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GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, PORTLAND! It's another chilly, sunny day with a high of 49, and rain returns Saturday night and into Sunday. It's also a good day to enter any room like this. Okay... LET'S DO SOME NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
⢠The long-negotiated contract between the union for the Portland Police and the city has been unanimously approved by council, who are calling the result "not perfect" while the cop union president seems pretty happy with the result. (When he's happy, I'm not happy.) Our Alex Zielinski explains what was won and what was lost.
Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty becomes 1st candidate to hit public matching fund milestone https://t.co/XarbyF5Dwk pic.twitter.com/NRymN11Hse
â The Oregonian (@Oregonian) February 25, 2022
⢠The statewide indoor mask mandate is scheduled to lift on March 19ânearly two weeks ahead of schedule. But what does that mean for schools? While the mandate is lifted for them as well, different districts are so far taking different tactics.
⢠City Commissioner Dan Ryan has revealed four of the six locations where Safe Rest Village homeless outdoor sites will be situated, in the Sunderland, Lents, University Park, and... the Pearl District neighborhoods. Let the NIMBY screaming begin! (And let our Isabella Garcia explain it all for you.)
âWe want to make sure that this money is used for solutions that work,â said Sen. @SenatorJama D-Portland. âWe donât want this money to be used for sweeps. We want to make sure that shelters are voluntary.â https://t.co/GQeucJLtHL
â loud oregonian đđˇ (@ambrown) February 25, 2022
⢠"She was always looking to find a way to help people out who were in greater need than herself." Our Alex Zielinski talked to the friends and family of June Knightlyâthe woman shot and killed by a right-wing gunman Saturday nightâwho share heartbreaking, joyful stories of the bright light from the Portland activist scene who will be deeply missed.
â˘Â Okay, brainy pants! Time for you to strut your brainy stuff with this week's super fun POP QUIZ PDXâfeaturing sassy-ass trivia Qs about missing pickles, questionable po-po, and your choice for most perfect potato!
Cherish this last chance to see Maarquii headlining The Thesis, Damian Lillard drops in on a Mic Capes track, and so much other exciting Portland music news from @JenniferKayMo!https://t.co/rqQ6PzHiv0
â Portland Mercury đ (@portlandmercury) February 24, 2022
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
⢠In Ukraine, Russian troops have marched into the country's capital, Kiev, where residents have been instructed to defend their city with... oh, dear... molotov cocktails. Meanwhile, the European Union says it will freeze the assets of Putin in retaliation, as the Russian president claims he is ready to "negotiate" with the Ukrainian government, which we can all pretty much guarantee will not end well at all. (Want to support the people of Ukraine? Here's how to help.)
Top Biden administration officials warned Congress late Thursday that they feared Kyiv could fall quickly and reiterated that the U.S. would continue to arm Ukrainian forces when possible, according to lawmakers on the call. https://t.co/8mCZHE5T2W
â The New York Times (@nytimes) February 25, 2022
Long story short: I just walked to Poland.
â Ukraine Conflict Live 2022 (@UkraineLive2022) February 25, 2022
It was a hellish 20-hour journey undertaken in the middle of winter with thousands of refugees. I saw some terrible things:
⢠Today the CDC is expected to significantly loosen mask-wearing guidelines, and supply new metrics on how we should take care of ourselves and others.
⢠President Biden has announced that he will nominate Federal Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court who, if confirmed, will be the first Black woman to take on the role. (Stop hoping that the GOP will treat her fairlyâit ain't gonna happen.)
â˘Â Today in "ha-ha-ha-GOOD": "Capitol rioter photographed with Pelosi's podium on Jan. 6 sentenced to prison."
⢠Some good news for Ukraine:
The comic was scheduled to perform Friday and Saturday night in Ukraine, but he confirmed those shows were no longer happening.
â Consequence (@consequence) February 25, 2022
"My flight was canceled because no one can fly there now." https://t.co/sCVZdZXnjq
â˘Â RIP the great Sally Kellermanâthe Oscar nominee best known for playing "Hot Lips" in the movie M*A*S*Hâwho has died at the age of 84.
⢠Itâs back for 2022! Americaâs sexiest, funnest dirty movie fest, HUMP! is back and playing RIGHT NOW at Revolution HallâSO HURRY UP AND GET THEM TICKETS!
⢠And finally, I hope you're going into this weekend like Kino.
I'm obsessed with them. This is kino pic.twitter.com/rebp4Pnptn
â the vibe formerly known as julian (@ech0astral) February 22, 2022