Isabella Garcia

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! Chloe Zinda, an OSU arts student, won the $1 million Take Your […]

Fireworks caused the deadly apartment fire in Northeast Portland, fire officials say. Portland Fire & Rescue Fireworks caused the July 4 apartment fire in Northeast Portland that killed two residents, according to Portland Fire & Rescue (PFR). The fire engulfed almost the entirety of the Heidi Manor apartment complex on NE Weidler Street early Sunday […]

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! The heatwave has caused potatoes to grow in weird shapes, posing potential […]

A community member donates a bag of refreshments to a man sitting outside during the heatwave. Mathieu Lewis-Rolland Update July 6, 8:50 am: At least 64 people died due to the record-breaking heatwave, the Multnomah County Medical Examiner announced over the weekend. Of those 64 deaths, 30 have been formally ruled hyperthermia—death by excessive heat—and […]

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! Air travel exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time Thursday as Americans […]

Portlanders seek shelter from the heat at the Oregon Convention Center cooling center. Nathan Howard / Getty Three consecutive days of record-breaking temperatures strained every facet of Portland’s infrastructure. Multnomah County Emergency Services received a record-breaking 491 medical calls in a single day. Portland roadways buckled and the Portland Streetcar had to stop service because […]

Multnomah County bans the sale and use of fireworks in unincorporated parts of the county. Antonio Gravante / EyeEm Multnomah County banned the sale and use of all fireworks within unincorporated areas of the county Thursday evening. The ban takes effect immediately and will last for 30 days. “We recognize that this ban may be […]

Homeless campers on a sidewalk in Old Town Portland. Dirk Vanderhart Downtown businesses weighed in on Clean & Safe, a contentious downtown cleaning and security service, during a listening session Tuesday. Clean & Safe serves the downtown district of the City of Portland’s Enhanced Service Districts (ESD). ESDs are zones of the city where business […]

Mayor Ted Wheeler announces a ban on the sale and use of fireworks in Portland. Scott Olson / Getty Mayor Ted Wheeler has banned the sale and use of fireworks in Portland, effective immediately. Wheeler announced the ban Wednesday afternoon, citing the risk of wildfires due to the statewide drought, dry conditions, and recent heatwave. […]

Governor Brown speaking during the reopening event. Courtesy Gov. Brown’s Office Four hundred and 89 days after the first COVID-19 case was discovered in Oregon, the state is officially reopening. As of today, almost all COVID safety precautions—including masks, physical distancing, and capacity limits—have been lifted across the state. Governor Kate Brown hosted a reopening […]

Fire officials predict this year’s wildfire season will be worse than the historic fires in 2020. Justin Sullivan / Getty Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency Tuesday due to the threat of wildfires throughout Oregon. The state of emergency order allows the Oregon Department of Forestry, state fire marshal, and the Oregon Office […]

A heat map for this weekend from the National Weather Service. National Weather Service Update June 29, 4:45 pm: The Midland, Capitol Hill, Gresham, Kenton, Holgate, Gregory Heights, Woodstock, and Rockwood library branches will be open as places to cool down through Saturday, July 3. Hours vary by branch. All library branches will be closed […]