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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! And by the way, you look famished—and only a big, melty plate of nachos can save you. That’s why Portland is extremely lucky that the Mercury’s NACHO WEEK starts TODAY and continues through Sunday, June 28. Picture it: delicious, cheesy helpings of creatively constructed nachos, built by the cleverest chefs in town… and each plate is only $10 each! So what are you waiting for? Dip into those ‘chos! And now, let’s dip into some NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Snatch out those thongs, babies! Portland’s in store for another two-day heatwave with temperatures expected to soar up into the low 90s today and tomorrow. Be sure to limit outdoor time in the heat of the day and keep an eye on your neighbors—both housed and houseless, if you don’t mind. But don’t worry, relief is on the way later in the week as the temps gradually drop back down to the mid-60s by Friday, when we might even be blessed with some showers. Fingers crossed!
• A reminder that, this Wednesday, there will be dueling Moda Center funding get-togethers: one is a long-planned work session with City Council, in which the public and experts are invited to weigh in on whether we should cave to the wishes of billionaire Tom Dundon and refurbish the arena where the Blazers play, or…. you know… let the billionaire pay for it his own damn self. The competing event is being thrown by the Portland Metro Chamber (formerly Portland Business Alliance) at the Moda Center and stars a visiting Dundon along with every other local big business owner and centrist who thinks we should throw all the money in the world at the Moda at a time when the city is bleeding money and is in serious danger of losing critical city services. OH! And did I mention that tickets for the Chamber’s event are $350? Must be nice to have enough money to attend a billionaire pep rally. But wait… it gets better! Because the Metro Chamber had the gall to ask City Council to move their long-scheduled meeting so they could attend the Moda party and pledge their fealty to Dundon—to which Council President Jamie Dunphy replied, “Girl… what? Ew.” (Obviously I’m paraphrasing here.) For all the details, see the Mercury report from Jeremiah Hayden.
• In “Yikes, almighty!” news: Portland police officer Jimmy Pryce has pleaded guilty to strangling and assaulting his partner (in front of his children… happy post-Father’s day), and then was re-arrested for stalking her after being warned to stay away. Pryce had been on the force for 27 years, and recently retired after being put on administrative leave. According to his partner, Pryce repeatedly broke the no-contact order, using burner phones to harass her, and demanding that she send him pictures of her current location. While Pryce faces a maximum of five years in prison, he’ll probably only end up serving six months, because of a plea deal and the fact that cops are regularly allowed to escape their crimes with little to no accountability. But yes, by all means, let’s further fund the police department so they can hire 400 more officers just like him!
• Some absolutely heartbreaking news: Oregonian reporter (and longtime friend of the Mercury) Zane Sparling has died at age 33, following a lengthy bout with a rare form of cancer. Zane covered breaking news and the courts for the Oregonian, was part of the breaking news team that won first place in the 2025 Society of Professional Journalists awards, and reported the true crime podcast, Happily Never After: Dan and Nancy (about the murder of Portland culinary instructor Dan Brophy by his romance novelist wife) which hit number one on the Apple podcast charts. Zane was a great reporter who was also wildly creative, and highly respected by his peers. But we are more than our jobs. Zane was also a beautiful, hilarious soul who was kind, whip-smart, and brought an infectious energy to any room—and he could sing karaoke like no one’s business. To Zane’s family and loved ones, of which there are many, you have our deepest sympathies. Zane touched so many lives in a positive way, and while there will never be another one like him, the world could certainly use a few more. Wherever you’re going, Zane, our hearts fly with you.
IN NATIONAL AND WORLD NEWS:
• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned, and stepped down as the leader of the Labour Party. Starmer was elected to the role in 2024, but his reputation was damaged this year after he appointed Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, despite his ties to convicted sex offender and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer’s troubles were compounded after his party was walloped in recent local elections, causing a mutiny among his former supporters. His replacement is likely to be Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, who is very popular within the Labour Party. Starmer was the UK’s seventh prime minister in 10 years.
• In a hilarious turn of events, Vice President JD Vance was trumpeting Trump’s “victory” in brokering a—not very good at all—deal for a ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, when Vance was interrupted by the news that Iran was once again slamming the door shut on the strait, due to the US breaking the terms of their agreement. WOMP! WOMP! Sad trombone. Meanwhile, talks are continuing between the two countries, and today Vance announced that Iran had agreed to allow international inspections to its nuclear program… which would be quite the accomplishment if it weren’t for the fact that former President Obama had already secured that deal, before Trump blew it up. Double WOMP-WOMP! (Man, whoever plays the sad trombone for Trump and Vance must be exhausted.)
• Today in “even more Trump delirium”: After being absolutely humiliated for ordering staff to paint the bottom of the National Mall’s Reflecting Pool an ugly blue (which immediately started peeling and possibly caused a green algae bloom), Trump is trying to shift the blame by saying the peeling was caused by vandals—an outright lie leading to the arrest of at least one (most likely innocent) person. Screeching former Fox personality (now US Attorney for the District of Columbia) Jeanine Pirro vowed to prosecute anyone caught vandalizing the Reflecting Pool—and does that include the people who spent $15 million in taxpayer dollars to paint it in the first place?
• The former chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, has died at the age of 100. Greenspan spent nearly 20 years serving as the keeper of the American economy, which is remembered as “the longest sustained period of US economic growth in a generation.” Conversely Greenspan was also accused of failing to predict the sub-prime mortgage crisis of 2008, which set off the worst global economic downturn “since the Great Depression.” He also dated Barbara Walters and later married NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell… so… yeah. Greenspan was a mixed bag to say the least.
• And finally… my exact reaction when I wake up on Monday after a three-day weekend.
