Support Smart, Local Journalism
Make a Small Monthly Donation

Give now
Avatar photo

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

UPDATE: Warming Shelters Will Remain Open Tuesday Night

Medical examiner now investigating four suspected hypothermia deaths as county braces for freezing rain.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Taylor Griggs and Courtney Vaughn

Updated: 3:30 pm January 16 A weather-related state of emergency has been extended through Wednesday, January 17, as freezing rain is expected Tuesday afternoon, following days of sub-freezing temperatures. The county medical examiner said Tuesday afternoon that two additional people have likely died of hypothermia, bringing the total to four suspected hypothermia death investigations since […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Icy, Dicey Weather, Gonzalez Turns “Firebomb” into Fundraising Boon, and Long Live the Evil Gays!

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! Let’s not ignore that feeling of impending doom that blew in with […]

Posted inNews

Suspected Vehicle Arson Investigated at the Home of Portland City Commissioner

District attorney suggests political motives, after someone set fire to a parked car in front of Rene Gonzalez’s home in Eastmoreland.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Updated: January 17. This story has been updated with additional information. Portland police are investigating an early morning arson at the home of City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez. According to police and the commissioner’s staff, a car parked in front of Gonzalez’s home in the Eastmoreland neighborhood caught fire just after 1:30 am Friday. A Portland […]

Posted inNews

Commissioner Gonzalez Shows Little Interest in Heeding Auditor’s Recommendations for Portland Street Response

Portlanders championed non-police, alternative response programs to help relieve emergency resources. Auditors say poor leadership threatens their future.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

This story has been corrected to reflect the author of a January 4 letter to the auditor’s office was the fire chief. Amid lagging emergency response times, auditors say Portland’s health-focused, alternative response programs play a key role in freeing up police and fire resources, but have languished due to a lack of clear leadership […]

Posted inNews

Auditor: County Contracting Rules Bent to Favor Seattle-Based Nonprofit

A Multnomah County auditor’s memo notes staff felt “pressured” by Susheela Jayapal, now running for Congress, to alter an application process to benefit Housing Connector, which later landed a lucrative contract.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Multnomah County auditors say a former county commissioner who’s now running for Congress pressured the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) to skirt contracting rules and create loopholes to benefit a housing services organization that wasn’t qualified to bid on county contracts. According to a memo released last week from the county auditor’s office, a […]

Posted inNews

Carmen Rubio Enters 2024 Portland Mayor’s Race

The city commissioner is the third person on council to launch a campaign for mayor under Portland’s new form of government.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

City Commissioner Carmen Rubio is running for Portland mayor. Rubio announced her mayoral campaign Tuesday morning, making her the fourth person and third current Portland City Council member to enter the mayor’s race. Rubio currently oversees the city’s housing bureau, development services, planning, and Prosper Portland, the city’s economic development agency. In a campaign announcement, […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Rubio Enters Mayor’s Race, TriMet Announces Lengthy Transit Shutdowns, and the EPA Wants Schools to Ditch Dirty Diesel Buses

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 a soggy Tuesday and it doesn’t look like we’ll get any […]

Posted inNews

With $14.25 Million in Backing, Central City Concern Moving at Lightning Speed to Open New Drug Treatment Center

A trifecta of government agencies is chipping in to buy LoLo Pass hotel and convert it to a residential treatment center. Hotel owners are staying quiet about the transaction.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Two and a half years ago, LoLo Pass opened in Southeast Portland’s vibrant Buckman neighborhood. The hotel and hostel on East Burnside debuted in 2021, and quickly earned a reputation as a budget-friendly, trendy hotel and gathering space, with a rooftop bar offering sweeping views of the city. Now, a trifecta of local government agencies […]

Posted inNews

Steel Bridge Skatepark Will Finally See the Light of Day

On the backburner since 2008, Portland officials announce $15 million in funding for a new skatepark in Old Town.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

A long-awaited Steel Bridge skatepark in Old Town is finally moving forward. Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) announced Wednesday that $15 million in system development charges, called SDCs, will be directed toward construction costs on the new park. Portland’s new skatepark will be near the Steel Bridge on the west side of the Willamette River. […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: New Year, Weird New Laws, New Babies, and a Vote For a New City Council!

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! Welcome to the first Mercury morning news roundup of 2024. Hopefully you […]

Posted inTop Stories 2023

The Biggest Portland City Hall News of 2023

This year, the city managed to help and harm the unhoused, while leaning on pre-pandemic work models to try to revitalize downtown.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

This year, much of the most impactful policy decisions to come out of city hall centered around homelessness and the conditions on Portland’s streets. The city opened more shelters, while approving rigid measures to limit homeless camping. City leaders also floated a new tax incentive for businesses downtown, which centers on mandating workers to return […]

Posted inTop Stories 2023

The Biggest Portland Police News of 2023

Big police settlements, a new top cop, and whatever happened to oversight? All that and more in the biggest police stories of 2023!
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

This year was filled with major milestones and a few missteps from Portland police, who in October found themselves under new leadership. In 2023, the number of shootings by police was down from prior years, but efforts to form a new oversight system for reviewing uses of force and misconduct is already facing opposition from […]

Gift this article