What A Week PSU Vanguard

What A Week   (7/19)

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Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 
https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2022/07/portlands-world-naked-bike-ride-2022-starting-point-announced.htmlThe World Naked Bike Ride is back in Portland this month and now, an official meetup destination has been put in place. The Portland World Naked Bike Ride will begin at Peninsula Park on Saturday, July 30 at 9 p.m. The route isn’t published ahead of time. This month’s ride marks the return of an organized naked group ride in Portland after sitting out the COVID summers before. Still, organizers are asking out-of-town participants to stay home due to the increased spikes in COVID cases and the ongoing pandemic. The World Naked Bike Ride is a part of a bigger movement of protest against fossil fuel use. The FAQ section of the Portland World Naked Bike Ride website states that the organization is, quote “Using nudity as a way to draw attention to cycling, and the folly of oil dependency. We hope motorists will begin to suspect cyclists have more fun, and hence maybe they don’t need their cars as much as they thought.” end quote.
In-state news:
https://www.koin.com/news/health/coronavirus/these-21-oregon-counties-at-high-risk-for-covid-19-masks-suggested/With a new subvariant of COVID-19 increasing cases across the country, a data tracker shows that most Oregon counties are now at quote “high” risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 of the state’s 36 counties, including Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, are “high” risk. The CDC said new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 are calculated using data from July 7 through July 13 – a week total. For communities at levels considered “high” risk, the CDC suggests that community members wear masks in indoor public settings, stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, and get tested if they experience COVID-19 symptoms.
 
In National News:
https://www.oregonlive.com/health/2022/07/nationwide-988-hotline-is-the-911-for-mental-health-emergencies-suicide-prevention.htmlThe United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline goes live on Saturday. Quick help for suicidal thoughts and other mental health emergencies can now be obtained by dialling 9-8-8 on your phone. It’s designed to be as easy to remember and use as 911, but instead of a dispatcher sending police, firefighters or paramedics, 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. The federal government has provided over $280 million to help states create systems that will do much more, including mobile mental health crisis teams that can be sent to people’s homes and emergency mental health centers, similar to urgent care clinics that treat physical aches and pains.https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/abortion-federal-law-life-threatening?ref=bfbiobuzzfeednews&utm_campaign=bfbiobuzzfeednews&utm_source=buzzfeed.bio&p_id=99176Last Monday, guidance issued by federal officials stated that abortions performed to save a patient's life or well-being are legally protected regardless of state laws that may prohibit them. The guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services is meant to reassure healthcare providers, particularly those in states where abortion is banned, that federal law is on their side  when, quote,  “offering legally-mandated, life- or health-saving abortion services in emergency situations." Officials pointed to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law passed in 1986, which requires hospitals to treat people experiencing emergency medical conditions, including pregnant patients whose health is in quote "serious jeopardy." Monday's announcement comes days after President Joe Biden issued an executive order directing HHS to take steps to protect ac

What A Week   (7/12)

Intro: (Cue intro music) 
Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 
https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2022/07/portlands-last-big-float-draws-thousands-to-willamette-river-for-float-finale-photos.htmlLast Sunday, thousands of people with a wide array of floatation devices spent the day floating the Willamette River in The Big Float, an annual event that has drawn tens of thousands to Portland’s Willamette River since 2011. Sadly, after a two-year pandemic hiatus, this will be Portland’s last Big Float, according to ringleader Willie Levenson. The event first started in 2011 after the $1.44 billion Big Pipe project was completed after 20 years of construction, resulting in a near-total elimination of combined sewer overflows into the river. In response Levenson created the Human Access Project, whose mission is “transforming Portland’s relationship with the Willamette River.” Levenson serves as the nonprofit’s Ringleader. Now, the era of the annual Big Float has come to an end. Levenson stated that putting on The Big Float requires too much energy for the Human Access Project. The project wants to focus on its other goals, like addressing the harmful algae bloom threat at Ross Island Lagoon, replacing swimming docks at multiple public beaches, and creating a new access point on the Willamette as part of the Burnside Bridge replacement. Still, Levenson is holding out hope that another person or group might continue the Human Access Project’s work and revive The Big Float.
In-state news:
https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-department-of-forestry-declares-all-of-oregon-now-in-fire-season-salem-wildfire-fighters-portland-cliff-mass-washington-central-eastern-washington-human-causedThis past Monday morning, the Oregon Department of Forestry announced that all the ODF districts are now in fire season. Officials say that public use restrictions may be in place where you live or where you plan on spending time outdoors this summer. The start of fire season was slightly delayed this year in part to heavy rains in May and June according to officials. ODF officials say they are worried about ground fuels, like grass, that grew with the spring rain but will dry out quickly, and those fuels can become a greater risk for human-caused fires.  The Oregon Department of Forestry protects over 16 million acres of private and public lands from wildfire. Most fire districts start their fire season around May or June, and the season ends around the end of October.
 
In National News:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/clarissajanlim/derek-chauvin-21-years-federal-sentence-george-floydLast Thursday, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to violating George Floyd's civil rights. Chauvin is currently serving 22 and a half years after a state jury found him guilty of violating police policy and training when he pinned his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds during an arrest in May 2020, which ended up killing Floyd. Chauvin’s 21-year federal sentence will be served concurrently with the state sentence. Chauvin pleaded guilty to federal charges in December 2021 and faced a sentence recommendation of 20 to 25 years, according to the plea agreement. Three other former police officers who were with Chauvin during the arrest — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane — were found guilty in February of violating Floyd's civil rights by failing to provide medical care. Their state trial, initially set for June this year, was postponed to early 2023.
 
 
 
In International News: 
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/adeonibada/prime-minister-boris-johnson-resign-conservative-leaderLast week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation, after several eventful days of UK politics that

What A Week   (5/31)

Intro: (Cue intro music) 
Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/05/portland-government-email-account-used-to-defraud-city-of-14m-in-cybersecurity-breach.htmlLast Friday, Portland officials announced that the city is out $1.4 million dollars after a person or group outside the city used a government email account to commit a fraudulent financial transaction. The costly cybersecurity breach occurred in late April but was only discovered weeks later on May 17th when the city flagged a second transaction attempt from the same account, according to a news release issued by the Office of Management and Finance. The news release did not disclose what bureau or office the email account belonged to or how it could be used to draw down substantial sums of money from city coffers. Upon learning of the breach, the city said it immediately launched an investigation and notified the Portland Police Bureau, FBI, and U.S. Secret Service. City officials said this past Friday that they would release no additional information in order to quote “protect the security and integrity of the investigation” end quote.
In-state news:
https://apnews.com/article/covid-politics-health-oregon-us-navy-70ad479c54e8210a709dcf886222d7b7The USS Oregon officially joined the U.S. Navy fleet this past Saturday, marking the first submarine named after the Beaver State in more than a century. The newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine, which can dive to depths greater than 800 feet, was originally (krisened) christened in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic created some quote “slips in schedule” for the crew, said U.S. Representative  Joe Courtney,, whose district includes General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat Shipyard where the 377-foot submarine was constructed. It marked the Navy’s first in-person commission ceremony since 2019, due to the pandemic. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who said she felt at home with the mist and overcast skies, urged the crew members to embrace the traits Oregonian residents possess, including a sense of adventure as well as being courageous, collaborative and compassionate.
In National News:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/juliareinstein/texas-school-shooting-victims-fourth-grade?ref=bfbiobuzzfeednews&utm_campaign=bfbiobuzzfeednews&utm_source=buzzfeed.bio&p_id=95783https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/30/first-thing-biden-visits-uvalde-after-mass-shootingLast Tuesday, 2 teachers and 19 children were killed after a shooter opened fire in a Texas elementary school. The incident at Robb Elementary in (youvawllldee) Uvalde, a small city roughly 80 miles west of San Antonio, was the deadliest shooting at a grade school since the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in 2012. The children, who were largely in fourth grade, were fatally shot in the same classroom just days before summer vacation would have begun. Victims of the shooting were mourned online in social media tributes by their families. The school has opened a memorial fund in their honor.President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited Uvalde this past Sunday to pay their respects to the victims, and the community. The visit marked the second presidential visit related to a massacre within two weeks after a racist attack in Buffalo, New York, as Democrats in Washington offered tentative hope of bipartisan gun reform legislation in Congress.
 
 
 
In International News: 
https://www.democracynow.org/2022/5/27/headlines/only_yes_means_yes_spanish_parliament_passes_sexual_consent_billLast week, Spain’s parliament approved landmark legislation that would codify the definition of consent as an explicit expression of a person’s will into Spanish law, freeing survivors of sexual assault from the burden of having to prove violence or intimidation was used against them.  The n

 
What A Week   (5/24)

Intro: (Cue intro music) 
Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 
https://katu.com/news/local/permits-for-western-columbia-river-gorge-national-scenic-area-may-24-september-5-multnomah-falls-oregon-timed-use-pass-waterfallsThe summer permit system will be in effect starting this week for visits to the western Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. From May 24th through September 5th, timed-use permits will be required for cars in the quote, "Waterfall Corridor" between Vista House and Ainsworth State Park. The western Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area includes access to picnic areas, scenic viewpoints, trails, and many waterfalls, including the iconic Multnomah Falls viewpoint. Permits will also be required for the Multnomah Falls exit along I-84 (Exit 31)
In-state news:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/house-primary-win-oregon-latina-andrea-salinas-make-history-november-rcna29464Oregon state Rep. Andrea Salinas won a crowded Democratic congressional primary last week,, overcoming a better-financed opponent who was backed by the House leadership's campaign arm. If Salinas wins the election in November, she'll be the first Latina elected to Congress from Oregon. Her win would be a boost for Latino Democrats who had publicly clashed with the Democratic leadership's House Majority PAC over its endorsement in the race of political newcomer Carrick Flynn. Salinas said in a statement last Tuesday night quote,  "I am ready to win this seat in November and work hard to expand access to abortion care, tackle the climate crisis, and lower the cost of prescription drugs," end quote. NBC News has declared Salinas the winner in the race. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ political action committee, Bold PAC, threw its backing and $1 million in ad support behind Salinas, while the House Majority PAC’s put $1 million behind Flynn.
In National News:
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2022-05-20/pentagon-denies-ukrainian-claims-of-plan-to-destroy-russias-black-sea-fleetLast Friday, the Pentagon denied that it is forging plans to destroy one of Russia’s most consequential navy fleets, despite assertions to that effect from the Ukrainian government, but officials did leave open the possibility of new weapons shipments that would dramatically change the scope of naval warfare in the region. Anton Herashchenko, an official adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, tweeted last Thursday, quote “The US is preparing a plan to destroy the Black Sea Fleet,” end quote, according to a translation, in an attempt to force access to strategic ports that Russia has blockaded. Control of the seas off Ukraine’s coast has become among the most high-profile issues facing Western officials supporting the government in Kyiv against the Russian invaders. Despite some successes in recent weeks – notably the sinking of the Russian flagship Mosvka – warships loyal to Moscow have succeeded in exerting pressure on Ukraine. 
In International News: 
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61505842Last week it was reported that the country of Sri Lanka has defaulted on its debt for the first time in its history as the country struggles with its worst financial crisis in more than 70 years. A 30-day grace period to come up with $78m (£63m) of unpaid debt interest payments expired last Wednesday. The governor of the South Asian nation's central bank said the country was now in a quote "pre-emptive default". Last Thursday, two of the world's biggest credit rating agencies also said Sri Lanka had defaulted. Defaults happen when governments are unable to meet some or all of their debt payments to creditors. It can damage a country's reputation with investors, making it harder for it to borrow the money it needs on international markets, which can further harm confidence in

What A Week   (5/17)

Intro: (Cue intro music) 
Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/05/more-than-20-old-town-encampments-home-to-dozens-of-people-swept-in-past-few-days.htmlLast week,  an order by Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was subsequently cleared, allowing for the removal of at least 21 homeless encampments in Old Town, ranging in size from one to four city blocks, said Cody Bowman, a spokesman in Wheeler’s office. An estimated 165 tents or structures were removed, according to the city office that cleans and removes camps. Typically one to three people live in each temporary home. It is unprecedented for the city to sweep so many camps in one area within three days. Bowman said in a report quote “The (Old Town Community Association) has rightly asked for an intervention to address the high rate of murder and other crimes in Old Town. They have rightly pointed out that a high number of victims murdered or injured in Old Town have been Portlanders experiencing homelessness.” At least five people experiencing homelessness have died from homicide in Portland this year.
In-state news:
https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-crime-lawsuits-portland-2f52f54495baf53da222f55c48eba3edThis past Monday, criminal defendants in Oregon who have gone without legal representation for long periods of time amid a critical shortage of public defense attorneys filed a lawsuit that alleges the state violated their constitutional right to legal counsel and a speedy trial. The complaint, which seeks class-action status, was filed as state lawmakers and the Oregon Office of Public Defense Services struggle to address the huge shortage of public defenders statewide. The crisis has led to the dismissal of dozens of cases and left an estimated 500 defendants statewide — including several dozen in custody on serious felonies — without legal representation. Crime victims are also impacted because cases are taking longer to reach resolution, a delay that experts say extends their trauma, weakens evidence and erodes confidence in the justice system, especially among low-income and minority groups. The lawsuit specifically names Gov. Kate Brown and Stephen Singer, the recently appointed executive director of the state’s public defense agency, and asks for a court injunction ordering criminal defendants to be released if they can’t be provided with an attorney in a reasonable period of time. Oregon’s system to provide attorneys for criminal defendants who can’t afford them was underfunded and understaffed before COVID-19, but a significant slowdown in court activity during the pandemic pushed it to a breaking point. A report by the American Bar Association released in January found Oregon has 31% of the public defenders it needs. Every existing attorney would have to work more than 26 hours a day during the work week to cover the caseload, the authors said.
 
 
 
In National News:
https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/making-sense-of-the-racist-mass-shooting-in-buffalohttps://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/amberjamieson/buffalo-tops-supermarket-mass-shootingLast  Saturday, 10 people were killed and 3 were wounded in a mass shooting at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York, on according to law enforcement officials who spoke to the Associated Press.The US attorney's office announced that the FBI was investigating the shooting as a hate crime and racially motivated violent extremism. The shooting took place at Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue in the neighborhood of Masten Park, a predominantly Black neighborhood. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia described the shooter as an 18-year-old white man, and told reporters that he was wearing tactical gear and using a camera to livestream the attack.The suspect, who is eighteen, used a weapon painted with a wh

What A Week   (5/10)

Intro: (Cue intro music) 
Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 
https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/police-arrest-34-year-old-portland-man-accused-of-vandalizing-synagogues-setting-fire-to-mosque.htmlLast Friday, Portland Police arrested Michael Edgar Bivins, a 34-year-old Portland man suspected of intentionally setting a fire at a Muslim community center, as well as breaking windows at two Jewish congregations and leaving graffiti on one of them. Bivins was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center around 4 a.m. this past Saturday on five charges of arson and criminal mischief. Four of the charges are felonies. Bivins was a freelance journalist who frequently covered protests in Portland over the past decade. Bivins had written or co-written about 20 stories for Willamette Week between 2016 and 2019, according to the newspaper’s website. Willamette Week said on Saturday that it was conducting a review of his work.
In-state news:
https://www.kptv.com/2022/05/07/first-case-new-bird-flu-outbreak-detected-oregon/https://katu.com/news/local/bird-flu-found-in-oregon-for-the-first-time-since-2015For the first time since 2015, the highly pathogenic avian (AVEEan) influenza (HPAI), also known as the bird flu, was found in a non-commercial backyard flock in Oregon. Officials say the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed that the bird flu was found in a non-commercial, backyard flock (non-poultry) in Linn County.H5N1 is a highly contagious virus that transmits easily among wild and domestic bird species. However, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the recent bird flu detection does not present an immediate public health concern. The avian flu, or bird flu, is spread by migrating birds. The outbreak started in the Midwest and has been spreading across the country. It has impacted both private flocks and commercial farms. Wildlife officials said they were expecting the highly contagious virus in the Pacific Northwest after an infected bald eagle was found in British Columbia this past March. So far, the bird flu has not been found in commercial poultry in Oregon. The outbreak has led to the culling of 37 million chickens and turkeys in the U.S. since February. It’s also caused an increase in egg and poultry prices.
 
 
In National News:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/victoriavouloumanos/effects-of-roe-v-wade-overturnedhttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61302740Last week, political journalism company Politico published a leaked draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.  Its publication last Monday night sparked an immediate outcry from Democrats, as well as protests by both pro-choice and anti-abortion campaigners nationwide. The document suggests that the 1973 landmark decision that recognized the constitutional right to abortion could be overruled within the next two months. Though this would not ban abortion in the US, the right to abortion would be left for each state to independently decide. As of May 2022, 28 states are set to ban or restrict abortion if it is not federally protected. Thirteen states have already passed so-called trigger laws that will automatically ban abortion if Roe is overruled this summer. Some 36 million women could then lose abortion access, according to research from Planned Parenthood, a healthcare organization that provides access to safe abortions.  
 
It is still unclear whether this leaked supreme court document represents a final opinion, as justices have previously changed their views during the drafting process. The Supreme Court's justices are expected to issue a ruling in late June or early July. President Joe Biden said in a statement last Tuesday quote, "If the court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected offi