While most morning meals are prepared at home, on-the-go and away-from-home breakfast occasions are expected to experience some growth through 2027, driven primarily by Gen Z and millennial consumers. 

by Taylor Griggs

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. 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! There's rain on the menu for today, but you probably didn't need me to tell you that. Hopefully you know how to layer for November in Portland by now. Anddddd that's all the small talk we have time for this morning, so chop chop. It's news time. 

IN LOCAL NEWS: 

• Portland City Council is set to vote today on a five-year contract renewal for the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe district, as well as a major expansion of the service area it covers and a fee hike. A couple weeks ago, when this item was first brought to the council, many Portlanders testified against the contract renewal. Now, four incoming city councilors (Mitch Green, Sameer Kanal, Tiffany Koyama Lane and Angelita Morillo)—along with community organizations and dozens of residents, have penned a letter to the current City Council asking them to postpone the contract renewal. 

Why the negativity for Clean & Safe? Well, as an excellent new article from our Courtney Vaughn details, the Clean & Safe district is overseen by an organization that has significant overlap in its management with the Portland Metro Chamber, AKA the Portland Business Alliance. The new contract would funnel a good portion of the $58 million contract to the Metro Chamber, which they will spend on lobbying efforts for private business interests. The program is also convoluted and lacks oversight, and it contributes majorly to the criminalization of homeless people in downtown Portland. So there's a lot wrong with it. Read the article for more of the details, and stay tuned for City Council's decision today. 

• The Portland Auditor's Office has released a much-anticipated (by me, at least) report on the Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Vision Zero Action Plan, which the city adopted in 2016 in an effort to eliminate traffic crash fatalities and serious injuries. But in the eight years since the Vision Zero plan was adopted (and been updated twice), traffic crash deaths have increased in Portland, especially in the last four years. In 2023, 69 people were killed in traffic crashes on Portland streets. Given the current reality, it's understandable that people are questioning how effective the Vision Zero program is. 

While the Auditor's Office isn't seeking an overhaul of the program, the report recommends PBOT makes several key changes to improve Vision Zero outcomes. The audit report says PBOT should create a better project evaluation system, install more speed cameras, and use more qualitative data to determine the most equitable safety projects. According to PBOT, most of the concerns expressed in the audit report have already been addressed in the most recent Vision Zero update.

PBOT leaders did say they are hopeful more traffic safety improvements will be possible when Portland finally (fully) transitions to its new, less-siloed form of government in January. The report just came out this morning, so there hasn't been much in the way of community response yet, but I'm sure it will spark some Thoughts, capital "T." 

•  On a related note, the World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims is this Sunday, an annual day to honor the many lives lost prematurely to traffic violence. Community organizations Families for Safe Streets, BikeLoud PDX, and Oregon Walks will join PBOT, elected leaders, and community members for a gathering at Portland City Hall. Find out more about the event here. 

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Families for Safe Streets PDX (@fss_pdx)

• Here's a painful fact, courtesy of a new investigation from OPB and ProPublica: Despite President Biden's repeated promises to save old growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, the Bureau of Land Management is allowing timber companies to log such forests now more than in the last 10 years. Biden's BLM is on track to log 47,000 acres of public lands during his four years in office— about the same amount that Trump oversaw during his first term in office. And, get this: This is after Biden made an executive order to protect mature and old-growth forests in 2022! Considering the rare beauty of these forests—and, more importantly, their importance to ecosystems and ability to mitigate carbon emission—this is very unfortunate. The Biden administration hasn't answered for the BLM's actions, or if they're planning to take steps to further protect old growth forests in preparation for the next Trump administration. Let's hope he makes some changes while he still can, because we all know Trump will be a lot worse. 

• Rene Gonzalez, after losing his bid for mayor, is seeking donations of up to $579 because his campaign is in debt. I wonder if anyone will pay him. 

Stealing this from the other site because y’all need to see it. Anyone gonna donate $579 to Rene Gonzalez’s failed campaign for mayor??? @pradapdx.bsky.social

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— Taylor Griggs (@taylorgriggs.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 5:11 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: 

• President-elect Donald Trump (ouch) has asked Vivek Ramaswamy (ouch again) and Elon Musk (commentary unnecessary here) to lead a new government agency that he plans to create in order to regulate federal spending. The new agency will be called the Department of Government Efficiency, which just happens to create the acronym DOGE, a reference to the Shiba Inu meme of the mid-2010s and the joke cryptocurrency by the same name that Musk promoted. Apparently, a Department of Government Efficiency needs to be run by two people. I hope I am adequately conveying my tone of contempt here. 

As ridiculous as this all is, it's also extremely bad. Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy's plan is to fire thousands of federal employees, cut necessary regulations, and ultimately destroy many of the most crucial components of the federal government. All we can do is hope that SOME Republicans in Congress (we don't need all of them!) will realize how idiotic this is and block Trump's attempt to create a new government agency, which he can't do without congressional approval. Or can he? The limit to this idiocy knows no bounds.

However, given these men's volatility—which is replicated in many others in Trump's sphere—it does seem pretty likely that they'll all be in a huge fight by the time Trump takes office. I do think there are some major catfights on the horizon, if that gives you any comfort in these trying times. 

fundamentally this is what Trump administrations are all about: the guys. there will be new guys every week. they will startle you, you'll be astounded by them, and then as quickly as they appeared they will fade into an indistinguishable mass, leaves on the forest floor.

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— Peter (@notalawyer.bsky.social) November 12, 2024 at 4:39 PM

• Here's something that will NOT give you comfort in these trying times: Despite the hope last year would mark a global carbon dioxide emissions peak, humans are burning more fossil fuels this year than we did last year. The world is on track to put 0.8 percent more carbon into the atmosphere than in 2023. Though this is not surprising, it IS actually crazy behavior from humanity (and let me be clear, it's a tiny minority of humans leading the charge on this, though a substantially larger minority are eagerly/mindlessly participating in burning fossil fuels at a rate incompatible with the future of life on this planet). Good thing we will have strong climate leadership in the White House come January. NOT!!!! 

• One way people are attempting to #resist Elon Musk after he helped Trump get into office and will now seemingly play a key role in his administration? Leaving Twitter, AKA X, the social media site he bought and ruined. Bluesky may be the place to be now. (I am finding it much more pleasant.) 

In the week since the U.S. presidential election, Elon Musk has used X, the social media platform he owns, to reiterate his support for President-elect Donald Trump. Some of X’s users have decided they want to post elsewhere. Among the largest beneficiaries of that desire is Bluesky. nyti.ms/48JtYAt

[image or embed]

— The New York Times (@nytimes.com) November 12, 2024 at 10:46 PM

• Okay, here's some actual good news: The U.S. House voted down a bill that would've helped Trump censor and persecute his political opponents. The Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act had previously received bipartisan support, but after Trump was elected, some Democratic lawmakers (and The Intercept) raised alarm bells. The bill would give the U.S. Treasury Department complete authority to revoke the tax-exempt status of nonprofits it deems are "terrorist supporting organizations," which Trump could use to enable the destruction of nonprofits that the future president doesn't politically align with. WHEW. 

• Finally, please watch this video of a little boy and his crow friend. ???????? Bye bye! 

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Dogs | Puppies | Family (@yourpaws.global)

Abelardo Morell
Camera Obscura: Early Morning View of the East Side of Midtown Manhattan, , 2014
Website - AbelardoMorell.net

Abelardo Morell was born in Havana, Cuba in 1948. He immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1962. Morell received his undergraduate degree in 1977 from Bowdoin College and an MFA from The Yale University School of Art in 1981. In 1997 he received an honorary degree from Bowdoin College.

His publications include a photographic illustration of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1998) by Dutton Children’s Books, A Camera in a Room (1995) by Smithsonian Press, A Book of Books (2002) and Camera Obscura (2004) by Bulfinch Press and Abelardo Morell (2005), published by Phaidon Press. Recent publications include a limited edition book by The Museum of Modern Art in New York of his Cliché Verre images with a text by Oliver Sacks.

His work has been collected and shown in many galleries, institutions and museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York, The Chicago Art Institute, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Houston Museum of Art, The Boston Museum of Fine Art, The Victoria & Albert Museum and over seventy other museums in the United States and abroad. A retrospective of his work organized jointly by the Art Institute of Chicago, The Getty in Los Angeles and The High Museum in Atlanta closed in May 2014 after a year of travel. Abelardo will be having his first show at the Edwynn Houk Gallery in New York opening October 23, 2014 and will run until December 20, 2014 featuring a selection of new pictures.

Latest news bulletin | November 14th – Morning

Premier David Burt and Minister Seniors Tinee Furbert discuss Throne Speech initiatives, BPSU responds to Throne Speech, retail sales decreased 1.5% in July 2024, Remembrance Day policing activity, Planet Math working to secure new space and Wallpaper Wednesday features west end island views are some of the stories in this morning’s [Nov 13] Bernews Newsflash. […]

Go

In the wake of Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election, retailers report that online sales of emergency contraceptives have soared.

Who said wraps can only be made of maida? This high-protein, nutritious wrap will make you forget all those store-bought wraps in just a few minutes!

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers: 1. The Federal Government says it needs $10 billion Public-Private-Partnership investment in the power sector, in the next five to 10 years, to achieve 24 hours power supply. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu disclosed this when the Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, […]

Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Thursday morning

The best way to know a city is to walk it: Simone De Beauvoir

1. World Diabetes Day 2024: Top 5 Early Warning Signs of High Blood Sugar Levels That Appear In Morning  TheHealthSite
2. Tackling diabetes epidemic  The Hindu
3. World Diabetes Day 2024: Why type 2 diabetes often goes unnoticed, early signs of this silent killer, and associated risks  The Economic Times
4. World Diabetes Day 2024  PIB
5. 86% diabetics in India facing anxiety, depression; women more affected: Report  Gujarat Samachar

Morning Patrol Printers Proof by Kadir Nelson is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 26 pcs

1. Who is Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s pick as secretary of defence?  Sydney Morning Herald
2. Pete Hegseth’s Path from Campus Provocateur to “Fox & Friends” to the Pentagon  The New Yorker
3. 'Frightening': Van Jones reacts to Hegseth's military ideology  CNN

1. Nurses took to the streets after ‘insulting’ pay offer. Next stop, court  Sydney Morning Herald
2. Hundreds of elective surgeries cancelled as 10,000 nurses and midwives walk off job in NSW  ABC News
3. Who cares? Voters will if NSW nurses start quitting state of origin  Sydney Morning Herald
4. Almost 700 surgeries cancelled as 12,000 NSW nurses strike for better pay  9News
5. As it happened: Donald Trump ally taunts Kevin Rudd; WiseTech shareholders launch class action  The Age

1. Albanese flies to South America on trade rescue mission after Trump victory  Sydney Morning Herald
2. Albanese channels Turnbull in Trump tariff fight  The Australian Financial Review
3. Live: Albanese lands in Peru ahead of APEC forum  ABC News
4. Australia news LIVE: Trade tussle awaits PM at APEC meeting in Peru; Trump’s appointment spree continues  The Age

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. net - Simplyukgadgets. gadgets with SearchTwice. Here's one to the kid that never finishes anything! ...

1. Manage your energy, not your time.
If you take a moment to think about it, you will probably realize that you are better at doing certain tasks at certain times. For example, my creative energy is highest in the morning, so that is when I do my writing each day.

complete article

This is not an exciting story, despite the title. But it’s true. And it happens to dozens of people every day, and is the reason why getting to work in London can sometimes take so long.

First, let me explain that this is not a story of me causing a fire alarm to go off, for anti-terrorist police to close a station for half an hour, or some dramatic incident that has left TfL seeking an ASBO against me.

This is a story that starts with a strap of a backpack. This strap, in fact:

This morning I caught a tube from Baron’s Court on the District Line heading East. Normally I change at South Kensington for a Circle Line to Moorgate, or hop off at Mansion House and walk up to the office through the City. This morning I had decided to stay on the District line until Blackfriars, and change there for a Circle line. It’s a man’s perogative, etc.

The tube this morning was very busy. During the Olympics it has on the whole been very quiet, but this morning it was the normal 8:15-8:45am peak time crush. I was stood right next to the door at the very front of the train, crushed in by about 20 other souls attempting to share the exact same square foot I was stood on.

At Victoria, as is often the way for the District Line, a lot of hustling and bustling went on as people fought their way out to the platform, and others tried to struggle onto the train. After around a minute, the doors closed.

Except for the one next to me. Looking down, it was jammed on my bag strap.

Swearing, I attempted to free it. It was jammed solid because the hydraulic pressure of the door was pushing against it, but not with sufficient force for the door to close. The guy next to me tried to help. The guy on the platform waiting for the next train also tried to help. Neither of us could free it. Moving it simply led to the door moving along a bit, keeping the strap jammed.

Then the sound of hydraulics releasing was heard, all the doors on the train went to open, and the driver climbed out of the cab. The release of pressure had allowed me to unjam the strap, and recover it into the train. The driver confirmed we were all fine, climbed back into the cab, closed the doors, and off we went.

I apologised to those around me for delaying their journey, even though the total delay was perhaps 60-90 seconds.

Then realised everybody else on the train was delayed, too.

Then a thought about queuing theory and a little knowledge about how loaded that line is with train traffic at that time of the morning hit me: I had delayed tens of thousands of people.

Let me explain how I worked this out.

The District Line is composed of rather large gauge trains. I estimate that conservatively, each train is capable of shifting 2,000 people during peak times. There were certainly at least 2,000 people on my train this morning. Yes, they are only 6 carriages each, but each is certainly capable of holding nearly 350 people, and frequently does. I’m prepared to revise my numbers down if shown evidence.

In addition, the District Line platforms are not just used by the District Line. They’re also used by the Circle line between Gloucester Road and Tower Hill.

A glance at any “passenger information display” on a platform along this part of the network during rush hour will tell you the mean time between trains is 1 minute. There are close to 60 trains an hour going along that piece of track during rush hour.

Because my train was delayed for over a minute, this must have caused the train behind it to be given a red signal. This in turn would have caused the train behind that to be given a red signal, and so on. This buffer effect would be dampened beyond Gloucester Road going West, because the Circle and District lines diverge, giving more time for the red signals to switch to green, meaning scheduled trains would not have to stop in an unscheduled manner.

However, there would have been at least - I think - 5 trains affected by this delay in addition to my own. So we’re now up to 12,000 people in total delayed by my bag strap jamming a door.

It gets worse.

I changed at Blackfriars to a Circle line train. I got off the train I had delayed, waited 60 seconds on the platform and got on the Circle line train immediately following it, obviously now delayed. Cautiously making sure my bag was far from any doors, I boarded aware this train was now at least 2 minutes late against schedule.

Satisfied at the figure I had come up with of around 12,000 delayed passengers, I had assumed I had done no more damage, until we got to Aldgate.

The tube system has a tendency to expect passengers always want to be moving all of the time. Any delay of more than a minute or two at a station is always explained via an announcement. As we sat at Aldgate, the driver announced we were being “regulated” by a red signal. Looking out of the window, I could see an East-bound Metropolitan line train crossing our tracks to head across to East London.

That’s when it hit me. We were “out of position”. The train was a couple of minutes late, and so the guys running the switching had decided to give priority to the Metropolitan Line train, and we were held for approximately 4-5 minutes.

Whilst this part of the Circle line between Aldgate and Tower Hill was not as busy as the District/Circle line Tower Hill back West, a 4 minute delay was enough to ensure that the train behind us was going to be red signalled waiting for us to clear the platform.

That would be enough for the train behind that to be stopped.

And that would be enough for the train behind that to be stopped, which would probably be on the shared part of the network. That would be enough to cascade across the whole part of that line back to Gloucester Road, causing delays to perhaps 12 trains in total.

By now the numbers per carriage were down a little as we were close to the end of peak, but there was probably at least 1,000 people per train out there. Rounding up for the few more probably still around the Victoria area, and we’re up to 25,000 people.

There’s obviously some fudging here - people boarding trains at the “correct time” for them, did not realise the train they were getting was in fact the one after the one they had expected, and they did not suffer any delay. But I also suspect that this effect wasn’t dampened until after the peak ended at around 9:30am, and there were people who boarded their trains at 8:30am or before still out there (it can take 60 minutes easily to get from the “end” of a line into central London), whose journey had taken at least a few minutes longer than normal.

I doubt many noticed. I doubt anybody cares.

But it did make me think about how queueing theory applies to real world problems, and how when TfL moan about people keeping coats, bags and belongings clear of the doors, or jamming the doors to squeeze on rather than wait 6 more minutes for the next train, that they might have a point.

If you cause a train to be delayed, you are not simply inconveniencing the dozen or so people glaring at you in your vicinity. Or the people on the rest of the train who would glare at you if they could. But in fact, you have a cascade effect down the rest of the network. Tens of thousands of people delayed, because you didn’t want to wait 5 minutes. Or because you didn’t keep an eye on your belongings near the door.

I’ll certainly be more careful in future.

The next time I’m sat waiting for a signal to clear or am told that we are “being regulated”, I’ll wonder about whose bag or foot was to blame, and how the numbers of people flowing through London make butterflies flapping their wings on the network capable of huge cascading effects on transport infrastructure.

10 benefits of exercising early in the morning and about gyms in Birmingham, UK.

Do you find yourself waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning for no apparent reason? Don't worry, you're not alone! There's a simple explanation for this phenomenon.

Nicole reflects on recent #TemporalTuesdays posts that revolve around the liturgical mystery of the first day of creation. Help me produce better Time Eternal content for the upcoming Church year by taking this free and anonymous survey. The intro and outro of Time Eternal are Kai Engel’s “Idea,” and “Remedy for Melancholy,” respectively. His songs “Aspirato” and “Mist and Clouds” are also used in this episode. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/

We read Jesus’ words to the church at Thyatira (Rev. 2:18-28), probing the description of the fiery-eyed Jesus, the temptations of their celebrated prophetess “Jezebel,” and Jesus’ promise to reward their “works” by His luminous coming as the Morning Star. We are helped by remembering the nemesis of Elijah in 2 Kings (4 Kingdoms) 9:30-37, the visions of Daniel 7 and 10, and the commentary of select Church fathers.

We read this stunning sixth censing prayer of Matins, looking to help from wise Church fathers, and the clarification of multiple passages in the Bible: Psalm 142 (143 MT); Romans 4:8; Philippian 3:12; 2 Samuel/2 Kingdoms 15-18, Rev 20:11, and Luke 21:17-18. God’s mercy towards us is always surprising, and is impressed upon us as we begin the Lord’s Day.

Listen to reflections of Christmas morning at the mission, from volunteer Mary.

Do you miss breakfast on Sunday? Today, Martha takes a look at the gift of a relaxing breakfast on Saturday and preparing for the Holy Eucharist.

LG Display’s new free-form screen technology can expand from 12 to 18 inches, with a resolution of 100ppi. The display also uses a micro-LED light source smaller than 40 micrometers, so it can apparently be stretched over 10,000 times. While this probably isn’t your next smartphone, we could see the tech in clothing, car panels and more.

LG Display has pushed the boundaries of screen tech for a while, revealing folding screens before foldable phones appeared, roll-up TVS before roll-up TVs went on sale and transparent displays before they appeared in fancy stores, theme parks and elsewhere. So expect to see this Bop-it of displays somewhere, eventually.

— Mat Smith

The biggest tech stories you missed

The coffee-table book of Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums will set you back $450

The best travel gifts

Elon Musk will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, Donald Trump says

The best MacBook for 2024: Which Apple laptop should you buy?

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Netflix’s ad tier has attracted more than 70 million subscribers

However, many have probably downgraded from a premium tier.

Netflix is crowing that its ad-supported tier now boasts 70 million global users. Amy Reinhard, president of advertising at Netflix, says the company continues “to see steady progress across all countries’ member bases.” But there isn’t any information about existing customers. It’s very possible a lot of people downgraded from a premium tier to an ad-supported tier.

Continue reading.

Fujifilm is developing a 102MP medium format cinema camera

With a new sensor 1.7 times larger than full frame.

Fujifilm is developing a medium-format, 102-megapixel cinema camera, the company said in a surprise announcement. Due next year, the GFX Eterna will carry a boxy, modular design reminiscent of Sony’s FX6. The new camera will have a medium format GFX 102-megapixel (MP) CMOS II HS sensor, the same one used on the GFX100 II. That sensor is 43.8mm x 32.9 mm in size — that’s 1.7 times larger than the full-frame sensor on the FX.

The benefits will be extra dynamic range, potentially high resolution and a very shallow depth of field, which should enable cinematic shots with the right lens. Having said that, Fujifilm currently has no GFX glass designed specifically for film production. It’s working on it, though.

Continue reading.

Before any political news, some wanderlust to kick things off: pictures of a modern cabin in Vermont. / The New York Times [+]

Also, some fashion illustrations from the roaring twenties in Très Parisien magazine. / Flashbak

(Fwiw, today's clothes are made using enormous amounts of petrochemicals and fossil fuels.) (Clothes have long been political.) / The Walrus, X

Donald Trump wins the American presidency despite a 34-count felony conviction and two assassination attempts. / Politico

Susan Glasser: Rule number one in politics is never underestimate your enemy. / The New Yorker

Trump is also the first Republican to (likely) win the popular vote since George W. Bush's reelection in 2004. / The Hill

Unrelated: Let's begin by assuming that "no 'cosmic purpose' or divine intention is at work." / Plankton Valhalla

Non-white non-college-educated voters moved 13 points toward Trump. It was the GOP's best presidential performance among Latino voters in modern times. / ABC News, Slate

The new president will have a Republican Senate, and possibly a GOP House. / BBC News, The New York Times

Meanwhile, a right-wing site allows anyone to search for a voter's physical address and party affiliation. / 404 Media

Seven ballot measures protecting abortion rights also won. For Democrats, six reasons to feel hopeful. / Vox, The Cut

See also: A few short fantasy stories about strangers joining forces to save each other. / Metafilter

View Post →

Fr. Pat gave this sermon in Waynesburg, PA, at the funeral of beloved friend Nancy (Katherine) Thompson who fell asleep in the Lord on August 2, 2011.

So What had the other nine apostles been getting up to?

by Bashar H. Malkawi Copyright is an engine for knowledge. Although copyright creates monopoly, it should not be considered as a good in itself, but as a tool which can be used to achieve desirable objectives in society. Against the

Benny Blanco spills on special moment of day with Selena Gomez

Benny Blanco candidly shared that the early morning hours are his "favorite time" with Selena Gomez

In a recent chat with People, the music producer uncovered that he is a "real morning person" and this is his favorite...

Our bro Robin Kachfi went outside during minus degrees, to film for his new BMX video series, which is called "Morning Cruise". Watch his first Episode right here!


Enjoy the video, your kunstform BMX Shop Team!



Video: Robin Kachfi



subscribe to our youtube channel: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/kunstformbmxshop

Have you heard the news? Christmas IS ON A SUNDAY this year! It doesn’t happen again till 2022 and then again in 2033,2039 and 2050. But like it or not, it’s a reality in the here and now. So what are you going to do about it?

The last time Christmas was on a Sunday was in 2011. Back then a LifeWay Research poll of 1,000 Protestant pastors, 91% were planning on having a service of some kind on Christmas Sunday morning. While 69% said they were also going to have a Christmas Eve service. Of the estimated 9%, who were not planning on having a service, some made national headlines when they decided to cancel.

You might have noticed the term, “service of some kind,” as many churches had modified their regular activities to allow for people to participate in both their family traditions and attend a church service. Many had elected to only do one “family service” (which offered no separate children’s programs) held later in the morning. This was to minimize the demands on volunteers but also to be together on a special day.

This was the approach that my church took in 2011. To say the least, I was a bit skeptical at first. Thinking that few would come and after all the work that goes into Christmas Eve I was not excited about showing up early the next morning. But I can honestly say it was one of the best Christmas’s. First of all, we left everything in place from the night before so we didn’t have to set anything up. Then, like I previously mentioned, the service was later in the day, which allowed for Christmas morning traditions, presents, and breakfast. So that after the wrapping paper had been torn to shreds we actually had something to do. The service lasted about an hour. The worship team did two Christmas songs, we had the kids do a few special songs to tracks, which all the parents and grandparents loved (also brought their family out to church) and didn’t require a bunch of prep or costumes. Our Pastor shared a short message of hope. Not to sound overly spiritual here but it really was a very spiritual moment to be in church on Christmas. After the service concluded we exchanged Christmas greetings with our church family and then headed home to play with new toys, eat again, and spend the day with family.

No matter what you choose to do this Christmas, we just wanted to make you aware it was coming so you could plan. Also wanted to share some thoughts and experiences, but we really wanted to get the conversation started. What did your church do on Sunday Morning Christmas 2011? What worked and what didn’t?  What are you going to do this year?

Leave a comment below or hit us up on twitter.

ActivatedYou Morning Complete is a daily dietary supplement beverage that embodies "wellness in a glass."  In addition to the new Mixed Berry flavor, Morning Complete comes in two other flavors: Apple Cinnamon and Citrus Medley. 

A leader in the tomato processing industry, The Morning Star Company is looking at new AI agriculture technologies in extensive field settings that can help to achieve this goal.

Children's Geographies; 09/14/2024
(AN 179595282); ISSN: 14733285
Academic Search Premier

by Wm. Steven Humphrey

If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, 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! ????

Look, it's time for two things: VOTING and NAIL-BITING. We're T-minus five days from the November 5 election, so (if you haven't already) it's time to fill out your ballot! Need help? Then check out the Mercury's Election Issue (in more than 500 spots around town) which comes complete with all our endorsements AND our handy-dandy voter cheat sheet! I can't help you with the nail-biting... but I can provide some NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Police have revealed more about the Ballot Box Bomber (igniter?) who dropped incendiary devices into election boxes in Portland (harming three ballots) and Vancouver (destroying 475). Cops previously identified the make and model of the car—a Volvo S60—and says the suspect is likely a "Caucasian male, 30-40 years of age, very short hair or balding, thin to medium build, thin face, wearing a dark shirt, highly knowledgeable in both metal fabrication and welding." A reward of $2,500 has been offered for information that leads to the arrest of the individual, who police say may strike again. 

• In other election news, city leaders are freaking out over the possibility of civil unrest on election night if an authoritarian despot takes office with the intent of dismantling democracy and making life a living hell for anyone other than his supporters (which is to say, wealthy business leaders and Christian nationalists). Portland Police officers plan to work 12 hour shifts starting on election day, outgoing DA Mike Schmidt is promising criminal prosecutions for those who commit violence and/or the destruction of property, and the county is freeing up jail beds. And of course, Portland's shadow mayor—Andrew Hoan of the Portland Metro Chamber (AKA Portland Business Alliance)—is once again being platformed by local media, and blaming protesters for Portland's shitty reputation when it was his own allies in the millionaire and political class who in 2020 cried like babies to Fox News and the New York Times that Portland was "dead" and a hellhole, because they weren't getting the tax breaks they felt they were entitled to. Reminder that while there definitely a small group of violent a-holes mixed in with the thousands who were righteously protesting police violence against people of color, most of the so-called riots were not riots, and that these cynical attempts by the city (and its business rulers) to curb free speech is exactly why we don't want Trump in office. Stop being fooled.

Independent Audit: Portland has done almost no oversight of business districts that could criminalize homelessness

Lame duck City Council: Let’s give them a 10 year contract extension!

????‍????????‍????????‍????https://t.co/WaNF5JnDqP

— Portland for All (@PDXforAll) October 30, 2024

• Oregon's largest gas utility, NW Natural, is on the receiving end of two lawsuits alleging they use greenwashing tactics to hide the negative environmental impact of natural gas, while knowingly disenfranchising customers and contributing to the climate crisis. Our Taylor Griggs has the details.

Oregon’s first romance-only bookstore is now open in Portland https://t.co/vRKgRyRWa9

— Ryan Haas (@ryanjhaas) October 31, 2024

• Big news: Our own Rose City Rollers derby team will be hosting the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association Global Championships this weekend, right here in Portland! Our Rollers will also be competing for their fifth straight championship win. Trust me, I've attended one of these championships and they are a goddamn BLAST. Interested in going, and learning more RCR's very interesting history? Check out this banger of a story from our own Courtney Vaughn.

• Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN (to those in my coven who celebrate). For those planning on trick-or-treating tonight, you better find matching raincoat to go with your Sexy Chipotle Fork costume—the weather forecast calls for steady rain during the prime candy grabbin' hours.

Looking for fun on election night? Join your friends at Mississippi Studios for the Mercury's official election night watch party—hosted by the hilarious Alex Falcone and Shain Brenden! (And what? IT'S FREE!)https://t.co/OXyBltoyPr

— Portland Mercury ???? (@portlandmercury) October 29, 2024

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• And because it's impossible to think about anything else, here's your roundup of ELECTION HEADLINES:

"Trump says he would 'protect' women, 'whether the women like it or not'"  • "Dems see signs for optimism in gender gap in early vote" • "At least a quarter million cancel Washington Post subscriptions after non-endorsement, report says" • "MAGA activists say the election is rigged, vow to overturn the results if Trump loses" • "Trump and Johnson hand Democrats an 11th-hour lifeline" • "Election officials are outmatched by Elon Musk’s misinformation machine" • "Trump transition official says RFK Jr. wants to force vaccines off the market" • "Harris’s momentum in California energizes House Democrats, rattles GOP"

President Biden and ... guess who ?! ????
First Lady Jill Biden dressed as a panda for a White House Halloween event @WUSA9 pic.twitter.com/NvFLgt1x4j

— Lorenzo Hall (@LorenzoHall) October 31, 2024

• The Los Angeles Dodgers are the newest World Series champions after defeating the New York Yankees 7-6 last night in a five game series. It was a stunning comeback for the Dodgers who were behind 5-0 in the third inning before the Yankees committed three errors and the Dodgers came roaring back in the fifth and eighth innings to seal the deal. 

• In a show of impotent masculinity, North Korea launched a test of their new long-range test missile that has the ability to reach the US mainland. The test launch was in obvious response to Washington's announcement that the North Korean dictatorship was sending troops to Ukraine to aid the Russians.

SNL is Brat https://t.co/EMld5xBEU6

— Pitchfork (@pitchfork) October 31, 2024

• A blast from the somewhat recent past (though it feels like a million years ago): The star of Tiger King, Joe Exotic, has announced he is engaged to a fellow inmate in a Texas prison, where he's serving a 21-year stretch for hiring a hitman to kill competitor Carole Baskin, as well as multiple counts of wildlife crimes. 

• And finally... if this actually happened at museums—I WOULD GO ALL THE TIME.

@anakins85 #thedramaisreal #grabsomepopcorn #thatsart ♬ original sound - All ???? No Shade!

by Suzette Smith

The Mercury provides its readers with interesting and useful news & culture reporting every single day. If you appreciate that, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. If you read something you like, something you don't like but are glad to know about, and/or something you can't find anywhere else consider a one-time tip. It all goes in the same pot and it all goes to the editorial team. Thanks for your support!

Good Morning, Portland! When they told me a bat could be beautiful I didn't believe, but now I believe.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• As October comes to a close, so too does the Bureau of Land Management’s annual Bat Beauty Contest, which asks where the "most stunning bat photographed on BLM public lands" can be found? It's Oregon, motherfuckers! For the third year running WE HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BAT. YES! Despite J. K. Rowling's tarnished-as-hell legacy, we can still celebrate this feisty male hoary bat, Hoary Potter. It's also worth noting that this is the second year a bat photographed by wildlife technician Emma Busk took top beauty honors. Busk wrote, "anyone who knows me knows that I’ve been wanting to photograph a hoary bat,"—a sentiment we can all echo.

BLM's most beautiful bat is from Oregon, and I love him. pic.twitter.com/T8qQgsz5kT

— Suzette Smith (@suzettesmith) November 1, 2024

• There's also terrible news, unfortunately. Yesterday evening, a shooting at Vancouver Mall, in Vancouver, WA, killed one person and injured two in the building's food court.  A witness who spoke to KOIN described "a harrowing scene, as the shopping center was full of kids trick-or-treating." So far, police have said they do not have a suspect in custody and the person may still be armed. They told KOIN they were reviewing surveillance footage, but have not yet released a description of the shooter.

• Oh my god, Clark County are you okay? KPTV reports that Clark County Elections Office is warning voters to beware of unofficial ballot boxes. Unofficial ballot boxes are not illegal in Washington! (This also appears to be true of Oregon!) Clark County Elections encouraged voters official ballot return locations.

• The Oregonian is returning to broadsheet size, they announced yesterday in a post that did not explain what that is for readers who didn't go to graphic design school / work in at newspaper with some old dude named Phil. Somewhat surprisingly, Willamette Week's Nigel Jaquiss stepped in to clarify. Tabloid is hotdog style fold; broadsheet is burger. Both WW and the Mercury are hotdogs. The New York Times is burger fold.

• NPR's Up First weirdly tried to do a report on Vice President Kamala Harris "highlighting Trump's own language and using it against him," as if that's somehow something of which to be critical? Gave me the vapors of the new Hasaan Hates Portland sketch from this week:

• In two week's the city's beloved queer documentary festival QDoc will host the Oregon debut of The World According to Allee Willis, which explores the complicated life of a queer "song doctor" who co-wrote not only Earth, Wind and Fire's "September," but the Friends TV show theme. Check out Melissa Locker's review of the film.; she says it's not to be missed!

• Did you take this week's local news quiz? 

          View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury)

IN NATIONAL NEWS:
• Atlanta rap star Young Thug, born Jeffery Williams, finally walked free last night, after pleading guilty to "six counts, including possession of drugs and firearms... leading a criminal street gang and conspiracy to violate the RICO act, the state’s racketeering law," the New York Times reports. As part of the plea, the judge sentenced Williams to a total sentence of 40 years, but commuted the five years of prison time to the two and a half years that Williams has already served. Williams will remain on probation for 15 years, and will "be required to stay away from metro Atlanta for the first 10 years of his probation." He is also required to take random drug tests, make anti-gang presentations for children's organizations four times a year, perform 100 hours of community service a year, and "refrain from promoting gangs or being around known gang members." The ongoing Young Slime Life (YSL) court proceedings—which caused NYT's Joe Coscarelli to ask "is YSL was a record label, street gang, or both?"—have stretched into what is now the longest trial in Georgia history. Despite three other plea deals this week, it appears the trial will continue with the two remaining co-defendants.

• Mark Zuckerberg dressed as Fran Lebowitz for Halloween, and that's just what happened.

Mark Zuckerberg dressed as John Wick for Halloween but I thought it was Fran Lebowitz pic.twitter.com/zdXaomOMPR

— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) November 1, 2024

• You're going to see some stuff today about "explosive new audio" recordings where Donald Trump speaks candidly to the reviled Jeffrey Epstein about his White House Staff and his disdain for the position itself. It's only really on the Daily Beast, the podcast of journalist Michael Wolff, and a few other sites. I'd rather wait til a super solid source gets it—seems like maybe they're holding off because they're checking it?—but the story is out there. Don't sound like anything particularly new, but people are saying "October surprise" because they want attention.

• Also in weird news about guys we already thought were corrupt, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is apparently pledged to some secretive religious traditionalist organization. That tracks.

• Flashback to this masterpiece, which has been floating around the zeitgeist all week.

by Wm. Steven Humphrey

If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, 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! ????

Hmmm... let's check the calendar to see if anything interesting is happening this week, and... OH WOW, THE ELECTION IS TOMORROW. If you haven't filled out your ballot yet, allow us to help! Check out the Mercury's Election Issue (in more than 500 spots around town) which comes complete with all our endorsements AND our handy-dandy voter cheat sheet! And despite what some people might say, voting is actually a lot easier than you might think. Now let's think a little about today's NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Let's start with the disappointing Oregonian headline of the day:

Oh, hello... unless I overslept again and missed it, THE ELECTION HASN'T HAPPENED YET, AND THEREFORE HAS NOT BEEN "UPENDED" BY ANYTHING. Despite the inference behind this very poorly worded headline, ranked-choice voting is actually super easy, and having a "sprawling" candidate field simply means that we finally have a far more diverse group of people (not just moneyed white dudes bought and paid for by local business interests) running for office. THAT IS A VERY GOOD THING. So allow me to rewrite this headline: "Ranked-choice voting, healthy and diverse candidate field is great for Portland City Council races and democracy in general." Oh, and you are WELCOME.

Filling out your ballot this weekend? GOOD! Need help? Voila, here's your 100% accurate Mercury Endorsement Cheat Sheet to help you fill out your ballot lickety-split!https://t.co/kKi0W0Yfmd

— Portland Mercury ???? (@portlandmercury) November 2, 2024

• As we know, Portland's attempts to construct and carry out good environmental policies has been hampered by our current city council (who, again, was bought and paid for by local business interests ????). However, that could very well change with a more progressive, people-oriented council, and a significant number of current candidates are promising to change this narrative if they are elected to office on Tuesday. Find out more with this interesting report from our Taylor Griggs.

• A suspect has been arrested in the Halloween shooting at a Vancouver mall which left one person dead and two injured. Vancouver resident Travis L. Ward was taken into custody by police and members of the city's SWAT team after receiving tips from Facebook users. The shooting was allegedly a targeted attack, and the suspect—who was reportedly dressed in black and wearing a clown mask—is scheduled to appear in court today.

When Skye Baskin died, it was initially portrayed as a failure of the Oregon State Hospital. New records reviewed by OPB indicate serious failures in the Douglas County Jail preceded his death.

Jail health care remains terrible in Oregon. https://t.co/Jwm2Z1Ziik

— Ryan Haas (@ryanjhaas) November 4, 2024

• One of Oregon's conservation greats, Bob Sallinger, has died suddenly at the age of 57. Known for leading such longtime environmental groups as Willamette Riverkeeper and Bird Conservation Oregon (BCO), Sallinger was a beloved figure who, according to the board of BCO, "was a pioneer in highlighting the importance of preserving and restoring wildlife habitat in urban areas, and a key player in efforts to conserve iconic Oregon landscapes, including the Elliott Forest, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and the Klamath Basin." He will be missed.

Looking for fun on election night? Join your friends at Mississippi Studios for the Mercury's official election night watch party—hosted by the hilarious Alex Falcone and Shain Brenden! (And what? IT'S FREE!)https://t.co/OXyBltoyPr

— Portland Mercury ???? (@portlandmercury) November 3, 2024

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Since that's all anyone can think about at the moment, here's your ELECTION EVE HEADLINE ROUNDUP: "Harris and Trump head to key battleground states for final campaign sprint." "GOP primed to back Trump if he contests election." (And he will.) "North Carolina sees turnout record with more than 4.2M ballots cast at early in-person voting sites." "Trump doesn't rule out banning vaccines if he becomes president." "Pollster Behind Shock Iowa Poll Hits Back at Trump’s Attacks." "Trump says he doesn’t mind someone shooting at journalists at rally." "Ad showing women hiding their vote from their husbands sparks conservative anger." (Hee-hee-hee!)

Univision poll: Latino voters

Harris 64%
Trump 30%

69% said the Puerto Rico garbage remark was "more racist than humorous."

Oct. 29-Nov. 3, MOE +/-5%

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 4, 2024

This is NORTH CAROLINA the morning before the election. Donald Trump is on stage in 90 mins time at this 7,600 seater stadium and there are NO huge crowds outside and people are still walking in. I have never seen this at a Trump rally in a red state. pic.twitter.com/AXYFP3n7m0

— Phil Lavelle ????????/???? (@phillavelle) November 4, 2024

• The tech union for the New York Times—which helps handle such critical things as, say... oh, I don't know... election coverage—is going on strike today after management (who have reportedly known about this strike deadline for months) failed to come to an agreement with workers.

• A cyclone in the Caribbean is showing signs of developing into (yet another) hurricane this week as storm prepares to cross over Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico.

I do believe that, despite this, she will win https://t.co/cOU7ZeWAKa

— Chase Mitchell (@ChaseMit) November 3, 2024

• RIP to one of the music industry's most prolific giants, Quincy Jones (who produced the best-selling album of all time, Michael Jackson's Thriller, as well as countless other memorable songs and movie scores) who has died at the age of 91.

• And finally... you and this goat paper towel dispenser share something in common a day before the election:

@henajahan_ #goat ♬ original sound - HenAJaHan_

by Courtney Vaughn

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. 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 and happy election day, Portland! Obviously, drop off that ballot if you haven't yet. If you need a replacement, the county elections office can help you. If you're not sure who to vote for, here's our handy dandy election guide, which even includes a cheat sheet for you to refer to when filling out your ballot. If you’re monitoring results, let us keep you company on our live election night blog, and if you need to commiserate with others, or share a joke and a drink to ease the stress, join us in person at Mississippi Studios tonight for our free election night party!

In Local News: 

• Speaking of the election, voter turnout so far in Multnomah County is a little low. The number of ballots returned by Monday hovered below 46 percent. In the last presidential election, more than 73 percent of Multnomah County ballots were returned the day before the election. Some have speculated that Portland’s new ranked choice voting system and the sheer number of City Council candidates is slowing voters down, or dissuading them from filling out their ballot. BUT, people were a lot less busy in 2020, and if RCV is the culprit, why is Clackamas County–which isn’t using ranked voting– also seeing just 50 percent turnout by Monday? Similarly, Washington County’s elections office reports only 47 percent of ballots were returned by Monday. Maybe voters procrastinated, or maybe they’re just waiting to drop off their ballots in broad daylight, when there’s less likelihood of a ballot box getting blown up by some nut job. 

Turnout in Multnomah County as of November 4, 1 days before the election.

Current: 46% of accepted ballots (50% with returned ballots)
2020: 73%
2004-2020 average: 65%
2004-2016 average: 63% pic.twitter.com/xVyPxKjebo

— John Horvick (@horvick) November 5, 2024

• In other local election news, a few buildings downtown have boarded up their windows in preparation for potential election night protests. Portland police have been hyping up the potential for election-related violence for months now, creating a bit of hysteria that’s got some major companies spooked. At least one online flier inviting anarchist protest has circulated, but it’s unrelated to any particular candidate or party and more directed at general disdain for the state of the country.

Both local and national law enforcement teams are on standby in Portland ahead of Election Day, but many businesses are taking matters into their own hands… boarding up their windows and doors. @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/0kmbAWAIvb

— Mckenzie Richmond (@kenziestuvland) November 4, 2024

• Portland City Council seems primed to overturn the city’s agreement with Multnomah County on managing homelessness. As we reported a few weeks ago, City Commissioners Rene Gonzalez, Mingus Mapps and Dan Ryan have all signaled support for dissolving the intergovernmental agreement that lays out which functions each government agency handles, in an effort to collaborate and tag-team the region’s most critical issue. The three stooges allege Multnomah County hasn’t kept up its end of the bargain, and they’ve got professional shit stirrer and County Commissioner Sharon Meieran egging them on. This week, Portland City Council will vote on whether to end the agreement. Jessica Vega Pederson, chair of the county’s Board of Commissioners, has called out the plan to kill the agreement as short-sighted, misinformed, chickenshit, and harmful to unhoused Portlanders who need a bevy of resources and services.

Regional executive leaders are united supporting a collaborative approach to addressing homelessness, and pushing back on this political stunt that includes no plan.

“The three commissioners did not provide any alternative plan”https://t.co/KFIkThGrNo

— Jessica Vega Pederson (@jvegapederson) October 18, 2024

• Here’s a bright spot: Portland’s own Rose City Rollers took home a fifth world championship title over the weekend. The league’s all-star roller derby team, Wheels of Justice, overtook St. Louis’ Arch Rival Roller Derby in the final game of a three-day tournament at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Due to the international repercussions of the pandemic, this year’s Women’s Flat Track Derby Association Global Championships were the first since 2019. Keep your eyes peeled for more of our coverage. Rose City Rollers all-star team Wheels of Justice celebrates after a championship 
  win Sunday, Nov. 3.  courtney vaughn Gov. Tina Kotek (center) rallies the crowd Saturday, Nov. 2 at the 2024 Women's Flat
  Track Derby Association Global Championships. To the left, Kim "Rocket Mean" Stegeman (left) holds the championship Hydra trophy.   courtney vaughn

In National/World News:

• Attorneys for Elon Musk basically admitted that Musk’s election lottery scheme was more of a plot to boost the Republican party. When faced with charges of running an illegal election lottery, where he promised to pick a daily winner at random for a $1 million prize in an effort to get people registered to vote, attorneys said Musk never intended to use a lottery system to choose a winner. He instead planned to vet and select the right person to essentially be a cheerleader for Trump and the Republican party. Huh. Money can buy rocket ships and high-dollar attorneys, but it can’t buy intellect.

@lizzza

I’ll be with B

♬ original sound - Liza Koshy

• Quincy Jones, the musician and producer behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller who also worked with Frank Sinatra and was awarded 27 Grammys during his lifetime, died at 91. Jones died at home with family in Los Angeles. He was set to receive an honorary Academy Award later this month.

RIP to Quincy Jones. Do yourselves a solid and watch the documentary “Quincy” by his daughter, Rashida Jones. https://t.co/6nIE8VzPoz https://t.co/lOzgNCmFyZ

— GullahMuseumSC (@GullahSc) November 4, 2024

• Your black plastic spatula is slowly poisoning you. Recent reporting in The Atlantic reveals that many black plastic kitchen utensils are likely being made from recycled electronic waste, and leaching toxic chemicals into your food. The discovery was noted by a biochemist in 2018, who asserted that the high amount of flame retardants in black plastic products like spatulas signals the items were probably manufactured with recycled electronic parts used in computers and TVs. Because plastic is prone to leaching chemicals when it’s heated, researchers theorize it’s likely that black plastic cookware is releasing harmful compounds into cooking oil and hot foods. Might also be time to rethink all the plastic carryout containers used to store and reheat hot foods. ☣️????

• One last bit of election-related news, promise! ICYMI: Donald Trump pretended to blow a microphone during a campaign stop last week. Trump was pissed about the mic malfunctioning and his instinct was to mime a raunchy, suggestive movement with his hand and mouth. Keep this man away from children (and the White House). Hawk tuah!

@sbsnews_au

Donald Trump motions over an empty microphone stand after battling technical issues at a campaign rally.

♬ original sound - SBS News

by Wm. Steven Humphrey

If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, 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. 

As we wake to face a repeat of authoritarian rule, I wanted to share something I wrote last night during our election live blog:

We can look into the darkness and choose to hide there, or we can do like we did in 2016 and rise up. You can bet that’s what we here at the Mercury will be doing. We consider it a privilege to be able to stand up for the voiceless and fight against the rising tide of hatred. We’ve been doing it for the past 24 years, and there is absolutely no way we’re going to stop now.

But we will need your help, because now there are millions of people across the country who will need your assistance as well. We can do it together, because we’ve done it before and we know what it takes. Cry, scream, yell, and grieve—and then get a good night’s sleep. Because tomorrow, we’re going to need that roaring fire that burns inside each of us to continue protecting those who need it most. We believe in you. You are strong enough to face the road ahead, and we’ll be right there beside you. 

Now, let's look at the news.

IN LOCAL ELECTION NEWS:

• While we can expect more results to drop from Multnomah County elections, the current leader for mayor of Portland (and by a wide margin) is trucking company owner Keith Wilson. That said, Multnomah County officials say that up to 50 percent of the votes have yet to be counted, which could throw a lifeline of hope to second place candidate Carmen Rubio, and probably won't be any help at all to distant third place challenger Rene Gonzalez, har-har hardy-har-har. (While we may fear for the intelligence of half the country, at least the majority of Portland knew enough to "#Don't Rank Rene.")

Per prelim results Tues (subject to change):

Wilson got 36% of 1st-choice votes, nearly 2x that of Gonzalez or Rubio.

Our Oct poll (30% undecided) showed RG 23% of 1st-choice, Wilson 18%.

Many thought RG would get up to 35%.

Instead, he cratered.https://t.co/05C4hPAi6J https://t.co/kOJ4jLaBVO

— Shane Dixon Kavanaugh (@shanedkavanaugh) November 6, 2024

• In the race for a new—and hopefully greatly improved—Portland City Council, here are the current leaders (expect another ballot drop from the county at 6 pm tonight) in each district... as described with emojis:

DISTRICT 1 (East Portland): Candace Avalos ????, Loretta Smith ????, and Jamie Dunphy ????.

DISTRICT 2 (North Portland): Current City Commissioner Dan Ryan ????, along with candidates Sameer Kanal ????, and Elana Pirtle-Guiney ????.

DISTRICT 3 (Central and Southeast Portland): Angelita Morillo ????, Tiffany Koyama Lane ????, and Steve Novick ????.

DISTRICT 4 (West Portland/Downtown/Sellwood): Olivia Clark ????, Mitch Green ????, and Eric Zimmerman ????.

In short, our newest city council so far has a progressive majority, which will be especially helpful in facing the next four years of YOU KNOW WHO ????.

• Meanwhile there were two races of note for Multnomah County Commissioners: Megan Moyer was elected as commissioner for District 1 and Shannon Singleton will represent District 2 on the County Board of Commissioners. Moyer defeated Vadim "I'll run for any office that will have me... what do you mean they won't have me?" Mozyrsky, while Shannon Singleton (who is soundly beating Sam "Second most unlikable politician in town" Adams) will most likely represent District 2. Another big progressive win.

• And how did the state measures fare? As of this morning, Measure 115 (allowing the Oregon state legislature to impeach and remove awful elected politicians) is winning big, 63 percent to 37 percent. Measure 116 (giving an independent commission the power to set salaries for some state lawmakers) is most likely a "no," and is leading the "yes" vote count by 10 percent. Measure 117 (implementing ranked-choice voting for state and federal offices) is sadly a big "NO" after being defeated 60 to 40 percent. The nice, but misguided Measure 118 (establishing a minimum tax on certain corporations, with the proceeds going toward a $1600 tax rebate for all Oregonians) went down in flames 79 to 21 percent, and Measure 119 (making it easier for cannabis workers to unionize) is also a probable "YES," currently leading the "no thank you's" by ten percent.

• As expected, it was a good night for Democrats running for state office, with Tobias Read winning Oregon Secretary of State, Elizabeth Steiner taking the state treasurer position, and Dan Rayfield snapping up the Attorney General spot. And while Dems Maxine Dexter, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, and Suzanne Bonamici won their races for US Representative, the most closely watched federal contest in the state is still nail-bitingly close: Dem Janelle Bynum currently leads GOP darling Lori Chavez-DeRemer by two percentage points.

Stay tuned to the Mercury over the next few days, as more election results are solidifying! And don't forget to check out our Election Night Live Blog for all the blow-by-blows from last night's rollercoaster of events.

IN OTHER LOCAL NEWS THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT:

• Well, this is some bullshit: In a blatant attempt at impotent, political grandstanding, Commissioner (and mayoral loser) Rene Gonzalez and fellow stooges Mingus Mapps and Dan Ryan are scheduled to vote tomorrow to sink the current homelessness agreement it has with Multnomah County—and even more inexplicably insane—they don't even have a backup plan to replace it. Oh, but wait... there's more: This ridiculous, thoughtless stunt will cost the city $40 million that we don't have. (The new city council cannot arrive soon enough.) Our Courtney Vaughn has the infuriating details. 

• In a very different way to spend election night, two people were arrested and their cars towed following a street racing takeover event in North Portland. (Apropos of nothing, I voted for Tokyo Drift as my fave Fast & Furious movie.)

IN NATIONAL ELECTION NEWS:

• Well fartz, here we go again: Convicted felon and twice impeached former president Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris (in case you didn't hear). And while the GOP also held on to the Senate (Jeeeeesus Ch-rist!), the House is still a toss-up and we won't hear for awhile about who won the presidential popular vote—though cash money says it'll be Kamala. And while I'm certain we'll all be hearing a lot of "blame game" antics today, try to resist pointing fingers at fellow Dems. The blame lies alone with those who refuse to educate themselves or be educated, and who let fear and racism rule their existence. Don't be one of them.

Donald Trump — the twice impeached former president, Jan. 6 coup leader, convicted felon, adjudicated sexual abuser, and man who mismanaged the 2020 economic implosion and coronavirus disaster that killed more than 1 million people in this country — has convinced American voters… pic.twitter.com/9cd0luvTFF

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 6, 2024

• Abortion was also on the ballot last night, with pro-abortion activists winning in seven states (Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New York, and possibly Missouri), while three other states (Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota) kept their draconian bans in place.

• The best headline of the day so far: "Sarah McBride becomes the first out transgender person elected to Congress." ????????????????

• In less-than-optimal election headlines: "Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will win reelection and defeat Democrat Colin Allred, CNN projects." "The world's right-wing leaders celebrate Trump's win — but America's allies hint unease." "Trump legal team planning to move swiftly to get all criminal cases brought to a halt." And possibly the most obvious headline of the day: "Racism, sexism partly to blame for Harris defeat."

They want you to feel powerless and surrender and let them trample everything and you are not going to let them. You are not giving up, and neither am I. The fact that we cannot save everything does not mean we cannot save anything and everything we can save is worth saving.

— Rebecca Solnit/joy is a strategy (@RebeccaSolnit) November 6, 2024

• And finally... let's cleanse that timeline with some good news that—a new baby hippo is in town! (Cold comfort... but right now I'll take it.)

Moo Deng? Who deng? Introducing… Haggis ????????????????????????????

Otto and Gloria have welcomed an ADORABLE pygmy hippo calf! She is doing well, but we’ll be keeping the hippo house closed for the time being so that our expert keepers can keep a close eye on mum and baby at this sensitive time ???????? pic.twitter.com/ceGtARuzyR

— Edinburgh Zoo (@EdinburghZoo) November 4, 2024