by Wm. Steven Humphrey If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. 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! 👋 In case you haven't noticed, it's WEDNESDAY. And that means we're nearing the halfway mark of the Mercury's WING WEEK, featuring $8 plates of delicious, savory wings cooked up by 70 (!) of the greatest restaurants in Portland! Now I'm not saying you have to eat ALL those wings... but if you're thinking about it, you've got some catching up to do. Now let's catch up on some delicious NEWS! IN LOCAL NEWS: • Sidney Mecham, the road raging pickup truck driver who drove into last year's Rose Parade which sent spectators scattering in fear for their lives, has been sentenced to five years in prison. Mecham apologized, contending it wasn't a planned attack—yeah, we figured that... we've met enough of his type on the road to correctly assume this was just another example of the toxic masculinity which has been ingrained into men from their first days on this planet, putting bystanders in danger (or getting them killed) every single day. While Mecham says he sees the error of his ways, there are so many more like him who haven't been caught or are being let off the hook. Unfortunately the onus is on the innocent to be on the lookout for them. Portland: don’t rank Rene Gonzalez, even as your last choice. That vote could end up going for him for the win.Don’t rank anyone you don’t like.This campaign slaps! https://t.co/jOgAfvUzht — Morgan Godvin (@MorganGodvin) October 2, 2024 • In election news, the city's Small Donor Elections program has put a temporary hold on matching contributions from candidates (from August 7 to now) after it was discovered that some candidates traded contributions in order to help each other qualify for public funding. Susan Mottet, the director of the Small Donor Elections program, says the freeze on matching contributions will remain in effect until they have enough info "to make legally sound determinations about which contributions are eligible to be matched and which are not." • For those who care... and there seems to be quite a few of you... the long-awaited In-N-Out burger joint that's been planned for the last two years in Beaverton looks like it's going to happen. But it's still at least another year out, which will give you time to think about if it's something you really like? Or maybe just something you've heard a lot of other people like, and so you've been convinced that you like it too? (Yes, I think In-N-Out is wildly overrated, and I am also a killer of all joy in the world. But c'mon... it kinda sucks.) • In much better culinary news... The sister restaurant to beloved Indonesian restaurant Wajan, Pasar focuses on drinking snacks and delicious, lesser-known dishes that are rarely found in Portland.https://t.co/Hr4rtqGpTB — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) October 1, 2024 • According to a new survey conducted by TriMet, roughly half of their riders feel unsafe on their trains and busses, citing that 82 percent of respondents are worried by the behavior of others—meaning those who are houseless and/or struggling with mental health issues. Two things about that: 1) This is the "perception" of riders, and not necessarily the result of anything that actually happened to them. (Take Rene Gonzalez's 911 call about a Black woman, for example.) Here's your reminder that powerful political forces have been demonizing those without shelter for years. And 2) it may be unwise to blame the houseless for using trains and busses as de facto shelters because of decades of inaction from the city (and aforementioned powerful political forces).  Online dating best practices, LTR silent treatment, wrist cuffs vs handcuffs, and much, much more in this zippy edition of SAVAGE LOVE "quickies"!https://t.co/oYVYtkZF8r — Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) October 1, 2024 IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • Last night, Tim "Ballz to the" Walz met JD "Couch Enthusiast" Vance in the only vice presidential debate of this election season. And the biggest takeaways from what most called "a mostly civil discussion" were that while the consistently lying Vance didn't step on any major rakes (unlike his clumsy lord and master Trump), Walz didn't exactly electrify the voters. However, the most memorable moment from the night (and what we'll hear the most about) is that Vance refused to answer this simple question from Walz: "Did [Trump] lose the 2020 election?" Vance did everything he could to duck and dodge the query, but it was clear what his non-answer meant—and it was everything voters need to know. Moderator: Just to clarify, Springfield’s Haitian migrants have legal statusVance: The rules were you guys weren't going to fact check pic.twitter.com/zo5W3i9HIt — Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 2, 2024 • Israel has launched a limited ground offensive into Lebanon, and following a missile attack from Iran into Israel's borders, the threat of an all-out war is escalating. Meanwhile, Israel has not forgotten about Gaza, sending troops and rockets into one of the most hard-hit cities, killing an additional 51 people (women and children included).  • At least 150 are dead and hundreds remain missing in the southeastern part of the country, following Hurricane Helene and the flooding left in its path. President Biden is scheduled to visit North Carolina today (where at least 66 were killed) while Veep Harris will be inspecting the damage in Georgia. 120 additional sexual abuse allegations have been filed against Diddy with 25 of them being minors at the time.The lawyer working with the individuals says one of the clients was 9 years old. pic.twitter.com/srTyv0PvU4 — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 1, 2024 • Organizers of the beloved "Fat Bear Week"—in which people vote on the chunkiest bear—delayed the start of the event for a day after a female bear contestant was killed by a male counterpart during a fight. Cameras also caught a male bear killing a cub who slipped over a waterfall, casting a sobering tone over the normally adorable proceedings. “We love to celebrate the success of bears with full stomachs and ample body fat, but the ferocity of bears is real,” said naturalist Mike Fitz to the AP. “The risks that they face are real. Their lives can be hard, and their deaths can be painful.”  • And finally, yes it sounds cool... but I hope he doesn't expect me to eat that watermelon after he's touched it. @mezerg_ Watermelon 🍉 Zenith de Paris 26.04.25 🎫 ♬ son original - MEZERG