Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today.
Good morning, Bird Town! The sun continues to shine, the pollen continues to spread, and I continue to think about that hilariously demented talking filing cabinet from Tuca and Bertie.
Here are the headlines!
Free: Two Rueters journalists who were imprisoned in Myanmar for over 500 days—for the crime of doing their jobs—have finally been freed. “I am a journalist and I am going to continue,” journalist Wa Lone said. “I can’t wait to go to my newsroom.”
Not Free: Both H&R Block and TurboTax are under scrutiny for advertising a “free” tax service that is virtually impossible to attain—especially for low-income people who need it the most. Now the Los Angeles city attorney is suing both companies.
The Latest from DC: Trump will not show his tax returns to the House, and Congress is considering passing a “resolution of contempt“—the federal government’s version of a very strongly worded post-it note about office kitchen etiquette—against Attorney General William Barr.
This Is a Pro-Vax House: The Oregon House passed a bill yesterday that would eliminate a philosophical exemption loophole for mandatory vaccines. That bill now heads to the senate, so if you’re an anti-vaxxer, I guess you’ve still got time to flee the state?
Two Walkouts: Teachers across Oregon will hold an organized walkout tomorrow to demand more state funding for K-12 schools—learn more about their fight here. Meanwhile, senate Republicans are holding a kind of informal walkout of their own: Many are leaving the state right before a key school funding vote that’s scheduled for today. If no Republicans are present, the senate can’t hold a vote.
It’s Unanimous: At an Oregon House Rules Committee public hearing yesterday, many testified in favor of abolishing Oregon’s non-unanimous jury rule, which makes it possible to go to prison on a 10-2 jury vote. Supporters ranged from criminal justice reform advocates to the Oregon District Attorneys Association.
Reppin’: As you may have heard, Cider Riot is suing Patriot Prayer after the alt-right group started a brawl there last week. We should have more info on that lawsuit later today, but for now, enjoy this delightful photo of Rep. Earl Blumenauer holding cider like he has never seen cider before.
Thank you @repblumenauer for stopping by Cider Riot and supporting our client in standing-up against hate! We are proud to represent and stand with Cider Riot in its lawsuit against the alt-right…and, we appreciate the amazing cider, also!! #LetsFightTheFearTogether pic.twitter.com/cYV7aEScLK
— OJRC (@OJRCenter) May 7, 2019
Notes on Some Clothes: The ingenious Susan Sontag once wrote that “Camp sees everything in quotation marks.” To that end, here is every “outfit” from last night’s annual Met “Gala.”
go off sis #MetGala pic.twitter.com/LjYrNff41D
— ziwe (@ziwe) May 6, 2019
