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! A vigil was held for Nikki Kuhnhausen in Vancouver on Thursday evening. […]
Isabella Garcia
Isabella Garcia is the former News Editor for the Portland Mercury. She covered City Hall, transportation, the environment, breaking news, and more.
Posted inNews
State Transportation Commissioners Approve Rose Quarter Freeway Cover, But Only if Local Governments Agree to Pay
Thomas Winz / Getty Images After years of back and forth debate over design, intent, and scope of Portland’s Interstate 5 expansion project in the Rose Quarter, an impactful state transportation committee wants to know: Who’s paying for it? On Thursday, commissioners on the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC)—the governing body of Oregon Department of Transportation […]
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How Flawed Population Data Conceals the Reality of COVID for Oregon Pacific Islanders
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images On a chart graphing COVID-19 vaccination rates in Oregon by race, one green line soars significantly higher than the rest. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reports the COVID vaccination rate amongst Pacific Islanders in Oregon is at a stunningly high 90 percent as of September 8. Even more remarkable is […]
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Good Afternoon, News: How Oregon is Preventing Wildfires, Seattle to Create Vaccine Verification System, and a Breakdown of Delta Breakthrough Cases
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! Food and water left out for missing pets during Oregon’s historic fires […]
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Good Afternoon, News: Anti-Maskers Prompt School Lockdown, DA Dismisses Police Misconduct Cases, and Portland to Ban Business with Texas
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! Portland City Council will vote to ban business with Texas following the […]
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Oregon DEQ Threatens to Deny Zenith Permit, Leading Facility Closer to Shut Down
Mosquito Fleet kayakers protest Zenith of the Willamette River. Courtesy of Mosquito Fleet The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is threatening to deny a required air quality permit to Zenith Energy—a permit that is essential to keep the oil transport facility operating in Northwest Portland. The denial, which the DEQ proposed Wednesday, could force […]
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Good Morning, News: Ida Storm Kills Four, City Employees Face Vaccine Mandate, and Do Oregon Students Understand Civics?
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! Big Chief Darryl Montana comforts Dianne Honroe after Hurricane Ida passed through […]
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Good Afternoon, News: One Person Dead After Officer Shootout, Oregon Sets Pandemic Record, and Tucker Carlson Doesn’t Understand Bisexuality
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! Portland Police Bureau Chief Chuck Lovell talks to members of the media […]
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UPDATED: One Person Dead After Shootout with Portland Police, Federal Officers in Kenton Neighborhood
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland Update August 28, 5:30 pm: Portland police killed Alexander Tadros, 30, during a shootout Friday morning. Tadros is the third person Portland police have killed this year. Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers were serving a warrant for Tadros Friday when he threatened to shoot the agents, according to the Portland Police Bureau […]
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Portland Officials Deny Zenith Permit; Oil Facility May be Forced to Shut Down
Demonstrators from Extinction Rebellion protesting in front of the Zenith Energy terminal in Northwest Portland. Isabella Garcia The city of Portland denied Zenith Energy’s Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS) Friday, labeling the oil transport facility’s operations in conflict with the city’s climate goals. The denial could force the Zenith facility to shut down completely. Environmental […]
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City Officials Say They’re Eager to Resolve Police’s Non-Compliance with DOJ Settlement; Community Groups Skeptical
Portland police fell out of compliance with the city’s settlement with the US Department of Justice during their heavy-handed response to racial justice protests in 2020. Mathieu Lewis-Rolland In the latest hearing for the joint settlement agreement between the City of Portland and the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the city expressed its determination to […]
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State, County Leaders Pressure Portland Officials to Shut Down Zenith Terminal
Protesters from Extinction Rebellion stand outside of the Zenith Energy terminal in Northwest Portland. Isabella Garcia State representatives and Multnomah County legislators are calling for the City of Portland to shut down Zenith Energy, an oil transport company seeking to expand its terminal along the Willamette River. Environmental advocates are grateful for the support, but […]