The president of the 103-store Plaid Pantry grocery chain, Chris Girard, has taken a position against a city plan to ban sales of malt liquor and fortified wine downtown, the Mercury has learned. Girard emailed his thoughts to Commissioner Amanda Fritz, leading the push, on Monday. And he also made sure her fellow commissioners received […]
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 inCity Hall
Businesses That Didn’t Make City’s Approved List
Deep in the voluminous packet of information that makes up the city’s deal for accepting the “Made in Oregon” sign, I found something chuckle-worthy: a list of restrictions for unused retail space under the Burnside Bridge that would be part of the transaction. The space, developed by the Portland Development Commission, will be turned over […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning, News!
This is what happens when (the sallow shell) of one Evil Empire teams up with attorneys working for another (ain’t what it used to be) Evil Empire. Microsoft, unwittingly or not, is helping Russian authorities crack down on dissident and protesters, really any non-state puppet group. The trick works like this: Russian authorities accuse people […]
Posted inCity Hall
More Details on the ‘Made in Oregon’ Deal
When the city finally takes possession of the “Made in Oregon” sign, part of deal that comes to City Council for the first time next week, you’ll hear lots of people call it a “donation.” And while that’s technically true, it seems that “donation” also will cost the city. Like, say, $240,000. One of the […]
Posted inNews
Acid-Attack Victim Cancels on Oprah!
The plan this morning wasn’t to keep following Vancouver Voice blogger Marcus Griffith’s ongoing crusade for more details about Bethany Storro’s horrifying account of having acid randomly thrown at her by a passer-by. But then developments turned adequately strange. Apparently, only hours after yesterday’s Voice post, in which Griffith raised (admittedly very speculative) questions about […]
Posted inPortland
BREAKING: Deal In Place for ‘Made in Oregon’ Sign
upperleftcoast.blogspot.com Coming soon? I’m told a deal is in place for the city of Oregon to take possession of the iconic “Made in Oregon” sign—it’s being donated by current owner Ramsay Signs— and change it to say “Portland, Oregon.” A rooftop beneath the sign will be converted intoRevenue from a parking lot below the Burnside […]
Posted inMedia
Blogger Asks: Is the Acid-Attack Victim Conning Us?
Vancouver Police The Voice asks: Does this woman exist? A lengthy piece posted yesterday by the Vancouver Voice, written by contributor Marcus Griffith, has a very controversial headline: “Caustic Questions Surround Acid Attack.” It’s about the apparently tragic tale of Bethany Storro, the young woman whose face was burned with acid in downtown Vancouver, allegedly […]
Posted inCity Hall
Sam Adams’ Gun Laws to Hit Council By End of Month
Friday, September 3, was the soft deadline for Portlanders and others to speak up about Mayor Sam Adams’ new gun-control proposals. Naturally, I wondered what kind of feedback the mayor’s office had gotten, and how much. A detailed accounting may have to wait. Adams’ spokesman, Roy Kaufmann, said this week that staff has only just […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning, News!
Mayor Sam Adams antagonized someone this week not named John Canzano. As the Oregonian‘s Maxine Bernstein reports, the mayor and Police Chief Mike Reese have let go all the members of a citizen budget advisory panel that criticized the mayor over his budget plans earlier this year. Some members suggest it’s retribution; Adams says he […]
Posted inNews
Free Parking
New Center Offers Safe Storage for Homeless
A new storage facility downtown will let homeless Portlanders stow their stuff.
Posted inNews
Hung Far from Chinatown
A Famed Sign Returns Home, but Where’s Home?
The iconic Hung Far Low sign has finally returned to Chinatown after two years. But what’s it an icon for?
Posted inNews
Skating By
No Charges for Rent-a-Cops in Attack
Three guards accused of attacking skateboarders in Pioneer Courthouse Square won’t face charges.