In case you missed it: Following news that Bullseye Glass had been emitting heavy metals into the air, Portland Public Schools officials told parents that no trace of carcinogens had been detected in the air quality at five nearby schools. Turns out the data they actually had on hand isn’t conclusive enough to back up that statement.
250,000: That’s likely how many Oregonians had their personal information stolen in a $25 million tax fraud debacle, according to the US Attorney’s Office. “Investigators believe the scheme generated $4.7 million in profits from at least April 2013 to May 2015—$2.7 million more than revealed last May,” reports the O.
Here’s a real lede from the LA Times: “Cliven Bundy has been called many things since he emerged victorious in a monthlong standoff with armed federal agents in the Nevada desert… But never was he called a bad rancher. Until now.” The Times reports that Bundy’s neglected cattle were “wild, mean and ornery.” Oh, just read the whole fascinating weird thing.
Speaking of Cliven Bundy: He and four others have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Nevada on 16 charges related to that standoff.
The Tribune reports that incidents of gang-related violence in Portland appear to be on track to exceed last year’s numbers.
In Turkey: A day after a car bombing that killed at least 28 in Ankara, Turkish officials have linked the perpetrator with Kurdish militants in Turkey and Syria. Fourteen people have been arrested following the bombing.
In the air: Italian airline Alitalia reports that a flight carrying Pope Francis was hit by a laser.
The actual worst: Nike has ended its contract with Manny Pacquiao, after the boxer described LGBT people as “worse than animals.”
UGH UGH UGH UGH: Alleged rapist Bill Cosby is suing his alleged victim. AND HER MOTHER. And also the National Enquirer. “Because the full complaint against Andrea Constand, which was sealed on Feb. 1, has not been released, it was not immediately clear what claims Cosby is making,” reports Buzzfeed’s Claudia Rosenbaum. “But he has accused Constand and her attorney, Dolores Troiani, of violating confidentiality clauses covering settlements that were reached after they filed lawsuits against Cosby and the Enquirer in 2005.”
Here’s the Washington Post on Donald Trump’s overconfidence about winning independent and New York state voters: “The defining characteristic of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is complete confidence in his correctness, regardless of the evidence at hand.”
This news seems to have flown under the radar, but it’s still great, if you care about science and health: Obama’s proposed budget for 2017 has entirely cut funding for abstinence-only sex education, which, I DON’T NEED TO TELL YOU, is a contradiction in terms.
Gawker interviewed NYC mayor Bill De Blasio’s staff about his sandwich preferences, after De Blasio posted a photo of a pastrami sandwich to Twitter in honor of Jeb! Bush!’s ill-advised “America!” gun tweet, which to Gawker indicated deli loyalty. Or something? Anyway, that happened.
Toyota’s recalling 2.9 million RAV4 SUVs over severely underperforming seatbelts. [Insert tasteless pun invoking Total Recall here.]
Mob Wives‘ Big Ang has died.
Millennials: Every generation is lost to something. We are lost to wine, I guess.
Anyone else excited about this new Boeing 737? Just me? Well, good morning! It’s the miracle of flight!