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Good morning, Portland! It looks like we’ll be closing out 2022 in the most Portland way: Through a sleepy curtain of rain. Today promises a high of 45 degrees and 90 percent chance of rain—and the rest of the year looks pretty dang similar. Stay dry, keep your chin up, and get caught up on today’s headlines with me:

- Starting next month, Carmen Rubio will arguably be the most progressive commissioner on Portland City Council. She sat down for an interview with us to discuss what that means for her as she enters the second half of her first term. 

- The Oregonian’s Shane Dixon Kavanaugh had a similar chat with outgoing Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and it unsurprisingly contains some bangers. Give it a read.

- A recent report by the city’s Police Review Board details why the Portland police officer who killed Robert Delgado in April 2021 faced no discipline from the city after fatally shooting a man experiencing a mental health crisis. Here’s the kicker: Instead of critiquing the officer’s actions, the advisory board urged the city to… buy more shields?! 

- Do you know what you’re doing New Year’s Eve? If plans are still up in the air, take a look at the delightful options laid out by Mercury contributor Jenni Moore in her latest Hear in Portland column. 

- Governor Kate Brown has appointed two justices to the Oregon Supreme Court days before leaving office, making every justice on the state’s highest court a Brown appointee. With Supreme Court terms lasting six years, it seems Brown’s legacy will live on in the state’s judicial system long past her last day in office. 

- A federal investigation kicked off Wednesday into New York Congressman-elect George Santos’ finances after news broke that the Long Island Republican lied about A LOT OF THINGS to get into office. This federal probe was confirmed around the same time county prosecutors announced their own investigation into Santos’ fabrications. It’s safe to say this man is going to get his day in court. 

- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is directing his agency to examine the causes of Southwest Airlines’ absolute clusterfuck of a holiday weekend. While other airlines were impacted by the national winter storm that happened to collide with Christmas, the feds want to know why Southwest lagged so far behind other carriers when it came to widespread cancellations and absolute dearth of customer support. 

- In other air travel news, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Wednesday that it will require all travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the US as cases surge in China. The move follows China’s decision to relax its COVID-related restrictions and quarantine requirements—a decision informed by widespread protests against the country’s COVID policies. 

- At least 100 people are facing execution for their involvement in protests in Iran, according to a report by the Iran Human Rights (IHR) organization. Those at risk have participated in protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, an Irani woman who died after being detained by police in September for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly.” The IHR report finds that all protesters facing execution have been denied their right to a lawyer and a fair trial. 

- I leave you with the energy of this man reuniting with his lost luggage: