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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 inTransportation

TriMet Board Advances Plan to Increase Fare by 30 Cents in 2024

The board will vote on an official proposal in May following public engagement.
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TriMet board members directed the agency Wednesday to proceed with a proposal for a 30 cent fare increase starting in January 2024. The agency will officially present a complete proposal to the board in April for a final vote in May following several months of public input. If passed, it would be the first time […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Rural Oregonians Reject Psilocybin, Elon Musk Bans Remote Work, and the Latest Election Updates

Avatar photo 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! Good morning, Portland! Why wait? Let’s jump right in. In local news: • […]

Posted inElection 2022

Portland Voters Approved Sweeping Charter Reforms: What Happens Now?

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Portland voters approved a package of city charter amendments Tuesday that would expand city council, hire a city administrator, and alter the city’s voting system, launching a two year process of significantly overhauling Portland’s governance structure. The new system laid out in Measure 26-228, which had collected 56 percent of the vote as of Wednesday […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: TriMet Considers Fare Increase, Don’t Lick That Toad, and IT’S ELECTION DAY!

Avatar photo 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! Good morning, Portland! The best news: the weather people say that today […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Election-Related Calls are Up, Biden Talks Threats to Democracy, and Oregonians May See Next Week’s Lunar Eclipse

Avatar photo 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! Morning, Portland! Let’s dive right in. In local news: • After short […]

Posted inElection 2022

Political Group Campaigning Against City Charter Reforms Accuses City of Unfairly Supporting Measure

Avatar photo Isabella Garcia

A political group lobbying against the ballot measure that could change Portland’s government structure and voting process has accused the city of presenting misleading information about the proposed changes and openly advocating for the ballot measure. The complaint surrounds Measure 26-228, the highly contested amendment to Portland’s city charter. Every ten years, a group of […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Oregon Voter Glitch, Central Library is Back Open, and the Supreme Court Gets Involved with Trump’s Taxes

Avatar photo 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! Good morning, Portland! Break out your happy lamp and pop the kettle […]

Posted inEnvironment

Benson High School Remodel Raises Debate Over PPS’ Climate Policy

Avatar photo Isabella Garcia

Despite committing to a climate policy that prohibits the use of fossil fuels in new buildings earlier this year, Portland Public Schools’s (PPS) latest building remodel includes a fossil fuel-powered heating system. School district officials attribute the fossil fuel infrastructure to construction timelines and budget restrictions, while advocates who helped shape the climate policy believe […]

Posted inElection 2022

Oregon Judge Clears Rene Gonzalez of Historic Elections Fine

The case hinged on whether $250 per month is a fair market price for downtown office space.
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An Oregon judge revoked a $77,140 fine given to city council candidate Rene Gonzalez’s campaign for alleged election law violations Thursday. The decision to overturn the fine heavily rested on expert testimony from a small number of real estate brokers who spoke to poor rental conditions in downtown Portland. Gonzalez received a $77,140 fine from elections […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Debate Over Equitable Gun Ownership, Students Yanked From Outdoor School, and Adidas Drops Kanye West

Avatar photo 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! Good morning, Portland! It’s another rainy fall day with highs in the […]

Posted inEnvironment

Clean Energy Fund Supporters Urge Council to Maintain Integrity of the Program During Structural Changes

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Portland City Council considered possible structural code changes to the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) Wednesday following years of criticism of the first-of-its-kind program. While the changes aim to align the fund more closely with the city’s climate goals, members of the public and some PCEF supporters raised concerns that the proposed amendments to the […]

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