Blogtown. I write this today not as a lowly staff writer, but as the Mercury‘s news editor. We bid farewell to Denis Theriault last night in fitting fashion—with Denis forcing a bartender to queue up old Star Trek episodes on Netflix, then stupefying an entire karaoke bar with a Misfits song. When last I saw Denis, he was nodding off on a city bus. I hope he got home safely.
That said, my first proclamation as news editor is that Denis only ever be referred to as “The Turncoat Denis C. Theriault” (or “The Turncoat Denis COWARD Theriault”) in these pages. We are nothing without rules. Please respect this one. On to the news:
The state’s criminal bloodhounds have been called off the scent of former Gov. John Kitzhaber and Cyliva Hayes. They’re clearing the way for the feds.
Meanwhile, new Gov. Kate Brown’s first bill signing could involve cleaning up a catastrophe that played out under Kitzhaber’s watch. She’ll have a chance to scrap the embarrassing Cover Oregon once and for all.
Another bill that might be rocketing to Brown’s desk would require use of cleaner fuel in your Subaru. It’s a notion that environmentalists around the country say probably won’t pay off, according to the O.
For the last time: Stop ditching your car in the Columbia River Gorge.
One of Vladimir Putin’s most stalwart critics—a former high-ranking government official in Moscow—wound up shot to death yesterday. Who could be responsible?
Surprising news: Somehow the Department of Homeland Security didn’t shut down yesterday, under congressional Republicans’ bumbling watch. They were able to fund it for a week!
You know how Uber’s always preaching about the sanctity about its users’ data? The hackers that breached its database last year don’t give a damn about all that.
Confidential to Republicans: Absolutely don’t nominate Scott Walker for president.
Today’s sunset: 5:56 pm. And your weather looks great, Portland! That’s unimportant, though, because I’m heading to Mexico this week. Here’s my weather:
U are such a jerk for that weather screen cap!