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Good Morning, Portland! I saw Infinity Pool last night and LET ME TELL YOU, portraying wealthy villains as murderous hedonists is just a smoke screen for the real shit people do like abusing nonprofit status to make money. Let's get furious. It's time for THE NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Yesterday Mercury News Editor Isabella Garcia broke down an announcement from Portland City Laborers, warning that the union workers—who run much of city’s wastewater treatment, sewer line repair, parks maintenance, and snow/ice transportation maintenance—may need to strike, starting Feb 2, if the City of Portland cannot come to a contract agreement. They have been trying to reach an agreement for 10 months. Late in the day, following the announcement, Mayor Wheeler issued an emergency declaration—which might make it easier for him to cover the services shortage in the event of such a strike. Take note: There's a PCL rally in front of City Hall this Saturday, January 28, at noon.

• Wheeler acknowledged that sweeps aren't a solution to homelessness, but he's going to do this anyway:

• Today in CRAB NEWS: Around 200 miles of Oregon coast has been open for commercial crabbin' since Jan 15, and the rest will open for the season by Feb 4. You can recreationally crab pretty much year round, but don't fuck up and keep the egg-laying female crabs. Keep your eyes peeled for mounds / balls of dude crabs bro-ing down together. Definitely get pinched; it's tradition.

• Whimsical graphic artist Mike Bennet has a lot of Portland fans, so I will be interested in whether Portland police actually investigate his burglary complaint. 

• Portland-based journalist Rose Wong wrote a smart, evocative essay about her experience(s), celebrating Lunar New Year alone. It opens with a grandmother, holding her one-year-old grandson on her hip—"giving the chunky boy a boost when he began to slide"—and asking Wong, "Why are you eating by yourself?"

• It's Friday morning, and you know what THAT MEANS: ticket drops. The Everout team put together this list of shows that are about to go on sale, like—for instance—100 gecs!? Holy shit. I'mma needs that.

IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

• The city of Memphis—and, it's fair to say, the nation—is waiting on body camera footage of events that led up to the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man. Yesterday, a grand jury returned indictments for the five Memphis police officers involved, with charges of second-degree murder, kidnapping, official misconduct, and official oppression, among others. Nichols’ family has seen the footage already—their lawyer said the video showed Mr. Nichols being pummeled like a “human piñata.” The footage is expected to be released today, which may lead to nation-wide protests tonight. 

• Biden picked a new chief of staff, for all who were following this decision with bated breath:

• Oh my god. Colorado cake-maker Jack Phillips has been fighting for his right not to make cakes for gay people for over A DECADE. What. the. fuck. Yesterday he lost yet another appeal, when the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that cake is still not a form of free speech. "We conclude that creating a pink cake with blue frosting is not inherently expressive and any message or symbolism it provides to an observer would not be attributed to the baker,” said the court.

• Capitol library in Milwaukee, WI throwing shade here in a couple ways:

@milwaukeepubliclibrary Memes are how eye roll. All our love to @edysilva114oficial #ShopLocal #SupportSmallBusiness #LibraryLover #LibraryTok #PublicLibrary #Flop #FlopTok #BookTok #Milwaukee #ShopSmall #GenshinImpact34 #fypシ #fyp ♬ som original - ✨ Edenilson_Edy  ✨