April 26th, 2022

What A Week   (4/26)

Intro: (Cue intro music) 

Hey everyone, welcome back to What a week! I’m your host, Olivia Lee, here to deliver your weekly dose of the news. Let’s get started!

In Local News: 

https://www.koin.com/local/multnomah-county/10m-to-be-used-toward-cleaning-up-garbage-around-metro/Last week it was announced that 10 million dollars in new state funding will now be officially used to help clean up dumped garbage in Portland. Oregon state governor Kate Brown approved the funding last week which will be used to clean up public spaces in the metro. Nearly 75% of the funding will be directed toward cleanup programs, specifically bettering current services and developing new ones. Meanwhile, the Metro said the remaining funds will be allocated toward installing sharps boxes, replacing vegetation and signage, and reducing graffiti and fencing.  Metro Council President Lynn Peterson said in a statement quote, “Over the course of the pandemic, we have seen a significant increase in the amount of illegal dumping and littering, and the government has struggled to keep up with the problem,” end quote. More than 1,400 sites have reportedly been cleaned so far in 2022. Those sites accounted for about 3 tons of trash picked up each day, metro officials said. The funding will not be used to move camps or anyone experiencing homelessness.

In-state news:

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/covid-cases-rise-hospitalizations-follow-gentler-path/283-5ca071a0-d0f4-42cf-8aa0-21f8b2267b52Last week the state of Oregon saw an uptick in COVID-19 cases primarily due to the BA.2 variant, but some health experts feel confident severe illness and hospitalizations won't climb much. The BA.2 variant is moving through the Pacific Northwest, much like it already has in Europe and the northeastern United States. Oregon's seven-day average, which had been under 400 cases per day for most of the past month, is now pushing toward 700 cases per day. Experts said the state could get up to 1,000 cases per day, but likely will not get anywhere near the 9,000 per day during the height of the omicron surge. Dr. Peter Graven at Oregon Health & Science University said relatively high vaccination rates coupled with people's natural immunity to the virus will likely keep cases from skyrocketing again.

In National News:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/18/politics/cdc-mask-mandate-ruling/index.htmlLast Monday, A federal judge in Florida struck down the Biden administration's mask mandate for airplanes and other public transport methods, and a Biden administration official says the order is no longer in effect while the ruling is reviewed. US District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said the mandate was unlawful because it exceeded the statutory authority of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and because its implementation violated administrative law. Biden administration officials said Monday night quote, "In the meantime, today's court decision means CDC's public transportation masking order is not in effect at this time. Therefore, TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time. CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings" end quote. The developments added fresh confusion to masking policies nationwide, with several airlines and travel authorities quickly announcing last Monday evening that masks are now optional. It is unclear if the Justice Department will seek an order halting the ruling and file an appeal. 

 

In International News: 

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/amansethi/elon-musk-buys-twitterThis past Monday, Twitter’s board of directors accepted Elon Musk’s offer to buy the influential social media network, bringing a quick end to the weeks of uncertainty that began on April 4th, when Musk announced he had become the company’s biggest shareholder. The Tesla CEO will buy the social network for about $44 billion, taking it private by purchasing its shares for $54.20 in cash. The company announced that Musk had secured $46.5 billion to finance the acquisition and that it expects the deal to close in 2022. Twitter users have responded to Musk’s acquisition in predictably polarized ways. After Reuters reported on Monday that the board was planning to accept Musk’s offer, #RIPTwitter started trending on the platform. During a press briefing, White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to the news by stating quote,  "No matter who owns or runs Twitter, the president has long been concerned about the power large social media platforms have over our everyday lives," end quote.. 

Lastly here is the wildcard news for the week:

https://www.npr.org/2022/04/25/1094630648/the-worlds-oldest-person-japans-kane-tanaka-dies-at-age-119Last week, the world's oldest person, Japan's Kane Tanaka, passed away at the age of 119 according to Japanese authorities. Although she didn't quite make it to her personal goal of 120 years old, Kane Tanaka still lived long enough to become the world's oldest person — a title she held for the past three years, and attributed to family, sleep, hope and faith. Tanaka, who had been living at a nursing home in Fukuoka, died last Tuesday at a hospital. According to Guinness World Records, Tanaka was born prematurely on Jan. 2, 1903. She was the seventh child in her family.

Closing:  Well that wraps up What a Week! Stay safe and see you guys next week.