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Abe Asher

Abe Asher covers city news, politics, and soccer for the Portland Mercury. His reporting has appeared in The Nation, VICE News, Sahan Journal, and other outlets.
Posted inNews

Sen. Merkley: US Aid Fuels Israel’s Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

Following a recent trip to Israel and the West Bank, Oregon senator says US and its allies have a moral obligation to stop providing military support for the war in Gaza
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Sen. Jeff Merkley isn’t mincing words on the complicity of the United States in the ongoing decimation of Gaza.  “This is horrific, and we are complicit in it,” Merkley said in an interview last week with the Mercury. “We are complicit because we provide the bombs, we provide the rifles, we provide the shells, we provide […]

Posted inNews

Zenith Energy Legal Fight Highlights Gaps in Portland’s Environmental Guardrails

Climate activists say the city has little authority to enforce restrictions it imposed on a controversial oil transport operation.
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When the city of Portland permitted Zenith Energy to continue operating its fuel transport and storage facility in Northwest Portland three years ago, it did so on several conditions designed to limit potential harms to the environment.  The land use compatibility statement issued by the city requires Zenith to phase out its use of crude […]

Posted inNews

A Month Before Classes Resume, University of Oregon Faculty Brace for More Layoffs

Despite a recent $25 million gift from the Schnitzer family, Oregon’s flagship university warns of a funding shortage and a second round of layoffs.
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Following staffing cuts in June, another round of layoffs is coming at the University of Oregon, with entire departments potentially on the chopping block as the university seeks to address a projected budget deficit.  In a June town hall, University of Oregon (UO) President Karl Scholz announced that the university was facing a significant budget […]

Posted inNews

With a New Media Conglomerate on the Scene, Oregon’s News Landscape is Shrinking

Carpenter Media’s purchase of Pamplin and EO Media Groups has been marked by labor fights, layoffs, and the discontinuation of a Portland print edition in a series of cost-cutting efforts.
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When Carpenter Media Group purchased Pamplin Media Group, Austin White, then the Portland Tribune’s managing sports editor, said many newsroom employees had never heard of the company.  “We still didn’t really know what to expect,” White said. “We thought we had maybe sold to a better company, one that might not be like a Gannett […]

Posted inSports

Portland Trail Blazers Soon to Have New Owner After Years of Uncertainty

The new ownership group includes a Portland connection.
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After years of uncertainty and months on the market, the Portland Trail Blazers reportedly have a new owner.  Multiple outlets including Sportico reported on Wednesday morning that the estate of the team’s late owner Paul Allen has agreed to sell the Trail Blazers to a group headed by Carolina Hurricanes CEO Tom Dundon.  Dundon, who […]

Posted inNews

Can an AI Goliath Help Oregon Stay Competitive in the Tech Industry?

As Gov. Kotek throws $10M at Nvidia for AI training in universities, academics urge a realistic, judicious approach to the evolving technology.
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As the uses of artificial intelligence rapidly expand, Oregon’s leaders want its future workforce to stay competitive—despite the possible dangers of the technology taking away the very jobs they seek. In late April, Governor Tina Kotek announced that the state of Oregon was investing $10 million into a partnership with a leading AI corporation headquartered […]

Posted inQueer Guide 2025

A Crisis of Crisis Lines for America’s Queer Youth

LGBTQ+ youth are reaching out to the national suicide and crisis line more than ever. What happens if Trump cuts the line?
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In the three years it has existed, the specialized services line for LGBTQ+ youth on the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been heralded as a major step forward in aiding young queer people in crisis. Now, however, the future of the specialized services line is under threat. The Trump administration is proposing defunding […]

Posted inNews

Police, Prosecutors Seek to Limit Access to Police Personnel Files During Trials

Portland Police Bureau says a current directive goes beyond federal requirements for evidence disclosure. Defense attorneys warn a change would allow cops to gatekeep which information about them gets released.
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After a landmark ruling earlier this year, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) is proposing changes to a key directive that could determine whether criminal defendants have access to information that could potentially exonerate them in legal cases.  PPB Directive 0320.00 was initially implemented three years ago to guide how the Bureau reports information relevant to […]

Posted inNews

Oregon Bill Expanding Police Use of Drones Without Warrants Alarms Civil Rights Advocates

Despite concerns over privacy and civil rights violations, lawmakers are backing an effort to reduce legal hurdles for police surveillance via drones.
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A new bill moving through the Oregon Legislature would make it easier for law enforcement agencies to use drones without a warrant—and it has civil rights advocates alarmed.  “This is just another example of an unnecessary and really excessive expansion of law enforcement authority,” Michael Abrams, policy counsel at the ACLU of Oregon, said. “I […]

Posted inNews

Staff at PeaceHealth Southwest Say Job Cuts Could Backfire

The health care provider is slashing 1% of its workforce. Impacted employees say it will only strain the hospital system and prolong patient stays.
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Kris Burleigh, a unit coordinator in the emergency department at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, was enjoying the final day of a vacation in April when her phone rang: After more than 24 years of work, she was told, she was being laid off.  “I truly did not see this one coming,” Burleigh […]

Posted inNews

What Will It Take to Thwart Trump’s Assault on Democracy?

As the US hurtles toward fascism, some urge Americans to resist en masse.
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Plenty of ink has been spilled over the last decade on the question of whether President Donald Trump is a fascist or not. Shane Burley, a journalist and author who covers the far right, says it doesn’t particularly matter.  “The question of whether or not Donald Trump is a fascist is sometimes a red herring,” […]

Posted inCity Guide 2025

Portland’s Best Tourist Destinations (for the Non-Tourist)

Discover hidden gardens, historic neighborhoods… and entertaining truck stops?
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[Read all of the articles in our Portland Fun Guide HERE! Looking for a print copy? Look at this handy-dandy map!—eds.] Portland is not known for big-ticket tourist attractions. We have a few, to be sure, but the real draw of the city is its approach to life—creative, independent, unhurried, and green.  So if you […]

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