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! After weeks of 80 degree weather, we are fully […]
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 inHousing
Wheeler, Ryan Unveil Unfunded Proposal to Criminalize Homelessness
The proposal lacks significant funding, clear support from other government agencies, and interested contractors to carry it out.
Mayor Wheeler announced a much-anticipated proposal to ban homeless camping in Portland at a Friday press conference. This idea, which has been hinted at in various forms for more than a year, follows a growing drumbeat of vitriol from upset Portland property owners, businesses, and other members of the public about the impact that visible […]
Posted inNews
Workers at Slabtown New Seasons Vote to Unionize
The vote doubles the size of the growing New Seasons Labor Union.
Workers at New Seasons’ Slabtown store voted 62-14 to unionize Thursday, making them the second shop to join the burgeoning New Seasons Labor Union (NSLU). Employees at the Slabtown store at NW Raleigh St. and 22nd Ave. first filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in August. At the time, […]
Posted inUncategorized
Portland Police Once Again Withhold Name of Officer Who Shot Member of the Public
Friday’s shooting by a cop is the third time this year that Portland police have refused to make public the officer’s name.
Update, December 9: The Portland Police Bureau has released the name of the officer responsible for shooting Jeremy Rieck, two months after the incident. According to the bureau, the officer who shot Rieck is named Jonah Gellman. An investigation by the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office concluded that Gellman’s actions were not criminal, meaning Gellman […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Biden Visits Portland (and Eats the Wrong Ice Cream), Mayor Wheeler Doesn’t Know Who to Support for Gov, and Clark County Fire Grows
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! If you remember one thing this week, let it […]
Posted inlabor
Workers at Two Northeast Portland New Seasons Stores File to Join Burgeoning Independent Union
Concordia and Grant Parks New Seasons workers represent the sixth and seventh New Seasons stores that have announced plans to form a union this year.
Staff at two New Seasons Markets in Northeast Portland have filed paperwork to join the budding independent union representing workers employed by the chain grocery store. “A lot of our customers spend more money on groceries at New Seasons because they believe the store treats its employees well,” said Ollie Blackwood, a worker at New […]
Posted inUncategorized
AFSCME Accuses County Commissioner Meieran of Retaliating Against Union
The union claims Meieran cut off support after AFSCME endorsed her opponent in the November election.
The largest public employee union in Multnomah County has accused County Commissioner Sharon Meieran of threatening to undermine labor negotiations in retaliation for not receiving the union’s political endorsement. “The fact that Commissioner Meieran would use her position in County Government to leverage electoral support is pathetic,” said Fred Yungbluth, president of Oregon American Federation […]
Posted inNews
Tenants, Elected Officials Call on City to Close Loopholes in Affordable Housing Program
Dozens of Portlanders gathered in North Portland’s Overlook neighborhood Monday morning to decry a sweeping rent hike for low-income tenants at a city-subsidized apartment complex. “The rents are too high across this city,” said one rally-goer named Anthony. “If we show up for one, we show up for all.” The group gathered at the corner […]
Posted inNews
UPDATE: One Woman Injured from Deputy Shooting in Lloyd District
Local law enforcement have shared more information about the Wednesday incident in the Lloyd District that involved a Multnomah County sheriff’s deputy shooting a member of the public. Up until now, it was unknown whether the shooting victim had survived the incident. According to a press release from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) no one […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Alaska Airlines Distances Itself from Portland Thorns, Amazon Sued for Selling “Suicide Kits,” and Russian Missiles Rock Ukraine
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 still have an unseasonably hot October ahead […]
Posted inNews
Jury Finds Portland Police Liable For Unreasonable Force and Battery in First 2020 Protest Case
A jury has found the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) liable for battery and unreasonable force in an incident that left a 2020 racial justice protest attendee with a broken arm and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The jury chose not to find the bureau liable for assault, nor did they find PPB responsible for “negligent training” […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Commissioner Mapps’ Charter Reform Alternative, Portland Cops Go to Trial for 2020 Protest Actions, and Brazilian Presidential Race Heads to Runoff
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’s suddenly the first week in October, which can […]