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! 👋 And happy post-Xmas! You can expect more rain showers today and tomorrow with highs in low 50s, so if you happen to be stuck inside and need something VERY interesting to do, don't forget to take the Mercury's SEX SURVEY! It's anonymous, so you can answer all our very probing questions with complete honesty, and in January you can read all the steamy results in our upcoming "LOVE/SEX" print issue! And now let's enjoy some probing, honest, and occasionally steamy NEWS. IN LOCAL NEWS: • High winds reaching up to 63 mph knocked out power for 30,000 Oregonians on Christmas Day, with most of the damage happening on the coast, but also toppling trees in the Portland area. As of this morning, 23,000 people in the Portland metro region are still without electricity. More than a third of the $300 million from the Clean Energy Fund's new program will go to the city's own bureaus, for projects with nonprofit partners. That's on top of $623 million in PCEF funds approved earlier this month for climate initiatives within city bureaus.[image or embed] — Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) December 23, 2024 at 2:19 PM • And speaking of electricity: While Pacificorp, the electric utility company based here in Portland, has gotten the go-ahead to raise rates for its customers, three Oregon lawmakers are saying "Now hold on just a ding-dang second!" The three Republican state representatives are pushing for a bill that will stop the company from raising rates if they have unresolved wildfire lawsuits for three or more years. Pacificorp is facing multiple lawsuits (including a brand new one from the federal government) following accusations they didn't do enough to maintain their power lines which led to 2020's devastating wildfires that burned thousands of homes and killed nine people. The proposed bill is expected to be introduced in the upcoming January session, and may be the only Republican idea in 2025 that isn't abjectly terrible, so enjoy it. • And speaking of generalized Republican malfeasance: After the US Supreme Court overturned the City of Grants Pass vs Johnson ruling, which once again allows cities to criminalize houseless people even when they have nowhere to go, more than 100 cities across the nation have instituted homeless bans. These cities span the US—even in areas not largely affected by homelessness—and reflects the growing callousness of Americans who don't seem to realize that the same capitalistic system that put so many people on the street could easily take them down next. • Portland-based pet food company Northwest Naturals announced they are doing a nationwide recall of their Feline Turkey Recipe raw and frozen products after a cat in Washington County died after eating the product which tested positive for bird flu. Northwest Naturals is advising customers to get rid of any remaining 2 lb. bags of the Feline Turkey Recipe that have "best used by" dates listed as "05/21/26" and "06/23/2026." • Thinking of seeing that new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown (starring the dreamy Timothée Chalamet)? HIT THE BRAKES, BABY—at least until you've read Dom Sinacola's smart and entertaining Mercury review, which says director James Mangold's film is less of a revelatory exploration of the singer's life and more of a recapping of Dylan's Wikipedia page. (Ouch!) We asked our regular film critic @sinacolad.bsky.social to revisit his favorite films of 2024. Some he reviewed for us. Others are surprises! Some won't actually open in Portland til 2025.[image or embed] — Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.bsky.social) December 25, 2024 at 2:28 PM IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • One of the most inhumane and despicable acts of the former Trump administration was the caging and separation of children from their immigrant parents who were forcibly deported, and now the architect of that plan—Trump's “border czar” Tom Homan—is planning on reintroducing the horrific policy. Homan warns that it is the immigrant parents who is putting their children in this position, without acknowledging that many of these same parents are attempting to escape death in their home countries. • Today in "saaaad trombooooone": Low-income Americans who voted for Trump say they are counting on him to keep their benefits intact even while his Cabinet picks and Republican lawmakers call on him to reduce federal spending. “We helped get you in office; please take care of us,” Pa. resident Lori Mosura said. wapo.st/41OV9rU[image or embed] — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) December 26, 2024 at 7:49 AM • Suspicions are swirling following the deadly crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight that killed 38 of the 67 people on board, which Kremlin officials are blaming on a bird strike, while others are theorizing it was shot down by Russian missiles. After viewing video of the wreckage, experts from the aviation security firm Osprey Flight Solutions say that the damage is not consistent with a bird strike, and that "the flight was likely shot down by a Russian air defense system." The investigation is continuing. • Today in the "Hey Christians, this is the president YOU elected" headline of the day: "Trump tells 37 people with sentences commuted by Biden to ‘go to hell’ in lengthy Christmas post." • Christmas day football fans were thrilled by the appearance of Beyoncé during the halftime show between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens, where the queen performed selections from her Cowboy Carter album for the first time before a live audience. She was joined by surprise appearances from artists Shaboozey, Post Malone, and even her own daughter Blue Ivy—but even better? Beyoncé hinted that she will reveal a big surprise coming on January 14, which is a good a reason as any to survive the coming winter. • And finally... if you've ever wondered what it would sound like if the B-52s recorded Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso"... well, wonder no longer! @daltondeschain I’ll keep this caption short n sweet…☕️if you like these covers, you can stream them everywhere now! Just search for The B-69s. #music #cover #sabrinacarpenter #coversong #theb52s #espresso @The B-52s @Sabrina Carpenter ♬ original sound - Dalton Deschain