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Good morning, Portland! I am back from a vacation so it feels like a Monday to me. Yawn and yawn and drink coffee and let’s get to the news.
Oh yeah, as for the weather, the sun will be out today. Don’t get used to it. Rain and clouds are coming.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• US. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is scared of the Portland naked bike riders. In a press conference yesterday, Johnson accused “radical leftist activists” of abuse against law enforcement, including by riding their bikes naked through the streets of Portland. In fact, Johnson said this was the “most threatening thing” he’s seen yet! “It’s getting really ugly,” he said.
First of all, all bodies are beautiful. Second of all, LMAO. Sunday’s Emergency Naked Bike Ride in Portland was very peaceful, as is the case for the majority of protests at Portland’s ICE facility over the last few months. While Johnson’s comments are funny (and apparently even prompted some smiles among his friends at the press conference, even though he wasn’t joking), they’re also indicative of the lengths these fascists are willing to go to subvert free speech and excuse abusive and horrible behavior from masked law enforcement agents. Quirky Portland won’t stand for it, and I’m proud of us for that. <3
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson calls Sunday’s naked bike ride in protest of the Portland ICE facility and and Trump troop deployment “the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet”
www.oregonlive.com/portland/202…
— The Oregonian (@oregonian.com) October 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM
• In actually scary protest news, ICE forcefully arrested a peaceful clarinet player playing in a brass band at Sunday’s protest at the ICE facility. Oriona Korol, a member of the Unpresidented Brass Band, was playing the “Ghostbusters” theme outside the ICE facility Sunday when she was arrested, detained at the Portland facility, and then moved to the Clark County Jail in Washington. She is apparently being held “on suspicion of assault on a federal officer,” though there’s no evidence suggesting she did anything of the sort. As of yesterday afternoon, however, no official charges have been lodged against her.
• Governor Tina Kotek is seemingly in no hurry to sign the major transportation funding bill Democrats passed earlier this month. If that seems curious, given she convened a special session to make this bill happen, keep in mind that Oregon Republicans are desperately trying to gather signatures to put the transportation bill’s tax increase on the ballot. While Oregonians are legally entitled to refer bills passed by the Legislature to the ballot for voters to approve, they must gather enough valid signatures to do so within 90 days of the Legislature adjourning. So, with every day that Kotek waits to sign the bill, that window grows slightly narrower. Fair play, Governor. She must sign the bill eventually, but with everything Republicans did to fuck over the plan to keep Oregon’s transportation system running, her attitude seems reasonable.
• Check out our music picks of the week to find out about such gems as Insane Clown Posse (Juggalo hive rise) at the Roseland on Sunday, sacred choral music performances, and much more!
Can we get a whoop whoop for Mercury Music Picks? Big lineup coming through town: J and Shaggy, noisy post-punk, sacred choral music, and more 🤡
Link below for a non-AI look at Portland’s best shows in the next seven days 💋
P.S. Rest in Power D’Angelo—the world is a lot less sexy without you.
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) October 14, 2025 at 3:08 PM
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• It honestly feels like we’re living in a horrible game of Mad Libs right now, in which every day brings more and more horrible and ridiculous news than the last. Part of today’s insanity: The US Supreme Court may be on its way to gutting the Voting Rights Act. Today, the justices are hearing arguments in a Republican-led challenge to the legislation passed during the Civil Rights Movement, which could lead to turning over the provision that bans racial discrimination in redistricting. This could help Republicans continue to win Congressional seats despite the unpopularity of their actions, as it would eliminate seats in majority Black and Latino districts. It would also disenfranchise voters of color, who were essentially gerrymandered out of having the right to vote prior to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Honestly, we may need to scrap this whole country and start over. I’ve said that before, but each passing day seems to make the need more clear.
• Visionary (and notably sexy) R&B singer D’Angelo died earlier this week, following a battle with cancer. The singer was only 51, and his death was tragic to a nation who loved his music, particularly the incredible 2000 album Voodoo. Find out more about D’Angelo here, and RIP to a legend.
• In news that should be wholly unsurprising but is still very notable…leaked texts from Young Republican leaders show a striking resemblance to Hitler Youth.
EXCLUSIVE: Thousands of leaked messages show leaders of Young Republican groups joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape in a private Telegram chat.
Inside rising GOP leaders’ racist chats — obtained by POLITICO and spanning more than 7 months👇
— Politico (@politico.com) October 14, 2025 at 10:22 AM
• You need to see this beautiful relationship between a cow and a dog. Happy Wednesday to all.
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Taylor Griggs
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