According to police expense records, when they arent busting protester heads, theyre eating Chick-fil-A.
According to police expense records, when they aren't busting protester heads, they're eating Chick-fil-A. Mathieu Lewis-Rolland

Here's your daily roundup of all the latest local and national news. (Like our coverage? Please consider making a recurring contribution to the Mercury to keep it comin'!)

• After being given federal powers during the Proud Boy protests this weekend (which they'll unbelievably keep until the end of the year), Portland Police have been ramping up their violence against protesters to a startling degree. And the ACLU is asking Gov. Brown to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate their actions. Our Blair Stenvick has more.

• While it may have been the Proud Boys' intention to create terror and violence during this past weekend's visit to Portland, they were sorely disappointed after being ignored by Black Lives Matter allies who spent their time educating the public and participating in a joyful car caravan. Check out photojournalist Annie Schutz' terrific photo essay of the event.

• KA-ZOING! Portland Police spent nearly $8 million in just two months on Portland's protests with most of it going to overtime... but also $300,000 went to food from Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden, Donut Land, and more. Alex Zielinski has the details!

• A woman and an 11-year-old are dead (along with the suspect) in a hostage situation that happened in Salem earlier this afternoon.

• Good wildfire news! Evacuation orders across the state have been retracted thanks to firefighters gaining control over most of the blazes.

IN NATIONAL NEWS

• It's the day the world has been dreading and for good reason: Tonight at 6 pm marks the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden... and there isn't enough vodka and pills in the world to make me watch it. (But do let me know how it turns out!)

• Hours before the first presidential debate, both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris happily released their 2019 tax returns. Unlike some people, I guess they don't have anything to hide!

• The Trump administration is ramping up the racism before the election and is sending ICE to "sanctuary cities" (including Portland, I presume) to make targeted arrests in what most agree is a bald-faced political move.

• In the second part of the New York Times' blockbuster report on Trump being a goddamn tax cheat, the story goes on to say how the president used his fame from hosting The Apprentice to get him out of his deep financial hole and catapult himself into the White House. Thanks again, reality television!

• In a private ceremony, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

• It looks like the grand jury testimony in the Breonna Taylor case will be released after a member of the jury made a motion to release it "so that the truth may prevail."

• The global death toll for COVID-19 has now passed the 1 million mark. And experts believe that number is only the tip of the iceberg.

• I'd read this article, but my head is splitting: "Gays, lesbians and bisexuals at higher migraine risk, study finds."

• Living through a pandemic is ROUGH—that's why you should check out the Mercury's Cannabis Guide 2020 for loads of tips and advice for making it through the days of COVID with a little (or a lot of) help from weed.

• Need some laughs? Then DO NOT MISS this Thursday's (Oct 1) livestream edition of the I, Anonymous Show, featuring a panel of nationally-beloved comedians riffing on the weirdest and wildest submissions from our famous I, Anonymous column and blog! It's HILARIOUS, and you need that.

• The WEATHER REPORT: Another gorgeous, sunny day tomorrow with a high of 87.

• And finally, the brilliant Sarah Cooper returns with another spot-on Trump lip synch! HOW DOES SHE DO IT?