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A catastrophe is narrowly avoided as Russian troops took a major nuclear plant in Ukraine yesterday.
A catastrophe is narrowly avoided as Russian troops took a major nuclear plant in Ukraine yesterday. Via YouTube

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! It's "Friday time" so let's act like it! Expect the occasional shower today and a mostly sunny weekend with highs in the low 50s. Thong weather is on the way! Okay... LET'S DO SOME HEADLINES.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• In response to Mayor Wheeler's T-shirt cannon of emergency proclamations regarding the homeless crisis, a coalition of homeless service providers and unhoused Portlanders have stepped up and announced a mission to get 3,000 homeless Portlanders into permanent housing by the end of 2022—a goal that if successful would be far less expensive that constructing and staffing endless shelters. Our Alex Zielinski has more!

• In an effort to avoid a massive deficit (and disincentivize solo car trips, of course), the Portland Bureau of Transportation is planning on raising parking fees across the city—but how will this affect low income individuals who don't have easy access to public transportation? They have a plan for that, too... which our Isabella Garcia will explain.

• The Oregon Legislature is set to adjourn the 2022 legislative session today, so they're all like, "PANIC!! Pass as many measures as possible!!" And that's exactly what they're doing (with a blessing from ordinarily obstructive Republicans), passing bills on such subjects as sending one-time payments of $600 to low-income people hit hard by the pandemic, a measure outlawing the harassment of election workers, limiting the kind of traffic infractions used by cops to pull over people of color, and more. However, of particular note, a bill was passed that will grant overtime pay to farm workers—which the GOP really didn't like—and is intended to counteract pay disparities that came into being during the Jim Crow era.

• Related, and unfortunately:

• Upcoming shows, new singles, and a spotlight on Oregon’s BIPOC classical composers: Our Jenni Moore has some hot tips on who you should be listening to in the latest edition of Hear in Portland!

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• It was a terrifying scenario yesterday as Russian forces pounded Ukrainian troops surrounding the country's largest nuclear power plant and causing a fire (only 1,500 feet from a reactor) which sent the worlds' hearts leaping into their throats. Thankfully the fire was extinguished and experts say there's no sign of radiation leak. Needless to say, the Russians have captured the plant, and the US has declared their actions a "war crime." Meanwhile, today in "Republican self-destruction": "Sen. Lindsey Graham defends calling for Russians to assassinate Putin." (Happily, Russians don't take Graham any more seriously than we do.)

• The January 6 panel is zeroing in on Trump and his responsibility for the actions of his domestic terrorist followers, saying they will prove that he knew he had lost the election, but criminally tried to overturn it anyway.

• Speaking of Trump, his former crony Roger Stone has been caught on film calling his former boss, "the greatest single mistake in US history." Uh-OH! (And for once, we agree on something.)

• Some good economic news (particularly for Biden who needs some): The US added 678,000 jobs in February as unemployment rates continue to decline.

• The Supreme Court has reimposed the death sentence of the Boston Marathon bomber after Biden administration lawyers convinced them that a lower court's decision to throw out the sentence was incorrect.

• It's the FINAL WEEKEND! America’s sexiest, funnest dirty movie fest, HUMP! is back and playing RIGHT NOW at Revolution Hall... and the hilarious Dan Savage is hosting, live and in the flesh—SO HURRY UP AND GET THEM TICKETS!

• And finally... guys... Spider-Man is having a rough week.