The end of August marked a new era in Oregon: Possession of certain drugs is a crime once again. The state legislature voted back in March on a pair of bills that recriminalized possession, making it a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail for probation violations or 180 days in jail if a judge revokes probation, according to Axios at the time. Governor Tina Kotek (D) signed them into law in April. The new laws recriminalizing drug possession took effect September 1. Most of the state's counties, however, have also decided to offer a "deflection" route for people arrested for possession. They can go to jail or decide to be connected to resources to seek treatment. There were also problems with how the state's health department managed the grants for substance abuse programs. — (@) The state's response to the worsening drug epidemic was because of voters having remorse over Measure 110, which passed with 60% of the vote in 2020 to make possession of drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl no longer a crime. As a result, parts of the state, like downtown Portland, became open drug dens that posed a risk to public safety. Businesses closed in Portland in part because of the conditions created by Measure 110. For example, a Buffalo Wild Wings was shut down over concerns that the area surrounding the restaurant became a “haven for crime and drug use.” The city said the franchise did not pay rent despite trying to alleviate the company's safety concerns, the Oregonian reported. The Washington Post reported part of Measure 110's failure was the state's lack of resources to provide treatment for drug users who opted to seek help. There were also problems with how the state's health department managed the grants for substance abuse programs. Drug Policy Alliance, which was a big proponent of Measure 110, criticized the state's response to the drug epidemic."Measure 110 had major successes but was scapegoated by corporate interests & drug war defenders. It provided over $300M for health services and increased the number of people entering voluntary treatment by 205%. These successes can’t be downplayed or attributed to H.B. 4002," DPA said. — (@) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Breonna Taylor became a symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement when she was shot and killed by Louisville police — but the narrative surrounding her death has done a 180. Years later, those who jumped to demonize the police have been proven wrong after a judge ruled that Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was the individual whose actions led to her death, not the Louisville police. But that didn’t stop the cops present on the scene from being smeared by celebrities, politicians, the media, and activists. This is why Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly is telling Jason Whitlock of “Fearless” — who calls the outrage following Taylor’s death a “racial hoax” — what really happened on Friday, March 13, 2020. That night, Mattingly was serving a warrant in a drug investigation — and was initially lauded as a hero for his actions. “Something happened, and I’m not sure when it took place, but it was fairly quickly,” Mattingly tells Whitlock. After the shooting, Mattingly was in surgery to repair his femoral artery, which was severed when he was shot by Walker. “That night we went, and they said knock and announce, because Jamarcus Glover, he’s not at this location,” Mattingly explains. “So I said, ‘That’s fine.’ They said, matter of fact, she’s a heavy-set black female, give her extra time to come to the door.” “After about a minute, no answer, my lieutenant says, ‘Go ahead, and hit the door.’ The breacher hits the door, when it comes open, I’m standing on the left of it. He’s on the right of it,” Mattingly continues, noting that the situation inside was strange. “Normally people are giving up, they’re hiding, or they’re running. There’s never two people down a hall just in wait, and by the time my mind’s registering this, and I get my gun around to them, I see the tip of Kenneth Walker’s silver gun, and it’s too late.” “Boom, shots fired, I feel the impact on my leg, I return four rounds and get behind the door. He dives into a room as soon as he shoots and leaves Breonna in the hallway. She attempts to follow him in the room ‘cause her feet crossed the threshold of the door, where she then fell back,” he explains. “So she ran into the line of fire, chasing this guy who had abandoned her in the hallway,” he adds. Want more from Jason Whitlock?To enjoy more fearless conversations at the crossroads of culture, faith, sports, and comedy with Jason Whitlock, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Splitgate 2 is my most anticipated new FPS game right now, and its debut during its closed alpha showed off exactly how it intends to evolve the epic, portal-based action of the original. However, as with any alpha, there was plenty of room for improvement, and developer 1047 Games has just revealed some of its key learnings and changes that it will be making to the game. Continue reading Splitgate 2 to make big changes and develop new maps following alpha MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best free PC games, Best multiplayer games

Developer Teyon has made a name for itself by bringing beloved 1980s properties to life in videogame form with a staggering attention to detail. Robocop Rogue City managed to put players in the steel boots of Alex Murphy and create one of the finest FPS games of 2023, complete with green targeting reticles and that theme tune. Back in 2019 the team also did the same with Terminator Resistance, and now you can get it for an all-time low price. Continue reading Underrated FPS Terminator Resistance hits historical low in big sale

Despite only being announced just over a month ago, today’s the day that new free-to-play tactical shooter Spectre Divide opens its doors. It’s been a rapid turn around from reveal to release date, and with backing and development input from star streamer Michael ‘shroud’ Grzesiek and a team of devs with a love of Counter-Strike, it’s no surprise to see it launch with strong player counts. However, it’s not all been smooth sailing, as server issues and long queue times have seen it launch to a ‘Mixed’ reception on Steam. Continue reading Spectre Divide launches with strong player count but mixed reviews MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best free PC games, Best multiplayer games

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Image: The Verge In a reversal, Starlink says it’s “complying with the order” to block access to X in Brazil. The company previously refused to restrict X unless Brazil unfroze its financial assets. Starlink, the satellite internet company controlled by Elon Musk, has been caught in the crosshairs of an ongoing feud between the billionaire, who also owns X, and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. In addition to imposing a ban on X over the spread of misinformation, the Brazilian justice also handed down an order that prevents Starlink from performing financial transactions. The move was supposed to coerce X into paying $3 million in fines for failing to block accounts flagged by the Brazilian government, as reported by The New York Times.... Continue reading…

Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge Microsoft has started testing a new gamepad keyboard layout in Windows 11 that’s designed for Xbox controllers. The gamepad keyboard layout improves the on-screen keyboard in Windows 11, so you can use an Xbox controller to type or navigate around the OS. The gamepad keyboard is now in testing as part of the beta channel for Windows 11 and even includes button accelerators so you can use the X button for backspace, the Y button for spacebar, and the menu button on an Xbox controller to hit enter. The keyboard keys have also been vertically aligned, so it’s easier to type with a controller. Image: Microsoft Microsoft’s new gamepad keyboard for Windows 11. It’s encouraging to see Microsoft add a feature like... Continue reading…