Oregon Drug Laws, Weekend Blizzard, and the Worst Wonka

Aid Drops into Gaza

The US military successfully made its first airdrop of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip over the weekend, with officials saying the cargo included food supplies sufficient for close to 40,000 meals. The delivery, expected to be the first of many, came two days after a deadly scene unfolded as Palestinian crowds rushed to receive supplies from a convoy of trucks. United Nations officials have said one-quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million people are on the brink of famine (see definition). 

Separately, talks to strike a six-week cease-fire deal appear to be inching forward. An agreement mediated by Egypt and others is said to be close to finished, though Israeli delegates boycotted a weekend meeting after Hamas reportedly failed to provide a list of hostages taken during the initial Oct. 7 attack who remain alive. See updates on the war here.

To the south, a cargo ship attacked by Houthi rebels operating out of Yemen fully sank over the weekend, becoming the first shipping vessel lost in the current fighting in the Red Sea. 

Oregon Recriminalization

An Oregon bill to reinstate criminal penalties for hard drugs is heading to Gov. Tina Kotek’s (D) desk. HB 4002 will, if signed, upend a 2020 voter initiative to decriminalize possession of small amounts of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and other drugs.

The news comes three years after residents voted (58%) to decriminalize hard drugs—the first and only state to do so. Instead, possession was met with a $100 fine or the option to enter treatment. However, drug-related deaths in Oregon have since skyrocketed, on track to surpass 1,250 people last year and up 42% year-over-year in September, compared to a nationwide 2%. Those supporting decriminalization still point to research failing to show an immediate correlation between drug law and overdose fatality rates. If the bill is signed, possession will be punishable by up to 180 days in jail, with options to be redirected to treatment facilities.

The news in Oregon comes as the popularity of decriminalization wanes (support for undoing the law is around 56%). Meanwhile, a recent poll found 40% of voters in Portland list homelessness as their primary concern.

Western White-Out

A major blizzard shut down much of California's Sierra Nevada over the weekend as nearly 200 mph winds and snow up to 12 feet deep blocked roads, shuttered ski resorts, and knocked out power for thousands. Early readings suggest the precipitation could mark one of the region's 10 snowiest days since the 1970s.

Key highways to mountain towns in Tahoe and Mammoth were closed in both directions into Sunday amid the heavy snowfall (see current snow depth). The quick accumulation of snowpack combined with strong winds led to avalanche warnings in the region's backcountry through Sunday. Blizzard warnings for the region are relatively infrequent, with one issued roughly once every other year. A smaller storm is forecast to bring more snow through Wednesday. See photos here and videos here. 

Meanwhile, Texas' Smokehouse Creek wildfire—the second-largest in US history—is only 15% contained amid worsening dry, windy conditions. 

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