Author: Alex Zielinski

Good Morning, News: Argentina Wins World Cup, Congress Recommends Criminal Charges for Trump, and Border Towns Braces for Immigrant Influx as Pandemic Rule Expires

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by Alex Zielinski

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Good morning, Portland! Wanting something to look forward to in the new year? Do yourself a favor and snag a few tickets to the Mercury’s UNDISPUTABLE GENIUSES OF COMEDY, featuring the best Portland comedians LIVE on one stage, for one night only! Coming at you January 13 at Revolution Hall. Get those tickets here! Now, the news: 

– Earlier this month, county staff enclosed a time capsule in the new Multnomah County Courthouse to be opened by future county employees in a century. The capsule includes several letters penned by county judges about their experience on the job, including this poignant message: “The parking structure is an ugly, three story concrete block with small spaces.” Read on.

– Starbucks workers across the country participated in a strike over the weekend, accusing the company of refusing to bargain over its inaugural labor contract with the fast-growing independent union. Three Portland stores joined in the three-day-long strike.

– In other local labor news:

Workers at the Concordia New Seasons (5320 NE 33rd Ave.) voted 94-16 to unionize with the New Seasons Labor Union in ballots counted today. It’s the fifth union New Seasons – and it’s also the largest of the stores to unionize yet, with ~175 workers. https://t.co/HgBa7Vls0p

— Colin Staub (@colininportland) December 17, 2022

– Oregon’s State Land Board voted last week to turn the 80,000-acre Elliott State Forest in southwest Oregon into North America’s largest research forest. The vote releases the state forest from its obligation to fund public schools through logging and directs it to spur local economies and education through scientific research.

– Today, members of Congress will vote to refer criminal charges against Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 2021 insurrection. The charges, per NPR: Crime of insurrection, obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Let’s do this, fam. 

– Another related criminal event to watch: The trial against Proud Boy leaders Enrique Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehlfor for their alleged conspiracy to stop Joe Biden from assuming the presidency kicks off this week in DC.

– Make time for this longread this week: 

My friend Erica’s beautiful piece on climate grief paralleling with personal loss in the west is a must-read for anyone living in a landscape threatened by fire. https://t.co/1LI6UScUAV

— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) December 19, 2022

– The Vatican has “defrocked” an anti-abortion Texas priest for “blasphemous communications on social media”—like posting a video of him placing an aborted fetus on his alter. TIL that to “defrock” a priest is to remove them of their rights to exercise their ministry. There is no change for Frank Pavonce, who heads the anti-abortion group Priests for Life, to appeal the ruling. 

– US cities on the border of Mexico are bracing for a surge in migrants—up to 5,000 a day—as pandemic-era immigration restrictions expire this week, setting many scrambling to prepare  emergency housing, food and other essentials. The looming surge prompted El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser to issue an emergency declaration to access additional local and state resources for urgently needed aid. 

– Argentina won its third World Cup title Sunday, beating France 4-2. The exhilarating win left many convinced that Argentina’s star Lionel Messi may be one of the best soccer players of all time. The victory hit some folks—like this Telemundo announcer—straight in the feels:

Andrés Cantor, who moved to the U.S. from Buenos Aires as a teenager, calls Argentina winning the World Cup: pic.twitter.com/4PougSj1g7

— luffy (@vvsLuffy) December 18, 2022

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