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! Keep your shades on because today’s high is 87 […]
Courtney Vaughn
Courtney Vaughn is the news editor at the Portland Mercury. She appreciates your news tips and musings. Reach out at cvaughn@portlandmercury.com or find her on Bluesky @courtneyvaughn.
Posted inNews
City Will Spend an Estimated $1.1 Million on Munitions, Shields, and Training For Police
Stockpiling weapons and the return of Portland’s crowd control team is reigniting dialog about how police respond to protests.
As city bureaus are undergoing budget cuts to address a projected funding shortfall in the next budget cycle, the city of Portland will spend an estimated $1.1 million on shields, munitions, and training for police. In what was termed as an “emergency vote” on Wednesday, Portland City Council unanimously approved allocating additional funds to the […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Former Trail Blazer Dies, Oregon’s Ocean Wildlife Also Dying, and Even Libertarians Hate Trump
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! Hopefully you enjoyed the holiday weekend. If you didn’t, […]
Posted inNews
Proposed Ballot Measure to Repeal Police Oversight Board Can Now Start Gathering Signatures, Judge Says
Judge greenlights police union initiative to scrap and replace Portland’s independent oversight board—which was approved by voters—after striking down a previous PPA measure.
A police union proposal that would effectively repeal and replace Portland’s voter-approved police oversight board now has legal approval to proceed with signature collecting for the November ballot. On Thursday, Circuit Court Judge Katharine von Ter Stegge ruled the Portland Police Association’s (PPA) initiative petition to change the authority, membership, and budget for the city’s […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Big Money and Low Turnout in Oregon Primary, County Retracts Bogus Data, and the DOJ Plans to Sue Live Nation
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 a few chilly, soggy days, today’s partly cloudy […]
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Democrats Maxine Dexter and Janelle Bynum Pull Off Wins in Key Oregon Congressional Races
Both candidates will face Republican challengers in the November election. Dexter is expected to win the 3rd District this fall, while Bynum is hoping to flip the 5th District in the general election.
Updated: May 24 No other race garnered as much national attention during the May primary as Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District. More than half a dozen candidates ran to fill the seat held by current US Rep. Earl Blumenauer for nearly 30 years. Blumenauer is retiring and didn’t seek reelection. The 3rd District includes most of […]
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Update: DA Mike Schmidt Concedes in Primary Election Marked by Big Spending, Progressive Upsets
County commissioners race: Shannon Singleton, Vadim Mozyrsky, and Meghan Moyer advance to November runoff. Jessie Burke and Sam Adams nearly tied for second place in District 2.
Updated: May 24 As ballots were still being counted and results still rolling in, Tuesday’s election saw several progressive candidates losing or slated for a runoff in November against more centrist and conservative opponents. In an election where Multnomah County’s homeless crisis, livability, addiction, and behavioral health issues were centered in nearly every local campaign, […]
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County Commissioner Candidate Saw More Than $40K Funneled to Her Husband by a Board She Oversees
Jessie Burke’s vision and methods for Old Town’s rebirth have raised eyebrows. Meanwhile, her group has been accused of being hostile toward homeless service organizations.
A candidate running for the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners is defending lucrative contracts awarded to her husband by a community organization they both oversee. Jessie Burke, owner of the Society Hotel in downtown Portland, and previously Posies Café in North Portland, is a Multnomah County Commissioner candidate, as well as the board chair of […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: No Criminal Charges for OLCC Bourbongate Employees, Phone Jail For Grant High Students, and Baltimore Blew Up a Bridge Yesterday
GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Go outside and enjoy the 75 degree weather today. We’re in for a high of 77, with temps cooling back down at night to the low 60s. We love to see it. In LOCAL NEWS: Remember when state leaders found out that Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission’s director and other employees were […]
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Portland Approves New Public Camping Ordinance, After Facing Legal Pressure
The new rules no longer restrict camping hours, but still include fines and jail for non-compliance if a person refuses available shelter.
A revised ordinance regulating camping in Portland city limits was given final approval Wednesday, after a previous version was challenged in court. With a unanimous Portland City Council vote, officers will soon have authority to issue warnings or penalize people living outside if they refuse shelter. The new ordinance, which will be added to city […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Portland Police Fatally Shoot a Man, Israel Rejects Cease-Fire Deal, and the Drake vs. Kendrick Beef Feels Bad, Man
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’re upset about seeing a photo of Palestinians […]
Posted inNews
Police Arrest 30 During Portland State University Library Raid and Ongoing Protest
As cops swarm the urban campus to disband a days-long occupation, teachers denounce police response to campus protests across Oregon.
This story has been updated with the latest number of arrests and additional details about Thursday’s police response and an attack on protesters. Police cleared Portland State University’s Branford Price Millar library this morning, three days after students and other activists broke in and began occupying the building, and six days since demonstrators erected tents […]