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! Patriot Prayer’s Joey Gibson speaking at a rally. Doug Brown Good morning, […]
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
Joey Gibson and Other Patriot Prayer Members Head to Trial for May Day 2019 Riot Charges
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson at an August 2019 rally. KAREN DUCEY / GETTY IMAGES After numerous delays due to COVID-19 precautions, the May Day 2019 riot charges against members of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer—including ringleader Joey Gibson—are finally having their day in court. Monday is the first day of jury selection for the […]
Posted inNews
Police Oversight Group Will Ask Council to Adopt Controversial Gunshot-Detecting Technology
With the city’s gun violence rate still hitting historic highs, Portlanders are looking for new ways to crack down on shooters. The latest suggestion comes from a new volunteer-led police oversight group, which meets weekly to analyze the previous week’s shootings with officers from the police bureau’s gun violence prevention unit, the Focused Intervention Team […]
Posted inNews
Portland Remains Out of Compliance With DOJ Settlement
A scene from the 2020 racial justice protests in downtown Portland. MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND It’s been 16 months since the city of Portland first fell out of compliance with the settlement agreement it made with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding police use-of-force against people with a mental illness. Yet, the city is still a […]
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Audit Finds Accountability and Diversity Lacking in Portland Fire Bureau
Firefighter recruits training at a Portland fire station. Portland Fire Bureau Portland’s Fire Bureau has an “incoherent” accountability system, according to a report published by the city auditor’s office Wednesday. From skipping workplace anti-discrimination trainings to managers doling out inconsistent discipline to employees, the audit found unreliable oversight mechanisms in place for one of the […]
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Workers at New Seasons’ Sellwood Market Join Unionizing Effort
New Seasons’ Sever Corner location, which filed to unionize in late May. Alex Zielinski Workers at a third New Seasons grocery store have joined the burgeoning labor organizing efforts. On Thursday, employees at the grocery chain’s Sellwood location filed a petition to join the New Seasons Labor Union (NSLU) with the National Labor Relations Board […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Portlanders Protest End of Roe, SCOTUS Allows Prayer in Public Schools, and Oslo Mass Shooting Cancels Pride
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! The crowd in downtown Portland during Friday’s pro-choice rally. Alex Zielinski Good […]
Posted inNews
Thousands of Portlanders Gather to Oppose End of Roe
Pro-choice protesters wave signs along SW Naito Friday. Alex Zielinski Thousands of Portlanders gathered downtown Friday evening to protest the morning decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion. Hoisting homemade signs reading “Abortion is Health Care” and “Fuck You SCOTUS,” the crowd gathered to hear speeches and rallying […]
Posted inNews
How Will the End of Roe Impact Oregonians?
Thousands of abortion-rights activists gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images Hours after the US Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, reproductive rights advocates in Oregon delivered a clear reminder to Oregonians: Abortion is not banned in the […]
Posted inNews
City Attorneys Ask to Dismiss Lawsuit Because Protester Didn’t Know Which Officer Injured Him
A PPB officer during one of Portland’s 2020 racial justice protests. MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND Portland city attorneys are asking a federal judge to throw out a use-of-force lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) because the plaintiff can’t identify which PPB officer shot him with a munition from behind during a 2020 protest. Portlander Dexter Pearce […]
Posted inHousing
City Council Will Vote to Undo Tenant Security Deposit Protections Wednesday
ejs9 / Getty Images City Council will vote to roll back a 2020 city policy protecting tenants from unfair fees Wednesday, in order to settle a landlord-led legal challenge. The policy under scrutiny is the security deposit policy enshrined in the city’s Fair Access in Renting (FAIR) ordinance. The policy limits how much a landlord […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Colombia Elects First Leftist Leader, Portland Celebrates Pride, and Introducing Portland Sandwich Week!
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! Newly elected President of Colombia Gustavo Petro and Vice-President Francia Marquez of […]