by Courtney Vaughn The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. 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! Ignore what Punxsutawney Phil predicted earlier this week because it doesn’t feel much like winter. Today, we can expect partly sunny skies and a high of 61 degrees with a low of 42. IN LOCAL NEWS:  • Among those whose name appears in the Epstein files is a Portland-based psychiatrist. Dr. Paul Conti apparently corresponded with and met Epstein during the span of two years from 2015 to 2017. Emails between the two men indicate Epstein solicited the help of Dr. Conti to treat a friend. Emailing back and forth with a creepy sex trafficker and convicted sex offender doesn’t make a person guilty of anything, but some of Conti’s behavior (like emailing Epstein out of the blue in 2017 to ask if he has anyone else he wants Conti to treat) raises red flags. Other Portland-related documents in the files include FBI news briefings from 2020. • Yesterday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the Department of Homeland Security, prohibiting agents in Portland from using crowd control munitions like tear gas on protesters in retaliation for non-violently demonstrating outside the ICE facility, unless they can prove an "imminent threat of physical harm" to a law enforcement officer. The TRO is effective for two weeks, and stems from a class action lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Oregon on behalf of five people, including independent journalists, protesters, and the infamous “Portland chicken” (AKA Jack Dickinson). "In a well-functioning constitutional democratic republic, free speech, courageous newsgathering, and nonviolent protest are all permitted, respected, and even celebrated. In an authoritarian regime, that is not the case," Judge Michael Simon wrote in his order granting the TRO. • Tomorrow, Portland City Council is scheduled to consider removing two people from the new Community Board for Police Accountability. The board, which isn’t operational yet, was initiated after voters approved a measure in 2020 for a new, truly independent police oversight body with the authority to investigate and terminate officers for misconduct. Two of the people who were appointed to serve on the board back in June are now being recommended for removal over what the city says is “bias for or against police.” One of the two members says she was deemed ineligible to serve over past social media posts from years ago indicating her disapproval and distrust of police. She questions why the city didn’t make that determination before she was selected by a nominating committee (which includes police) and asked to undergo hours of training. • Bummer news for Belmont:            View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Stumptown Coffee Roasters (@stumptowncoffee) IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • We know Trump is prone to saying outlandish shit, but the question is always whether he’ll act on any of it. The president went on Dan Bongino’s podcast where he suggested the federal government should handle elections. In case you’re wondering, Bongino is a former deputy director of the FBI, who, like many other insufferable dudes, felt he needed a podcast.) The thought of Trump getting any closer to federal elections after creating a new species of conspiracy theorists who still insist the 2020 election was rigged, is a big YIKES.  • Former First Lady Jill Biden’s ex-husband has been charged with murdering his wife. William Stevenson, 77, of Delaware, was married to Biden from 1970 to 1975. He’s currently in jail on first-degree murder charges for the death of his wife, 64-year-old Linda Stevenson, on Dec. 28. Former President Joe Biden married Jill after his first wife, Neilia, and his young daughter died in a car crash in December 1972. According to the AP, police were called to the Stevenson home after a reported “domestic dispute.” Linda Stevenson was found unresponsive at the home. Imagine if Jill had stayed with this creep instead of hitting it off with Joe.  • After Trump imposed travel bans on several African countries, many of those countries are responding by banning Americans from entering. Niger, Chad, Mali, and Burkina Faso have each announced reciprocal travel bans on Americans. It’s unlikely that US citizens are lining up in droves to visit the far-away countries, but some folks likely have family in those regions, or travel there for work. Are we taking bets yet on how long it will be before European countries start banning us? • The national erosion of journalism continues.  BREAKING: The Washington Post eliminates its sports department and reduces overseas journalists in large-scale cuts, an AP source says.[image or embed] — The Associated Press (@apnews.com) February 4, 2026 at 6:34 AM Stressed out? Take a cue from the capybaras and draw a bath.            View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Tokyo Weekender (@tokyoweekender) ...read more read less