If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, our fun and sometimes spicy news roundups, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!
Good morning, Portland! We’re in for mild August weather the rest of the week, with highs mostly staying at or below 80 degrees. If you’re a night owl, don’t forget to peep the sky Monday night, for the supermoon blue moon. 🌝
In Local News:
- A chain of plasma donation centers operated by Grifols USA is facing a class-action lawsuit for its policies that exclude gay and bisexual men from donating plasma. An Oregon man says after filling out a health history questionnaire at a Grifols donation center in Eugene, he was told he is ineligible to donate because of his sexual orientation. Attorneys for the man, who filed a class-action lawsuit with the help of the Oregon ACLU and other local attorneys, say the policy is unnecessary (Grifols screens all its blood for diseases) and discriminatory.
Grifols USA, which operates two plasma donation centers in Portland, faces a class-action lawsuit after an Oregon man was denied the ability to donate because of his sexual orientation. https://t.co/RbAMALvoy2
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) August 13, 2024
- Lunch will be free for every student during the upcoming school year at several districts in the state, including Portland Public Schools (PPS). The Oregon Department of Education and PPS announced the change Monday, to a (mostly) appreciative public and a few lowlifes complaining about children being fed.
BIG NEWS!!
PPS Nutrition Services is happy to announce all students will be able to enjoy breakfast and lunch at no charge for the 2024-25 school year.https://t.co/Eh1rGMkHPj pic.twitter.com/EuUocV9uim
— Portland Public Schools (@PPSConnect) August 12, 2024
- Pickathon has come and gone, but we’re not done marveling at the visual takeaways from one of Oregon’s most unique music fests. Our annual photo post, guaranteed to give you FOMO, has arrived. As he’s done for the past two years, photographer Mathieu Lewis-Rolland captured some of his favorite sets for us, and in doing so, provided an atmospheric view into Pickathon at night.
Our annual Pickathon photo post, guaranteed to give you FOMO, has arrived. https://t.co/MZ6D8uOKaA
— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) August 13, 2024
- The conspiracy theorists are at it again. A new, minor political party was just approved in Oregon, called the We the People party. In case you’re wondering who’s behind this newfound political ideology, it’s supporters of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. RFK’s minions are doing this in several states in an effort to make sure their raving lunatic of a candidate makes it on the ballot. I’ve got brain worms just reading and writing about this.
RFK Jr appears headed to the Oregon ballot. Backers have secured enough signatures to form a minor political party, We The People, created for the express purpose of nominating the independent presidential candidate and his running mate, Nicole Shanahan. #orpol
— Dirk VanderHart (@dirquez) August 12, 2024
- Good news for your mouth and your wallet. Next Monday marks the start of the Mercury’s Burger Week. This year’s event features 88 different bars and restaurants serving up tasty, creative takes on hamburgers. Starting Monday, you can feast on a plethora of $8 burgers and remind yourself that you live in one of the country’s most vibrant cities for dining. And for those who wouldn’t dare taint the planet any further by eating beef, there are vegan options.
In National/World News:
- A report from the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative found coastal tribes are among the most threatened by the impacts of climate change, but a maze of bureaucratic and restrictive government processes often leaves them out of much needed funding. The report, released Monday, says tribes report not having the resources needed to apply for government grant funding, or not being able to navigate the confusing process. Others say they don’t have the matching funds required to qualify for some government grants.
- COVID cases are rising in more than half the country, with the West Coast being hit the hardest, according to data collected from wastewater samples. While the latest infection rates aren’t quite as high as they were during winter, they appear to be catching up. The Oregon Health Authority reports most areas of Oregon where wastewater monitoring is being done have plateaued, but areas like St. Helens, Woodburn, McMinnville and Pendleton have seen a “sustained increase” in cases. This handy CDC tool allows you to see conditions in each state. Oregon’s chart shows a disturbing spike in recent weeks (in case you were wondering why people are masking again in public).
BREAKING: Version 2.0 of the PMC COVID-19 Forecasting Model, August 12, 2024
🧵1/7The U.S. now tops 1.3 million daily infections. 2.8% of the population (1 in 36) are actively infectious. https://t.co/I2h5M1Fr6g
Deep Dive on Version 2.0 of the Model…
Welcome to version… pic.twitter.com/lFXEGuWu4c
— Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA (@michael_hoerger) August 12, 2024
- Officials in Puerto Rico have canceled public school classes and activated the National Guard in preparation for Topical Storm Ernesto. The US territory, as well as French Caribbean territories like St. Martin and St. Barts, could face floods and landslides.
- In what could be the only potential piece of legislation with bipartisan support, President Biden recently said he’d sign a bill that eliminates income taxes on tipped wages. The idea was first floated by former President Donald Trump, and has been a talking point during recent campaign events for Kamala Harris. Any new law nixing taxes on tips would need approval from Congress.
@alina_bock Expecting #TikTok to do your thibk and start a #TikTokdance trend #childlesscatlady ♬ original sound - Alina Bock