NEWS:
• The US reported 50,000 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, another record. Experts are predicting July will show how bad things can get after the Trump administration and Republican-led states ignored the virus.
• While nearly 5 million new American jobs were added in June, 1.4 million new unemployment claims were filed last week and we can expect lots more in the future due to states that refused to take precautions and are shutting back down.
• After months of clearly discouraging the wearing of face masks, our lying president is suddenly absolutely in favor of masks—now that Republicans are wearing them.
The supporters Trump has lost:
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 2, 2020
Judith in NC: "If he weren't such an appalling human being, he would make a great president."
John in PA: "What changed my mind? 120,000 deaths."
Cathleen in MI: "I don't think he has empathy toward any races."https://t.co/1X4NFD3KMm
• Ghislaine Maxwell, a former girlfriend and associate of Jeffrey Epstein, has been arrested and charged with helping the alleged sex trafficker locate and groom young girls for him to sexually abuse.
• The Supreme Court has decided to wait until next term (long after the upcoming election) to decide whether Congress can see secret grand jury material from the Mueller Report.
• A New York appeals court has lifted their temporary restraining order and Trump's niece, Mary Trump, can continue sending her damning book about her family to book stores.
• Days after a white couple in St. Louis were seen pointing guns at peaceful, mostly Black protesters, another white "Karen" was caught on video accosting a Black mother and daughter in a Michigan parking lot with a gun.
Auburn Hills ‘Karen’ Arrested: Video Shows Gun-Aiming White Woman Raging | NewsOne https://t.co/rAq20Fg8zD
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) July 2, 2020
• A complaint has been filed against Facebook by a Black manager and two job applicants who say the company is biased in their evaluations, promotions, pay, and hiring practices.
• In the coronavirus-surging state of Texas, old-timey rapper Vanilla Ice is scheduled to hold a Fourth of July concert which has the potential to infect and put participants on "ice, ice, maybe." I'm sorry, and will see myself out.
• But before I do, let's peep at the WEATHER: Today starts a sunnier, warming trend with highs in the low to mid-70s through July 4.
• And finally, THERE ARE NO MORE RULES. There are... just no more rules.
Just in case you haven’t seen a bird flying around with a shark that it just plucked out of the ocean... pic.twitter.com/ILKqd9wrFG
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) July 2, 2020