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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

Charter Reform: City Approves Lucrative Salary, Severance Packages for Temporary Managers

Portland’s new governing structure calls for a handful of deputy city administrators. Commissioners aren’t sure they can recruit them.
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Portland is one step closer to transitioning control of city operations from elected politicians to professional managers. Portland City Council approved the city’s human resources department to hire five interim deputy city administrators for a one-year contract, with a built-in six-month severance package. The salary ranges from $204,880 to $307,300 per year for each employee […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Former Oregon Duck Is a GOAT, Feds Hunt Down Local Tree Vandal, and the 1 Bribe Justice Clarence Thomas Should Take

Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

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! Today’s high is a whopping 59 degrees with scattered […]

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Despite Being Safe From Deep Budget Cuts, Fire Bureau Puts Mental Health Services on Chopping Block

Amid ballooning firefighter overtime and retirement costs, Portland Fire & Rescue looks to slash Portland Street Response funding.
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Despite being safe from a citywide 5 percent spending cut, Portland’s fire chief says the fire bureau is still staring down an $11 million budget shortfall. As a result, Portland Street Response could lose a third of its already constrained budget. During a budget workshop last Tuesday, Portland Fire Chief Ryan Gillespie said Portland Fire […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Another Dead Whale in Oregon, a Cat is Blamed for Bubonic Plague, and Portland Gets a New Candidate for Mayor.

Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

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’re getting sunshine and a high of 53 today. […]

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Former Pro Wrestler Arrested on Suspicion of Shooting Wife in Couple’s Lents Home

William A. Haynes, AKA Billy Jack Haynes, in custody after standoff with police at Southeast Portland home where Janette Becraft was found dead
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A former pro wrestling star was arrested Thursday on murder charges related to a shooting of his wife at the couple’s home in Lents.  William A. Haynes, 70, who wrestled with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the moniker Billy Jack Haynes throughout the 1980s, was booked into jail in connection with the homicide of Janette […]

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Portland Aims to Have 780 Village-Style Shelter Beds Open by End of 2024

New humanitarian operations director says city will prioritize wraparound services to get people out of shelter and into housing.
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This story has been updated to more accurately reflect the number of shelter beds in the county. Brandy Westerman knows she can’t solve Portland’s homelessness crisis, but she’s determined to at least try to fix it.  In September, she was named the new Emergency Humanitarian Operations director for Portland. Westerman now oversees the city’s seven […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: County Leaders Clash Over Fentanyl, Vibrating Cancer Away, and the City Has Questionable Plans for Darcelle XV Plaza

Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

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 Tuesday. It’s likely gonna rain, and we’re in for […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Gonzalez Declares Public Transit is Too Scary, Winter Lights For Winter Blues, and Tracy Chapman Plays “Fast Car” at the Grammys (with Luke Combs)

Avatar photoAvatar photo Courtney Vaughn and Suzette Smith

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’re in for a soggy day and a wet week. Today’s high […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Mona Lisa Gets Soupy, Amelia Earhart’s Lost Plane, and the Struggles of Being Queer in Portland

Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

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! Hope you enjoyed the sliver of sunshine we got […]

Posted inNews

New Report Highlights Major Gaps in Portland Region’s Shelter, Housing, and Services for LGBTQ+ Residents

Despite Portland’s reputation as a queer-friendly city, barriers to housing and shelter leave vulnerable people displaced.
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A new houselessness policy paper reveals gaps in services and support for Multnomah County’s housing-insecure LGBTQ+ residents. Portland has few resources for transgender, nonbinary, and other queer people facing homelessness, despite it being a city many people flee to from states with transphobic and homophobic policies.  A paper commissioned by the Joint Office of Homeless […]

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As Crime and Murder Rates Drop in Portland, Mayor Wheeler Pushes a New Narrative

As the Rose City reports a recent decline in gun violence and violent crime, the mayor and police chief say the city is “on the right track.” Will it be enough to convince the naysayers?
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Portland’s mayor, police chief, and public safety leaders say they’re looking ahead with “continued optimism” amid the city’s overall reduction in crime. In 2023, overall homicides and shooting incidents were down across the city, compared with 2022. Portland Police Bureau (PPB) data shows homicides, non-injury shootings, and the number of homicide victims decreased by roughly […]

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Key Hire In City’s New Management Team Announced, to the Surprise of City Leaders

Rene Gonzalez appointed a former fire chief to oversee Portland’s public safety bureaus. The mayor’s office says the move was premature.
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A Portland city commissioner may have jumped the gun by appointing the city’s first interim deputy city administrator. Last week, Commissioner Rene Gonzalez’s office announced Mike Myers will assume a leadership role over the city’s new Public Safety Service Area. Public Safety will encompass the fire and police bureaus, emergency management, 911 operations, business operations, […]

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