MAIA BOAKYE Oregon’s primary Election Day—May 19—is just eight days away. If you still need to vote, here’s a refresher on when and how to do it. All Multnomah County voters should have received their ballots by now—so if you don’t have a ballot, but believe you are correctly registered, you should call the county […]
Blair Stenvick
Blair Stenvick is a former news reporter and culture writer for the Portland Mercury.
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Amid State Reopening Plans, TriMet Requires Employees to Wear Face Masks
trimet Beginning Monday, TriMet will require all bus and MAX operators, fare inspectors, maintenance workers, and other employees to wear face masks on the job. The transit agency is also encouraging—though not requiring—its riders to do the same. The announcement of this new rule comes one day after Gov. Kate Brown released a detailed, phased […]
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Oregon Will Begin Cautiously Reopening on May 15
oregon public health division Gov. Kate Brown announced criteria Thursday for a phased reopening of Oregon businesses and workplaces. The new requirements allow some previously closed businesses to reopen as soon as May 15. Brown said at a press conference that the reopening plan comes as Oregon has “stabilized COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide, and in fact […]
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Good Morning, News: Oregon’s First COVID-19 Patient Recovers, Trump Rejects CDC’s Reopen Guidelines, and You Should Take a Walk Today
We need your help. The economic fallout of the coronavirus has threatened our ability to keep producing the Mercury. If you’re able, please consider donating to the Mercury. CDC Good morning, Portland! LOOK AT THIS CONSTIPATED LIZARD!! Insanely constipated Florida lizard just broke the record for biggest poophttps://t.co/Bd6jNY6wa5 — Orlando Weekly (@OrlandoWeekly) May 6, 2020 […]
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These Portland Streets Will Become More Pedestrian-Friendly Starting Tomorrow
PBOT Starting tomorrow, taking a mental health walk in your neighborhood could get a little easier. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) announced last week that it would start making some city streets more pedestrian- and bike-friendly to accommodate social distancing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those changes will start to go into effect Thursday, […]
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Stories From Five Portlanders Who’ve Been Waiting On Oregon Unemployment Benefits Since March
Riley Hession holds up a letter from the Oregon Employment Department. She filed for unemployment in mid-March, and still has not received her first payment. COURTESY OF RILEY HESSION The Oregon Employment Department (OED) has received over 360,000 unemployment claims since March 15 from Oregonians newly out of work because of COVID-19 restrictions—a record high […]
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Good Morning, News: Oregon Lawmaker Faces Harassment Allegations, and the Post-Pandemic Future of an Iconic Portland Restaurant
We need your help. The economic fallout of the coronavirus has threatened our ability to keep producing the Mercury. If you’re able, please consider donating to the Mercury. Rep. Diego Hernandez faces several allegations of sexual harassment. Multnomah county Good morning, Portland! Grab a big, heaping bowl of pancake cereal and let’s dive into the […]
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Despite Misleading Campaign Ad, the Mercury Does Not Endorse Sam Adams
Despite what Facebook campaign ads might suggest, the Mercury has not endorsed Sam Adams for Portland City Council in the May 2020 primary. Readers may know that we posted our endorsements last week—so why the need to now publish an article about who we aren’t endorsing? We can thank Adams’ campaign for that. If you’re […]
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Multnomah County DA Candidates Talk COVID-19 Response, Police Body Cams, and Budgets
Left to right: Mike Schmidt and Ethan Knight Campaign photos When Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced he was retiring last year, he opened the door for the first tight DA race the county has seen in years. In the end, that race came down to two candidates: Ethan Knight, an assistant United States […]
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Good Morning, News: 30 Million Unemployed Because of COVID-19, How to Not Pay Your Rent, and a Sexy New Sextant
We need your help. The economic fallout of the coronavirus has threatened our ability to keep producing the Mercury. If you’re able, please consider donating to the Mercury. pbot Good morning, Portland! Have you gotten your ballot yet? Feeling overwhelmed with choices? Don’t worry—we’re here to help with endorsements. Here are the headlines. • Thirty […]
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It’s Official: South Portland Becomes City’s Sixth Sextant
A part of the new South Portland. OHSU On Friday, some Southwest Portland residents will wake to discover they now live in a new part of the city: South Portland. That’s because, after over two years of preparations on the city’s part, Portland has established a sixth sextant. The new sextant of South Portland includes […]
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Portland’s Streets Will Become More Pedestrian-Friendly to Accommodate for COVID-19 Life
pbot Portland streets are about to change to help support life during COVID-19. Since Gov. Kate Brown issued a stay-at-home order last month, car trips in Portland have decreased by nearly 50 percent, according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). Meanwhile, taking a walk or jog is one of the few recreational activities Portlanders […]