A look at where the city’s police employees live. Hint: It’s probably not Portland.
Posted inNews
Where Police Officers (Don’t) Live
Is it Community Policing if Cops Live Somewhere Else?
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 inNews
Hall Monitor
A Knight in Shining Armor?
Randy Leonard steps up in defense of Mayor Sam Adams and fires back at Jeff Cogen.
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! The Final Obamagasm!
The president just earned a lusty boo with a call against “special interests” and the muddy, blurry, shit-covered money sources feeding campaign ads and slimy mailers across the country. He railed against euphemistic names like Americans for Prosperity, front groups for anonymous donors funneling corporate cash into elections. And Moms for Motherhood. “I made that […]
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! The Obamagasm!
For a hoarse-sounding President Barack Obama, it was Bono, and not “Hail to the Chief.” Apparently, the president ADORES this state. A couple of snippets of that love: “It’s good to be back here in the state of Oregon. I love you back. I’ve got a special place in my heart for Oregon.” “My best […]
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! And Kitz Sidles Up to the Lectern
Here comes John Kitzhaber. And he is honest: “I’d like to believe all of you came out here to chat with me, but …” Kitz opened with a focus on the midterm national elections, but quickly started in with subtle shots at Chris Dudley, something about “empty rhetoric.” “It’s clear our only pathway to a […]
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! Merkley > Wyden?
So now the congressional delegation is getting its turn on stage, with Senator Jeff Merkley starring as emcee. And, boy, if prizes were awarded by applause meter, Senator Jeff Merkley just owned Senator Ron Wyden. Seriously, could the shouts have been any more tepid? It was all the more apparent when Representative Earl Blumenauer was […]
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! Laundry List of Chris Dudley Digs
Jennifer Keenan of Planned Parenthood has a team of writers working for her. She came up after Jefferson Smith and ripped off a roll call of shouts against Chris Dudley, firing up the crowd before John Kitzhaber and POTUS clamber on stage. Sharp or cheesy? Or sharp cheese? You be the judge. “Do you believe […]
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! Jefferson Smith Starts the Show
So Jefferson Smith, the Bus Project impresario and a state representative, has taken the stage. He’s effervescent, as always. And he made a funny: His first anecdote gets in a good shot at GOP governor hopeful Chris Dudley’s quasi-promise to slash down Oregon’s minimum wage. But mostly he started with a lot of hollering about […]
Posted inElection 2010
Obamagasm! Shouting and Shirts from Ghana
We caught a few folks offering these for sale outside the convention center, right across the way from the people shouting “We Love America.” They’re available to anyone willing to fork over $25, and they’re from Ghana, I’m told. Not long after we passed the shirt-sellers, a shouting match erupted between an angry Brit and […]
Posted inCity Hall
UPDATED: Feel Like Checking Out a Giant Sewer Pipe? Read On.
Motoya Nakamura—The Oregonian Coming soon: Poop and rainwater. UPDATE, 2:45 PM: Linc Mann, the Bureau of Environmental Services’ excellently named media guy, just called back with deets about when and how the masses will be invited to tour the sewers. The big day is Friday, November 5, and spots will be allocated via a drawing. […]
Posted inElection 2010
John Kitzhaber (Or His Staff) Is Taking Your Questions Online
If there’s anything you want to ask Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Kitzhaber before you fill out your ballot—any question at all—head on over to a little corner of the Interwebs we call Electionland. And you should probably go do it now. RIGHT NOW. November 2 is less than two weeks away. It’s easy: Kitz has […]
Posted inGeek
Merc Scribes Nix Laptops, Ink Deal For Business Machines
My boss is a good boss. The best. Which is a weird thing for a person to type into the Internet. At first I thought, “Oh, wow. Hey there. That’s just my morning glass of bourbon talking. Whee!” Which is probably kind of true. But then I focused through the happy haze, stubbed out my […]