Well, good morning! The gift of another day! It’s Thursday, September 5, 2019. Did thunder or lightning come your way overnight? I don’t believe we got any in the Portland area, but some may yet develop in Lane County and move north this morning as an upper-level storm system is bringing a chance of showers and thunderstorms to the PNW region through tonight. And it’ll be buggy and muggy, with highs of 85 to 90. Sunrise 6:36 AM, sunset 7:41 PM.
Having thoroughly battered the Bahamas, Hurricane Dorian will is now hammering the coast of South Carolina as a Cat 3 with 115 MPH winds, and will target North Carolina next. (Alabama is sunny and hot). Watches and warnings now extend to the Delmarva Peninsula. Meantime, the Oregon Humane Society is bringing in 49 dogs and 25 cats from the hurricane zone, to make room in shelters there for pets who are displaced by the storm. I’ve messaged them inquiring about when they might be up for adoption, given the importance of medically screening the arrivals. They need to be, well…vetted.
An 11-year old girl in Salem says a man chased her home from the first day at Adam Stephens Middle School. Police will have an increased presence in the neighborhood today.
It’s legal in Oregon to strut around toting your rifle (ORS 166.173), but that didn’t calm any nerves at Tangent Elementary School in Linn County, where a staff member spotted a man with a weapon and wearing body armor striding along a street near the school. The building was put on lockdown and cops descended but quickly determined the man meant no harm and was actually on his way to do some business at City Hall. But “Deputies counseled him on the perception of walking by a school with a firearm and the alarm it caused, considering recent events nationally. ”
The Portland Timbers have banned “a handful of fans” for the next three matches at Providence Park for violating a league rule against political signage. They were displaying the logo of the “Iron Front,” an anti-Nazi paramilitary group in pre-war Germany. The Timbers Army says it’s disappointed in the ban and will have more to say today.
Fire up the pigskin, rub up the grill, and let’s get physical! it’s NFL time in America! The regular season begins this evening with the Packers and Bears at 5:20 PM on NBC. Oregonians who don’t give a rip who wins will have a chance to make it interesting by betting on games using the Oregon Lottery’s new mobile app called “Scoreboard,” but not just yet. Though we got a sneak peek during the State Fair, official rollout’s expected in late September or early October.
How do you feel about them newfangled self-checkout machines in stores? I much prefer people, but will deal with a robot to dodge a long line. Anyway, later today the AFL-CIO will submit preliminary signatures on a proposed 2020 Oregon ballot measure limiting stores to just two of the machines, claiming that “The widescale use of self-checkout machines in our state’s grocery stores is part of a deliberate corporate strategy that relies on automation to reduce labor costs and eliminate jobs. It disproportionately impacts workers of color. It disadvantages and inconveniences customers, especially the elderly and people with disabilities.”
At the same time, the union for 20,000 local grocery workers is inching closer to a walkout, as the two sides in wage talks are playing hardball. We’ll know more about timing and other details when the UFCWU Local 555 announces plans this coming Tuesday.
Tough times at Tektronix: the company that once was an economic engine for Oregon is cutting hundreds of jobs, many through buyouts.
This week we’ve been tracking the infuriating events of September 2017, when our cherished Columbia Gorge was in flames. On this date two years ago the Eagle Creek Fire had grown to 10,000 acres, thirty miles of Interstate 84 through the Gorge was shut down, Multnomah Falls Lodge was threatened…and the fire even crossed the river into Washington. Today the Portland AQI is 26. Compared to 2017’s triple digits, I love it. I honestly love it.
Have you never been mellow? Olivia Newton-John poses that question in a different way today as she appears before the Cannabis Science Conference at the Oregon Convention Center. She’s a breast cancer survivor, and cannabis has been a part of her recovery, and today she’ll deliver an address titled, “Plant Medicine – A Personal Healing Journey.”
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What’s the good word from the bright side of things? Check the Daily Drip Coffee Cup!
–“Upperclassmen befriend lonely freshman at lunch after he sat by himself on his first day of high school”
–“‘I’m In Heaven’: Homeless Father Reunited With Adult Daughters After 24 Years”
–“6-year-old uses money saved for Disney trip to help Hurricane Dorian evacuees”
–“Blind Man Develops Smart Cane That Uses Google Maps and Sensors”
–“What Is ‘Hell Yes’? Alex Trebek Returns To ‘Jeopardy’ Filming After Finishing Chemotherapy”
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Say, I just wanted to report that I’ve heard back from the Customs people on my complaint regarding an agent’s treatment of my wife at the PDX port of entry last week. They “regret any inconvenience or unpleasantness that you have experienced while being processed through CBP, ” and suggest that next time, I ask for a supervisor. I know it’s a small irk, but interpersonal kindness is a core value of mine, and I don’t regret speaking up. Maybe they’ll be a little nicer to the next folks coming into Portland on a transoceanic redeye; that’s all I want.
That, and a really fine day for us all!
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