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Alex Zielinski

Alex Zielinski is a former News Editor for the Portland Mercury. She's here to tell stories about economic inequities, cops, civil rights, and weird city politics that you should probably be paying attention to.
Posted inNews

Exit Interview: Portland NAACP’s Outgoing Leadership on Repairing the Organization’s Legacy

“The practice of justice is hard and sometimes painful, but it’s always worth it.”
Avatar photo Alex Zielinski

Sharon Gary-Smith and Donovan Scribes joined Portland NAACP leadership at what they describe as a turning point in the chapter’s 108-year history.  In October 2020, then-president of the Portland NAACP Elbert “E.D.” Mondainé stepped down following a board vote for his immediate resignation. A week prior, the Portland Mercury had published a story detailing the […]

Posted inCity Hall

Mayor Wheeler Unveils New Bureau Assignments for City Commissioners

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As promised, Mayor Ted Wheeler has kicked off 2023 with a reshuffling of city bureau assignments among city commissioners. This time around, Wheeler chose to cluster like-minded bureaus together with each commissioner, as an attempt to make the looming 2024 transition to a new form of government slightly smoother. “This shift will help improve how […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Commissioner Rubio on a Changing City Council, Feds Question Southwest Airlines’ Holiday Meltdown, and US Requires COVID Tests for Travelers From China

Avatar photo Alex Zielinski

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! It looks like we’ll be closing out 2022 in […]

Posted inNews

Police Review Board Skips Penalizing Officers for Killing Man in Mental Health Crisis, Suggests Buying More Shields

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In April 2021, Portland police officer Zachary DeLong fatally shot a man named Robert Delgado in Lents Park. Delgado, a homeless man who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis at the time, allegedly pointed a fake handgun at officers before he was killed. DeLong faced no criminal penalties for the shooting. A recent […]

Posted inNews

Q&A: Commissioner Rubio on Her First Two Years in Office and Her Role on a New City Council

In January, Rubio will be the most progressive member on Portland City Council. What does that mean to her?
Avatar photo Alex Zielinski

City Commissioner Carmen Rubio entered City Hall during an exceptionally unusual time. When she was sworn into office on December 28, 2020, the city was still seeing frequent evening racial justice protests, the state was shuttered due to the new COVID-19 omicron variant, and the country was weeks away from a violent uprising at the […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Oregon’s Unshelted Homeless Population on the Rise, Gov. Abbott Risks Migrants Lives to Make Political Statement (Again), and Winter Storm Sends Chill Across US

Avatar photo Alex Zielinski

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! We have officially entered the time of year I call […]

Posted inNews

On Longest Night of the Year, Portlanders Remember Homeless Neighbors Who Died in 2022

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As temperatures dipped below freezing Wednesday night, dozens of Portlanders huddled under a canopy on NW Davis Street to share stories about homeless neighbors who passed away in 2022.  “We’re here tonight to remember those we lost this year,” said Barbra Weber, who emceed the evening memorial hosted by Sisters of the Road. “There’s always […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Argentina Wins World Cup, Congress Recommends Criminal Charges for Trump, and Border Towns Braces for Immigrant Influx as Pandemic Rule Expires

Avatar photo Alex Zielinski

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support! Good morning, Portland! Wanting something to look forward to in the new […]

Posted inNews

Multnomah County Board Approves Budget Proposal to Fund Rental Assistance, Defying Wheeler’s Demand

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The Multnomah County Commission voted unanimously Thursday to direct $28 million in excess funds toward an array of rental assistance programs, dodging a request from Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office to spend some of those dollars on the city’s mass homeless encampment plan. Due to an unpredicted influx in revenue collected through the regional homeless services […]

Posted inNews

Portland Street Response Sees 700 Percent Increase In Workload After Citywide Expansion

The latest report on the first response team exposes weak spots in the rapidly expanding program.
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Portland Street Response (PSR) has experienced a surge in demand following the first response team’s citywide expansion in April 2022. In the six-month window following the expansion, PSR workers responded to 717 percent more calls than they did during the same time period in 2021, according to a Portland State University study released Thursday. While […]

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