The Multnomah County Library is claiming a victory for Measure 26-114, the ballot initiative that would make it easier for the county commission to create a special tax district to pay for the library. After early results, the measure was up by a comfortable 43 points. Several other county measures appeared to be sailing to […]
Denis C. Theriault
Denis C. Theriault is the Portland Mercury's News Editor. He writes stories about City Hall and the Portland Police Bureau, focusing on issues like homelessness, police oversight, insider politics, and civil liberties. Before arriving in Portland, Denis wrote and edited for the San Jose Mercury News, covering the California Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as the city of San Jose—a real-live million-person town.
Posted inElection 2010
How the State Ballot Measures are Faring
The state results continue to tell a different story than the results in Multnomah County. According to Oregon’s site, as of about 8:15, voters are saying yes to Kevin Mannix’s Measure 73, the mandatory minimum sentence initiative, but rejecting forcefully Measure 74, the medicinal marijuana dispensary initiative. The opposite is true in Multnomah County, with […]
Posted inElection 2010
EARLY RETURNS: Kitzhaber Jumps to Big Lead in Multnomah County
The ballroom at the Portland Hilton erupted into cheers just after 8 pm, after early results displayed on several TV screens showed Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber out to a big lead over his Republican challenger Chris Dudley. But the official state election results tell a different story. Dudley was out to a slight lead […]
Posted inPortland
Relive the Re-erection! Video Chronicles Fall and Rise of Iconic Sign
It’s been two months to the day since the Hung Far Low sign was restored to its rightful place, presiding over Fourth and Couch. We were there for the party that celebrated its return from a Scappoose sign repository, snapping pictures like mad. But we weren’t alone. The Portland Development Commission today has finally put […]
Posted inCops
Transgender Driver Accuses Portland Cop of Groping
This just in from the Oregonian: A transgender woman is suing the city for more than $200,000, claiming a Portland police officer roughly grabbed her breasts and genitalia during a search after a traffic stop two years ago. According to the O’s story, Chloe Lucero, 27, was pulled over by officer Kevin Macho after a […]
Posted inDrugs
A “Yes on 74” Ad That Actually Kind of Says “No”
Presumably, if you’re part of a campaign pushing for the creation of a new marijuana bureaucracy in Oregon—the system of regulated medical pot dispensaries envisioned by Measure 74—you really, really want the public to take you seriously. You would line up sober, avuncular endorsers, like ex-Portland Mayor Tom Potter. And you would talk about high-minded […]
Posted inThe Apocalypse
What Would Happen If Portland Got Nuked?
Hey, everybody! Have you ever wondered what Portland might look like if someone dropped or detonated a nuclear bomb somewhere on Sixth Street between Burnside and Couch? Or have you lost sleep worrying whether your house/apartment/condo/sex dungeon would survive the apocalyptic blast of heat and pressure screaming toward it from a humble one-kiloton nuclear device? […]
Posted inCity Hall
Work Beginning on Pearl District’s Portland Loo
City of Portland RENDERING: What the Jamison Square “loo” might look like. As our more devoted readers might remember, I’m a big fan of the Portland Loo—the 24-hour public toilets (patented by Portland!) that Commissioner Randy Leonard wants to plop into better-trafficked areas downtown and the East Side. So today’s post brings some good news. […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning, News!
Perhaps you’ve heard something about a rather large event a couple of comedians whipped up yesterday in Washington, DC? By some estimates the Rally to Restore Sanity And/Or Fear, hosted by cable TV personalities Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert drew more than 200,000 people to the National Mall. Fox News’ take is right here. A […]
Posted inCops
Busy Day: Budget Retreat and Cop Union Talks
I’m not sure whether you would call my day “fun.” I spent much of it splitting time between the Portland City Council’s budget retreat in City Hall and the Portland Police Association contract negotiations in the Portland Building. It was, at the least, educational. In the budget meeting, we learned that Portland has $9.7 million […]
Posted inCity Hall
BREAKING: Council Vote on Mayor’s Gun Laws Pushed Back
Illustration by Jon Sperry A long-awaited Portland City Council discussion on a package of anti-gun laws first proposed by Mayor Sam Adams in August has been pushed back for the second time. Instead of a planned vote Thursday, November 4, the proposals are now expected to go before the council in the middle of the […]
Posted inSex
I (Almost) Had Sex with Christine O’Donnell and All I Got Was This Lousy (Actually Pretty Good) Story
GAWKER Born-again ladybug. JESUS CHRIST! Do we really need to read another dispatch about Christine O’Donnell’s sexual proclivities? Really? Why, actually, yes. Yes we do. Because they’re weird and hysterical, and she’s a major party candidate for the U.S. FUCKING SENATE, and well, they’re also weird and hysterical. This latest one comes courtesy of Gawker […]