Credit: mathieu Lewis Rolland

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mathieu Lewis Rolland

Good morning, Portland! Welcome to another hazy day, in which Portland continues to resemble the inside of your college bong.

Here are the headlines.

• At least two Oregon prison inmates, who were among the 2,500 people evacuated to different prisons because of the wildfires, have recently tested positive for COVID-19. That means the wildfires have contributed to the spread of the coronavirus among one of the state’s most vulnerable populations.

• Now, some good (?) news about the fires: The Oregonian is reporting that a “storm system is poised to bring rain showers to parts of Oregon over the next two days, helping clear out wildfire smoke. But the change in weather has prompted a pair of new concerns: thunderstorms and flash flooding.”

• Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Hurricane Sally has left 550,000 people without power in the Gulf Coast.

• Remember back in June, when the military unleashed tear gas on peaceful protesters in front of the White House so Donald Trump could have a photo op? New info has come to light about that clusterfuck—including the fact that one military leader initially suggested using a “heat ray,” which makes people feel like their skin is burning, to clear the demonstrators.

• Normal stuff:

• As the United States Postal Service (USPS) continues to struggle (thanks to intentional mismanagement from its new Trump-backing leader) small businesses that rely on the mail—Etsy shops, boutiques, and other local spots—are suffering. Delayed shipping times lead to bad reviews for these small shops, while large sellers like Amazon can just use private, more costly shipping options.

• Last month, the Salt Lake Tribune published body camera footage that showed a police officer telling his dog to attack a Black man who had his hands up. Now, the Salt Lake District Attorney’s Office has charged that cop with assault.

• There’s a cottage industry of conservative “journalists” who use their followings to direct online hate—and sometimes real-world threats of violence—to antifascist activists. Willamette Week recently spoke with three Portlanders who have been negatively affected by the work of one such provocateur.

• The real heroes:

Blair Stenvick is a former news reporter and culture writer for the Portland Mercury.