11-25-2024  9:37 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

Forecasts Warn of Possible Winter Storms Across US During Thanksgiving Week

Two people died in the Pacific Northwest after a rapidly intensifying “bomb cyclone” hit the West Coast last Tuesday, bringing fierce winds that toppled trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. Fewer than 25,000 people in the Seattle area were still without power Sunday evening.

Huge Number Of Illegal Guns In Portland Come From Licensed Dealers, New Report Shows

Local gun safety advocacy group argues for state-level licensing and regulation of firearm retailers.

'Bomb Cyclone' Kills 1 and Knocks out Power to Over Half a Million Homes Across the Northwest US

A major storm was sweeping across the northwest U.S., battering the region with strong winds and rain. The Weather Prediction Center issued excessive rainfall risks through Friday and hurricane-force wind warnings were in effect. 

'Bomb Cyclone' Threatens Northern California and Pacific Northwest

The Weather Prediction Center issued excessive rainfall risks beginning Tuesday and lasting through Friday. Those come as the strongest atmospheric river  that California and the Pacific Northwest has seen this season bears down on the region. 

NEWS BRIEFS

Vote By Mail Tracking Act Passes House with Broad, Support

The bill co-led by Congressman Mfume would make it easier for Americans to track their mail-in ballots; it advanced in the U.S. House...

OMSI Opens Indoor Ice Rink for the Holiday Season

This is the first year the unique synthetic ice rink is open. ...

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Portland Fire & Rescue extends their wish to you for a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday. ...

Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery Showcases Diverse Talent

New Member Artist Show will be open to the public Dec. 6 through Jan. 18, with all works available for both rental and purchase. ...

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Oregon Announces New State Director and Community Engagement Coordinator

“This is an exciting milestone for Oregon,” said DELC Director Alyssa Chatterjee. “These positions will play critical roles in...

Two US senators urge FIFA not to pick Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host over human rights risks

GENEVA (AP) — Two United States senators urged FIFA on Monday not to pick Saudi Arabia as the 2034 World Cup host next month in a decision seen as inevitable since last year despite the kingdom’s record on human rights. Democrats Ron Wyden of Oregon and Dick Durbin of Illinois...

Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week

WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Another round of wintry weather could complicate travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, according to forecasts across the U.S., while California and Washington state continue to recover from storm damage and power outages. In California, where two...

Mitchell's 20 points, Robinson's double-double lead Missouri in a 112-63 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Mark Mitchell scored 20 points and Anthony Robinson II posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds as Missouri roared to its fifth straight win and its third straight by more than 35 points as the Tigers routed Arkansas-Pine Bluff 112-63 on Sunday. ...

Moore and UAPB host Missouri

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (1-5) at Missouri Tigers (4-1) Columbia, Missouri; Sunday, 5 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -34.5; over/under is 155.5 BOTTOM LINE: UAPB visits Missouri after Christian Moore scored 20 points in UAPB's 98-64 loss to...

OPINION

A Loan Shark in Your Pocket: Cellphone Cash Advance Apps

Fast-growing app usage leaves many consumers worse off. ...

America’s Healing Can Start with Family Around the Holidays

With the holiday season approaching, it seems that our country could not be more divided. That division has been perhaps the main overarching topic of our national conversation in recent years. And it has taken root within many of our own families. ...

Donald Trump Rides Patriarchy Back to the White House

White male supremacy, which Trump ran on, continues to play an outsized role in exacerbating the divide that afflicts our nation. ...

Why Not Voting Could Deprioritize Black Communities

President Biden’s Justice40 initiative ensures that 40% of federal investment benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, addressing deep-seated inequities. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

White woman who fatally shot Black neighbor through door faces manslaughter sentence in Florida

A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute over the neighbor's boisterous children faces sentencing Monday for her manslaughter conviction. Susan Lorincz, 60, was convicted in August of killing 35-year-old Ajike “A.J.”...

After Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizers

ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington. As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President...

National monument proposed for North Dakota Badlands, with tribes' support

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A coalition of conservation groups and Native American tribal citizens on Friday called on President Joe Biden to designate nearly 140,000 acres of rugged, scenic Badlands as North Dakota's first national monument, a proposal several tribal nations say would preserve the...

ENTERTAINMENT

Wrestling with the ghosts of 'The Piano Lesson'

The piano on the set of “The Piano Lesson” was not a mere prop. It could be played and the cast members often did. It was adorned with pictures of the Washington family and their ancestors. It was, John David Washington jokes, “No. 1 on the call sheet.” “We tried to haunt...

Liam Payne's One Direction bandmates among the mourners at singer's funeral

LONDON (AP) — The former members of One Direction reunited Wednesday for the funeral of bandmate Liam Payne. Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson joined friends and family at the service for 31-year-old Payne, who died after falling from a hotel balcony in...

Toronto author Anne Michaels wins Giller Prize for novel 'Held'

TORONTO (AP) — Poet-novelist Anne Michaels has won the Giller Prize for her novel “Held,” a multi-generational examination of war and trauma. The 100,000 Canadian dollar (,000) Giller prize honors the best in Canadian fiction. Past winners have included Margaret Atwood,...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Egyptian officials say 17 people are missing after a tourist yacht sank in high waves on Red Sea

CAIRO (AP) — At least 17 people are missing after a tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea following warnings about...

White woman who fatally shot Black neighbor through door faces manslaughter sentence in Florida

A white Florida woman who fatally shot a Black neighbor through her front door during an ongoing dispute over the...

Should sex abuse evidence set the Menendez brothers free? A judge will decide

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge will decide Monday whether new evidence warrants a re-examination of the convictions...

Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales battle floodwaters after weekend storm

LONDON (AP) — Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales were battling floodwaters Monday morning after the...

Scuffles in Serbian parliament amid accusations over fatal rail station roof collapse

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Scuffles and fistfights between ruling party and opposition lawmakers broke out in...

French mass rape trial prosecutors demand maximum sentence for Gisèle Pelicot's ex-husband

AVIGNON, France (AP) — A mammoth rape trial in France moved into a new phase Monday as prosecutors began to lay...

By Deirdre Walsh CNN Senior Congressional Producer



House Speaker John BoehnerWASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Republican leaders were forced on Thursday to delay rolling out their bill to raise nation's debt limit, after conservatives complained the package failed to include deep enough budget cuts and significant changes to entitlement programs.

The setback comes as Speaker John Boehner prepares to wrestle with his conference over how to ultimately handle short term spending and the prospect of a government shutdown beginning on Tuesday, if Congress does not act to refill federal coffers.

Boehner and his top lieutenants initially hoped to move ahead with their proposal to permit Washington to borrow more money to pay its bills while waiting for the Senate to vote on a plan -- called a continuing resolution -- to keep the government funded through mid-November.

The debt package includes a lengthy list of GOP priorities, including a one year delay of Obamacare, provisions to roll back regulations on businesses, tax reforms, and approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

But the added items have not garnered enough support from House Republicans.

"It definitely has a lot of goodies in it. Things that arguably would grow the economy and would arguably would generate more revenue," Alabama Republican Rep Mo Brooks told reporters, saying he was undecided on how he would vote on the plan.

But he added that the issue of government spending overall must be considered.

"Washington has a spending problem and this debt ceiling bill does not address the problem," Brooks said.

Rep. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming told CNN that she was also undecided but wanted to see deeper budget cuts on the measure.

"I came here to cut spending and to reduce the size of the federal government so when those opportunities arise I want to take advantage of them," Lummis said.

Some House Republicans questioned the strategy of skipping ahead to the debt ceiling fight before Congress resolved the question on spending and the possible shutdown. They argued the GOP still had some leverage to force a change to Obamacare on that measure.

"I think we need to focus on the CR first. I think it's important that we complete that before we move onto the debt ceiling," Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann said outside the House floor.

The draft plan GOP leaders had been working on was really a collection of bills previously approved by the Republican-controlled House.

Leaders learned from the last bruising fight in 2011 over the debt limit that a bloc of conservatives would resist any legislation to authorize new borrowing by the Treasury, so they decided to attach sweeteners.

Kansas Republican Rep Tim Huelskamp complained the GOP plan fell short of Boehner's pledge to demand an equal amount of spending cuts for the amount of the increase in new borrowing authority.

He also said it contained "very little" in the way of changes to entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid for the elderly and poor.

When asked early on Thursday about the scope of cuts, Boehner told reporters that "in this bill, we have spending cuts and we have issues that will help spur more economic growth. We think the balance is correct."

House Republican leaders likely will need to modify the package.

They need a unified conference because House Democrats won't vote for it, insisting the House should pass an extension of the debt limit without any conditions. Senate Democrats mocked the proposal.

"The House is attaching the Republican Party platform to the debt ceiling. In a week full of absurdities, this takes the cake," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said in a written statement.

At an event in Maryland on Thursday, President Barack Obama reiterated that he would not negotiate over the debt ceiling.

As Boehner works to corral his own members on the debt limit vote he also needs to beat the clock to avoid a government shutdown.

Senate Democrats are scheduled to vote Friday on the House GOP passed spending bill and are expected to strip out the provision that defunds Obamacare.

Boehner indicated on Thursday that House Republicans will modify that bill and kick it back to the Senate as the clock ticks down toward the deadline.

The speaker dodged questions on what specifically House GOP would tack on, but he downplayed that this move - with so little time remaining - would increase the chances of a possible shutdown.

"We have no interest is seeing a government shutdown, but we've got to address the spending problems that we have in this town and so there will be options available to us. There's not going to be any speculation about what we're going to do or not do until the Senate passes their bill," Boehner told reporters on Capitol Hill.

Multiple House GOP aides and members have told CNN that there are no final decisions, but the House could add a one year delay of the Obamacare requirement that all individuals enroll in health care coverage.

The administration already allowed a one year delay for corporations to provide coverage.

Another possible option, one most GOP aides believe could be used, is to add a provision that repeals a tax imposed on medical device manufacturers that helps pay for part of the costs of the new health care law.

On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called the medical device tax a "stupid tax," but told reporters he doesn't want to deal with it as part of the stopgap spending bill.

Later, a Reid spokesman clarified that the Nevada Democrat was referring not to the tax itself, but to the idea of attaching that provision to the spending bill, saying the House should pass a "clean" spending measure.

Another option under consideration is adding a provision to the spending bill that repeals federal support for health care premiums that the government covers for members of Congress and their aides.

Under the Affordable Care Act, which is set to take effect in the states on Tuesday, members and their aides would obtain coverage under the new health care exchanges and the government, as their employer, would cover a major portion of that premium.

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Charlie Dent told reporters he could support a so-called "clean" spending bill that continues funding, but warned "if there's going to be a relaunch it should be something that the Senate will accept before October 1st."

Boehner pushed back on the notion that continued back and forth over the measure only increases the chances of a shutdown. Though he said, "I do not expect that to happen."

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