Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today.

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DOUG BROWN

Good morning, Portland! It's almost Valentine's Day, and our friends at KOIN have got you covered.

Here are the headlines!

They're Looking Into It! A story published earlier this week by the Oregonian details a truly disgusting, corrupt, racist power-play by West Linn police officers, and some Portland cops make an unflattering appearance. The Portland Police Bureau said yesterday that they're opening the case up for investigation. Get all the details from our own Alex Zielinski.

Just Wash Your Hands, Okay? In yet another instance of adults caring way too much about the bathroom habits of minors, a group of Dallas, Oregon parents have been waging a court battle against the Dallas School District, complaining that allowing a trans boy to use the boys' bathroom somehow violated their own students' privacy. The parents' case was dismissed by a federal appeals court yesterday.

Camping Goes to Court: Being homeless in Portland means living in a constant state of displacement, and the city of Portland has the legal authority to making camping homeless people move around in an endless cycle. But legal cases circulating through the US court system could soon render the practice of kicking people out of homeless camps illegal. Read more here, or in a new print issue of the Mercury on stands now.

Prosecuting Pickathon: Two workers died last year while dismantling the infrastructure set up for local music festival Pickathon. Now, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration is suing two companies who they say are responsible for the workers' deaths.

Gone Too Soon:

Paper Out of Paper: McClatchy, a major newspaper publisher that owns the Miami Herald, the Kansas City Star, and dozens of other US newspapers (including my ever-shrinking hometown paper, the Sacramento Bee), has filed for bankruptcy. The company says publishing will continue as normal for now, thanks to a $50 million bailout from a private credit firm.

The Law Stops Here: News dropped earlier this week that Attorney General William Barr intervened in Nixon-back-tattoo-owner Roger Stone's legal case, pressuring federal prosecutors to call for a lesser sentence. Now, career prosecutors say they worry Barr's move represents a concerning break in the traditional barriers between the Department of Justice and the White House.

Fair Share: Yesterday, Portland City Council passed a renewal of a heavy vehicle tax, despite objections from the trucking industry. The tax is meant to supplement a 10-cent-per-gallon gas tax that's up for renewal on the May ballot, and proceeds are used to make city streets safer and more useable.

Headline of the Day: "Super wealthy dead people to help trim Oregon’s PERS deficit." You'll want to click that link to peep the lead image as well!