Good morning, wherever you are, and if you’re traveling where I’d like to be right now, good afternoon! It’s wine o’clock! Today is Wednesday and whoa…it’s August! We just had 9 days in a row of 90-degree heat (didn’t quite get there yesterday), but today we’ll be in the mid-80s, and it cools from there. We might actually get some rain in there; Astoria had showers overnight. Sunrise 5:54 AM Sunset 8:38 PM.
There’s a new fire in the beautiful rangelands at the east end of the Columbia Gorge, a 5000-acre fire on the Washington side that currently has closed both directions of SR 14 between Dallesport and Maryhill. Evacuation orders are up in Wishram Heights, which is five miles west of Maryhill Winery, a place that’s dear to us all for supporting Dripstock I and II. So needless to say….go firefighters!
Concern is growing over Southern Oregon’s Taylor Creek forest fire: ignited by lightning, it’s closing in on populated areas along the Rogue River. Hundreds have fled homes. About ten river miles are closed including the famous Hellgate Canyon, which is rich in Hollywood history: it’s where John Wayne floated downriver with Katherine Hepburn in “Rooster Cogburn”…it’s where Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon battled the rapids in “The River Wild”….and James Arness as Matt Dillon took a dive into it, in “Gunsmoke.” The Rogue was designated a National Wild and Scenic River…otherwise it would have been flooded for hydroelectric power, dammed for all eternity.
California’s Carr fire in Redding is 30% contained, while new fires are breaking out…Yuba City..Mendocino…
A man who lives on Larch Mountain Road in Corbett came face-to-face with two big and very bold cougars: one hissed at him and tried to get into his chicken coop, and another was right behind. Warning shots didn’t faze them, and he did what he had to do.
Officers are looking for a man wearing short pants and knee-high socks who stole a landscaping truck in Hillsboro. The fashion police want to talk to him too.
Some grump in Forest Grove called 911 to complain that kids were playing basketball in the street late in the evening. When cops didn’t instantly arrive code-red, he called again and again, and yet again, and was finally arrested for misuse of 911. Play on, kids. Midnight basketball is a hell of a lot better than the alternatives.
They battled hard in the Omaha heat to win it, and had help from the baseball gods along the way, and now Oregon State University’s College World Series trophy is on display at the Oregon Historical Society’s Pavillion, today through August 5.
The remains of 55 American servicemen killed in the Korean War have been returned to the US by North Korea.
Disquieting scene at a Trump rally in Florida, where people shouted obscenities at CNN’s Jim Acosta, men and women flipping off the camera…but a local FOX reporter tweets that when the cameras went off, the same people were taking selfies with Jim, and that he handled it like a pro. Trump told the crowd that voters should be required to show photo ID at the polls, just like you do when you buy groceries.
Paul Manafort’s trial continues today; yesterday, painting an extravagant lifestyle from fraudulent gains, the prosecution showed that Manafort owns a $15,000 ostrich-skin jacket. Some wag said that proves he’s not a flight risk.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order stopping the release of downloadable blueprints for 3D-printed guns, as if we need those: no serial numbers, easily melted down after a crime, simple to sneak past metal detectors.
Rush Limbaugh began his nationally syndicated show 30 years ago today. Politics notwithstanding, radio people (like me) give him credit for adding two decades to the life of AM Radio.
MTV debuted this day in 1981. Favorite videos? Mine: Henley’s “Boys of Summer.” Springsteen’s “Glory Days.” Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer.” And less famous ones…like The Pierces’ “You’ll Be Mine”…what else should we look up on YouTube?
One of America’s earliest woman scientists was born 200 years ago today. Every night, astronomer Maria (mah-RYE-ah) Mitchell would bring her small telescope up on her Nantucket roof to “sweep the skies,” and one night she discovered a comet! It’s now called Miss Mitchell’s Comet, for which she was awarded a gold medal prize by the King of Denmark. She became an astronomy professor at Vasser, where she is honored to this day.
Let’s put up the positivity telescope and sweep the skies for some good news!
–“Maasai boy, 11, develops solar lighting system that keeps lions away from cattle in Kenya”
–“Fresno storeowner saddened by lack of turnout for his shop’s 35th anniversary–until a young woman comes in, starts tweeting, and fills the place.”
–“From aircraft cleaner to airline pilot! Man celebrates achieving captain rank after 24 years”
–“California Carr Wildfire Relief Gets Boost From Burrito Girl”
–“Homeless Man, 26, Gets Hundreds of Job Offers After Passing Out His Resume on Highway Median”
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Jerry Garcia was born this day in 1942. Here’s a quote of his that sticks with me: “Constantly choosing the lesser of two evils—is still choosing evil.”
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Let’s choose to have a great day! I love, by the way, that the Daily Drip is the launching pad for hundreds of interpersonal exchanges throughout the days! So many people have made friends here, it’s like happy hour! I also like the fact that when people get crossways on matters of opinion, one or both have the manners (and awareness of house rules) to just wish a good day, and walk away.
Portland's Daily Drip 