Eight angry grandmothers threatened to stage a sit-in at the army recruitment center on NE Broadway and 13th last Friday, forcing the center to close its doors shortly before noon. In response, the activists slapped a “mission accomplished” sign above the center’s door. The grannies were part of a 50-strong protest organized by Portland’s newly […]
Matt Davis
Matt Davis was news editor of the Mercury from 2009 to May 2010.
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Chief Concerns
Sizing Up Our Top Cop’s First Six Months
Rosie Sizer was sworn in as Portland’s top cop last July—and her first six months have been anything but easy. Apart from having to defend the police bureau over September’s controversial death-in-custody of James Philip Chasse, Sizer has opposed the cops’ union position on racial profiling, borne the burden of Derrick Foxworth suing the city […]
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Cop Shop on the Chopping Block?
A Shaky Future for the North Precinct
At a neighborhood association meeting last Monday night, residents of St. Johns reacted angrily to news that Police Chief Rosie Sizer was considering closing down the North Precinct to save cash. “The potential impact of closing North Precinct could have a dire effect on public safety in the geographically isolated neighborhoods of the far west […]
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Collared and Caged
Sculpture Should Go, Says Chinese Community
Hundreds of members of Portland’s Chinese community called for the removal of the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s (RACC) controversial new dragon sculpture on NW 3rd and Davis, at a heated meeting last Monday night. Of the 19 people who spoke at the January 8 meeting with RACC Executive Director Eloise Damrosch, artist Brian Goldbloom, […]
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About Face
Cop Union Joins Racial Profiling Commission After All
Robert King, head of the Portland Police Association (PPA), has a big New Year’s Resolution: to sit on the mayor’s racial profiling commission, and involve the union in discussion about the controversial issue. The move marks a dramatic U-turn in King’s attitude toward engaging with the community on racial profiling. Since May, King had essentially […]
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Flying Low
KATU Buzzes Peacock Lane
Local TV news station KATU is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and taking heat from the mayor’s office for allegedly endangering residents—the station’s helicopter allegedly flew 400 feet below the legal limit to film Peacock Lane’s Christmas lights two weeks ago. Local architects Bill Smith and Andrea Jamison contacted the FAA after […]
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Silencing the Lamb
Who in Their Right Mind Would Willingly Kill a Sweet Little Lamb? (Okay, Besides the Mercury’s Matt Davis?)
Practically speaking, killing a sheep is easy. With seven willing volunteers to hold it down, all that remains is to puncture its neck like a football with a sharp knife, poke around a bit, and then holler for a largish bowl to catch all the blood. The lamb might scream, then kick for a moment, […]
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A Tale of Two Chinatowns
Has the PDC Split the Chinese Community?
On January 8, a meeting is scheduled to take place between the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) and Portland’s Chinese community. The topic of discussion: Old Town/Chinatown’s controversial new dragon sculptures (“Chasing the Dragon,” News, Dec 14). But the meeting will take place 8.6 miles away from Chinatown on SE 82nd—raising questions about the […]
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Fur Crying Out Loud
Landlord Evicts Schumacher Furs—or Not?
After being picketed for a year by anti-fur activists, Gregg Schumacher of Schumacher Fur Company was served an official eviction notice on Wednesday, December 20—a decision that was later mysteriously overturned. The brouhaha started in November when Schumacher loudly announced his “decision” to move his fur shop out of downtown Portland, citing an unsafe business […]
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19 Things Not Invited Back to 2007!
Tired of all the annoying annoyances you had to put up with in 2006? Well, instead of crying about it, we’ve come up with a simple solution: “HEY, TOP 19 ANNOYING THINGS OF 2006! YOU’RE NOT INVITED BACK!“ Non–Sexy Emails from Former Police Chief Derrick Foxworth Yeah, yeah. WE KNOW. It’s supposedly “morally repugnant” to […]
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Stretching the Law
“Three Condoms Rule” Has Prostitutes Scared to Carry Protection
Last March, near Northwest Neighborhood Cultural Center at NW 19th and Everett, Portland Police stopped a woman they suspected was a prostitute. In her purse, they found three condoms, a lipstick, and her wallet—items that apparently confirmed the cops’ suspicions. “One of them said I was a classic hooker because I had condoms in my […]
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Something Fishy
Sushi Restaurant Raises Discrimination Concerns
A new Pearl District sushi restaurant sent out a bizarre press release last week, touting an upscale approach to Japanese cuisine, featuring white tablecloths, a dress code—and a “non-Japanese wait staff.” The restaurant, called Hiroshi, opened on Saturday, December 6th at the corner of 10th and Lovejoy. In the Wednesday, December 13 press release, promoter […]