by Taylor Griggs 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! Hello. It's set to be quite sunny today, but there's rain on the way tomorrow. I don't want to talk about the weather anymore, so let's just get to the NEWS! IN LOCAL NEWS:  • Well, well, well. It looks like the Portland Auditor's Office, which announced last month that it didn't find enough evidence that Commissioner Rene Gonzalez violated campaign finance laws by using taxpayer money to clean up his Wikipedia page, has received a new and interesting tip. We don't know WHAT that evidence is yet, but the auditor's office wrote a letter to Gonzalez's campaign saying it "received new information" about the commissioner/mayoral candidate's use of public funds for Wikipedia edits, and reopened the investigation. If the office determines he messed up, what then? Would people decide he's finally gone too far and jump ship? Gonzalez somehow manages to escape accountability whenever it seems like it's catching up with him, so I wouldn't be so sure. But I'm certainly interested in what new piece of evidence is...and grateful to the Mercury's Courtney Vaughn for reporting on it.  • Beloved local coffee brand Jim & Patty's, which has two locations in Portland and one in Beaverton, is at risk of closure. Owner Patty Roberts said their financial problems aren't necessarily because they're losing customers, but more because of how expensive it is to run a coffee shop in Portland these days. So, she launched a GoFundMe, which has raised more than $35,000 so far, but may not save the business. This is a fate facing many Portland small businesses—we all have a favorite restaurant or coffee shop that has closed down. So, if you like Jim & Patty's, maybe you'll be inclined to support them. Either way, read Abe Asher's story, which details the cafe's past and uncertain future.  • US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was in Portland yesterday to support Janelle Bynum, who's running to defeat Republican Representative Lori. Chavez-DeRemer in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. It's a true purple district, and has garnered plenty of attention amid the fight for the House. Chavez-DeRemer may try to appeal to voters as a moderate, but Jeffries reminded everyone that the congresswoman endorsed Trump and has sided with conservative extremists during her time in office.  • If you use a remote key fob to lock your car door, you might be making enemies. One Portlander found this out first-hand when he locked his car door last weekend and was greeted with a slip of paper on his window shield, asking him to tone down the "chirping." The note says the "chirp-lock is just rude, inconsiderate and downright un-neighborly," and suggests returning the car to the dealer (among other options). The note also included the official Portland Bureau of Transportation logo—much to the chagrin, I'm sure, of PBOT's spokespeople, who had to deny their involvement.  Now, I think there are a lot of problems with cars, but the "chirp-lock" sound is about the last thing on my list. This seems like it must be part of some Portlandia/Punk'd mashup/reboot. HOWEVER, the Oregonian's Zane Sparling did it again with the article about the situation, which includes several puns and even some social commentary. I have to say, though, I am familiar with many of Portland's aggrieved citizens, especially when it comes to car complaints. But I have no clue who this note-writer might be. Please come forward and explain yourself! I am really curious about the inner workings of your mind. IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • When the Supreme Court recently ruled that presidents should have broad immunity for official acts in office, it threw a wrench in the federal criminal case against Donald Trump alleging he tried to overturn the 2020 election. But in a newly unsealed court filing, prosecutors show why the Supreme Court's (crazy) ruling shouldn't apply to Trump in the case of his actions between the 2020 election and January 6, 2021, when he encouraged his supporters to march on the US Capitol, putting many people's lives in danger (including that of his former VP Mike Pence).  The new court filing says Trump acted in a private capacity, not in his official role as president. It says the former president "resorted to crimes" in an attempt to hold onto power, and expressed ambivalence when a staffer told him Pence was possibly in danger. Now, does this change anyone's mind about Trump's actions surrounding the 2020 election and January 6? Probably not. But if we only act on what might change the minds of those obsessed with reactionary politicians, we won't be able to do anything at all. So, let's keep spreading the truth, I guess.  • When California enacted a $20-an-hour minimum wage for fast food workers in April, some people shrieked about "job losses" and said things like "now my McDonald's hamburger will cost $15." Well, according to research, the wage increase has NOT led to job losses, and prices have only increased by a few cents. So there, people who hate workers! Your arguments don't work.  Also, fast food workers are not "teens looking for some pocket money." California has about 737,000 fast food workers, most of whom are adult women of color making far lower than a living wage. $20 an hour is still not up to par, as it's kind of impossible for normal people to survive in California, but it's a good start. Hopefully, findings like this will encourage more politicians to ignore rightwing fear-mongers and start demanding companies pay their workers well.  • Thousands of dock workers on the East and Gulf Coasts have gone on strike, demanding wage hikes and a ban on the use of automated machinery in unloading and loading freight. It's the first major International Longshoremen's Association strike since 1977, and while fears of potential economic impact are mounting, the bosses aren't giving workers what they're asking for. The union won't strike cruise ships, though, and also have a "no strike pledge" for military cargo—amid a rising threat of all-out war in the Middle East, that is very unpopular among Americans.  President Biden has said he will not intervene in the strike.  • In Melania Trump’s new memoir, coming out next week, the former First Lady comes out in support of abortion. We all knew Melania didn’t necessarily like her husband or agree with/care about his horrible politics, but this is just further confirmation of that. Not forgiving her, because she condones everything he does and living in a little bubble of Trump privilege, but I guess this shatters the facade a little more.  • Look at this perseverance and reward! Hope you have a great Thursday and get to float around eating an oyster (at least in vibes).           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Oregon Zoo (@oregonzoo)