Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. Remember the Beto sex tweet? Matt Winkelmeyer / GETTY IMAGES Good morning, Portland! I just checked and Facebook appears to be working again—and I use “working” in the loosest possible sense of the […]
Blair Stenvick
Blair Stenvick is a former news reporter and culture writer for the Portland Mercury.
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Bureau of Transportation Wants Funding to Fix Poorly Lit East Portland Streets
Poor lighting on and east of 82nd Ave, shown here, makes commuting in East Portland more dangerous. CITY OF PORTLAND Many major roads in East Portland have dangerously poor lighting compared to the rest of the city, leaving those who use them more susceptible to injuries and fatalities. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is […]
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Good Morning, News: Ground This Plane, Stamp Those Ballots, and Fuck Tucker Carlson
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. Rich Polk / Getty Images Good morning, Portland! Even if you’re not having a good morning, you’re probably having a better morning than actors Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, who face felony charges […]
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Students and Consultants Agree: PSU Broke Promises After Arming Campus Cops
PSU President Rahmat Shoureshi looks on as student activists hold signs at Thursday’s special board of trustees meeting. BLAIR STENVICK There was one point of agreement between otherwise contentious groups at Portland State University’s (PSU) special board of trustees meeting on Thursday morning: the university failed to act carefully or responsibly in the aftermath of […]
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What Happens to Oregon’s Lawsuit Against Purdue Pharma If the Company Files for Bankruptcy?
MOUSSA81 / GETTY IMAGES News broke Monday that Purdue Pharma, the pharmaceutical giant behind the addictive prescription opioid OxyContin, is considering filing for bankruptcy. Such a move could let Purdue off the hook for thousands of lawsuits currently stacked against the company—including one from Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. Rosenblum announced her lawsuit last year, […]
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Portland Police Arrest Black Students at Disproportionate Rate
DOUG BROWN New data shows Portland police are arresting Black students at double the rate than their white peers. That information reflects the concerns of student activists who have been recently working to keep Portland Public Schools (PPS) from hiring more Portland cops to patrol school campuses. According to data from the City Budget Office […]
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New Oregon Senate Bills Could Ease Prison Sentencing Laws for Minors
ALLISON KEREK A slate of bills introduced to the Oregon Senate on Monday could limit the scope of harsh state sentencing laws, and lessen their impact on minors. Many of Oregon’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws are dictated by past ballot measures—including 1994’s Measure 11, which lays out sentencing minimums for violent crimes that range from […]
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Good Morning, News: Merkley Says Nah, Omar Isn’t Giving In, and Second Patient Cured of HIV
Stay up to date on Portland news and politics. Looking for fun? Here are the best Things to Do in Portland today. Rep Ilhan Omar, laughing at her haters. ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES Good morning, Portland! This morning continues a trend of being deceptively sunny yet cold, but it’s supposed to cloud up by […]
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Oregon Leads Fight Against Trump Anti-Abortion ‘Gag Rule’
JOEL CARILLET / GETTY Oregon will lead the fight against a new Trump administration policy that could make it harder for low-income people to access safe and affordable abortions. Called the “gag rule” by its opponents, a new requirement from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) limits health care providers’ ability to educate […]
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I-5 Rose Quarter Expansion Could Increase Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Researchers Find
MATT WONG A plan to widen Interstate 5 in the Rose Quarter could produce thousands more tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year, according to a local think tank. If enacted, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Rose Quarter Improvement Plan will add two additional lanes to I-5 in the Rose Quarter area, equaling about […]
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After Reports of Anti-LGBTQ Violence, Activists Plan Saturday Safety Event
PROGRESS A coalition of local activists will host a free day-long safety event on Saturday, following reports of anti-LGBTQ violence in Portland. The event, facilitated by Popular Mobilization (PopMob), will include workshops on self-defense, de-escalation, and knowing your legal rights. It will also include a queer person of color caucus, and a caucus for trans […]
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The Portland Womxn’s March & Rally for Action Is This Sunday
It’s time to dust off your “Pussy Grabs Back!” sign, because Portland’s third womxn’s march is this Sunday, March 3. The 2019 Womxn’s March & Rally for Action, happening at the South Park Blocks from noon to 3 pm, will focus on the theme of “Educate, Engage, and Empower.” It will include a rally, a […]