Good morning, travelers and homebodies alike! Welcome to a fresh set of days and a whole new season, beginning with this Monday, September 23, 2019. Potentially dense morning fog may develop, followed by afternoon sun, with highs around 70. Sunrise at 6:58 AM and sunset is at 7:06 PM.
Thanks to everyone, all the breast cancer warriors and family, friends, and supporters, who looked up at the sky yesterday morning and scoffed; you’ve been through harder things than a little autumn rain. My role in the More than Pink walk–the renamed Race for the Cure–was as part of the congratulatory crew of cheerleaders and dance team members welcoming folks as they cross the finish line. I saw in their eyes what it means to them, and for some it’s deeply emotional. This event marks the milestone by which many survivors and their loved ones mark their years of life without cancer, and they sometimes do so in tears. I also see family and close friends living with an absence, a hole in their lives; they link arms and lean on each other, and I saw their tears too.
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News…
There is a special Climate Action Summit today at the United Nations, with heads of state from around the world, although not the United States, trading perspectives on the global climate emergency.
A wandering minstrel born in London during the war once said, “It’s late September and you really should be back in school.” Wise words, to be heeded today as Fall Term begins at PCC and MHCC. (CCC and PSU begins next Monday).
Oregon lawmaker Janelle Bynum believes her daughter, a high school senior, was racially profiled by a Clackamas Town Center security guard Friday afternoon. The girl and two other African-American teens were sitting in their car in the parking lot, trying to decide what movie to see, when the guard informed them they have strict rules against “loitering.” Bynum is calling on other people to loiter at the mall, to see if that rule applies only to people of color. No comment yet from the mall.
It’s hardball time in the grocery workers contract negotiations, with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union calling on consumers to boycott Fred Meyer stores in the Portland area. Freddy’s management says that a boycott “ironically helps competitors, many of which are non-union.” They’re back at the table on Thursday.
The Gresham end of the Max Blue Line is getting a nip and a tuck, as people sometimes do when they hit a certain age. Smoothing out a few rough spots, touching up the wiring. So the last five stations at the end of the line will be served by shuttle buses, and trains will go no farther east than Rockwood for the next few weeks.
Firefighters with Columbia River Fire & Rescue whooped and high-fived after they managed to rescue a deer that became trapped in tank at the St. Helens water treatment plant. The trembling animal was perched on an island in the tank; surrounded by water 25 feet deep. So crews fashioned an escape ramp…and Bambi bounded away.
Powell’s has just about everything, but as of today Portland’s famous bookstore has no parking garage. They need it for trucks for their growing online sales.
The Portland Timbers battled Minnesota to scoreless draw. Our lads haven’t scored since September 7.
After the road win over Stanford (finally), the Ducks have popped up to #13 in both the AP and Coaches polls.
Dripster Ashley reports that The Portland Winterhawks Saturday “kicked butt 6-1 over tri-cities Saturday night. Goal 2 made the ESPN top 10 plays of the week. Was #6.” Cool! Then Sunday they beat Kamloops 4-3.
Let us not speak of what happened over the weekend to the WSU Cougars, the Seattle Seahawks, and me ‘n my Grandma’s old team, the Chicago Cubs….
Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of “Friends”..and the 20th of “The West Wing.” Both are eminently watchable today. Everyone in Friends was witty and lovable, everyone in The West Wing was so…competent, eloquent and driven by ideals…
Did you watch the Emmys? Flll us in! (I didn’t, except for a skit or two).
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New week! Let’s see if the internet gods are smiling on us! If they are, then actual working links will be posted in the Coffee Cup!
–“Former Crips and Bloods start nonprofit to stop violence”
–“Katrina victim pays it forward: Food truck driver makes meal on I-10 for flood-stranded drivers”
–“Woman Quits Job, Searches 57 Days for Lost Dog—and Finds Her”
–“This New Device Can Make Renewable Energy from the Cold Night Sky”
–“Officer helps homeless man struggling to shave”
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Fall fell at 12:50 AM Pacific. Autumn in the Northwest is an art book with beauty at every turn of the page. It’s a five-sensory feast that makes you stop what you’re doing and notice the sweet chill on your skin, the leaves that dazzle your eyes, the faint smoke that brings a memory, the honking southbound geese, the comforting spice for your coffee, same spices that make pumpkin palatable. And your own individual sixth sense, if you’ve discovered it, is alive, too. What you must do is be open. This time of year requires that. Inspires that!
Portland's Daily Drip 