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Ukrainian soldiers hold the city of Kyiv as troops launch a counter-attack on Russian forces.
Ukrainian soldiers hold the city of Kyiv as troops launch a counter-attack on Russian forces. Anastasia Vlasova / Getty Europe

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Expect a cloudier day today and a chance of showers over the weekend with highs in the mid-60s. Now let's jam some NEWS!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• The Portland man charged in the deadly Normandale Park shooting that resulted in the death of one activist and wounded four others appeared in court yesterday and entered a plea of "not guilty" to the nine charges leveled against him. The date for his trial is tentatively set for May 5.

• Before you decide to hop on that high horse and boycott all of Portland's Russian restaurants and food stores, check out this illuminating article by John Ross Ferrara about these local food purveyors who are stepping up to support (and directly help) Ukrainians.

• The food cart pod near PSU at SW 5th and College may be in danger of disappearing as a developer has proposed plans to build a mixed-use apartment building on the site.

• The owner of Portland's Star Bar has started supplying free fentanyl test strips to customers that will warn them if they're in possession of the counterfeit pills responsible for thousands of deaths.

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• President Biden is visiting Poland today near the Ukraine border in support of the troops and to thank the country for their work taking in refugees. Meanwhile, Mariupol officials are saying that 300 people died last week during Putin's senseless bombing of a theater where citizens were taking refuge, and Ukraine forces are reportedly holding the city of Kyiv and going on the counter-attack elsewhere.

• The barely Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin has signaled he will most likely support the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court which will probably give her the job—and I suppose we're supposed to be wildly grateful that he chose to do the right thing this time?

• Corruption runs in the family: According to text messages, Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court judge Clarence Thomas, directly advised Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows to help the former president overturn the election.

• Because they simply can't help but be assholes, Republicans across the nation have so far pushed a whopping 168 measures that target LGBTQ children, teens, and their families.


• It's the LAST WEEKEND to stream the hilarious, sexy, and hot HUMP! Film Fest 2022! Get those tickets here!

• And finally, there are those in life who only want to put up walls in front of you. So be like this goat.