The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

The House is expected to pass national cannabis legalization tomorrow—will the Senate screw it up?
The House is expected to pass national cannabis legalization tomorrow—will the Senate screw it up? Mark Wilson/Getty Images

GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! It's Thursday... the day of the week when we throw our grappling hooks toward the weekend and pull with all our might! Let's pick up some NEWS along the way.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• With all the anti-trans legislation that Republicans across the country are trying to shove down our throats, how does this affect Oregon healthcare providers who are helping trans kids with gender-affirming care? They are busier than ever. Abe Asher has more on the important work being done.

• Oregon plans on spending $412 million in federal transportation funds on repaving highways, increasing road safety, and more—but where's the money for reducing greenhouse gas emissions? It's a question activists want answered, and our Isabella Garcia has all the details.

• Mayor Ted Wheeler has proposed—against the wishes of the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing—that the group take a two-month "pause" in order to fix some of the group's serious problems. Only trouble is, the last time this same group "took a pause," the group ended up disbanding.

• Show of hands: Who wants a "bullet train" that runs from Portland to Seattle and then to Vancouver, BC? [Me! Me! Me!] Well, so far Washington state has put some money for the project into the pot, but (of course) conservatives are already crying "boondoggle!"

IN NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

• President Biden is ordering the release of oil reserves to take some of the sting out of high prices at the pump. Meanwhile, according to the UK's spy chief, Russian soldiers in Ukraine have been disobeying orders and sabotaging their own equipment.

• Today in "That tracks!":

• A federal judge has ruled part of Florida's bullshit anti-voting law unconstitutional, which could cause trouble for the evil schemes of Republicans in other states trying to do the same thing—unless it's overturned in appeal.

• Meanwhile "Florida Man" Gov. Ron DeSantis is getting his ass sued by LGBTQ students and parents for his homophobic "Don't Say Gay" law, which they say violates their First Amendment rights.

• Today in ABOUT GODDAMN TIME: Tomorrow the House is expected to pass legislation that will finally legalize cannabis nationwide—but! Of course it's gonna have an uphill battle in the Senate, once again no thanks to Democratic turncoat Joe Manchin.

• Another thing Daniel and I have in common: "Daniel Radcliffe says he's 'dramatically bored' hearing opinions’ about the Will Smith Oscar slap." (Particularly the opinions of sanctimonious comedians!)

• SCIENCE!

• AHOY THERE, STONERS! The SPLIFF Film Festival—featuring short, hilarious, trippy, and thoughtful mini-movies about cannabis and made by stoners just like YOU—is coming to Revolution Hall for one night only on Saturday, April 16! GET THOSE TICKETS NOW! (And btw, you can still stream the very sexy 2022 edition of HUMP all through the month of April!)

• And finally... sorry, scientists! This is one thing I will NEVER put in my mouth!