A grand jury refuses to hold officers accountable for the murder of Breonna Taylor.
A grand jury refuses to hold officers accountable for the murder of Breonna Taylor. Brandon Bell / Getty Images

Here's your daily roundup of all the latest local and national news. (Like our coverage? Please consider making a recurring contribution to the Mercury to keep it comin'!)

• The Portland Parks Bureau has denied a permit for violent, right-wing, white nationalist group Proud Boys to hold a rally this Saturday at Delta Park. The city says their estimated number of participants exceeds safety mandates during the COVID crisis.

• Investigative journalism site Bellingcat has a fascinating/horrifying story about leaked chats from the far right-wing Patriot Coalition of Oregon (often seen at demonstrations alongside Proud Boys) who suggest mass shootings and violent attacks on Portland protesters as well as disguising themselves as Antifa so they can beat journalists and then blame it on members of the left.

• Gov. Kate Brown and state officials presented an Oregon wildfire update today in which Brown announced that we've seemed to have "turned the corner" and that a good number of the state's blazes have been mostly contained. However, while this week's rain has definitely helped, we should expect some fires to stay with us until October. Our Blair Stenvick has the details.

• Mayor Ted Wheeler has threatened to yank funding from the county's Joint Office of Homeless Services if they aren't able to find more beds for the houseless. County Chair Deborah Kafoury found the threat "outrageous," adding that “His threat to undo the progress this community has made, and risk services for thousands of people, is merely a desperate attempt to win a contentious reelection campaign.” Ouch.

• Some Estacada residents are furious at firefighters for taking what they saw as too much of a "cautious approach" as the gigantic September 10 blaze approached their town—and they're letting them know exactly how they feel about it.

• The people backing the Metro Transportation Funding measure are getting pushback from big business (surprise!), but supporters say the measure will help take on climate change, and unless we want more wildfires (we don't), then we better vote for it in November. Our Blair Stenvick provides more details.

IN NATIONAL NEWS

• A Kentucky grand jury returned with no charges against the officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor after bursting into her apartment while she slept. However, one officer was charged with "wanton endangerment" for firing wildly into the homes of her neighbors—which didn't kill anyone. A curfew has been ordered for Louisville at 9 pm, and police are already arresting demonstrators who refuse to disperse.Find out more about the murder of Breonna Taylor here.

• Thousands are expected to pay their respects to Ruth Bader Ginsburg who is lying in state this week in the nation's capitol. More than 100 of Ginsburg's former adoring clerks showed up today on the Supreme Court steps to say their fond goodbyes.

• House Democrats are working on a bill that would stop future Trumps from using the presidency for their own evil purposes, and is designed to "limit the president’s pardon power, strengthen laws to ban presidents from receiving gifts or payments from foreign governments, better protect independent agency watchdogs and whistleblowers from firing or retribution and require better reporting by campaigns of foreign election interference." Doesn't sound like enough to me, but a good start, I guess!

• Trump's creepy son Eric Trump has been ordered by a judge to answer the questions of the New York Attorney General who's investigating his pop's almost certainly illegal business practices—and he must do so before the election.

• Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who refused to require his constituents to wear a mask, has tested positive for COVID-19.

• Not disturbing at all: As positive cases rise across the country, scientists suspect the coronavirus is mutating and could be evolving to become more contagious.

• If you like fun (at the GOP's expense), then be sure to check out Dr. Anthony Fauci handing the uniquely stupid Sen. Rand Paul his ass during today's congressional hearing on the coronavirus.

• A bi couple hires a sex worker for some sexy fun... but the experience is lackluster. Was it something they said or did? The honorable Dan Savage weighs in with a ruling in the latest SAVAGE LOVE.

• Need some laughs? Then DO NOT MISS the upcoming Thursday Oct 1 livestream edition of the I, Anonymous Show, featuring a panel of nationally-beloved comedians riffing on the weirdest and wildest submissions from our famous I, Anonymous column and blog! It's HILARIOUS, and you need that.

• The WEATHER REPORT: It's gonna be another rainy, breezy day tomorrow with a high of 70.

• And finally, somebody needs to hire these "not a single fuck given" Atlanta strippers to run every campaign for the Democrats. WATCH!