Hi, all! Time for an abbreviated update, for Thursday, July 17, 2025. Portland's weather is sunny with a high of a mere 90, down from yesterday's 97. The heat advisory expired at 10 last night (but hopefully you didn't, having taken precautions), and since then, temps have fallen to the perfectly comfortable 59 we're enjoying now, at 7 AM. Sunrise came at 5:38 AM, sunset 8:54 PM, twilight lasts until 9:30. (We're in abbreviated update mode because family always comes first, and the littlest ones in my sphere have been enjoying major Grandpa time. Major Grandpa has been enjoying it too!).
Today's change to cooler weather is thanks to a shift in the wind to a gentle breeze off the ocean. The National Weather Service notes that "As a nice added bonus, the westerly flow should help to keep regional wildfire smoke confined east of the Cascades, a trend likely to persist through the weekend as well." The NWS also mentions a slight inland rain possibility for early next week, but that's far from certain.
Oregon's biggest wildfire, the Cram Fire outside Madras, was around 64,000 acres at last report. Fire activity was less than expected yesterday due to decreased winds, but firefighters have their hands full, for sure. As one local resident wrote on the fire's Facebook page (yep, it has one): "Thank you to the fire crews that built a line around our cabin! We had thrown the wood pile away from it in a hurry. When we came back for more cows, they had carried the wood further away and stacked it nicely!!!"
We have no idea what to say about the 23-year-old Oregon man who was arrested yesterday morning after U.S. Capitol Police found his Subaru—with a tricycle on the roof—illegally parked on Capitol grounds with a trove of weapons including an antique sword, guns, knives, and ammunition.
The Senate voted last night to defund NPR, a cherished goal of the right as punishment for its dogged questioning of those in power, proud embracement of diversity both internally and on the air, and the academic influence of member stations. The defunding may cripple local stations, particularly those that serve vast rural areas where reliable, service-oriented commercial radio isn't always available. But defunding won't change the network's illuminating hardball interviews with guests from across the spectrum, and its exceptional, BBC-caliber international coverage—particularly of foreign wars where the U.S. is involved. Portland's KOPB, by the way, is currently the #4 station in town, according to the Nielsen ratings released yesterday, behind iHeart Radio's K103, the Eagle, and the Brew.
It's always interesting when an icon turns 70. They've been around long enough to be a beloved part of our lives, something like family—yet, with good luck, proper maintenance, and occasional re-invention, they hopefully still have plenty of good years left. With all that in mind, let's wish a happy 70th birthday to Disneyland!
With that, I'm going to... the swimming pool for my daily hours of zen, and maybe I'll try to make up some of the miles I didn't walk yesterday in the heat. Hope it's a better day for everyone!