Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Hi there, and good morning to you! It’s Tuesday, July 31, 2018, and the weather’s about to make a cool change at last. The National Weather Service, which canceled the heat advisory last night, expects a high of 90, though other forecasters say we might stop short, but if we hit it, that’ll be a record-tying 10th day in a row, for Portland. Yesterday topped at 92–a few degrees cooler than expected because of wildfire smoke–then tomorrow recedes to 88, and 80 or so for the weekend–with, for the first time in a long time, a possibility of summer rain beginning Saturday night. Sunrise 5:53 AM unset 8:39 PM.

As hundreds of thousands of acres burn to the south of us, the winds are carrying smoke in our direction; satellite images show it covering a substantial part of Oregon. But the smoke layers are mainly aloft, and air quality in the metro area is good.

The hellish Carr fire in Redding has now destroyed an area the size of Denver, and is only one-quarter contained.

The Southern Oregon tourist economy may take a punch from wildfires burning in the Rogue River canyon country, as a number of trails and docks are already closed, and smoke blankets the region. Thousands of travelers from around the world head for the Rogue’s whitewater and trail systems, and many will be sadly disappointed. So will their outfitters and guides.

There’s an awfully sweet pic of a fawn licking the neck of California cop who rescued it from a wildfire. People think it’s a kiss…but I’m thinking the fawn was helping itself to a salt lick… either way, awww…

People are talking about a Disney movie being filmed in Portland neighborhoods lately–including some grumbling over their favorite coffee shop being taken over. The film is “Timmy Failure,” based on a series of kids’ books about a boy who runs his own detective agency. It’s written by Stephan Pastis, who pens the pun-riddled “Pearls Before Swine” comic strip in The Oregonian.

Fifty years ago today, cartoonist Charles Schulz introduced the first black character ins “Peanuts.” Franklin was the suggestion of an LA school teacher, who wrote to Shulz after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photos are turning up on the net of Portland-area cops carrying coolers of ice water, and distributing as needed.

We’re also seeing lots of scooters now. On sidewalks. Few helmets.

Remember the Supreme Court decision recently that said public employees don’t have to pay union dues? The first in line for a refund is an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife worker, who’s getting her $2,959.81 back from the Service Employees International Union 503–which spent money fighting the election of her husband, a Republican legislator, and taking other political stands she opposes. She does not give up the benefits the union negotiated for the dues-paying employees.

Jury selection begins this morning in the bank fraud trial of Paul Manafort, Trump’s ex-campaign manager,

Tonight’s the night Mars is closer to us than it’s been in fifteen years. The planet almost looks like a headlight.

Willie Nelson and Allison Krause are at Edgefield tonight.

Tickets go on sale today for Linda Ronstadt’s October 14 non-singing (she no longer does) appearance at Revolution Hall.

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Headlines for a cooler head and a happier heart? Right here:

–“Retired Marine rescues horses from raging California wildfire”

–“Family orders pizza, is blown away when delivery guy plays Beethoven beautifully on their piano”

–“A Boston hospital promotes patient health with its own rooftop farm”

–“Stray dog that finished half-marathon alongside human competitors awarded medal.”

–“Guy Fieri cooks for Carr Fire evacuees after 2017 blaze threatened his home”

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It’s JK Rowling’s birthday! The creator of Hogwarts and all that magic was born in 1965. A quote from her, for the Muggles among us:

“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.”

(Yes, but who wouldn’t love to have an Invisibility Cloak?)