The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

Good Afternoon, Portland! The world is a museum of people who have different ways to cook a turkey, and I’m just passing through.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• We should just ignore the angry man in the comments yelling stuff that isn't true, but if some asshat tries to tell you that local advocacy group Don't Shoot Portland will get a large payout from the settlement of a June 2020 lawsuit that accused Portland police of "indiscriminate use" of tear gas and impact munitions against nonviolent protesters, they don't know anything. Go off to your 600 American flag icon followers, Greg—or read News Editor Alex Zielinski's explanation of the agreement.

• The arguments surrounding flavored tobacco, and the possible banning of it in Multnomah County, are varied and cavernous. On Monday night, retailers and health officials offered public testimony about the proposed ban. Isabella Garcia reports on their concerns.

• As part of the midterms, voters passed a $450 million bond to make campus and technology improvements at Portland Community College. OPB's Meerah Powell reports on where that money is headed:

Voters supported a historic bond for PCC. The college will improve campus facilities as well as its technology infrastructure for remote learning. That’ll happen simultaneously with the development of a strategic plan to address declining enrollment. https://t.co/kUhvDbWleI

— Meerah Powell (@meerahpowell) November 29, 2022

• Carrying a gun while drinking it a terrible idea. Barry Washington Jr. reminded Ian Cranston of this, outside a Bend nightclub, in 2021, just before Cranston shot and killed him. Washington had just moved to Central Oregon, and his family expressed that they feel Cranston's actions were racially motivated—Cranston is white and Washington was Black. In some small justice, today Cranston was sentenced to ten years in a state prison for the crime.

• Only Alex Zielinski could make a New Seasons unionization mega list (no one is calling it this) and still have it read with respect for the importance of the story—and the people whose livelihoods it impacts. Check out which locations are organizing and the status of their efforts. We'll update as needed.

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• NBC reports that two of five Oath Keepers on trial for the Jan 6 attack on the US Capitol—the extremist militia's founder Stewart Rhodes and leader of its Florida chapter Kelly Meggs—have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a federal jury. All five defendants were found guilty of obstruction of an official. Read more about the verdicts or just peep this cheatsheet:

My verdict cheat sheet for those following along pic.twitter.com/zoHTlAQmUR

— Daniel Barnes (@dnlbrns) November 29, 2022

• The US Senate passed new legislation to mandate federal recognition for same-sex marriages this afternoon. While the federal government does currently recognize same-sex marriage, that recognition is based on 2015 Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which was ruled upon based on Roe v. Wade. The bill would not require any state to allow same-sex couples to marry, but it would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

• As Russian forces retreat, in areas of Ukraine near the city of Kherson, villagers must balance elation with horror—as they unearth evidence of what are likely war crimes committed by Russian soldiers.

• Nothing like curling up with a book and some hot tea on a cold, rainy evening. Here are some of my favorite books right now:

@johnschu where are they all going #booktok #barnesandnoble ♬ original sound - big time book guy

[ Read more ]

Multnomah County leaders heard hours of public testimony Monday about their proposed ban on flavored tobacco and nicotine products, including menthol. Public comments were split between retailers concerned that a ban on flavored tobacco would potentially shutter their shops, and health officials and community members urging the passage of the ban to combat the rising rates of youth vaping and smoking.

“We will lose an entire generation of people if we continue to allow big tobacco to sell whatever they want,” said Haoua Dogo with Upstream Public Health, a supporter of the proposed ban.

Multnomah County, at the direction of County Chair Deborah Kafoury, began crafting a proposed ban on flavored tobacco products in August, with a goal to stop young people from developing a nicotine addiction through flavored tobacco products. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 14 percent of high school students and 3.3 percent of middle school students in the nation reported using e-cigarettes in 2022. Approximately 80 percent of youth smokers who use e-cigarettes in the US report using flavored e-cigarettes.

The proposed ban, which is expected to be voted on in December, would end the sale of flavored tobacco in the county, including at convenience stores, liquor stores, vape shops, and hookah lounges. Each of these tobacco retailers would be subject to an annual inspection by the county, with violators offered a remediation plan and follow-up inspection. Retailers who are still in violation of the ban on second inspection would be penalized with a fine. Individuals would never be punished for buying flavored tobacco products from stores in violation of the ban. This policy doesn’t apply to online tobacco sales because, as of January 2022, state law prohibits the sale and delivery of any cigarettes, vape devices, e-cigarettes, or smokeless tobacco online. 

Representatives from every major health system in Portland, including Providence, Kaiser, Legacy, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), and OHSU’s Doernbecher Children's Hospital, commented in support of the proposed ban. A representative from Portland Public Schools (PPS) also expressed the district’s support of the ban, stating that vaping has transitioned from a classroom nuisance to a full blown crisis in schools, leading PPS to take the doors off of some bathroom stalls to try to limit the areas students can hide to vape in school. Advocates with the American Cancer Association and American Heart Association also urged county commissioners to pass the ban.

Several licensed tobacco retailers, grocer associations, and tobacco lobbying groups spoke in opposition to the ban Monday. They argued that Oregon already has made strides to limit youth tobacco usage, like raising the legal smoking age to 21 in 2018. In 2018, the Oregon Health Authority found that 18 percent of minors who attempted to buy tobacco products through state regulatory tests were successful.

Retail owners also raised concerns that banning flavored products would create an unregulated illegal market because flavored tobacco products would still be sold in other counties and possibly resold in Multnomah County. 

“Producers [make flavored products] because consumers expect to have a choice,” said Plaid Pantry CEO Jonathan Polonsky. “Please don’t press the easy button by banning all flavors.” 

Representatives from the National Hookah Association and hookah lounge owners asked the county to make an exemption in the proposed ban for hookah—flavored tobacco smoked through a large hookah pipe. Hookah lounge owners and supporters noted that hookah is considered a cultural practice and that hookah has not been identified as a problem among youth smokers the way that e-cigarettes and vapes have.

Some white retail store owners and representatives from the tobacco industry argued that it is racist to ban menthol cigarettes because Black smokers overwhelmingly choose menthol-flavored tobacco over other tobacco products. According to the CDC, approximately 85 percent of non-Hispanic Black or African American adults who smoked used menthol cigarettes in 2019. Yet Black representatives from the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council and other cultural organizations refuted that claim, noting that Black people—along with Hispanic people and members of the LGBTQ community—are more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes because of predatory marketing tactics used by tobacco companies.

“The white men telling us that the Black community thinks the policy is racist are wrong,” Avery Dukes with Flavors Hook Oregon Kids—an organization opposing flavored tobacco—told the county board. “As a Black woman, I can say with confidence that we abhor the disproportionate targeting that tobacco companies and stores have been doing for years and are still doing today. They shouldn't mistake addiction for enjoyment.”

Similar bans on flavored nicotine products have been challenged in court. In 2019, a temporary ban on flavored vape cartridges in Oregon amid a series of severe vape-related lung infections throughout the nation was halted by a state appeals court. Washington County recently tried to ban flavored nicotine products, but it was overturned by a county judge who ruled in favor of a challenge from the 21+ Tobacco and Retail Vape Association. The judge ruled that a flavored tobacco ban must come from the state, not county by county; Washington County is appealing the decision. 

Richard Burke with the 21+ Tobacco and Retail Vape Association told the commissioners Monday that the association will launch a legal challenge against the county ban if it is approved by the board.

“If this passes,” Burke said, “we will fight it vigorously.”

When asked about possible legal challenges to the proposed ban, Multnomah County spokesperson Julie Sullivan-Springhetti said that the county isn’t concerned about being impacted by the legal challenge in Washington County “because only the Washington County ordinance was at issue in that lawsuit.” Sullivan-Springhetti also said that banning flavored tobacco products is not a novel idea and over 300 cities and jurisdictions nationwide have already passed similar restrictions.

The Multnomah County Commissioners will hold a first reading of the proposed ban Thursday, with a final vote on the proposal planned for mid-December.

The first federal lawsuit filed against the city of Portland for its officers' actions against demonstrators during the city's racial justice protests of 2020 has come to a close.

On Monday, lawyers representing five demonstrators and the advocacy group Don't Shoot Portland reached a $250,001 settlement with the city over a June 2020 lawsuit, which accused Portland police for the "indiscriminate use" of tear gas and impact munitions against nonviolent protesters.

The settlement's payout will divided equally among the five plaintiffs—Nicholas Roberts, Misha Belden, Lester Wresckie, Thomas Dreier, and Alexandra Johnson—with the remaining $1 going towards Don't Shoot Portland. The settlement also includes changes to Portland Police Bureau (PPB) protocol.

Per the court filing detailing the agreement, the city has agreed to stop using "Rubber Ball Distraction Devices"—munitions commonly referred to as "flash-bang grenades"—against protesters in the 14 months following the agreement. What's more, the city has agreed to "engage in a process to decommission" the bureau's inventory of these specific munitions entirely in that time period. 

“This is a win for organizers and antifascist activists everywhere,” said Teressa Raiford, director of Don’t Shoot Portland in a Tuesday press release. “Our freedom of expression is the foundation of how we make social change possible."

The agreement also requires officers to follow city policies and state laws that limit the use of tear gas and other munitions when working at demonstrations in the next 14 months. (Officers will presumably be expected to continue following the law after this time period.) District Judge Marco Hernandez will be responsible for overseeing the non-monetary terms of the settlement agreement.

Portland police have a long history of using flash-bang grenades to quash demonstrations—often resulting in litigation. PPB temporarily suspended the use of these grenades in 2018, after an officer lodged a flash-bang grenade in a protester's skull. After suing for his injuries, that protester was granted a $125,000 settlement from the city. A lawsuit filed by another person hit by a flash-bang at the same 2018 protest was settled with $50,000 from city coffers.

The grenades were back in rotation by the start of the 2020 racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Injures sustained by these munitions are the subject of several other lawsuits against the city still tied up in the courts. 

The lawsuit succeeded at limiting officers' use of force prior to its Monday conclusion. Shortly after the litigation was filed in early June 2020, plaintiffs were granted a temporary restraining order, which barred officers with the PPB from using tear gas and “less-lethal” weapons (like rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades) against protesters except in limited circumstances. In December 2020, however, Judge Hernandez determined that the city had violated that restraining order. 

To move forward, the city agreed to a number of sanctions, including a training for PPB’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), removal of RRT officer Brent Taylor from crowd control events pending an internal investigation, and a training for all PPB officers on crowd control by the end of 2021.

This agreement was slightly skewed when, in June 2021, all officers assigned to the RRT voluntarily stepped down from their position in protest after RRT member Corey Budworth was slapped with criminal charges for hitting a woman with a baton during a 2020 demonstration. And, while the results of an internal investigation into Taylor's conduct remain concealed, Taylor remains employed by PPB. 

Attorneys for Don't Shoot Portland and other plaintiffs originally hoped to file the lawsuit as a class action. Judge Hernandez declined that request this summer.

Attorney Ashlee Albies, who represented the plaintiffs, noted the prior success of the lawsuit through restraining orders in a Tuesday press release. The work to hold the city accountable for its actions in 2020 isn't over, she added. 

"We’ve succeeded in getting an injunction to force PPB to follow the law, and to dismantle their flash bang arsenal," said Albies. "We will be vigilantly watching PPB over the next 14 months.” 

Who's ready to see some shows? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland's best concerts—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst... if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a small monthly contribution to keep us alive and kickin'!) And oh boy, do we have some great shows coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT!

• ENTER TO WIN FREE TIX to see Rakim at the Crystal Ballroom on December 2!

Where many MCs of the time developed their technique through improvisational battles, Rakim was among the first to demonstrate the possibilities of sitting down to write intricately crafted lyrics packed with clever word choices and metaphors (of course, he also had the delivery to articulate them). Even after his innovations were worshipfully absorbed and expanded upon by countless MCs who followed, Rakim's early work still sounds startlingly fresh, and his comeback recordings (beginning in the late '90s) only added to his legend. So what are you waiting for? Enter for your chance to win or snatch up those tix now!

Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Fri Dec 2, 8 pm, $32-$45, all ages

• ENTER TO WIN FREE TIX to see the Trinity Of Terror Tour at the Moda Center on December 11!

Fans demanded it, and so the Trinity of Terror Tour has been extended to additional dates in December! Don't miss the biggest names in metalcore, Ice Nine Kills, Motionless In White and Black Veil Brides, as they bring the head-banging part three of their co-headlining tour, Trinity Of Terror, to Portland. Enter to win tickets or get yours right now, right here!

Moda Center, 1 N Winning Way, Sun Dec 11, 6:20 pm, $35-$55, all ages

GOOD LUCK, and all winners will be notified by this Thursday. And check back next week for more FREE TIX from the Mercury!

Ho-ho-HELLO, Mercury lovers!

Like it or not, it’s the holiday season. And I just wanted to temporarily slide into your sweet brain to say TWO THINGS...

THING ONE: You are a wonderful, thoughtful person, and you are both important and needed. Like everyone else at the Mercury, you are in the “Give a Crap Club” and want Portland to be a place that's fun, vibrant, and cares deeply about those in the community who need assistance. That’s why it’s really important to support local journalism—especially the kind that isn’t beholden to the wealthy special interest groups who put their own profits over the health and welfare of the rest of Portland. Every single day the Mercury fights to produce clear-eyed, hard-hitting journalism that cuts through the lies of the power-hungry, and alerts you to what’s really going on behind closed doors at city hall. It’s hard work… but we freaking love it. Why? Because you and Portland are worth protecting. And this brings us to….

THING TWO: Excellent journalism isn’t free, and (for obvious reasons) the city’s wealthy power-brokers aren’t exactly lining up to support us! So this holiday season, when you’re considering how to share your generosity, I hope you’ll consider the Mercury. Every penny you contribute goes DIRECTLY to our reporters’ salaries, and guess what? It makes them feel really appreciated and fired up to keep bringing you the daily reporting (and occasional sassy-ass fun) you deserve. So what do you say? Help us help Portland. If you’re able, please consider a small monthly or one-time contribution to the Mercury. Contributions from you help us stay free for everyone, and on the job every single day! And wait… actually there’s a…

THING THREE: We really appreciate you! Thank you SO MUCH for all the support you’ve given us over the past two decades, and all the love you show your fellow Portlanders. We have every intention of sticking around (and sticking it to the man) for a very long time. Have a great holiday season, and remember, you are deserving of love and happiness every day of the year!

Thinking of you this season,
Wm. Steven Humphrey
Editor-in-Chief
Portland Mercury
(he/him)

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

Good morning, Portland! There is a 10 percent chance that we may see some snow today, with chances of snowfall slightly increasing throughout the week. If you love this weather, why not celebrate it by grabbing a drink at one of the 24 bars participating in the Mercury’s Holiday Drink Week? If you detest this weather, why not cheer up by grabbing a festive $7 drink during the Mercury’s Holiday Drink Week? Now, onto the news!

In local news:

• An Oregon Senate panel rescinded security measures against Senator Brian Boquist (Republican turned Independent representing Polk and Yamhill counties) Monday. Since July 2019, Boquist has had to give 12 hours notice before going to the state capital so that police could increase their presence due to threatening statements he made against fellow lawmakers and state police. That security protocol was removed Monday in response to Boquist’s ongoing lawsuit against the state, which claims that the security measure is a violation of his free speech.

• Over half of the New Seasons locations in the Portland area have moved to unionize this year. Check out which locations and the status of their efforts with this comprehensive breakdown from Alex Zielinski.

Is the revival of the Lloyd Center a mere moment of brightness on the heels of a very dark past couple of years? Or is this the beginning of more good news to come?https://t.co/hV9RfxjbNX

— Portland Monthly (@PoMoMagazine) November 29, 2022

• Fir trees in Oregon and Washington are dying at record numbers this year, creating a “Firmageddon” according to researchers. Swaths of dead firs were observed on more than 1.23 million acres in both states—the largest die-offs ever recorded. Researchers believe that the event may be due to a combination of drought, last year’s heat dome, insects, and fungal diseases.

• It’s going to get pretty dang cold overnight this week. If you or someone you know needs a warm place to stay, you can call 211 or check the website to find available overnight shelters. The county may also open additional warming shelters, depending of the severity of the weather as the week progresses.

Check your old tickets... Oregon Lottery confirms it's still waiting for someone to come forward with $1 million Powerball ticket sold in Portland on November 2, 2022. It's currently the Oregon Lottery's largest unclaimed prize. pic.twitter.com/7EgNHxQWbt

— Kyle Iboshi (@KyleIboshi) November 29, 2022

In national news:

• Online Black Friday sales hit a record $9.12 billon this year, quelling fears that inflation would severely dampen end-of-year spending. According to Adobe Analytics, sales were 2.3 percent higher than last year thanks to greater electronics, toys, and exercise equipment purchases. Americans are taking on more debt and using "Buy Now, Pay Later" programs to afford the purchases, according to CNN.

• Over 10,000 sippy cups and bottles made by Green Sprouts are being voluntarily recalled after the discovery of lead used in soldering material on the cups. Thousands of cups purchased between January 2020 and September 2022 can break, exposing a solder dot containing lead. No injuries have been reported in connection to the cups.

Two jurors in the Danny Masterson rape trial test positive for COVID and are replaced with alternates, meaning deliberations must entirely restart.

Read the latest athttps://t.co/QjOs6ZvjTq

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 28, 2022

• The white gunman who killed 10 Black shoppers and workers at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, pled guilty Monday to murder and hate-motivated terrorism. During the hearing, the 19-year-old gunman confirmed that he murdered the shoppers because of their race. The charges carry a lifetime sentence.

• The San Francisco Police Department is looking to get clearance to employ robots to use deadly force (yes, this is real life, not the synopsis of a dystopian movie). When editing a draft of the defined authorized uses for all military-grade equipment used by the SFPD, a San Francisco official added a line prohibiting the department’s 12 robots from using deadly force against people in any circumstance. SFPD crossed out the line, writing "robots will only be used as a deadly force option when risk of loss of life to members of the public or officers are imminent and outweigh any other force option available to the SFPD.” The debate over robot usage continues in city meetings this week.

• I, like any self-respecting Portlander, have a soft spot for Big Pink. You go, Big Pink!

A COUPLE MORE… shots of that cool fog phenomenon around ‘Big Pink’ last Thursday. A couple notes: I took the photos and own the sole rights to them. And it’s just fog, not an actual fire. Wanted to include a shot without the damn crow flying thru 😬 #LiveOnK2 #Portland #fog pic.twitter.com/ZQ6NHBdShM

— Mike Warner (@MikeKATU) November 28, 2022

If it wasn't so pathetically obtuse and depressing it'd might be funny. But it's not. To see some of you Portlanders try to call out Trump and republicans for failing to condemn antisemitism while you yourselves remained silent when Jewish and Israeli businesses and community centers were attacked in Portland says everything about your own character and values. You can shout about how anti-hate you are all day long, but if you aren't living it, you're just another ignorant child putting your lack of self-awareness and moral character on full display, amplified and recorded for the record. Stop pretending who you are to the internet and start living who you are to the community. (And not just because you think you'll be indicted soon, we can all see through that.)

As of Monday afternoon, workers at more than half of all New Seasons grocery stores in the Portland Metro area have moved to unionize. A New Seasons store in Beaverton's Cedar Hills neighborhood became the tenth to file a petition to hold a union election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Monday.

As with many New Seasons workers who've joined the union drive this year, employees at the Cedar Hill store say the effort was inspired by the 2019 purchase of New Seasons by a company called Good Food Holdings, which is owned by international retail giant E-Mart. After that sale, New Seasons introduced several policies around worker attendance and scheduling that, to employees, felt uninformed by staff experiences. 

"People realized that workers speaking up for themselves was increasingly useless," said Cedar Hills New Seasons employee Maggie Myers."And the polices started to negatively impact staff."

These concerns are shared among workers employed by New Seasons across the metro region.

The campaign to form an independent union, the New Seasons Workers Union (NSWU), began seven months ago. The movement has faced pushback from New Seasons management, who has dispersed anti-union literature at most of its store's staff areas and hired a union-busting law firm to fight the quickly-growing campaign. Myers at the Cedar Hill store said several of her coworkers feared that signing on to the union drive would trigger retaliation from management.

Since May, ten of the areas's 19 grocery stories have joined the movement. Yet New Seasons management has declined to voluntarily acknowledge these unions, forcing workers to hold a vote. With the majority of stores now involved, we're overdue for a comprehensive breakdown on which stores have announced and where each union drive stands. 

Seven Corners (SE Division St. and SE 20th Ave.)
Staff at the Seven Corners New Seasons were the first to establish the independent NSWU in May. In early September, its workers voted 62-15 to formally unionize.

Orenco Station (Hillsboro) 
Workers at Orenco Station are the only New Seasons staffers who petitioned to join an already-established union, the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 555. In an early September election, Orenco Station workers voted 60-37 against joining the union.

Sellwood
Sellwood New Seasons staff filed to unionize in June, yet voted 33-29 against joining the NSLU in September. Workers say they want to make a second attempt in the future.

Slabtown (NW Raleigh St. and NW 22nd Ave.)
Slabtown workers voted 62-14 to join the NSWU in October. 

Woodstock (SE Woodstock Blvd. and SE 45th Ave.)
Workers at the Woodstock New Seasons filed to unionize in September. They have yet to hold an election.

Grant Park (NE Broadway and NE 33rd Ave.)
Grant Park New Seasons staff filed paperwork to join the NSLU in October. The  have yet to hold an election.

Concordia (NE 33rd Ave. and NE Emerson St.)
Staff at Concordia's New Seasons also filed to unionize in October, and have yet to hold a formal vote.

Arbor Lodge (N Interstate Ave. and N Holman St.)
Arbor Lodge employees filed to unionize last week, after first announcing their intent on November 15. They have yet to hold an election.

Cedar Hills (Beaverton)
Cedar Hills workers filed paperwork to hold a union vote Monday afternoon. They are awaiting an election date.

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! If you love a festive, holiday cocktail, get ready to crap your pants in glee... for the Mercury's HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK is happening RIGHT NOW! Get all sorts of creative, holiday-themed fancy cocktails concocted by your fave Portland bartenders... and get this: They're only $7 each! But hurry, hurry—the fun ends this coming Sunday, December 4. Now let's drink up some partially festive NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• HELLO to Portland's screeching wealthy people who cannot be convinced that the city and county are making headway in getting the homeless off the streets and into permanent housing. Check out the opening sentence from this OPB article about the voter-approved supportive housing fund: "In its first year, Metro’s supportive housing fund placed 1,669 people into homes." 💥 An oversight committee will now look into the fund to see if even more improvements can be made, but WOW. Wave this in the face of the next willfully ignorant rich person you see screaming at a cloud.

• Related: Despite little interest from the county, and against the advice of actual experts (who weren't even asked), on Wednesday, City Council is expected to pass a $27 million “down payment” for the six internment camps described in Mayor Wheeler and Commish Ryan's plan to criminalize the homeless. They say this money would build and operate three of the camps for one year. Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty was the lone voice of reason who voted against it. (Too bad she was voted out of office, only to be replaced by a puppet from Portland's wealthy "Screaming at Clouds Committee.")

• Attention snow bunnies:

15” of snow has blanketed parts of the Cascades…all three major ski resorts in Oregon are expected to be open by midweek. #kgw #kgwweather #November #pacnw pic.twitter.com/QqqmtMRBMN

— Joe Raineri ☔️🎥 📺 (@JoeRaineriWX) November 28, 2022

• Despite a court ruling that struck the idea down in Washington County, Multnomah County is still heavily considering throwing caution to the wind and creating a ban on the sale of all flavored nicotine products in a bid to stop the county's kids from getting so easily hooked on this addictive garbage.

• Police have been called in to investigate a suspicious death after a body was found inside a building that burned down on Sunday night in the Lloyd District.

• Calling all trash pandas! 🦝 It's time for the hilarious new edition of THE TRASH REPORT by the hilarious Elinor Jones! This week: Salt & Straw's new "PANIC!" flavor, look out for "Kevin the Turkey," and Ellen's got a new skincare line for mean people. 🤔

Shake yourself out of your turkey-induced stupor because the holiday season is officially in full swing. This week brings top events from The 1975 to Patti Smith: Songs & Stories and from A John Waters Christmas to Portland Mercury's Holiday Drink Week. https://t.co/Jgl8GRzQOk

— EverOut Portland (@EverOutPortland) November 28, 2022

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• China's possible leader for life, Xi Jinping, is not making any friends with his oppressive, long-running “zero COVID” strategy which is sending thousands of demonstrators into the streets in cities across the country, calling for Xi's resignation.

• Republican leaders in rural Cochise County in Arizona are refusing to certify the results of the 2022 election—even though there were no irregularities detected with the vote. (So now they're just doing it out of habit?)

• Wheeeeeeee!

A protester holding a rainbow flag and wearing a shirt saying 'Respect For Iranian Women' ran onto the pitch during a game between Portugal and Uruguay at the #FIFAWorldCup in Qatar https://t.co/IegVOz0i8K pic.twitter.com/OzTjeOrLT5

— Reuters (@Reuters) November 28, 2022

• Former professional liar for Donald Trump, Kellyanne Conway, reportedly sat in front of the January 6 investigatory committee today, testifying for five hours even though she left the Trump administration months before the domestic terrorist attack on the capitol. 🍿

• Headline: ‘Gaslighting’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2022. (Uh-huh. That is exactly what they want us to believe!)

I know nothing about selling advertising but I'm pretty sure this is not how you do it. pic.twitter.com/3yTpEkZQeV

— Jarrett Walker @humantransit@mastodon.online (@humantransit) November 28, 2022

• And finally... I'm sorry, but this was actually helpful.

How to find Kentucky on the map pic.twitter.com/WTggL1xobC

— Terrible Maps (@TerribleMaps) November 27, 2022

I know there is an anon here who loves to rant about corruption. I wanted to let you know that we are seeing more and more people openly and honestly raise the issue of corruption across the public sphere. It's happening slowly, but it is gaining steam. The question is whether it will gain enough momentum for individuals to recognize their personal interest and the public interests are not in conflict with each other. There is a reason that so many "experienced" people "let things slide", it's because they believe they could personally harmed if the rhetoric of equal accountability were amplified in our society. Most of these people haven't done anything wrong, but there insecurities restrict their moral movement and force them to be dependent on others for validation and approval. But many people are waking up to their own personal, ethical, and professional responsibilities to the community so maybe something will happen. So, anticorruption anon, I want to caution or maybe advise you, as the thoughtful and considerate individual you are, that when you examine the details of professionals past oversights, missteps or failings, that you frame you insights in the context of how we can overcome them and move forward together rather than sentence them to public shamings or professional infamy. There are a lot of people who know plenty but are afraid to speak up and speak out because they feel shame for not saying anything YET. They need to know that SOONER WAS BETTER THAN LATER and NOW IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN NEVER and that they'll be welcomed and celebrated for their part in helping to dismantle networks of corruptions and improve our communties. Give people a chance, give people in scary situations the benefit of the doubt, and count wins as wins.

Shake yourself out of your turkey-induced stupor because the holiday season is officially in full swing. This week brings top tier events from The 1975 to Patti Smith: Songs & Stories and from A John Waters Christmas to The Portland Mercury's Holiday Drink Week.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Ghost of Christmas Eve
As Stranger writer Joseph Schafer wrote in 2019, "Yes, I know, they're cheesy in the extreme and not even actually from Siberia, but Trans-Siberian Orchestra's jolly blend of electric-guitar shredding and Christmas music is like the flu: It comes around every year and it's extremely catchy. That being said, if I'm going to be afflicted with pinch-harmonic-inflected cheer, then I'm at least going to focus on the upside. Which is, TSO formed from the remains of the excellent and under-appreciated power-metal outfit Savatage, whose interpretation of Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" probably sparked the whole classical-music-meets-metal fad. Now if only they still had Alex Skolnick from Testament in the band."
(Moda Center, Lloyd District)

Hello Trash Pandas, and welcome to another round of steaming hot goss in this here Trash Report. I'm writing it as my child is blasting Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," making me really question both why I let her use my phone, why I taught her how to use Spotify, and why I taught her how to read so she can pick what to listen to. Last week I covered that Carey tried to trademark the title of "Queen of Christmas," but after a week of no school and my kid listening to this song at least 8,209 times, I'd like to give Carey the title of "Queen of Ruining the Vibe in My Home." The Christmas season only just officially began and I for one am ready for it to be over!

Christmas is trash but so is a lot of other stuff; let us peruse the rest of the dumpster?

Portland-based (for now?) ice cream company Salt & Straw is making salted caramel waves for their announcement that they're considering moving their headquarters from Portland to the vague "out of state" due to perceived lawlessness in our city. This instead of, I don't know, finding a different office space? KGW reported that CEO and co-founder Kim Malek "drove to City Hall in tears" as she sought solutions from local leaders. I hope that one of those local leaders was councilman-elect Rene Gonzalez, who knows all about getting deals on real estate! Perhaps Jordan Schnitzer could offer Malek a premium downtown office space for $250 a month (parking included!) and then she'll reconsider her threat? 

The whole thing feels even ickier when the company's website brags that "we establish deep connections with our neighborhood and merchant associations" and "a business is only as strong as its community." Maybe they're just butthurt that President Biden went to Baskin Robbins instead of Salt & Straw on his recent visit to Portland? 

Can you imagine a corporation that would threaten to leave a city because someone’s home burned down near their headquarters? Instead of offering help, Salt & Straw wants to pack up its waffle cones and flee to the burbs. Enjoy your gated community.

— Elliott Young (@elliottyoungpdx) November 24, 2022

The only way I'd consider leaving Portland is if I accepted one of those deals to let the Italian government pay me to live in a crumbling villa. And I wouldn't consider that because Portland is reportedly a shithole, but because America, in general, is a shithole. Then it wouldn't matter if Salt & Straw had left Portland because I would be eating gelato anyway. 

Back to President Biden: Fox News revised its ongoing narrative that the left has declared  a "War on Christmas" and decided that Biden is too pro-Christmas because his people put up the White House Christmas tree too early. Please note that "too early" for Biden happened to be the exact same day that Fox News HQ lit their Christmas tree. Not that it matters, of course. The Fox News position is to be anti-Biden no matter what he does, and the only way he could do Christmas right is if he literally became Santa Claus in some sort of The Santa Clause-esque mix-up. But you know what, I don't think even then it would fly. Because then Fox News would realize how weird it is to make kids sit on a stranger's lap and they'd probably start accusing Santa Biden of grooming.

Fox News would probably also figure out a way to blame Biden for this: an aggressive pack of wild turkeys has been terrorizing a Massachusetts town. According to The Daily Beast, the flock "have repeatedly menaced people with pecking attacks and loud clucking" and "if you’re walking or jogging, or anything like that, they come for you." This sounds sincerely terrifying and I don't want to make light of it... except that the story went ahead and revealed that the lead turkey is named Kevin and I'm not sure how we're not supposed to find that funny. Kevin the Turkey? I mean, come on.

(I was going to try to make some jokey connection to turkeys in American history here by sharing that founding father Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird instead of the bald eagle, but in an attempt to ignore my family by researching said anecdote I learned that Franklin didn't revere turkeys for their Americanness as much as he revered them for how much he could torture them with electricity before they died. Hey, what kind of Thanksgiving weekend would it be if not confronting our country's brutal past? Share that one with your holiday table!)

The Hollywood Reporter just put out a huge round-up of celebrities and the lines they hawk for extra pocket money. It was confusing to a gossip-obsessed person like me who has to admit that it's extremely charming that Harry Styles has a nail polish line, but it's super obnoxious that Machine Gun Kelly has one, too. I learned that every beautiful starlet pretends that their own branded skincare line is responsible for their perfect faces and not money, genetics, and lighting. And I learned that Ellen DeGeneres has a skincare line too, and that hers is called Kind Science, which is hilarious because it came out in late 2021, well after we all learned that Ellen is actually extremely mean. I get the instinct to rehabilitate one's image, but would it be so bad to just lean into it? Call it Mean Science and tout how beautifully it can help scowl lines disappear and make you look like less of a miserable crone. No, trademark that shit, I'll use it when I start hawking my own skincare line. Tagline: Be trash, but don't look like trash.

Beloved English actress Emma Thompson was recently profiled by The New Yorker and discussed having been cheated on by her first husband, actor Kenneth Branagh. While the affair happened over 30 years ago I was instantly filled with rage, and my mind immediately went to Thompson's perfect portrayal of a woman scorned in the terrible holiday classic Love, Actually, and just knowing that Thompson may have been tapping into a personal well of real-life infidelity has got me mad at Alan Rickman all over again, and even through the film is terrible, I see no way to work through this besides watching Love, Actually for the 90th time, EVEN THOUGH it does contain that Mariah Carey song that is trying to kill me. 

So if anybody needs me, I'll be channeling Ben Franklin's turkeys, trying to survive the high-voltage that is the Christmas season. Wish me luck!

Bah Humbugly,

BEHOLD! It's the Portland Mercury’s HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK! That's correct: Starting NOW it's an ENTIRE WEEK (November 28-December 4) of specially crafted, original holiday themed cocktails mixed by the best bartenders in town… and get this, they're only $7 each!

We’ve teamed up with the finest bars and restaurants in Portland—along with our cocktail-lovin’ pals at Jim Beam—to bring you this one-of-a-kind booze-tacular! At each location, you’ll find $7 specially crafted cocktails, and even better? They'll be available ALL DAY (not just during happy hour)! TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE DELICIOUS BOOZY CONCOCTIONS HERE!

Stay tuned to holidaydrinkweek.com and the Mercury for announcements—then plot your strategic course with our handy-dandy Holiday Drink map and set sail on a river of booze happening right now through December 4! You'll get even more hot tips if you sign up for Mercury and EverOut newsletters, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!

Say, do you love the Mercury’s Food and Drink promotions (such as Highball, Burger Week, Pizza Week, and more)? Then please consider becoming a recurring contributor to the Mercury. We would never be able to do these fun things without you!

So, are you ready for HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK? Great! Just remember a few friendly rules:

• Drink responsibly! This goes without saying, but because we love you and don't want you to die, PLEASE be safe and smart with your cocktail consumption—and NEVER drink and drive.

• Be patient! We all need a drink (or 10) right now. But so do our friends, neighbors, and sworn enemies! So if a bar is slammed, or if they run out of those little umbrellas? Be cool—it'll all get sorted soon enough! And if you want to help things go smoothly, pay in cash—it’ll save time, and your server will appreciate it. Speaking of which....

• Tip your bartenders, and order food! Sure, the best part of Holiday Drink Week are those $7 drinks… but each location also has great food, and their talented bartenders will be working hard to keep those holiday cocktails pouring! So relax, grab a bite, and let your bartenders and waitstaff know how much you appreciate ‘em!

Now get ready for the booziest, funnest week of your life, the Mercury's HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK! Happening right NOW and through December 4!

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

Good morning, Portland! By now, it’s likely you’ve run out of leftover turkey sandwiches to brace you against the rainy cold of the week ahead. Might I suggest an alternative source of warmth: the Portland Mercury’s HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK! From November 28 to December 4, our friends at some of the best bars in town are featuring specially crafted, original holiday themed cocktails for only $7 each! Don't forget to tip your bartender. Now, for the news:

- Portland Thorns captain and Canadian National Women’s Team player Christine Sinclair has published a book—giving OPB’s Geoff Norcross an opportunity to ask her a few questions on air. Here’s what “famously private” Sinclair has to say about the reported abuse within Thorns and US Soccer management: “I think it’s important for young girls to know that this isn’t a Portland Thorns problem. This isn’t an NWSL problem. It’s not a women’s soccer problem. It’s a cultural problem. This is how women are treated around the world. We had brave women come out and step forward and bring this to light. I know here in Portland, positive changes have been made, but there’s still more to be done.” 

- The Oregonian took a look at how the “second look” bill passed by the Oregon Legislature last year has allowed district attorneys to successfully petition judges to reconsider charges for convicted individuals. The article chooses to highlight a few particularly grim cases, but leaves readers with a clear understanding of how the policy can truly help rehabilitate people convicted of a crime. 

- Oregon Senate lawmakers meet today to decide whether to rescind a current policy restricting a senator with a history of calling for violence when he doesn’t get his way from accessing the Capitol building. The senator, Independent Dallas lawmaker Brain Boquist, specifically directed authorities to “send bachelors and come heavily armed” in 2019, when Gov. Kate Brown suggested she would call on state troopers to force Republicans to return to the Capitol if they walked out. Since then, Boquist has been required to give 12 hours’ notice before reporting to the state Capitol for work. That rule make be rescinded at today’s meeting.

- If you have a slow Tuesday night and want to hear some political nerds wax about Oregon election results…I may have the event for you:

Election DeBrief, What’s Next – November 29 7 p.m.
Anna Griffin, VP, news, OPB
John Horvick, Sr VP, DHM Research
Dr. Dan Qi, Visiting Asst Prof, Political Science, Reed
Alex Zielinski, News Editor, Portland Mercury
Register here: https://t.co/jbN36T6sMj

— LWV of Portland (@LWVPortland) November 25, 2022

- Georgia is again seeing record voter turnout in early voting for its US Senate runoff race between incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and ex-football Republican guy Herschel Walker. Polls show the two candidates are still neck-and-neck in the runoff race, which takes place on December 6. 

- In the darkest timeline, a federal court has denied a 19-year-old’s request to witness her father’s execution on Tuesday by the state of Missouri. That’s because Missouri law prohibits people younger than 21 from witnessing executions. Kevin Johnson was arrested for murdering a police officer when his daughter, Corionsa Ramey, was only two years old. Ramey challenged the state’s law, with the help of the ACLU, to no avail. “I’m heartbroken that I won’t be able to be with my dad in his last moments,” said Ramey.

- Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano—essentially the reason Hawaii’s big island exists—has begun to erupt. The timing significant:

Mauna Loa is erupting on Lā Kūʻokoʻa, Hawaiian Independence Day. Settler society sees her as a destructive threat for containment. This is true too for Hawaiian sovereignty. But we are irrepressible. It may be destructive, but it creates life to stand on for generations to come. https://t.co/X4jmLS2cLD

— Uahikea Maile (@uahikea) November 28, 2022

- Iran leaders want the US kicked out of the World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation temporarily altered an Iranian flag on social media to show solidarity with Iranians protesting for women’s rights. (Apparently if you remove the Islamic Republic symbol in the center of the Iranian flag, it means you support activists). To be frank, the discussion is one of the few positives re: human rights that has taken place at the draconian World Cup this year.

- China’s intense and sustained COVID-19 regulations have led to frustration and upset among its citizens. China saw protests in eight cities Sunday, in which demonstrators expressed a “rare direct challenge” to the ruling Communist Party— and called for leader Xi Jinping to step down. Per the Associated Press, these protests erupted after a fire killed at least 10 people in an apartment building Thursday in a particularly locked-down city—raising questions about whether firefighters or people trying to escape were blocked by COVID-19 restrictions. 

Dog people: we don't all love your smelly dirty furry best friends. Oh YOUR dog isn't like that? Yes it is. You're just so covered in its fur and slobber that you stopped noticing. Us non-dog-people dread visiting your house where we're assaulted at the front door, our pants are covered with nasty snuffles within seconds, and there's nowhere clean to sit. Then you just assume that when we invite you over for the holidays there's a plus one policy for your muddy bitch?! Can you seriously not go anywhere without that animal? What kind of mental codependency problem do you have? Look at your life: you can only go to dog friendly restaurants and shops, the day's schedule is wrapped around pee breaks and carrying bags of shit around. My baby is easier to accommodate than your spoiled pooch. Leave it at home and don't be surprised the next time we all enthusiastically offer to host the holidays at our clean houses instead of yours. Xoxo, your cat person relative

GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It's the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being "the last to know," then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to your email's in-box... and then... YOUR HEAD.)

• Exit Interview With Outgoing JOHS Director Shannon Singleton

Outgoing JOHS Director Singleton addresses the inner workings of the region's largest homelessness agency, the public's misgivings about its output, and hopes for the future.

• THE TRASH REPORT

Your doctor called and said you aren't getting enough garbage. Rectify the situation with this edition of THE TRASH REPORT from Elinor Jones! This week: Mariah wants to own Xmas, and our new fave Brad Pitt conspiracy theory! 🤫

• Forest Grove High School's Electrifying Mariachi Tradición

Forget the world's tallest barber shop pole, Forest Grove is now known for the High School’s Mariachi Tradición!

• Dozens of Community Groups Call on Portland to Rescind Zenith Permit

Twenty community and environmental groups are calling on Portland leaders to rescind the land use permit granted to oil transporter Zenith Energy in October, claiming that the city should have collected public input before the decision.

• HEAR IN PORTLAND

In this week's music column from Jenni Moore, we're loving new releases from Volcanic Pinnacles, Milc, and Rules.—PLUS hot news about upcoming shows from TEKE::TEKE, Jinx Monsoon, and BenDeLaCreme.

• Afuri Restaurant Employees Announce Independent Union Drive

Following the lead of other local union drives, Afuri workers chose to form an independent union—allowing other local restaurant workers to join.

• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Dances With Darkness

Review: Brilliant Portland-made animation, masterful narrative reworking, and it could have gone harder on the fascism.

• John Waters Will Celebrate His 77th Birthday in Portland

Clinton Street Theater has planned a week of John Waters' cult films in honor of his 77th birthday.

• Get Ready for the Mercury's HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK—An Entire Week of Festive $7 Specialty Cocktails!

Lots of fun, ho-ho-holiday cocktails stirred up by Portland's best bartenders... and only $7 each! Coming at you November 8-December 4! 🍸🎀

• SAVAGE LOVE

In this week's column: The boy who got away... and are straight boys who date trans women still straight or are they something more?

WOW, THAT IS A LOT OF GOOD READIN'. I hope you didn't have any other plans this weekend! Dig in, and remember: Producing all this hard work costs moolah—so please consider contributing to the Mercury to keep it all coming! Thanks!

For the last 12 years or so, I’ve been peeing on the same section of a remote Jersey barrier in St. Johns. It’s a ritual I do on my bike rides and is very interesting to see what over a decade of my piss will do to a small area of cement. (It’s almost like special powers!). Anyway, I encourage others to pick a random remote spot and do the same. Channel your inner dog and claim your spot!

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, or dropping off your leftovers by the office BECAUSE WE ARE HUNGRY. Thanks for your support!

Good Afternoon, Portland! I made a waffle out of leftover stuffing, and I demand your respect.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
If you were half in the bag or out the door on Wednesday evening, you may have missed the results of an environmental assessment, conducted by ODOT, that say the proposed addition of lanes to I-5 in the Rose Quarter area would have no significant environmental impact— okay, some at first, but not a lot in the long run, the report says. The project’s detractors disagree. Isabella Garcia breaks it all down.

• And a late report from the Portland Police revealed the name of the man police shot on Saturday morning. Mercury News Editor Alex Zielinski has the juice on what we know so far—which is frustratingly little.

• Speaking of things that we know very little about—there are only two weeks until Measure 114 takes effect (slide whistle noise).

Less than two weeks remain for Oregon officials to hammer out a complex permitting regime for firearm ownership under Measure 114, and that could put the state in a constitutionally precarious spot.
https://t.co/JjfurzA0Y7

— OPB (@OPB) November 25, 2022

• More slide whistle noise:

Republican Joe Kent’s intentions are clearer: rally for a recount and possibly lawyer up for further action.

https://t.co/PlHQztZzAc#Clarkwa #Vanwa #election2022 #3rdDistrict

— The Columbian (@thecolumbian) November 25, 2022

• If you now find yourself in need of a drink, take note that Monday November 28-Sunday December 4 will be the Mercury's first ever Holiday Drink Week. You deserve something fancy and weird and at participating locations around Portland, you’ll find that fancy for just $7!

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
• The man who murdered six coworkers at a Walmart in Virginia left a note—ugh murders don't deserve attention, but okay—and you'll never believe it, but it's mostly about how superior he felt to those around him. Sure, there's some stuff about the holy spirit in there too. Also deeply frustrating, is the ease with which he was able to purchase a 9-millimeter handgun that very morning, just hours before he attacked and murdered his colleagues.

• Former President Donald Trump enjoyed a Thanksgiving Eve dinner with Kanye West and one of the nation's most prominent white nationalists, Nick Fuentes (who leads the white nationalist group America First, those groypers fuys). Trump attempted to deny foreknowledge of who Fuentes was, but he had to know who West was, right?

For the sake of this tweet, let's just assume this is true. How does Nick Fuentes get into Mar-a-Lago undetected? Does Trump not ask the man who he is when he sits down w/ a man he claims not to know? Why is Trump having dinner w/Kanye West after his recent comments? So many qs. https://t.co/a4znPwerdr

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) November 25, 2022

• Twitter-famous surrealist comedian Dril is a bit of a low stakes enigma—but we were delighted to read more about him in this Washington Post interview, conducted by Taylor Lorenz. Somewhat surprising, he's pro-Elon—or just goofin'?

Dril said he’d be willing to work at Twitter himself if Musk asked. “I think it would be my duty to answer the call,” Dril said. “I would absolutely do it. I would be his dog, I would follow his every order like a disgusting dog. I would beg for his mercy and I would learn to code if it pleased him.”

• As Elon Musk continues to destroy Twitter, and tank its value, NPR put together a smorgasbord of social media platforms where Twitter quitters might seek retreat.

• The ball is my day off, and the dog is my perpetual surprise and shock at its finite nature:

Such a professional pic.twitter.com/qbxXSsG4bm

— Heckin Good Dogs (@HeckinGoodDogs) November 25, 2022

Calling all holiday gift givers!

You love giving gifts, AND supporting the local small business community, right? Well, this holiday season you have a choice where to spend your money. Through the haze of Black Friday ads for corporate retailers and 2nd-day-air delivery promises, if you look closely enough, you can find LOTS of local mom & pop shops bringing you lovingly-curated gift options. Don't forget: These businesses are the backbone of the city, and your buying choices can help ensure they stay that way. Support local and shop local... and the Mercury is here to help with our annual HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!

And trust us when we say, our gift guide has something for EVERYONE on your holiday list—and that includes those hard-to-shop-for people! All these prezzies are conveniently listed under easy-to-use categories, such as gifts for Artsy Folks, Foodies, Stoners, Fashion Hounds, Adventurers, Lovers, and SO MUCH MORE!

Plus! Since more gift ideas are being added every day, come back often to check out what's new. So what are you waiting for? Show your favorite people (and Portland's local businesses) lots of love this holiday season... with the Mercury Holiday Gift Guide!