NOW
NOW AT
NOW AT FIVE A GRIM REMINDER OF THE TOLL
COVID HAS TAKEN ON OUR
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER SURPASSES
TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED CARONAVIRUS
RELATED DEATHS.
RELATED DEATHS. THE LATEST ON THE PANDEMIC PLUS
MAY DAY DEMONSTRATIONS TURNED
DESTRUCTIVE IN PORTLAND.
A RIOT DECLARED DOWNTOWN
DETAILS ON THE DAMAGE
AND ARRESTS.
AND ARRESTS. >> IT'S SUNDAY, MAY 2ND AND ON
THIS DAY IN NINETEEN NINETY
FOUR, NELSON MANDELA CELEBRATED
BECOMING THE FIRST BLACK
PRESIDENT IN SOUTH AFRICA'S
HISTORY.
HISTORY.
HISTORY. >> THE NEWS STARTS NOW.
MORE DAMAGE AND DESTRUCTION IN
DOWNTOWN PORTLAND ONCE AGAIN
THE TARGET LAST NIGHT FOR
BREAKING WINDOWS AND OTHER
VANDALISM.
VANDALISM. >> GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR
JOINING US.
JOINING US. I'M PRETTY FALKERS POLICE
DECLARED A RIOT AND MADE SIX
ARRESTS AND IF THIS SOUNDS
FAMILIAR, IT'S BECAUSE IT IS
JIM GORDON TALK TO PEOPLE WHO
WERE ENJOYING DOWNTOWN PORTLAND
TODAY ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN
HAPPENING AT NIGHT.
>> YOU KNOW, OUR DAY STARTED BY
COMING TO DOWNTOWN PORTLAND
AND SEEING THE BOARDING UP
AND DAMAGE FROM THE LATEST
DESTRUCTION LAST NIGHT.
BUT THEN WE REALIZED IT'S A
BEAUTIFUL DAY AT PIONEER
COURTHOUSE SQUARE.
COURTHOUSE SQUARE. PEOPLE ARE OUT AND ABOUT SO WE
DECIDED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT
THIS TALE OF TWO CITIES NIGHT
AFTER NIGHT WE'RE SEEING THE
DARK SIDE OF PORTLAND, A GROUP
OF PEOPLE DOING WHAT THEY CALL
DIRECT ACTION AND THE ACTION IS
DESTRUCTIVE SHATTERING GLASS
THEM POLICE MAKE SOME ARRESTS
AND FIND THINGS LIKE KNIVES,
SLINGSHOTS AND HAMMERS IN THE
PROCESS.
PROCESS.
PROCESS. >> I DON'T SEE NO SENSE IN
BREAKING WINDOWS IN THE LIGHT
OF DAY THE SQUARE LOOKS GREAT
WITH FOLKS ENJOYING SOME SUN ON
THE BRICKS.
THE BRICKS. >> BUT NATIVE PORTLANDER RIKKI
GRIXSBY IS ALSO SEEING THE
DAMAGE AND CALLING IT OUT.
>> THAT'S
.
. YOU
. YOU KNOW I DON'T MIND MARCHING
UP THE STREET BUT AND THEN
YOU'RE GOING TO START BREAKING
WINDOWS, YOU KNOW, AT A TABLE
NEARBY THREE GUYS ARE ENJOYING
A MEAL AND CONVERSATION THAT
HAD TURNED TO PORTLAND
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WE ARE ALL
LIVE IN THIS YOU KNOW, AROUND
THE CITY AND IT'S REALLY QUITE
NICE AND A LOT OF THE STIGMA WE
FIND IS YOU KIND OF OVERRATED.
>> THAT SAID, EVAN DOES NOT
AGREE WITH THE VANDALS TACTICS
AND NEITHER DOES HIS FRIEND
TAYLORM WHO DID NOT MINCE WORDS
.
.
. >>
. >> AND
. >> AND I THINK IF THEY'RE
TRYING TO COUNTER, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE SOME OF THE EXTREME
CONSERVATIVES THERE AT LEAST AS
MORONIC AS THE PROUD BOYS, ANY
OF THESE FOOLS OUT THERE
GETTING IN FIGHTS, YOU KNOW,
THREATENING PEOPLE, IT MAKES NO
SENSE TO ME.
>> AT ANOTHER TABLE WAS NATALIE
TORRES AND HER CHILDREN.
THE WHOLE FAMILY CAME UP FOR
MOMMA TO VISIT THE CITY THEY
LOVE AND NATALIE NOTICED THAT
ALL THE WINDOWS ARE BOARDED UP.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF TAGGING.
>> THERE IS A LOT OF TRASH ON
THE SIDEWALKS.
THE SIDEWALKS. A CITY KNOWN FOR FOOD CARTS IN
A FRIENDLY WAY IS STILL A GREAT
PLACE TO BE.
BUT THE NIGHTTIME VIOLENCE
AND DESTRUCTION WE FOUND NO
SUPPORT FOR TODAY.
YEAH, IT'S POINTLESS TO ME.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A
NEED FOR IT.
I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD
IS BEING HEARD AND NOW THEN
THERE'S JUST PEOPLE THAT ARE
ADDING CHAOS JUST BECAUSE THEY
HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO.
>> TIM GORDON, KGW NEWS.
AND THESE ARE A FEW OF THE
OTHER ITEMS PORTLAND POLICE
SEIZED YESTERDAY.
SEIZED YESTERDAY. POLICE SAY THIS BASEBALL BAT
WAS CONFISCATED AFTER A FIGHT
BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE WAS BROKEN
UP ALONG WITH A KNIFE BODY
ARMOR AND FLAIR.
NOW THAT WAS EARLIER IN THE
DAY.
DAY.
DAY. TWENTY SIX YEAR OLD MICHAEL
ISAACS OF PORTLAND WAS CHARGED
WITH MENACING AND DISORDERLY
CONDUCT.
CONDUCT.
CONDUCT. POLICE SAY THESE ITEMS WERE
TAKEN LATER IN THE DAY AS
POLICE MADE TARGETED ARRESTS.
THIRTY SIX YEAR OLD PHOEBE
LOOMIS OF PORTLAND WAS CHARGED
WITH CRIMINAL MISCHIEF.
THIS HELMET GLOVES METAL TOOL
BEAR SPRAY AND GAS MASK WERE
ALL SEIZED.
ALL SEIZED. WE HAVE AN UPDATE NOW ABOUT
MILLIONS IN TAX DOLLARS JUST A
FEW MONTHS AGO SOME PORTLAND
FIREFIGHTERS THOUGHT THAT THEY
WERE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK BUT
NOW A NEW PROPOSAL COULD HOLD
THEM OVER FOR A LITTLE LONGER.
LYNN ETTLIN BREAKS IT DOWN
EARLIER THIS YEAR, PORTLAND
FIRE AND RESCUE FACED ABOUT SIX
MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPOSED
CUTS.
CUTS.
CUTS. BUT
CUTS. BUT NOW A NEW PROPOSAL FROM
MAYOR TED WHEELER RESTORES SOME
OF THAT MONEY.
>> WHERE DO WE STAND NOW?
WE ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE
MAYOR'S BUDGET.
MAYOR'S BUDGET. I THINK HE DEFINITELY MADE A
DECISION TO PUT FRONTLINE
SERVICES IN BOOTS ON THE
GROUND.
GROUND.
GROUND. >> ALLAN FERSCHWEILER IS
PRESIDENT OF THE PORTLAND
FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. THE UNION AND FIRE CHIEF PUSHED
BACK ON THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED
CUTS WHICH WOULD HAVE CLOSED A
FIRE STATION AND ELIMINATED
SOME FRONTLINE RESPONDER
POSITIONS.
POSITIONS. THE MAYOR'S NEW PROPOSAL WILL
KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING AT
LEAST THIS YEAR WAS A GOOD
START.
START.
START. >>
START. >> THE FIRE BUREAU WILL STILL
HAVE TO CUT SOME VACANT
ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS WILL
ABSOLUTELY BE FIGHTING TO GET
THOSE POSITIONS BACK AND THE
UNIONS ALREADY WARY
OF FUTURECAST.
OF FUTURECAST. THE BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE
BUDGET.
BUDGET.
BUDGET. NOTE THAT THE MAYOR PUT IN
THERE TO REDUCE OUR STAFFING IN
FISCAL YEAR TWENTY TWENTY
THREE.
THREE.
THREE. >>
THREE. >> HE SAYS THAT WOULD CUT INTO
THE RAPID RESPONSE VEHICLE
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM.
PROGRAM. SMALLER TEAMS OF FIREFIGHTER
THAT RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES NOT
ALL CALLS FIT INTO A FIRE
RESPONSE OR POLICE RESPONSE.
>> THERE ARE MANY CALLS THAT
CAN GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
>> MIKE MYERS IS PORTLAND'S
FORMER FIRE CHIEF AND CURRENT
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR
THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR. >> HE WAS RECENTLY ASSIGNED TO
HELP STREAMLINE POLICE FIRE
AND NINE ONE ONE SERVICE SAYS
HE SPOKE WITH KGW IN MARCH
ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE
OF REALLOCATING EMERGENCY FUNDS
.
.
. IF
. IF WE
. IF WE CONTINUE AS PORTLANDER
GROW INTO THE FUTURE AND WE
AND WE HAVE TRADITIONAL SILOED
BUREAUS DOING THE SAME WORK
THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE AND WE
DON'T LOOK AT THIS
HOLISTICALLY, WE WILL BE A MORE
EXPENSIVE OPERATION.
EXPENSIVE OPERATION. >> THE NEW BUDGET REFLECTS THIS
WITH NEARLY A MILLION BEING
GIVEN TO PORTLAND STREET
RESPONSE WHICH WORKS TO ADDRESS
MORE CALLS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
CRISES.
CRISES.
CRISES. >> THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION IS
HAPPY ABOUT THAT TOO.
THE FIRE THERE'S CALLS WE
SHOULDN'T BE GOING ON
AND EVERYBODY AGREES ON THAT.
BUT IN A CITY BUDGET OF FIVE
POINT SEVEN BILLION PUBLIC
SAFETY BUREAUS ARE 40 PERCENT
OR MORE OF THE GENERAL FUND.
>> THE UNION KNOWS FUTURE MONEY
IS NOT A GIVEN AND HOPES
FEDERAL COVID AID PORTLANDER
SAVED CAN KEEP FIRE POSITIONS
FELT SOME OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE
THE PUBLIC WITH THAT MONEY
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT GOES TO
GOOD USE AS WELL.
>> GALEN ETTLIN, KGW NEWS.
NOW LET'S TURN OUR ATTENTION TO
THE PANDEMIC AND THE NUMBERS
REPORTED JUST TODAY IN OREGON.
THE STATE REPORTED SEVEN
HUNDRED FIFTY SIX NEW AND
CONFIRMED COVID CASES AND THREE
NEW DEATHS.
NEW DEATHS. BUT HERE'S THE THING THAT
BRINGS THE TOTAL TO MORE THAN
TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE WHO
HAVE NOW DIED FROM THE VIRUS
HERE IN OUR STATE
AND HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE
CLIMBING TOO.
CLIMBING TOO. THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE
HUNDRED FORTY FIVE PEOPLE
ACROSS OREGON OCCUPYING BEDS ON
THE VACCINATION FRONT MORE THAN
TWENTY TWO THOUSAND SHOTS WERE
ADDED TO THE STATE REGISTRY
WELL BELOW THE SEVEN DAY
AVERAGE OF THIRTY THREE
THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED TEN.
>> SOME STUDENTS IN VANCOUVER
SCHOOLS WILL START SEEING THEIR
TEACHERS AND CLASSMATES IN
PERSON A LITTLE MORE OFTEN.
CURRENTLY STUDENTS ARE USING A
HYBRID SCHEDULE AND ONLY GO IN
PERSON A COUPLE OF DAYS A WEEK
WHILE STARTING THIS WEEK KIDS
IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH THIRD
GRADE WILL GET FOUR DAYS A WEEK
OF IN-PERSON LEARNING
AND STARTING NEXT WEEK FOURTH
THROUGH SIXTH GRADERS WILL ALSO
GET A NEW SCHEDULE.
SO WILL HIGH SCHOOL FRESHMEN.
ALL OTHER STUDENTS WILL REMAIN
IN HYBRID LEARNING AND WE HAVE
AN UPDATE NOW TO A STORY WE
BROUGHT YOU EARLIER THIS WEEK.
THE CENTENNIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
HAD TO CANCEL CLASSES LAST WEEK
BECAUSE OF A CYBERSECURITY
ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE DISTRICT
WEBSITE.
WEBSITE.
WEBSITE. SCHOOLS ARE DISTRIBUTING WORK
PACKETS FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR
PARKING LOTS.
PARKING LOTS. STUDENTS IN COHORT COHORT A CAN
GET THEIRS WHEN THEY ATTEND
CLASS TOMORROW IN PERSON MIDDLE
SCHOOL STUDENTS IN COHORT B CAN
PICK UP THEIRS TOMORROW BETWEEN
ONE AND THREE THIRTY IN THE
CENTENNIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
PARKING LOT AND HIGH SCHOOLERS
CAN GET THEIRS TOMORROW BETWEEN
EIGHT THIRTY AND ELEVEN THIRTY
AND TWELVE THIRTY AND TWO IN
THE AFTERNOON.
THE AFTERNOON. THE DAILY CARONAVIRUS DEATH
TOLL IN INDIA HAS HIT A
NEW PEAK AND HOSPITALS THERE
ARE OVERWHELMED WITH NEW CASES
NEARLY FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND
NEW CASES AND MORE THAN THIRTY
SIX HUNDRED DEATHS IN JUST THE
LAST TWENTY FOUR HOURS WITH
HOSPITALS AND MORGUES
COMPLETELY FULL, PEOPLE ARE
DYING AT HOME AND BEING
CREMATED IN THE STREETS.
THEIR LIVES ARE NOT BEING
COUNTED AS PART OF A DEATH TOLL
EITHER.
EITHER.
EITHER. INTERNATIONAL AID HAS ARRIVED
BUT WITH A COUNTRY OF ONE POINT
FOUR BILLION IT WILL BARELY
MAKE A DENT.
PEOPLE ARE NOT DYING BECAUSE
OF THE DISEASE.
PEOPLE ARE DYING BECAUSE THEY
ARE NOT GETTING MEDICAL CARE
THAT IS SUFFICIENT REASON FOR
FEELT AND STARTING TUESDAY
FLIGHTS FROM THE US TO INDIA
WILL START TO BE RESTRICTED TO
TRY AND STOP A NEW VARIANT FROM
TAKING HOLD HERE IT HAS
DETECTED IN THE STATES BUT IT
APPEARS THE VACCINES APPROVED
HERE DO WORK AGAINST IT.
US OFFICIALS ARE DENYING A
REPORT BY IRAN'S STATE RUN
MEDIA THAT SAYS WASHINGTON, THE
UK AND THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
HAVE REACHED A DEAL TO SWAP
PRISONERS FOR BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS.
OF DOLLARS. THE REPORT QUOTES AN IRANIAN
OFFICIAL BUT SAYS THE SWAP IS
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE RELEASE
OF SEVEN BILLION IN FROZEN
FUNDS AND DID NOT NAME THE
IRANIANS THAT TEHRAN SOUGHT TO
BE FREED.
BE FREED.
BE FREED. THE BROADCASTER HAS LONG BEEN
CONTROLLED BY HARD LINERS
AND THAT THIS REPORT IT COMES
AS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THEM
AND IRANIAN PRESIDENT HASSAN
ROUHANI GROWS LEADING UP TO AN
ELECTION.
ELECTION.
ELECTION. IT'S NOT CLEAR IF THE REPORT
REPRESENTS AN ATTEMPT TO
DISRUPT ONGOING NUCLEAR
NEGOTIATIONS OR IS SABOTAGE
OF ANY POTENTIAL PRISONER
EXCHANGE FOR FUNDS WITH THE
WEST.
WEST.
WEST. >>
WEST. >> NORTH KOREA IS WARNING THE
US WILL FACE A SUFFICIENT
SIGNIFICANT EXCUSE ME SITUATION
IF IT CONTINUES TO PURSUE ITS
QUOTE HOSTILE POLICY TOWARDS
THEIR NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
THE STATEMENT COMES AS THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS SET TO
UNVEIL A NEW STRATEGY TO DEAL
WITH NORTH KOREA.
IT ALSO SAYS PRESIDENT BIDEN
MADE A MISTAKE LAST WEEK BY
CALLING NORTH KOREA AND IRAN'S
NUCLEAR PROGRAMS A SECURITY
THREAT.
THREAT.
THREAT. THESE LATEST COMMENTS SHOW THE
ISOLATED COUNTRY PLANS TO
CONTINUE ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM
AND EXPERTS BELIEVE IT WILL
CONTINUE TO TEST BIDEN