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Hit with a wave of climate grief after learning a new word, "pyrocumulonimbus"—fire-generated thunderstorm—on Democracy Now / KBOO today. Oregon and Washington mentioned in the same bit about historic fires in France and Spain, with an incoming 104+ heat wave in their forecasts. What are we doing?

“Frontlines of a Burning World”: Climate Change-Fueled “Megafires” Sweep Europe & North AmericaFrance and Spain are battling catastrophic wildfires that have forced more than 350,000 people to evacuate their homes. The fires began in the southwest of France on Wednesday before spreading to Spai...www.democracynow.org

I took this week off of work and have spent a lot of time driving, biking, taking public transit and walking all around Portland. To the haters, I gotta ask: What are you talking about? This lil town on the river is so beautiful and the people are so cool. The grass is so touchable!

There’s an old adage “if one person says it’s dry and another person says it’s raining, a reporter’s job is not to quote both; it’s to look outside and report the truth.” I’d say an even better reporter would ask what motivated one person to say it was dry in the first place, despite the rain.

I heard from PPB Chief Bob Day on OPB’s Think Out Loud today, and if you have a hyperactive amygdala, does he have some stories for you! Heavy on anecdotes, light on specifics. Why is the PR machine so active? Is it because the cop union spent $800k on a crooked ballot initiative and wants a return?

“It was revealing that one of the first tributes to Lindsey Graham…came from Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, a far-right provocateur who recently caused widespread anger by sharing footage of himself taunting bound activists who had been trying to sail to Gaza with aid.”

Lindsey Graham tributes from Israel and Ukraine point to complicated, often bloody legacyRepublican senator, who died Saturday, had a global reach few could rival and was vital in shaping Trump’s worldviewwww.theguardian.com

A journalist/editor can easily convince themselves they’re reporting facts when quoting police. The trick is that the ~fact~ is police said it. It doesn’t mean what police said is itself a fact. In a defamation case for instance, a judge may not excuse a reporter simply because the lie is a quote.

www.portlandmercury.com/news/highlig...

You might be wondering if the Secretary of State, City Auditor, or Multnomah County Elections will strike signatures from this ballot initiative after a host of complaints were filed over how signatures were gathered. There are still many questions, but some answers are here re: next steps.

Yesterday, this campaign to send 25% of climate money to cops submitted over 60k signatures to the city. This story by @taylorgriggs.bsky.social, exclusively covered by the @portlandmercury.com and never once even mentioned by any other outlet, seems like critical context for the public. 1/2

Elections Complaint Alleges Canvassers are Intentionally Misleading Public About Police Funding Initiative - Portland MercuryTwo people who were hired to gather signatures for a Portland ballot initiative that would use clean energy funds to hire police say they were trained to mislead the public about the proposal. If true...www.portlandmercury.com

Solidarity with the animals

Strike! Very fun to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the @picklesbaseball.bsky.social game last night. It was a great day for baseball! This is my mini love letter to Portland, where dreams can come true.

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And that’s why we need you to donate $3 to Democrats now, so we can stop socialists from winning elections.

Apparently someone has decided to let me throw out the first pitch at the @picklesbaseball.bsky.social game next Friday, July 3. So, if you’re attending, be sure to wear a helmet?

“Person driving a vehicle hit…” is a good framing here. Not long ago, this might have been a “pole-involved hitting.”

Ok, I’ll bite: Who is David Frum?

Devastating news about Zane, the inimitable local reporter and friend to many of us. There's a hole in the community that can't be filled. I'm grateful to have been on the receiving end of his jestful curiosity many times, read his stories, and of course, watch him work a karaoke crowd. RIP buddy.

Zane Sparling, reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive, dies of cancer at 33“He wanted his identity to be a reporter, and that’s what it was,” his father said.www.oregonlive.com

"Requesters...should not be required to defend themselves in court, particularly not if they are individuals or media entities operating in the public interest; this type of retaliatory lawsuit is so rare that it has happened less than a dozen times since the public records law was adopted in 1973."

OPB Statement Regarding OHSU LawsuitOPB responds to OHSU's filingwww.opb.org

Story has been updated with comments from the Metro Chamber’s Andrew Hoan (and a bit about what constitutes a gift under the city’s lobbying code).

A Council work session on the Moda Center later this month coincides with the Portland Metro Chamber's big-ticket annual meeting. But Metro Chamber CEO wants councilors to hear the Blazers' owner speak at their event, so he's asked council leadership to accommodate and reschedule the public meeting.

Metro Chamber Wants Council to Reschedule Upcoming Meeting in Favor of $350 Ticketed Event - Portland MercuryWhile city leaders hold a work session later this month to talk about how to renovate the sports arena where the Trail Blazers play, the team’s owner is scheduled to speak at an annual meeting held by...www.portlandmercury.com