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'!)
• Today marked another record COVID day in Oregon, as the OHA reported that an additional 21 people have died from the virus—breaking the state's single-day record. Hospitalizations are also rising with 18 more than yesterday. SO ABOUT YOUR THANKSGIVING PLANS: It's not too late to save the vulnerable members of your family by promising to spend "Thanksgiving" time when it's safe to do so. In short: DON'T BE A TOOTIE.
So County Commissioner Sharon Meieran was in HAWAII when she told @wweek that Gov. Brown should institute a stay home order?? https://t.co/jvUCXuDCnV
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) November 24, 2020
• Progressive activists have created a Political Action Committee to recall Mayor Ted Wheeler and City Commissioner Dan Ryan—how come? “Wheeler ran a dirty campaign, violating multiple campaign-finance laws that nearly all of us voted for, and he still couldn't convince a majority of the city he should be mayor," said Athul Acharya, a local civil rights attorney. As for Ryan: “I voted for Dan Ryan because he led me to believe he was a staunch advocate for police reform,” said lawyer Alan Kessler. “After his refusal to vote for Commissioner Hardesty’s budget reduction amendment, I feel betrayed. I want my vote back. I want an apology.” Our Alex Zielinski has more.
• Speaking of police cuts, in Seattle, their city council snipped 20 percent from their cop budget, and left the door open to trim $5 million more. Nathalie Graham reports.
People have been avoiding medical care because they fear contracting COVID-19 in the emergency department. But a study finds the odds of catching the virus at the hospital are likely low. https://t.co/RjPsN9XKXL
— OPB (@OPB) November 24, 2020
IN NATIONAL NEWS
• Following on the heels of Michigan yesterday, Pennsylvania and Nevada have certified their presidential election results and... you guessed it... BIDEN WON, AND TRUMP LOST, LOST, LOST. (I will never get tired of saying that.)
"For now, the country appears to have avoided a ruinous breakdown of its electoral system," @alexburnsNYT writes in a political analysis. "Next time, Americans might not be so lucky." https://t.co/6lpK6a4pf7
— The New York Times (@nytimes) November 24, 2020
• Embarrassingly, President LOSER tried to take credit for the Dow's historic leap of 30,000 points today, even though everyone knows it was tied to Biden taking over and his smart choice of nominee for the Federal Reserve.
• President LOSER headline of the day: "A lame-duck president takes part in his final turkey pardon."
• And the Trump embarrassments just keep piling up: Now he's taking advice from known crackpot/conspiracy theorist/middling actor Randy Quaid.
I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to "unite" with the people who kidnap and jail children, ban Muslims, discriminate against transgender troops, and are committing criminally negligent homicide—or their supporters. I want them held accountable. That would unite us.
— Mary L Trump (@MaryLTrump) November 24, 2020
• Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. is filing complaints in five states in an attempt to get pants-tugging huckster Rudy Giuliani disbarred for his craven attempts to overturn the election in court.
• About 12 million Americans are going to lose their unemployment benefits on December 26, and there are no plans from the federal government to provide new aid for them. In fact, Congress is on Thanksgiving recess, where many of them will undoubtedly spend time with big groups of friends and family without wearing masks.
• Purdue Pharma has pleaded guilty to their role in pushing America's OxyContin epidemic, in which they provided illegal kickbacks to doctors and other health professionals to freely distribute the drug.
• Beyoncé has been CORRECTLY nominated for a whopping nine Grammys for her stellar work this year, along with Taylor Swift and (my current fave) Dua Lipa who both nabbed six nominations.
• Running now through Sat Nov 28: The brand new "HUMP! Greatest Hits, Vol. 2" featuring the sexiest short flicks from the past 15 years of festivals! (Look, you NEED this. GET THOSE TIX NOW!)
• The results are in, and the people have spoken: YOU LOVE GOOD AFTERNOON, NEWS! Never miss a single informative, entertaining post by subscribing HERE.
• THE WEATHER REPORT: Expect stormy skies tomorrow with rain and hail and a high of 48!
• And finally, "This is the Portland Police. We have proclaimed this turkey trot as 'a riot.'"
Thanksgiving protests.
2020... pic.twitter.com/N2NHQVtSZg
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) November 24, 2020