Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. Farms like this are making climate change worse. valio84sl / Getty images Good morning, Portland! Like a country song that doesn’t exist but should, it was raining in August this morning, and the […]
Blair Stenvick
Blair Stenvick is a former news reporter and culture writer for the Portland Mercury.
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New Report Calls Mass Incarceration a Public Health Crisis in Oregon
Coffee Creek Corrections Facility GOOGLE MAPS Mass incarceration is a public health issue, and ought to be treated as such by Oregon lawmakers. That’s one of the key takeaways from a new report out Wednesday from the Oregon Justice Resource Center (OJRC). The report includes new numbers from OJRC’s recent survey of women currently incarcerated […]
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Good Morning, News: Remembering Toni Morrison, Mass Shooting Aftermath, and Portland Protests, Past and Future
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. Brad Barket / Getty images Good morning, Portland! What burger will you be eating for lunch today? Here are the headlines. A Nobel Life: Prolific American author and 1993 Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison […]
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Good Morning, News: A New City Council Candidate, Baseball at Lloyd Center, and Portland’s Funniest Person
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. City Hall will have at least one new face after next year’s election. COSMONAUT / GETTY IMAGES Good morning, Portland! Select which acts you’ll be viewing at Pickathon (or from your couch) this […]
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“What’s Your Problem, Portland?” Waterfront Summer Festivals: Hot, Crowded, Not Worth It
A summer festival should, in theory, serve as a microcosm of everything we love about summer: warm weather, refreshing beers, smiling sunburned faces, the sound of kids screaming on a carnival ride in the distance, and a general sense of ease that, though fleeting, lets you believe for a moment you’re still that kid screaming […]
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Good Morning, News: More Debates, Public Internet in Portland, and “Old Town Road” Breaks Billboard Record
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. I love this scene from A Star Is Born! Eugene Gologursky / Getty images Good morning, Portland! Chart out your Burger Week trajectory and settle in for some hot, juicy news. Here are […]
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Multnomah County and Portland Take Steps Toward Public Internet Access
This person is happy because he’s using publicly owned broadband to connect to the internet! GETTY IMAGES Internet access could someday be a public utility in Multnomah County, just like water, trash pickup, and electricity. Portland City Council will vote Wednesday to enter into an agreement with Multnomah County to conduct a feasibility study on […]
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Rep. Blumenauer Introduces Bill to Fund More Programs Like Biketown
BIKETOWN Rep. Earl Blumenauer wants to make bike-sharing programs like Biketown a possibility for every city in America. Blumenauer, one of Portland’s representative in Congress, introduced legislation Friday to make federal funding for local bikeshare programs accessible for local governments. Blumenauer was joined by fellow US Reps. Vern Buchanan and Ayanna Pressley, his fellow co-chairs […]
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TriMet’s Closing Three MAX Stops. Here’s What That Decision Might Mean For Future Transportation Debates
TRIMET The fate of a handful of MAX stops in inner Portland—and the nearly year-long debate over whether or not to close them—presents a tension that could continue to pop up as Portland contemplates new large-scale transportation projects. TriMet’s Board of Directors voted Wednesday to close three MAX stops in March 2020: downtown Portland’s Mall/SW […]
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Good Morning, News: Mueller Fizzles, Union Updates, and RIP Tuca and Bertie
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. Honestly, same. Chip Somodevilla / Getty images Good Morning, Portland. Yesterday brought the news that Netflix is canceling Mercury favorite Tuca and Bertie after just one season. A moment of silence, please. Thank […]
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Little Big Union Loses Vote to Unionize
LITTLE BIG UNION Little Big Union (LBU), a group of Little Big Burger employees who sought to unionize the Portland-born restaurant chain, lost its union election on Tuesday. Update, July 25: Little Big Union acknowledged the loss in a statement sent to reporters Wednesday, but vowed to keep fighting on behalf of workers. “We knew […]
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Good Morning, News: The Push for Safe Gun Storage, It’s Boris!, and Joey Gibson: Legal Expert
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. “I’m doing the best at this!” Dan Kitwood / Getty images Good morning, Portland! Looks like it’s going to be a cloudy, muggy day, but that’s no reason to dampen your ($5, alcoholic) […]