Friday, October 4, 2019

It’s a big 10-4, good buddies! Happy Friday to you on October 4, 2019. We’re done with the downpours of yesterday I hope, but it’s still 50-50 that we’ll pick up a gentle shower today, with highs of 60 degrees. Then the weekend is MmmWah! Perfect! Sunshine both days, maxing at 65 Saturday and 70 on Sunday. Soak up the weekend weather–because the weather will be soaking us right back soon enough. Sunrise 7:12 AM, sunset 6:45 PM.

All’s quiet in downtown Vancouver this morning, after an active shooting incident in the lobby of the Smith Tower Apartments, that familiar silo-like building near the north end of the Interstate Bridge. An 80-year-old man who lives on the 13th floor of the retirement facility is accused of murdering a man and wounding two women. He surrendered after a 2-and-a-half hour standoff, which included a drone hovering outside his window, while traffic was cordoned off in downtown Vancouver. Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle said in a written statement, “While we are still learning about what happened surrounding the shooting incident… our hearts go out to the victims and their families as they deal with this tragedy,”

All lanes are open again after a semi hit and killed a pedestrian on the Fremont Bridge around 6:50 PM, closing the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 to commuters for several hours.

It was a strange day indeed for a woman who hijacked a mail truck and took it for a joyride in the Centennial and Wilkes neighborhoods, hit a TriMet LIFT bus, then rolled the postal vehicle–before climbing out “shirtless,” in the words of the police–and finally getting tackled after a 12-block chase. Cops characterize her behavior as “drug induced.”

Sunday’s the day that thousands are training for, as the Portland Marathon begins under new management and with a new course. Can the new Sellwood Bridge handle a thundering herd? Sure, and neighbors will be out there cheering you on. Folks will start picking up packets at 4:30 AM on the Waterfront, and the starting gun for both the marathon and the half marathon will sound at 7:10 AM. Whether you post a PR or settle for a DNF…props and good luck to all.

There will soon be another USS Oregon cruising the world’s waters, and we promise this one won’t end up as a battleship mast in some future Waterfront Park. It’s the Navy’s newest attack submarine the USS Oregon that will be christened during a ceremony Saturday morning in Groton, Connecticut. Rep. Greg Walden of Oregon will be there to deliver an address, and do the honors with water from Crater Lake and a so-far-unidentified Oregon wine.

Ralph Himmelsbach, the FBI agent who was famous for his lifelong pursuit of skyjacker “D.B. Cooper,” died yesterday at 94. Sadly, he didn’t get his man.

Oscar, Emmy, and Clio-winner Will Vinton, one of Portland’s original creatives, died one year ago today. And I was remiss yesterday in noting the passage four years ago yesterday of Tom Parker, one of my closest friends from early KGW days right on through K103 and beyond. All my best to Shari and the family!

******
At our house this weekend, it’ll be nonstop baseball playoffs and football on the tube, but I know there are tons of community activities…a friend of mine is heading to an arts fair in Hood River…lots of folks are flocking to the Fall Home and Garden Show at the Expo Center…and if there’s something like that going on in your neighborhood, let us know!

OK! On the football schedule, for this fine weekend:

Oregon Ducks–the Cal Bears come to Autzen at 5 PM Saturday. .
OSU Beavers are at UCLA at 6 PM Saturday
Washington Huskies visit Stanford at 7:30
WSU Cougars have a bye week
PSU Vikings host Southern Utah at 2:05

Portland Timbers play San Jose Sunday at 1 at Providence Park
Portland Thorns play Washington on Saturday 5/12 at Providence Park

And Whew! The Seahawks held on for a 30-29 win over LA!

*******************

Good news! Links in the Cup.

–“Michigan football team with no band invites band with no team to play at its games”

–“Viral homeless subway singer offered major recording contract”

–“A Texas cheerleader jumped off a homecoming float to save a choking boy”

–“Santa Claus wins reelection to North Pole City Council”

–“People have been making up to $100,000 off ‘coin hunting’—here’s how the highly unusual hobby works”

*******
Have a fantastic weekend, friends, and let us know what you’re doing!