Providence Park was ROCKIN' on Saturday Night!Photo courtesy of Portland Thorns FC

Sinclair was ready for battle on Saturday!Photo courtesy of Portland Thorns FC

Later in the 25th minute, Thorn Tobin Heath knocked a cross ball into perfect position for Lindsey Horan— if it wasn’t for that greedy Spirit goalkeeper who snagged it just before Horan could make contact with her head! DAG BLAST IT—FOILED AGAIN!

This goal keeper gave the Thorns a SUBSTANTIAL amount of trouble on Saturday!Photo courtesy of Portland Thorns FC

.@AubreyBledsoe is 🔥 after this double stop.

0-0 | #PORvWASpic.twitter.com/pQDilMSSm3
— NWSL (@NWSL) October 13, 2019

The second half offered more of the same close-but-no-cigar action from the Thorns. The most defining of all came in the 50th minute when Sinclair back-heeled a pass to Tobin Heath who curled a shot close, but not quite enough for a goal. PINEAPPLE FARTSICLES... WHAT IS HAPPENING?

STAYING POSITIVE
You know what? Good for the Washington Spirit for not getting spooked in a stadium of 24,521 roaring Thorns fans. And good on Thorns goalie AD Franch for picking up the eighth clean sheet for this season—That’s impressive! I just wanted the Thorns to go out with more of a SONIC BOOM—know what I mean? I still don’t feel okay after that huge 6-0 loss to North Carolina at Providence Park last month and I still feel a little nauseous thinking about that loss to the Reign a few weeks ago. I want the Thorns to look BIGGER BETTER STRONGER when waking into the playoffs.

AD Franch kept the sheets clean of goals again! Great job!Photo courtesy of Portland Thorns FC

Midge Purce was a major game changer this year for the Thorns and the 2019 Supporters Player of the Year Award.Photo courtesy of Portland Thorns FC

Good News!
The Thorns are headed to the playoffs again! CONFETTI CANNONS!
Sad News.
The Thorns will not be playing that playoff match here in Portland.
GREAT NEWS!
Thorns will not have to play the North Carolina Courage for their playoff match. LONG, TOO TIGHT HUGS FROM AN ACQUAINTANCE FROM WORK!

Portland (#3) will travel to Chicago to face off against the Red Stars (#2) at 12:30 pm (PT) on Sunday, October 20. The game will air on ESPN2—but make a plan early! Sports bars are in the thick of NFL football on Sundays! The Courage (#1) will host the Seattle Reign (#4) on the same day at 10:30 am in North Carolina. Winners from those games will face off for the 2019 NWSL Championship on Sunday, October 27 at 12:30 pm in North Carolina.

BUCKLE UP THORN FANS—The real ride is about to begin!

See you next year Providence Park. I'll miss you!Photo courtesy of Portland Thorns FC

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We all know Portland as the “strip club capital.” But Portland, you need to do better.

Some of you don't realize (and some of you do, but feel entitled anyway): dancers DO NOT get payed by the clubs, they pay a "house fee" in order to work! So, after dancing for hours (not to mention the amount of emotional labor involved) if people aren’t tipping (and this happens, A LOT), those dancers can go home OWING the club money.

Because dancers are independent contractors, clubs make money off the dancers while dancers sometimes make nothing. The clubs aren’t going to change anytime soon; they make too much money off the backs of their entertainers, and there are no repercussions for customers freeloading. THAT is what makes clubs exploitative, not the act of dancing naked itself.

So be a decent human being: pay your entertainers. WE SEE YOU, sitting at that table that you think is just far enough away. We see you cheating free glances when you think we don’t notice. This is stealing someone’s time and energy, and it is NOT okay.

PREACH ON! And preach on she does, so pick up more tips on stripper tipping here. GOT A RANT OR CONFESSION YOU NEED TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Submit it to the I, Anonymous Blog—the home of public service announcements that sometimes actually serve the public!

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In our recent interview with Dodgr, the rapper/singer confirmed she'd be pulling out all the stops for Red Bull Presents: Dodgr, including dancers, videography, visuals, and more. Get hype for this Saturday's show (and get ready to dance to sets by Maarquii, Falcons, Blimes and Gab) by throwing yourself down one of the internet's best rabbit holes: choreography videos.

Here's another one:

And just for good measure, here's Tricia Miranda's 2015 choreography video to "Bitch Better Have My Money," by Rihanna.

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I work at a hospital in Portland and was sexually assaulted by a patient. I spoke up the moment it happened because that's what us girls are told to do right? I wish I didn't. I wish I didn't tell anyone he trapped me in that room and touched my body. I wish I didn't tell anyone I he kissed me and spoke into my ear. I wish I didn't tell anyone that I can still smell his cheap cologne. because when you speak up they fail you. they tell you it wasn't a violation ENOUGH. They tell you they support you in an email and then avoid you in the hallways. they send you to every department to tell your story to be redirected to another department to tell your story again. for what? in the end they don't help you. because METOO is just a label and the label is a target on your back. your manager can put any spin on your story he desires to make his clinic look better. METOO? how does a hashtag help. how is it swept so silently under the rug. this is why we stay silent. speak up? why? so a mother who needs to support her children can now be leveraged between staying afloat financially and drowning emotionally. you stole my inner Beyoncé and left a small soul holding their knees rocking back and forth.

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One big reason our streams are so toxic. People wouldn’t feel the need to use Drano one of the worst toxins/poisons that go into our streams. You can try as a homeowner or apartment dweller to unclog your drain with white vinegar baking soda and plunging it, but if that doesn’t work and you need to call a plumber it can cost $375 for a plumber to just use a snake devise down your drain.
For a hour worth of work or less that plumber gets $375
dollars. Who can afford that on a regular basis or ever no wonder people keep using Drano. You can get drain traps which help, don’t even bother to use a garbage disposal because when they get messed up ...a plumber is needled. Drano also eats away the pipes, plumbers make money off of that. Plumbers should not make using a snake devise so pricey that the masses of low income people have no alternative then to use harmful chemicals.Everyone should be on board in protecting our environment.Even union plumbers.

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Lane Martin at his PCC graduation. Martin family

According to recently released records from the Portland Police Bureaus's (PPB) investigation into the incident, Martin had experienced a "mental breakdown" triggered by a break-up in the months leading up to his death.

That might have been why witnesses said Martin, a 31-year-old art student at Portland State University, was acting "crazy" when he was first approached by a security guard that July afternoon.

And, according to Martin's family members, that's the primary reason why Portland Police Officer Gary Doran decided to shoot Martin. On Monday, Martin's family filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Portland for allowing its officers to fatally discriminate against someone with a mental illness.

"Defendant Gary Doran, a police officer with the City of Portland, shot and killed Lane Martin because Lane was exhibiting symptoms of his mental illness," reads the lawsuit. The lawsuit was filed the same afternoon that a Multnomah County grand jury cleared Doran of any criminal charges linked to the shooting.

Martin was shot in East Portland on July 30 after a series of escalating events.

Martin was first noticed by Will Rosenbalm, a security guard for Sally Beauty, a store that shares a parking lot with an abandoned Safeway on NE 122nd and Glisan. Rosenbalm said he saw Martin trying to break into a Jeep parked in the lot. When Rosenbalm attempted to intervene, Martin allegedly brandished a knife and told Rosenbalm that he was a federal police officer. Rosenbalm called 911.

When police arrived at the scene, according to PPB reports, Martin began walking south on NE 122nd, yelling and swinging a hatchet. When Martin didn't follow officers' demands to drop the hatchet, two officers—Nicholas Bianchini and David Kemple—fired rubber bullets at Martin's legs, causing him to drop the weapon. He began running down SE 122nd.

After shooting at Martin, Kemple said he "felt the suspect was reaching into his waistband to retrieve another weapon," so instructed officers to chase Martin down the street. Officers eventually cornered Martin in an apartment complex at SE 120th and Ash, where Kemple said he yelled at Martin, "Get on the ground or you may be shot."

"He still had that... crazed look in his eye. He didn't respond audibly. He just kind of was starting at us and... he looked very amped up," Kemple said. "He looked like somebody that just wasn't gonna give up."

Officer Shanley Bianca was one of six cops surrounding Martin. In an interview with a PPB detective, Bianca said she saw Martin "raise his arms up so his elbows were bent, and hands in front of his chest, similar to a boxing stance," and take two steps toward the officers. She said she saw a black knife in his right hand. Other officers just saw Martin grabbing for something at his waistband.

"I had the impression he had something and he was trying to get it out," said Officer Mark Piombo in a PPB interview. "I was convinced he was coming out with a knife or something."

That's when Officer Doran fired 11 rounds at Martin, shooting him in each arm.

After Martin collapsed to the ground, officers continued yelling at him to put his hands up to prove he wasn't holding a weapon. Officers handcuffed him before administering first aid. He died on the scene.

Late Monday afternoon, a Multnomah County grand jury ruled that Doran was acting in self-defense when he shot Martin, clearing him of any potential criminal charges.

Lane Martin and his mother, Cristi. Martin family

In PPB's investigative interviews, Evan told a detective that his brother had addiction and mental health issues. Martin's mother, Cristi, told the same detective that she had visited her son within the past month and helped him make an appointment at Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. Cristi noted that Martin was also going through a break-up.

"At the time he was killed by Officer Doran, Lane Martin was in the midst of a mental health crisis," the lawsuit reads. "He was delusional and paranoid. PPB’s response to these mental health symptoms exacerbated his paranoia and precipitated his flight."

The lawsuit notes that it's been seven years since a US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation found that PPB officers engaged in "a pattern and practice of unnecessary or unreasonable force during interactions with people who have or are perceived to have mental illness." Following that investigation, Portland entered a settlement agreement with the DOJ, agreeing to overhaul its tactics.

But, as the lawsuit points out, this intervention hasn't kept PPB officers from killing people in crisis.

"In the three years immediately preceding this lawsuit, PPB officers have used deadly force 18 times," the suit states. "At least six of those people were people affected by mental illness."

That includes Terrell Johnson, a 24-year-old man who was shot and killed by a PPB officer in 2017 while he was in a mental health crisis. In May, Johnson's mother filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland for her son's wrongful death. The case is still pending.

The Martin family's lawsuit blames PPB for not effectively disciplining officers who use excessive force, signaling that it's an appropriate response.

"The city wants us to believe that it has addressed police violence against the mentally ill with its training and data reporting," said Jesse Merrithew, one of the attorneys representing the Martin family. "The data shows those efforts to be ineffective. The central failing remains a lack of accountability and enforcement of the city's written policies, and that's what led to Lane’s tragic death."

One of the new programs that came out of the DOJ settlement was the formation of the Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (ECIT), a group of PPB officers specifically trained to respond to people in mental health crises.

At least two ECIT officers responded to the 911 call regarding Martin, including Kemple. In an interview with a PPB detective, Kemple says that despite his training, he had no option but to shoot Martin with rubber bullets.

"This was a person that was actively aggressive... he was in an area with a lot of people out... and there was no time to do anything but just immediately engage," Kemple said. "Talking to him was... he was yelling so much that there wasn't gonna be much of a conversation."

Another ECIT member on the scene, Officer Nikolay Hristov, said that when he arrived at the Safeway parking lot and saw Martin carrying a hatchet, he tried to de-escalate the situation.

"I said, hey... you can drop the axe," Hristov said. "He just kind looked at me and the wouldn't pay attention to me anymore... I couldn't communicate with him."

Martin's family has requested a trial by jury.

"Our family is heartbroken by Lane's unnecessary death," said Martin's mother Cristi in a press release sent Monday afternoon. "And our personal tragedy is further proof that the city has not changed the pattern of police conduct since it was sued by the U.S. Department of Justice. We don't want another family to suffer like this. The DA won't charge the officer and the city won't discipline him. How will we stop this from happening again?"

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Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today.

Bonneville Dam, one of three the Yakama Nation wants gone.US Army Corps of Engineers

Now we need a conviction with no hugs from the judge. https://t.co/0ZAV5c8R4O
— Ice Cube (@icecube) October 15, 2019

PREACH: A former advisor to Donald Trump told US House investigators yesterday that National Security Advisor John Bolton recently referred to Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani as "a hand grenade who’s going to blow everybody up."For once, we might agree with him.

Trump's New Allies: President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, considered a war criminal by the US, has "benefited handsomely"from Donald Trump's decision to abandon the Kurdish population. Oh, and ISIS isn't doing too shabby, either. Great job, everyone.

Lift the Dams: On Indigenous People's Day, the Yakama Nation called for the removal of three dams on the lower Columbia River in an last-ditch effort to save their fading way of life. “Will we be the generation that forgot those that are coming behind us?" asked Yakama Nation Chairman JoDe Goudy yesterday. "Will we be the generation that forgot to speak for the resources that cannot speak in a manner that we can understand?"

.@tedwheeler is announcing his re-election launch now. He says he’s “not interested in noise—I’m interested in change. Real change.”
Notes “crisis” of mental health, addiction, traffic, infrastructure and climate facing Portland right now, but says “Portland is thriving.”pic.twitter.com/8T9sh4HDkh
— Blair Stenvick (@BlairStenvick) October 15, 2019

Fatal Discrimination: The family of Lane Martin, a man fatally shot by a Portland police officer in July, has filed a lawsuit against the City of Portland for Martin's death. The suit accuses Portland police for discriminating against people with a mental illness, an allegation first made by the US Department of Justice in 2012.

Anti-fascist's Death Remains a Mystery: We're still waiting for more information from the Portland police about the Saturday morning death of activist Sean Kealiher. Here's what we know so far.

And Here's a Head of Broccoli Being Arrested:

A climate change protester dressed in a broccoli costume shouts, "Give peas a chance!" as he's arrested in London https://t.co/TFnFTeNOsMpic.twitter.com/qHFw1RnzNl
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 15, 2019

P.S. ARE YOU HUNGRY? Dive headfirst into the Portland Mercury's Nacho Week! OH! AND YES, YOU DO LOOK SEXY!Tickets for HUMP! 2019 are right here. (Oh, and psst! Check out the new, very sexy, and decidedly NSFW HUMP! trailer here.)

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BLAIR STENVICK

But despite these crises, Wheeler said, Portland is doing well by “conventional standards”—it’s one of the wealthiest cities in the US, it is continually ranked as one of the most desirable places to live, and “travel and tourism are through the roof.”

Portland’s crises can be addressed, and its prosperity can be spread, with the help of “a type of leadership that builds bridges, not one that strives to divide us,” Wheeler said, in a possible swipe at opponent Sarah Iannarone, who often positions herself as a more progressive, populist alternative to Wheeler—and blames Wheeler for a lack of vision at City Hall.

“I believe that despite a chorus of critics who often fill the halls at City Hall, we can make the changes we need to make,” Wheeler added. “We are finding solutions to very real problems.”

Among those problems, Wheeler acknowledged, is a homelessness problem that’s exacerbated by a lack of stable funding for addiction treatment and affordable housing. Wheeler touted his inclusion of funding for addiction services in this year’s city budget, and his “record year” for developing new affordable housing, as actions he’s taken to ease the problem.

Wheeler also pointed to his support for the Portland Street Response, an idea championed by Street Roots and Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. The plan proposes that social workers and doctors should respond to most 911 calls about unwanted people or people with possible mental health crises—rather than armed police officers.

At a press conference after his speech, Wheeler said that a decline in federal funding for affordable housing and Medicaid programs has made it difficult for Portland to make more on an impact on homeless issues. He said that in his second term, he plans to be “much more aggressive” in partnering with other West Coast cities, like San Francisco and Los Angeles, when lobbying the federal government for more assistance.

In addition to homeless issues, Wheeler’s strong ties to the Portland business community was another theme at Monday’s campaign launch. Before Wheeler took the podium, several supporters made opening remarks—including a construction union representative, Metro President Lynn Peterson, Rep. Janelle Bynum, and Andrew Hoan, CEO of the Portland Business Alliance.

Bynum, who is a small business owner, said Wheeler’s “relationship with the Portland Business Alliance is incredible,” and thanked him for helping Portland business owners navigate an “unprecedented economic boom.” Hoan thanked Wheeler for his work on housing development—and for cleaning Portland streets.

“Picking up trash seven days a week downtown—that means something to the business community,” Hoan said.

City Commissioner Nick Fish—the only other city commissioner in attendance Monday—introduced Wheeler. Fish noted that Wheeler is the first Portland mayor to run for a second term this century, and said that the need for continuity of leadership is one of the reasons he supports Wheeler’s campaign.

“I have served with four mayors,” Fish said. “The city has not been served well by serial one-term mayors.”

Wheeler’s first term in office has been marked by strong criticism, questions about his leadership decisions, and embarrassing gaffes. His speech seemed to acknowledge that his opponents’ campaigns have plenty of fodder for disparaging him, but that he is “not interested in noise.”

“I’m interested in real change,” Wheeler added, “in positive change.”

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This question concerns both sex and etiquette: How much privacy can one reasonably expect while engaging in consensual sex in a sex club? While visiting one of those open-to-the-public establishments that cater to men who want to get off with other men, I saw an uptight but openly gay prig who is a member of my social circle. I shared this fact with a straight-but-gay-friendly woman while dishing the dirt over cocktails. She blabbed it to others.

This issue has turned a group of adult men and women into a squabbling mob of kids at recess. Three camps have formed on our little playground: (1) There is some kind of fag code of honor that nobody ever told me about that says that whatever deeds take place in these establishments stay there. (This is Mr. Prig's position.) (2) One is free to talk about what one sees in a sex club but one should be discreet when sharing that information. (Telling a straight woman, for example, would be out of bounds.) (3) If you choose to rim one man while being sucked by another in full view of 30 people in a quasi-public place in New York City, well, you've really blown any expectation of anonymity. (This is my view.)

Your input as an expert on sex and manners would be greatly appreciated.

Blabber Mouth

I forwarded your letter to Judith Martin, a.k.a. Miss Manners, who regularly tackles etiquette questions in her very fine advice column. Alas, gentle reader, Miss Manners has not, as of this writing, done me the courtesy of responding. Therefore I shall, with your kind indulgence, wing it:

The gay man who cultivates a priggish persona—the type who makes an elaborate show of disgust when he hears of other gay men's feats of sexual daring-do—must never allow himself to be seen in public engaged in a sex act that requires more than two dozen syllables and four languages to accurately catalogue, e.g., an exhibitionist homosexual ménage à trois featuring analingus and fellatio.

As for the amount of privacy a person can "reasonably expect" in a sex club, a prig may desire privacy in a public sex environment, hoping that others present will be as discreet as the prig is being indiscreet, but there's nothing reasonable about that expectation. In fact, it's thoroughly irrational. As for the first camp's position—"[there's a] fag code of honor... that says that whatever deeds take place in [sex clubs] stay there"—that's news to me. Most gay men, as most gay men will tell you, are terrible gossips. If you don't want gay men gossiping about your sex life, don't have sex in front of a crowd of gay men. Likewise, the second camp's position—gay men, as a rule, should be discreet—isn't grounded in reality. If discretion is a "rule," well, it's one that gay men flout as aggressively as we do those "sexual conduct strictly prohibited" signs posted in the locker rooms of better health clubs everywhere.

While most gay men regard rimming and sucking as relatively vanilla, performing both at once in front of 30 men is a remarkably sleazy thing to do—and it's Mr. Prig's own fault his sex-club tableau was so remarkable. Had Mr. Prig refrained from misrepresenting himself to his social circle, then there wouldn't have been anything remarkable about spotting him in a sex club with his tongue wedged in a strange man's rump. If your friends knew him for an ass-eating sleaze-o-rama, you wouldn't have had the dirt on him. That Mr. Prig's public sexual conduct conflicted with his publicly stated beliefs about sex made his behavior remarkable and blabworthy. Mr. Prig is a hypocrite, now unmasked, with no one to blame but himself for his humiliation.

Finally, let me remind my gentle readers that rimming is not a first-date activity. While low-risk for HIV, rimming is high-risk for everything else, and if you don't know how recently your companion has showered, rimming is in terribly poor taste. I believe Judith Martin disagrees on this point, but Miss Manners takes a more permissive position on oral-anal contact than I, which is her prerogative as a lady.

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HAZEMMKAMAL/Getty Images

Diagnosed cases and deaths on the rise: The vaping related illness now has its own name: VAPI, short for Vaping Associated Pulmonary Injury. As of October 8, the CDC has reported 1,299 VAPI-related injuries, and 29 deaths. The cases have been reported in every state except Alaska, in addition to the US Virgin Islands.

Science News reports that “About three-fourths of the 573 patients for whom information was available reported using THC in their vapes three months prior to falling ill. About a third used only THC products, while others also used nicotine-containing products. About 13 percent exclusively vaped nicotine.”

The majority of the carts being blamed for VAPI cases are coming from the illicit marketplace. Yet again, I implore you, do not purchase carts from any place other than licensed dispensaries. And as with all cannabis products, get to know your grower/processor/edible maker/etc. I know that research can be time-consuming, boring, and frustrating, but just because a cart comes in a package with labeling which looks official, it may not be.

A friend in Nashville recently told me he trusts the carts sent to him from a friend in LA, asking if I was familiar with the Dank brand. I shared with him my column on illicit carts, which looks at what Dank truly is—a company that produces empty carts and packaging, yet does not produce anything that actually goes into these carts. While they are cheaper than what you find in dispensaries, they can also kill you, as Leafly writes: “The Bureau of Cannabis Control raided a vape shop in Fresno, California on Sept. 25 and confiscated roughly 2,200 street market 'Dank Vapes' carts and packaging for 4,400 more. Many VAPI victims have reported using Dank Vapes carts.” Not dying is worth an extra $10-20 per cart. Treat yo’self, and keep breathing.

What’s causing this? Short answer—we don’t fully know yet. Initial reports concluded a likely culprit was a thickening agent, Vitamin E Acetate, which Oregon neither tests for, nor bans in THC carts.

Leafly writes, “The FDA has received about 440 samples for testing… (finding) vitamin E acetate in at least 150 of them. The FDA is testing seized carts for THC, nicotine, cutting agents called diluents, additives, pesticides, opioids, poisons, and toxins. One New York patient who tested his cart found it contained formaldehyde, pesticide, vitamin E oil, and 'a little dab of THC.' The California lab Cannasafe reports 10 out of 10 vape carts from California illicit stores tested positive for tocopheryl-acetate, some as high as 40 percent. FDA testing has found tocopheryl-acetate cuts of 31 percent to 88 percent.”

A Colorado lab, Green Lab, believes the cause is connected to heavy metal poisoning, which differs from what your mother thought would happen if she let you go see that Judas Priest/Ozzy Osbourne double bill when you were 13. As Merry Jane reports, the poisoning in this case is “cadmium pneumonitis, a rare lung disease caused by inhaling heavy metal fumes.” The metal responsible is cadmium, used in vape carts alloys as a solder. Green Lab reports that the alloy is primarily found in the cheapest carts made, another reason to upgrade not only the carts but the hardware you're using to vape.

On the local front: Beginning today, October 15, Oregon implements a six-month ban on “all tobacco and cannabis (marijuana and hemp) vaping products that contain natural or artificial flavors, including, but not limited to: Chocolate, Coffee, Cocoa, Menthol, Mint, Wintergreen, Vanilla, Honey, Coconut, Licorice, Nuts, Fruit, Any candy, Dessert, Alcoholic, Nonalcoholic beverage, Herb, and Spice.”From Marijuana Business Daily: “Unflavored THC products or those that use only marijuana-derived flavorings, including terpenes, are excluded from the ban... Authorities said a primary concern is artificial terpene mixes with fillers that are undisclosed and appear to be unsafe for vaping."

Meanwhile, bad actors gonna act bad: Recent actions in California have cast a light onto the idea that it’s possible some of the illicit carts are coming from... the licit marketplace.

Leafly reports that a California brand with a stupid AF name, Kushy Punch, has been pulling some rather shady shit. Namely, authorities accuse them of having a second unregulated production facility, making and selling illicit carts. And not just a few for friends. Leafly reports that law enforcement “seized a number of finished products, including gummies in Kushy Punch packaging and 7,200 disposable vaporizers in Kushy Vape packaging with an estimated street value of $21 million.”

Leafly’s source for the story broke down how it worked: Cannabis that passed California’s stringent testing requirements was purchased and processed by the licensed Kushy Punch facility. Cannabis that did not pass testing, often due to pesticides, was diverted into the unregulated facility. The source says, “This is where they have all black market operations going. They are using untested black market oil that is heavy in pesticide.”

How is this happening? From Leafly:

"Licensees can perform private 'research and development' lab testing to isolate dirty cannabis before it’s sent down the supply chain. Operators are supposed to destroy dirty stock, but California’s statewide track-and-trace system has yet to get up and running—and may still be months away. Without that system, it’s easy to divert tainted cannabis.

"Vape industry expert Peter Hackett, founder of the law-abiding California company AirVapor, explains the logic of selling out the back door. If a licensed company fails R&D lab testing on 30,000 vape carts at $50 retail each, do they just throw away $1.5 million? 'Hell no,' says Hackett. 'That’s going to get redirected into the underground black market network.'"

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Regina King in HBO's Watchmen.Mark Hill/HBO

The show is based on the legendary comics that came out in 1986 and 1987, but it’s not a direct adaptation of that story; rather, the HBO series uses it as background material to tell an entirely new tale set (mostly) in 2019, a story devised by series creator Damon Lindelof, the mastermind behind Lost and The Leftovers. His discursive storytelling techniques, which move through plot the way a queen moves across a chessboard—forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally—have a lot in common with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ comic, which interwove seemingly unconnected strains into a greater web. Even when Lindelof’s stuff gets bumpy (such as the dismount of Lost or the depressing first season of The Leftovers), his storytelling is entirely seductive, and Watchmen’s first few episodes—I watched six out of a total of nine—certainly continue that trend.

Those first few episodes are confusing as hell, too. If you haven’t read Watchmen, you’ll probably be at sea for the opening stretches (the Zack Snyder movie version from 2009 made a couple of significant changes that this series ignores). Actually, you might be at sea regardless: Even though I’ve read (and seen) Watchmen, I had trouble finding my footing. If this is your first foray into the Watchmen-verse, I Imagine you won’t be that far behind comic readers, although there are references and easter eggs galore for the initiated.

Tim Blake Nelson and Regina King in HBO's Watchmen.Mark Hill/HBO

Make no mistake: This Watchmen is about racism in America—its history, its evolution, and its implications in daily life. But rather than functioning as political commentary, it’s a fascinating thought experiment that springboards off Watchmen’s established alternate timeline, in which America won the Vietnam War because of a godlike superhero named Dr. Manhattan, which led Nixon to win reelection. In HBO’s Watchmen, eventually Robert Redford takes over the presidency long-term, ushering in a period of liberalism that rankles right-wing racists. (Hmm, not that alternate, is it?) It makes the provocations of Joker look like a bowl of wet noodles.

Some of the original Watchmen characters do appear: Dr. Manhattan is glimpsed briefly in the first episode, building then destroying buildings on Mars for sport; the Silk Spectre and Ozymandias are also still kicking around, although how the show reveals them is best left unsaid.

But most of the characters are new. The central figure is a masked detective named Sister Night, played by Regina King, who’s nothing short of phenomenal. Law enforcement officers in this world are required to keep their identities secret to avoid being targeted by terrorists: Beat cops wear yellow pull-up face masks, while vigilantes like Sister Night are concealed beneath full superhero getup. For example, Looking Glass—another detective, played by a terrific Tim Blake Nelson—dons a reflective covering that covers his entire skull, while the officer responsible for remotely “unlocking” the cops’ firearms does so from beneath a giant panda head. Meanwhile, the chief of police doesn’t seem to wear a disguise; he’s played by Don Johnson, who’s so goddamned charming that you’ll wish he had a bigger role.

Jeremy Irons in HBO's Watchmen.Mark Hill/HBO

Stick with it. The show really gets cooking around Episode 4, and Episode 5, focusing on Looking Glass, is absolutely terrific. And with that said, the series highlight could very well be Episode 6, the final one previewed for critics. An episode told ingeniously by reworking the Watchmen mythology through flashbacks, it’s simply one of the most electrifying hours of television I’ve seen this year. It had me going back to re-watch earlier episodes and noticing new things.

So, yeah, this Watchmen may not be for everyone. It’s a lot of work. But it’s work that pays off—unlike, say, Westworld, which for its first two seasons threw a bunch of confusing shit at the wall to see what stuck. (Almost nothing, apparently, which is why that show appears to be getting a hard reboot for its third season.) And Lindelof, while squirrelly with his storytelling, manages to imbue everything here with emotion, the way he did during The Leftovers’ breathtaking second and third seasons. Perhaps more significantly, he found the absolute right actors to push that emotion from out of the TV screen and into your living room. It may not be what fans of the Watchmen comic want, and it may not exactly be user-friendly to neophytes, but it’s terrific television all the same.

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Laura Kealiher speaks to reporters at the site of her son's death.Alex Zielinski

"I want all public statements to stop," said Laura Kealiher, speaking to reporters this afternoon outside of the offices of the Democratic Party of Oregon on NE 9th and Everett. "They just fuel the rumor mill, which everyone close to Sean has had to suffer through."

Sean died early Saturday morning after someone allegedly drove an SUV into him on the street adjacent to the Democratic Party of Oregon office. Sean was rushed to the hospital in a personal vehicle, but did not survive. According to the Multnomah County Medical Examiner, Sean died from blunt force trauma.

Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers responded to the scene after neighbors reported hearing gunshots near NE Davis and 8th. That's where officers said they discovered an empty SUV crashed into the side of a building. They found evidence of gunfire in the abandoned vehicle.

PPB has released little public information on their investigation into his death, and has yet to make an arrest. In a Tuesday press release, PPB said the "motive behind this incident is still unknown."

Messages left on the outer wall of the Democratic Party of Oregon offices.Alex Zielinski

Brad Martin, director of the Democratic Party of Oregon, said the office has refrained from removing the writing out of respect. "We wanted to give people the space," said Martin on Tuesday afternoon. "We understand the deep grieving process for a remarkable young man who's touched many people."

Martin says the Western States Center has volunteered to help paint over the messages in the next few days.

"Some of you may feel inclined to leave messages on the Democratic Party of Oregon offices after it has been cleaned up," Laura said, "but I am requesting that you refrain."

Laura has asked mourners to join her family in memorializing Sean during a October 26 noon potluck at Chapman Square.

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The flowers died the night I got them. What a sign! Dry and neglected, you gave me blue hydrangeas. No doubt they were beautiful at first. But they must've died when it took you more than an hour to make a 35 minute drive. Came up short. And I wish for this not. I wanted to really like you. But, I'm learning I have preferences. I don't like petite men. Apparently, I need a beefy dude who's at least a few inches taller than me. I tried to find a way to get the sparks to fly. But instinctively I knew not to be too much: too friendly, touchy, sitting too close to you. Not only could I not do it because I seem to be quite turned off by small men, but also it wouldn't have been polite to lead you on knowing how I feel. Thanks for the dead flowers though.

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Halloween is getting closer every day, and this weekend almost feels like it wants to skip the wait and start now, which isn't a bad idea when you have the Boo Bomb dropping, Nuggets Night flying all the garage-raised birds as they say goodbye, a retro gamer's paradise unfolding at the Convention Center, and an all new version of The Evil Dead splattering the big screen. Oh yeah, the Clintons (Hillary and Chelsea, that is) are in town! That's only the tip of the entertainment iceberg in the city this weekend: Hit the links below and chart your course judiciously.

Nuggets Night Farewell Freaker
For 12 years, Nuggets Nights have featured Portland bands performing the garage-rock classics from the ’60s that appeared on Lenny Kaye’s legendary Nuggets compilation album and its countless sequels. Raise a glass, for this weekend is the Farewell Freaker—the final Nuggets Night celebration ever, with proceeds going to House of Sound. For twonights, local bands like the Pynnacles, Matt Rogers’ Miracle Workers, Dartgun and the Vignettes, and tons of others will play those loud, legendary, rude, rockin’ tunes that have made garage rock one of the most undying genres ever. (Fri-Sat Oct 18-19, 8:30 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club, $5)NED LANNAMANN

Portland Retro Gaming Expo
Since it began in 2006, the Portland Retro Gaming Expo has grown from a small gathering of enthusiasts in an old hotel conference room to a gigantic, multi-day affair that takes over much of the Oregon Convention Center. Thankfully, the focus on old-school video games remains the same—you’ll find an insane amount of hard-to-find games for sale, whether they're from the era of the Atari 2600 and ColecoVision or relatively newer titles—and there’ll also be slew of special guests, from cosplaying YouTubers to the creators of classics like Pitfall! and Paperboy. There’s more, including tournaments, a video game museum, and really very incredibly specific panels (“Making Alien vs. Predator for the Atari Jaguar: A 25th Anniversary Retrospective”), but the biggest draw might be the “Retrocade”: 30,000 square feet of classic arcade cabinets and pinball machines, all free to play. (Oct 18-20, Fri noon, Sat 9 am, Sun 10 am, Oregon Convention Center, $12-45, all ages)ERIK HENRIKSEN

Matt Braunger
Bridgetown Comedy Festival co-founder Matt Braunger is based in LA now, but he still returns to Portland often to deliver his self-deprecating, non-toxic-dude brand of standup. “Do you recognize the fact that you’re wearing a hockey jersey and basketball shorts, you pile of crap?” Braunger implored of men who complain about their marriages on a Conan guest spot. On his recent standup special Live in Portland, Braunger even manages to make “wokeness”—the most exhausted comedic topic of the decade, I’d argue—feel fresh and funny. (Fri-Sat Oct 18-19, 7:30 pm & 10 pm, Helium Comedy Club, $20)BLAIR STENVICK

Devendra Banhart, Daniel Higgs
Those who aren’t familiar with Devendra Banhart’s name will surely recognize him as the suspenders-over-a-Swans-T-shirt-wearing poster child of the “hipster” age. Banhart’s 15 years of freakish folk-pop surpass this perceived identity as the aesthetic mascot of hipsterdom, though the aforementioned look probably launched a thousand memes. Sure, he’s not reinventing the wheel with his 2016 release Ape in Pink Marble; the record continues to steer away from the airy love songs his discography’s foundation was built upon. If anything, it offers more aggressive, darker pop than its predecessor, 2013’s lovelorn Mala. And while Banhart’s last few albums have been met with incredibly mixed reviews, diehard fans will still swoon over his loving croon and revel in the fact that he’s still making music. (Fri Oct 18, 8 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $30-32, all ages)CERVANTE POPE

Andrew Bird
Andrew Bird is a one-man symphony: The multi-instrumentalist sings, whistles, and plays violin, guitar, and glockenspiel. He masterfully loops layers upon layers of dense, intricate sounds to create elaborate orchestral pop. (Fri Oct 18, 8 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $39.50-49.50, all ages)CIARA DOLAN

Gwar, Sacred Reich, Toxic Holocaust, Against the Grain
The longtime heavy metal act out of Richmond, Virginia bring their theatrical and gore-soaked live show back to the Roseland for the Portland stop on the "Use Your Collusion Tour," with Sacred Reich, Toxic Holocaust, and Against the Grain on-hand to round out the proceedings. (Fri Oct 18, 7:30 pm, Roseland, $25-30)

Todd Snider, Ramblin' Jack Elliott
It’s not as tough to find pure storytelling songwriters as it used to be, but with the proliferation of Nashville romanticism, it’s tougher to find good ones. Todd Snider is one of the good ones, a hilarious bard weaned on ’70s country and raised in the punk rock ’80s and early ’90s, who on his 17th album, Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3, furthers his own trippy, downhome reputation. Snider is capable of both sincere folk balladry (“Like a Force of Nature,” which features Jason Isbell) and super meta spoofs like album opener “Workin’ On a Song.” Paired with the legendary country icon Ramblin’ Jack Elliott tonight, this show is practically mandatory. (Fri Oct 18, 8 pm, Revolution Hall, $30)RYAN J. PRADO

JPEGMAFIA, Butch Dawson
Fresh off a tour supporting Vince Staples, Los Angeles-based experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA (AKA Barrington Hendricks) returns to Portland for a sold-out headlining show at the Hawthorne Theatre supporting his latest album, All My Heroes Are Cornballs. (Fri Oct 18, 8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $20-23, all ages)

Dirty Revival, Lounge on Fire
Dirty Revival's self-titled album's opening song, "Dirty Love," is indicative of the band's directness. In a high-energy romp, singer Sarah Clarke's sultry vocals soar over a groove of Roots-inspired hip-hop and soul that more or less introduces the band's ethos: They're here to make you move. (Fri Oct 18, 9 pm, Mississippi Studios, $16-18)RYAN J. PRADO

A Phenomenal Concert: The Journey of Blues & Gospel in America
Norman "The Boogie Cat" Sylvester has been taking his blues to Portland stages for longer than most of you readers have been alive. Catch him tonight as he presents "A Phenomenal Concert: The Journey of Blues and Gospel in America," along backing from a who's who of Oregon blues and gospel talent, including La Rhonda Steele and Tevis Hodge, Jr. (Fri Oct 18, 7:30 pm, Alberta Rose Theatre, $20)

The Talbott Brothers
It's hard to get more heartland than Imperial, Nebraska, and from that folksy soil comes brothers Tyler and Nick and their rock-inflected Americana sound. (Fri Oct 18, 8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $20, all ages)

JAM’N 107.5’s Boo Bomb 6: Ice Cube, E-40, Ginuwine, Baby Bash, Zapp
If you love your throwbacks—and you better believe we do—the annual Jam’n 107.5 Boo Bomb is ready to throw you back to exactly where you want to be. This year’s festivities celebrating ’90s and ’00s R&B and rap is a certified banger that includes, but is not limited to, Ice Cube, Ginuwine (“Pony”), Baby Bash (“Suga Suga”), and ’70s electro funk outfit Zapp (“More Bounce to the Ounce”). No female-fronted acts have been announced yet, which gives me pause—but don’t be surprised if this lineup expands to include the ladies and even more of the acts you remember and adore. (Sat Oct 19, 7 pm, Moda Center, $45 & Up)WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Cheryl Strayed
Powell's presents one hell of a powerhouse literary lineup on the Revolution Hall stage, and they're on that stage to celebrate the release of the Clintons'The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience, and discuss the stories contained within its pages. Ticket price includes a copy of the book. (Sat Oct 19, 5 pm, Revolution Hall, $45, all ages)

Black Pumas
Fans of ’70s soul—hey, that’s me!—will rejoice over the sounds of Black Pumas, an Austin duo who reach deep into one of the genre’s greatest decades to mine the particular, rhythmic mood of this music. Expect brooding, fuzzy-buzzy guitars from Adrian Quesada, paired with staccato horns and organ, and fronted by the soulful vocals of lead singer Eric Burton who sounds like a 2019 version of Wilson Pickett. It’s like stumbling upon a missing Curtis Mayfield soundtrack of a lost Richard Roundtree film—with a decidedly modern touch. (Sat Oct 19, 9 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $17, all ages)WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY

Dodgr, Falcons, Blimes & Gab, MAARQUII
Red Bull Music sets up shop at the Roseland, with L.A.-via-Portland hip-hop artist Dodgr returning to her old stomping grounds ahead of her anticipated debut album. Falcons, Blimes & Gab, and MAARQUII round out the proceedings. Hosted by Portugal. The Man (Sat Oct 19, 8 pm, Roseland, $10-20, all ages)

Typhoon
The critically acclaimed local rock orchestra celebrates the 15th anniversary of Mississippi Studios with an intimate hometown show (and their only performance of the year) at the beloved venue. (Sat Oct 19, 9:30 pm, Mississippi Studios, $40-45)

Requiem for Vaseline Alley
Beloved Portland artist Anthony Hudson (in drag, as Carla Rossi) heads up this performative walking tour of downtown Portland’s Harvey Milk corridor, formerly known as “Vaseline Alley”. Meet at the corner of SW 10th and SW Stark (in front of Living Room Theaters) and venture out on an extensive tour exploring the region's now-vanished spaces for Queer embodiment and culture. (Sat Oct 19, 6:15 pm, Living Room Theaters, free)

Abhi the Nomad, Atwood
The globetrotting MC and recent Tommy Boy signee brings his infectious blend of indie-pop and hip-hop to the Holocene stage for an all-ages stop on the "Modern Trash" Tour. Texas-hailing rapper Atwood rounds out the bill with his own blend of funk-tinged hip-hop. (Sat Oct 19, 6 pm, Holocene, $15-18, all ages)

Pete Yorn
The acclaimed singer/songwriter brings his "You & Me Solo Acoustic Tour" to the Hawthorne Theatre stage to head up an intimate Portland performance. (Sat Oct 19, 8 pm, Hawthorne Theatre, $25-30)

World Foods Cellar Fest
World Foods is digging into their cellar and breaking out some of the finest beer in their stash for your tasting pleasure. Special taps include a Cantillon Classic Gueuze, Hill Farmstead Anna, Hill Farmstead Arthur, and Hill Farmstead Florence. Admission includes four tap pours as well as priority access to any bottles to-go up for sale. (Sat Oct 19, 4 pm, World Foods, $17)

PNW Pileup: A Rose City Wreckers Tournament
The Rose City Wreckers present the second annual PNW Pileup, with regional roller derby sides going at it in an all-day tournament to decide who takes home a $500 cash prize and derby glory. Admission is $25 for an all-day pass or $20 for a ticket that grants you admission to all bouts from 3 pm on. (Sat Oct 19, 10 am, The Hangar at Oaks Park, $20-25, all ages)

Eleven PDX Print Funeral & Digital Launch Party
The Doug Fir and Saint Archer Brewing Company present a bittersweet patio party, with beloved Portland music magazine Eleven PDX celebrating the release of its 100th print edition and marking its official transition to digital-only with the launch of a newly redesigned website. The party will feature music from Jared Mees, DJ Anjali, Nathan Trueb, Mere Mention, Sama Dams, and Laura Palmer's Death Parade, plus on-site screen printing, pop-up craft vendors, an artwork raffle of pieces featured in the pages of the magazine, and more. Proceeds benefit Pass The Mic and their ongoing effort to provide youth with high-quality and culturally responsive music education and mentorship by experienced Portland musicians. (Sat Oct 19, 4 pm, Doug Fir, $11)

Angelo Moore & The Brand New Step, Trujillo, Mic Crenshaw
The Fishbone frontman brings his latest project to town to head up a Saturday-night dance party at Dante's with his groovy and soulful R&B sound. Portland staples Trujillo and Mic Crenshaw round out the bill. (Sat Oct 19, 9 pm, Dante's, $12-15)

Caravan Palace
The Paris-based band bring their blend of French electric swing music to the Crystal Ballroom stage for the Portland stop on a North American tour supporting their latest album, Chronologic. (Sat Oct 19, 8:30 pm, Crystal Ballroom, $25-30, all ages)

The Evil Dead
The first Evil Dead is a film that’s been a little misunderstood over the years. Its sequels (and amazingly, a live musical adaptation) veered strongly towards black comedy and splatstick, so people would go back to that first movie and not quite get it—why isn’t it funny? It’s supposed to be funny, right? No. Raimi wasn’t trying to do anything but scar you with that first film, and once you stop looking for all the winks and nods that aren’t there, The Evil Dead reveals itself as the irresponsible and mean-spirited little poison pill it is. That pill will go down a little smoother tonight, thanks to a new restoration that makes all of Raimi's inventive gore effects look brand new, while giving composer Joe LoDuca 5.1 channels to play in as opposed to squishing all his music int a single mono channel. (Sun Oct 20, 7:30 pm & 9:45 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $7-9)BOBBY ROBERTS

Dolorean, Michael Hurley
Singer/songwriter Al James and his much-missed folk-pop outfit Dolorean returns to the stage for the first time in over half a decade to celebrate Mississippi Studio’s 15 year anniversary. Beloved folk artist Michael Hurley rounds out the proceedings. (Sun Oct 20, 8 pm, Mississippi Studios, $14-16)

National Theatre Live: Fleabag
Third Rail presents a hi-definition screening of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's award-winning, one-woman show that inspired the hit TV series Fleabag, broadcast to Portland's World Trade Center Theater from London’s West End. (Sun Oct 20, noon, World Trade Center Theater, $23)

Knock Out: Plus Size Pop Up and Fashion Show
Portland's preeminent fashion and shopping event highlighting influential plus size clothing designs from the likes of Copper Union, Chubby Cartwheels, Chubstr, Re/Dress, Altar, Bawdy Love, and more returns the Wonder Ballroom, with special guest Sonalee Rashatwar giving the keynote address. (Sun Oct 20, 11 am, Wonder Ballroom, $20-25)

Jade Bird
Here’s a list of the things up-and-coming English singer/songwriter Jade Bird has done before releasing a full-length album: She has toured with Colter Wall, First Aid Kit, and Brandi Carlile. She’s played multiple late-night talk shows. She’s covered Johnny Cash, Alanis Morissette, and Dua Lipa, among others. She’s released some new singles, videos for those singles, and acoustic versions of those singles. And most recently, she’s been the subject of a mini-documentary called Something American—the same name as her solid 2017 EP. What does this fascinating and carefully orchestrated rollout mean? It means there’s a team of people out there who think big things are on Jade Bird’s horizon. When you listen to her heartfelt and super-tuneful take on roots-rock—think the elegance of Neko Case meets the grit of Lydia Loveless—it’s not hard to hear where they’re coming from. (Sun Oct 20, 8:30 pm, Wonder Ballroom, $20-22, all ages)

Cory Wong, Phoebe Katis
Vulfpeck guitarist Cory Wong brings his minimalist funk project to the Doug Fir Lounge for an intimate Portland stop on his solo tour. Rising London-based singer/songwriter Phoebe Katis rounds out the bill with her soulful blend of pop and doo-wop. (Sun Oct 20, 8 pm, Doug Fir, $22-25)

Joel Ross, Matt Sazima Trio
Jazz vibraphonist, bandleader, and recently signed Blue Note artist Joel Ross brings the "Good Vibes" Tour to Portland for a headlining show supporting his acclaimed debut album, KingMaker. (Sun Oct 20, 8:30 pm, Holocene, $15)

Witch, Petyr
Revolution Hall presents a rare live show with the stoner and doom metal supergroup comprised of Kyle Thomas (King Tuff), J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Dave Sweetapple (Sweet Apple, Eerie), and Graham Clise (Annihilation Time, Lecherous Gaze). (Sun Oct 20, 8 pm, Revolution Hall, $28.50-30, all ages)

Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!

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Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today.

"Hi, I'd like to join in on this dogpile of Elizabeth Warren."Win McNamee/Getty Images

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Three course meals: spaghetti, fettuccine, and veal. But still, everything's real in the field. LET'S GO TO PRESS.

Last night marked a turning point in the Democratic debates, with the 11 finalists gunning for the new presumptive frontrunner, Elizabeth Warren. Her opponents tried to poke holes in her many "I've got a plan for that" plans, with little effect. Otherwise everybody did pretty much how you'd expect: Biden and Sanders stayed steady, while Harris and Booker retained their positions—though Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar made a stronger case for their brand of liberal centrism.

Elizabeth Warren is surging in the polls.

In Tuesday's debate, her opponents piled on and attacked her policies, from healthcare to the economy. https://t.co/EZS9672OfZ
— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) October 16, 2019

Not one single question about the climate crisis.
Not one single question about the climate crisis.
Not one single question about the climate crisis.

This is the existential crisis of our time. Not one single question, and that’s completely inexcusable. #DemDebate
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) October 16, 2019

MEANWHILE IN IMPEACHMENT LAND: Senior state department Ukraine expert George Kent told impeachment investigators that he was sidelined by the Trump administration to make room for the president's toadies (Portland's own) Gordon Sondland, Kurt Volker, and energy secretary Rick Perry—who called themselves (get ready to vomit) "THE THREE AMIGOS." Fuck every one of those guys.

new Gallup Poll on Trump:

approve his job performance?
39% yes, 57% no

want Congress to impeach/remove Trump from office?
52% yes, 46% no
https://t.co/LiA7fHRWGa
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) October 16, 2019

Speaking of fucking every one of those guys: Michael McKinley, the former adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, is expected to tell impeachment investigators today that "career diplomats were mistreated during his tenure and some had their careers derailed for political reasons."

Vice President Mike Pence is ass-deep in Trump's Ukraine trouble as well, and is suspiciously (AND ILLEGALLY) ignoring a subpoena to turn over documents related to the president's call to Ukraine's leader.

Meanwhile Nancy Pelosi is holding off on a full House vote to authorize an impeachment inquiry thanks to skittish Dems facing rough reelection bids—but if the facts keep pouring out as they have been, the vote could easily happen.

Twitter is seeking to clarify its rules for politicians after coming under pressure from Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democratic presidential candidate, to suspend President Trump's account. https://t.co/U3XfwcFEg7
— CNN (@CNN) October 16, 2019

OH, THAT'S RICH: Turkey's president is asking the Kurds to lay down their arms, while requesting international help in continuing their atrocity—you know, the one Trump set into motion by stupidly withdrawing American troops from the region. Meanwhile Trump is trying to cover up his mistake by leveling sanctions and other economic punishments on Turkey—though he's not fooling anyone.

IN LOCAL NEWS: It's official: Mayor Ted Wheeler is running for a second term (yaaaaaaaaaay or whatever). Our Blair Stenvick was there for his kickoff speech.

The mother of Sean Kealiher, the 23-year-old man who died after being hit by the driver of an SUV on Saturday, made a public statement yesterday asking for people to stop speaking on her behalf on the internet, and quit making graffiti on the outside of the Democratic Party building (where the hit and run took place). Our Alex Zielinski was there and has the details.

Update from the Portland Police Bureau on its investigation into Sean Kealiher's death: "At this time, the motive behind this incident is still unknown."
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) October 15, 2019

Meanwhile a reward has been offered for any information about the death of Sean Kealiher that leads to an arrest.

Today in "Okay, That's Probably a Good Idea":"Portland teachers are now explicitly banned from inviting students to their homes, giving them car rides."

By the way... ARE YOU HUNGRY? Dive headfirst into the Portland Mercury's Nacho Week! Happening right now! OH! AND YES, YOU DO LOOK SEXY!Tickets for HUMP! 2019 are right here. (Oh, and psst! Check out the new, very sexy, and decidedly NSFW HUMP! trailer here.)

Now let's scan the skies for some WEATHER: Lots of showers and blustery conditions (highs around 60) from now until Monday, so put on your rubbers.

And finally, the horse is America, the rider is Trump. Good day, everyone!

Neigh means neigh

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A memorial for deceased members of the homeless community at Street Roots' office.Alex Zielinski

On Tuesday, the county released its annual "Domicile Unknown" report, which presents data collected from the county medical examiner's office on the number of people who died without a home address (marked "domicile unknown" on their death certificate). According to the report, 2018 saw the highest number of homeless deaths since the county began recording this data in 2011. However, because of population growth in Multnomah County, the proportion of homeless people represented in the county's total annual death count (around 8.6 percent) has remained stable since 2015.

"It’s been a fairly steady drumbeat of preventable deaths among young and midlife people. In a way, it’s the monotonous nature that’s important,” said Tri-County Health Officer Paul Lewis, who oversees the Multnomah County Medical Examiner's office, in a press release. “This allows us to refocus our energy. It shows that many of these deaths are preventable, but prevention is hard to implement if people are unhoused.”

Fifty-three percent of the recorded homeless deaths were linked to alcohol and drug use. Of those deaths, 55 percent were caused by methamphetamines, with 47 percent attributed to opioids and 31 percent related to alcohol consumption.

This makes 2018 the second consecutive year that meth use has surpassed opioids as the top cause of death among homeless people who died from a substance-related cause.

This trend doesn't just impact the homeless community. According to a recent federal study, 45 percent of all drug-related deaths in Oregon in 2018 involved meth. In the past decade, Oregon has witnessed an overall decrease in deaths linked to opioids and a steady increase in meth-related deaths.

The county report found that 32 percent of homeless deaths in 2018 took place in public spaces. Seventeen percent died in a hospital and 14 percent died in a car or camper. Sixty-seven of the 92 deaths were either marked "accidental" or "natural." Ten people were murdered and nine people died from suicide.

When Multnomah County first began tracking this data in 2011, it recorded 47 recorded homeless deaths. The annual tallies calculate that at least 530 homeless people have died in Multnomah County in the past eight years.

In the report, Street Roots Director Kaia Sand attributed many of these deaths to a simple lack of permanent housing.

"This is about how hearts suffer too much until they stop, how bodies are torn up by violence and immune systems are ravaged by exhaustion," Sand said. "Housing is healthcare too: A door with a lock and a key creates a space to be safe, the autonomy to heal and the ability to hold onto sentimental belongings that nourish the spirit."

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Claudette Barius / Netflix

The Laundromat is currently playing at the Hollywood Theatre, and streams on Netflix starting Fri Oct 18.

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Darren415/Getty Images

This has been true for both US and Canadian brands, although with national cannabis legalization, Canada has a stock market that can list cannabis stocks. And many of those stocks in the Great White North are sliding south, quickly.

How bad is it? It’s bad. As Merry Jane writes: “Canada’s federal cannabis program, which is largely operated by five companies, saw a total market loss of $23 billion since September 2018, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Part of this is attributable to the outbreak of VAPI—Vaping Associated Pulmonary Illness—which has hospitalized over 1,300 and killed nearly 30 individuals across the US. In states with recreational cannabis programs, vaping products comprise 10 to 25 percent of the market. The CDC started an investigation on August 1. Since then, according to Forbes, “Four of the biggest cannabis companies, Tilray, Canopy Growth, Aurora Cannabis and Cronos Group—have lost around $10 billion in market value since the CDC launched its multi-state investigation into vaping illnesses.”

Not all the losses can be blamed on VAPI, however. Pre-existing issues within the market have derailed expected profits, and as the Wall Street Journal reports, it’s been brutal for some companies, even those funded with millions in capital. One cannabis stock, Hexo, is in a joint venture with Molson Coors Brewing, and their plan to produce CBD-infused beverages in a deal valued at more than $50 million Canadian hasn’t done so well. Their stock has dropped 38 percent, and the WSJ writes, “On Thursday, the Quebec company withdrew its revenue outlook of 400 million Canadian dollars (about US$300 million) for fiscal 2020, ending July 31, and said it expects fiscal 2019 revenue of between C$46.5 million to C$48.5 million.”

That isn’t the only alcohol-backed cannabis stock to tank. Per the WSJ: ”Canopy Growth Corp., whose stock has declined more than 30% this year despite the backing of Corona brewer Constellation Brands Inc., which controls 38% of the company’s stock. Constellation, which made a $4 billion investment in Canopy in August last year, wrote down the value of the investment by $1.3 billion when it reported earnings earlier this month.”

In the US, two companies canceled a merger last week that would’ve been worth $700 million. MedMen, the pastel-polo-shirted Chad of US cannabis brands, announced they were pulling the plug on its acquisition of PharmaCann. As the Motley Fool writes, the company has a multitude of challenges, including losing two Chief Financial Officers in one year (the first is suing the company). “The company has a growing debt pile, which doesn't jibe well with last quarter's whopping $53.3 million operating loss. That's a pretty good summation as to why MedMen's stock has plummeted by about 80% over the past year, it's canceling major acquisitions, and senior executives are fleeing in droves.”

MedMen has inspired a tremendous wave of schadenfreude including being thrown out of the the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association (NYMCIA) this year for what NYMCIA said in a letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Per Marijuana Business Daily, “MedMen’s CEO Adam Bierman is alleged to have made racist, sexist and homophobic comments targeting African-Americans, women and members of the LGBT community.” This is the same group that submitted a proposal to Cuomo earlier this year urging a ban on all home cannabis grows in a recreational cannabis program, writing that home cultivation “creates a significant public safety and black market risk.” (Via Marijuana Moment.)

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Nuggets Night Farewell Freaker
For 12 years, Nuggets Nights have featured Portland bands performing the garage-rock classics from the ’60s that appeared on Lenny Kaye’s legendary Nuggets compilation album and its countless sequels. Raise a glass, for this weekend is the Farewell Freaker—the final Nuggets Night celebration ever, with proceeds going to House of Sound. For twonights, local bands like the Pynnacles, Matt Rogers’ Miracle Workers, Dartgun and the Vignettes, and tons of others will play those loud, legendary, rude, rockin’ tunes that have made garage rock one of the most undying genres ever. (Fri-Sat Oct 18-19, 8:30 pm, The World Famous Kenton Club, $5)NED LANNAMANN

Requiem for Vaseline Alley
Beloved Portland artist Anthony Hudson (in drag, as Carla Rossi) heads up this performative walking tour of downtown Portland’s Harvey Milk corridor, formerly known as “Vaseline Alley”. Meet at the corner of SW 10th and SW Stark (in front of Living Room Theaters) and venture out on an extensive tour exploring the region's now-vanished spaces for Queer embodiment and culture. (Sun Oct 19, 6:15 pm, Living Room Theaters, free)

Amulets, Derek Hunter Wilson, Hugo Ra Paris
Three artists on local record label Beacon Sound will celebrate the release of new works at this show. All are worth investigating, but for now let’s focus on Amulets, a project of Portland-based audio/visual artist Randall Taylor, who combines tape loops, field recordings, and live, processed guitar to create dynamic, layered drones. The resulting music sounds like it’s living and breathing and sad and hopeful and slowly growing more beautiful by the moment. Tonight, Taylor will celebrate not only his new album Between Distant and Remote but also joining the Beacon Sound roster after moving to Portland from Austin, Texas last year. (Wed Oct 23, 8 pm, Holocene, $8-10)BEN SALMON

PDX Broadsides, Kielen King, Rad Max
Quarterworld livens up their glowing, button-mashing Friday nights with a trio of local artists exciting the air while classic games excite the phosphors, headlined by the pirate-y folk of the PDX Broadsides, the sci-fi infused hip-hop of Kielen King, and the neon heart beating under Rad Max's chest. If you visited the Retro Gaming Expo earlier in the day, this show is the perfect nightcap. (Fri Oct 18, 8 pm, Quarterworld, $3)

Sunbathe, The Mistons, Glass Curtains
Maggie May Morris has a catchy-as-hell name to go along with her natural ability to write a catchy-as-hell song. While you may be familiar with Morris from her position at the helm of Genders, you might not be aware that her solo efforts are as just as mesmerizing. With her current project, Sunbathe, Morris reminds us that catchy doesn’t always have to be equal to sunny or saccharine. She’s got the distinct ability to write a song so devastating you’ll flop to the floor while listening, but also so warm and familiar that you’ll find yourself attempting to hum along even before you’ve finished indulging in it for the first time. (Fri Oct 18, 9 pm, The Fixin' To, $8)JENNA FLETCHER

The Jackson County Kills, Matty Charles & Katie Rose
Dish yourself up some pipin'-hot honky-tonk rock 'n' roll when the Jackson County Kills swing through the Laurelthirst Pub to head up a Friday night dance party. Matty Charles and Katie Rose get the evening underway with a set of harmony-driven classic country echoing the likes of the Louvin Brothers, Gram Parsons, and Emmylou Harris. (Fri Oct 18, 9 pm, LaurelThirst Public House, $5)

Gourmet Apple Tasting
Every year right around this exact time, the Portland Nursery invites the whole city to come sample and celebrate the abundance of tasty apples and pears in the region, with over 60 varieties to choose from, as well as fresh-pressed cider demonstrations and tastings, and kid-friendly activities for the little ones. (Fri-Sun Oct 18-20, 9 am, Portland Nursery, free, all ages)

Love You to the Max: A Tribute to David Berman & Silver Jews
The Fixin' To pays tribute to the life and works of singer/songwriter and poet David Berman (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains), with performances from The Wild Kindness (featuring members of Old Growth/Jr., Sleeptalker, Woodge, Bad Assets, and RRAG), The Whirlies, Nate Wallace (Hearts of Oak), and DJ Sputnik, along with readings by Ryan Newton, Jon Nystrom, and Jen Denrow. All proceeds will benefit for The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention(Sat Oct 19, 8 pm, The Fixin' To, $8)

Sea Moss, Indira Valey, Darcy Neal, J$Fur
Speck's presents an early, all-ages show featuring an array of ambient, noise, soundscapes, and interactive performance art from Portland experimental acts Sea Moss, Indira Valey, Darcy Neal, and J$Fur. (Sat Oct 19, 6 pm, Speck's Records and Tapes, $5-10, all ages)

Holly George-Warren
Janis is award-winning author Holly George-Warren's in-depth portrait of the remarkable life and career of rock & roll pioneer Janis Joplin. (Sun Oct 20, 7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books, free)

Turn! Turn! Turn!'s Monthly Market
The latest installment of Turn! Turn! Turn!'s monthly market doubles as a clothing and costume swap for anyone still looking to prepare for Halloween. Vendors include Barney + Flo(w), Snowmade, Miranda's All-Natural Body Products, Rose Frantic Studio, and Crystals Candles. (Sun Oct 20, noon, Turn! Turn! Turn!, free)

Portland Diamond Project World Series Watch Party
Watch game 1 of the MLB World Series, hear from Portland Diamond Project members and featured guests, enter to win giveaways and raffles, and get your hands on the latest PDP merchandise. Guests include Portland Diamond Project Founder and President Craig Cheek, former television play-by-play announcer for the Portland Trail Blazers Mike Barrett, former Major League Golden Glove winner and Oregon State infielder Darwin Barney, and more. (Tues Oct 22, 5:30 pm, Revolution Hall, free w/ rsvp)

The Wicker Man
This is a screening of the 1973 original, meaning you will not be seeing Nicolas Cage in a bear suit socking up women and swallowing gallons of CGI bees. Instead, you will be immersed in the off-kilter world of this slow-burning British cult classic, starring Christopher Lee at his confidently creepiest, where the horror isn’t contained in loud orchestral stabs and brutal bursts of bloody gore, but in the careful peeling away of idyllic island life to reveal the placidly unnerving and profoundly disturbing wrongness underneath. (Tues Oct 22, 9:30 pm, Hollywood Theatre, $7-9)BOBBY ROBERTS

Rafn & Squintsy Jones
It's a duo that sounds like they should be skulking around the fringes of a Bond movie, but instead they're taking center stage and serving up boogies finely toasted in the R&B heyday of the '80s. (Tues Oct 22, 9 pm, Dig a Pony, free)

Lisa Loving
Longtime journalist and media activist Lisa Loving reads from Street Journalist, offering aspiring journalists insight into her well-honed approach to reporting whats meaningful, holding the powerful accountable, and enriching the community from the ground up. (Wed Oct 23, 7 pm, Annie Bloom's Books, free)

Pecas, Basil Strawberry
Brooklyn-via-Madrid artist Sandy Davis, who performs under the stage name Pecas, brings her soulful blend of R&B-leaning bedroom pop to Bunk Bar for an intimate Portland performance. (Wed Oct 23, 9 pm, Bunk Bar, $8-10)

Jake Brennan
Jake Brennan reads from Disgraceland, a book adaptation of his popular rock 'n' roll true-crime podcast, exploring the seedy stories lurking in the shadows and back alleys of music history. (Thurs Oct 24, 7:30 pm, Powell's City of Books, free)

Teton, Ever Ending Kicks, Half Shadow
xAnacortes-based musician Paul Benson brings his shape-shifting pop project back to town and links up with Portland's own Teton and Half Shadow for a night of independent Northwest music at No Fun. (Thurs Oct 24, 9:30 pm, No Fun, $5)

Basket Case
Ah, the '80s. When the coke flowed like wine, the electronics were still wood-paneled, and you could pay a couple bucks to catch movies like Basket Case at the local theater and nobody would stop you, or really even question the idea that such a fucked-up piece of repugnant shit could just splatter itself all over a theater screen like that. "Oh, you mean that nasty little movie about the murderous backwoods idiot hauling his hawked loogie of a little brother around in a giant picnic basket? Sure! I'll sell you a ticket!" To paraphrase one of that decade's finest comedic minds, what a decade! (Thurs Oct 24, 9:10 pm, Academy Theater, $3-4)

There's even more to do in our Cheap, Free, & Fun calendar, and don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!

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You people are slobs in public bathrooms. Jeez. Good lord. Absolute slobs. Fucking disgusting. Then you'll use it 8 times a day. Btw, if you're in a public bathroom for 20 to 30 min, something is fucking wrong with you. You make me sick.

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