It’s coming: When City Council approved the $4.2 billion 12-lane Columbia River Crossing Bridge at the end of February, a (very small) handful of transit activists immediately met up at a north Portland bar to figure out how to protest the fat, car-friendly bridge. The group decided to go with a positive message, slating an […]
Sarah Shay Mirk
Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.
Posted inBuild Out
Burnside Bridgehead: It’s Back.
But this time, “moving cautiously” — it will be a year before we even see a “framework plan” for the project from the PDC and Beam Development. On Wednesday, the PDC began asking consultants to pitch ideas for how to reuse the area’s historic Convention Plaza building. The announcement comes just two weeks after City […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning News!
Obama: A Foreigner’s Friend: At G20 summit, Obama says America is entering a “new era” of European relations and reiterates that he’ll increase troops in Afghanistan. …and More War: England’s prime minister promises to send 1,000 more troops to help the U.S. in Afghanistan. (and oh my god, they’re calling it a “mini surge”) Go […]
Posted inNews
Who Smokes the Most Pot in Oregon?
I’m just curious. While reporting a story this week about the slew of medical marijuana bills lighting up Salem on the 10th anniversary of the drug’s legalization in Oregon, I was surprised to find out that Oregon has just under 32,000 legal medical marijuana cardholders. At a legislative hearing on a bill Representative Ron Maurer […]
Posted inPolitics
Teabagging: A Patriotic Tradition
Portland’s conservative clusters are coordinating a big rally on tax day — the plan is to stage a tea party (like the Boston tea party! Sons of Liberty will never die!) outside the downtown post office. The Portland protest is just one of over 1,000 Tax Day Tea Parties planned nationwide. Look, they even have […]
Posted inPoll
Douchebag vs. Douchebag
Both of these losermobiles were spotted in Southeast this week. I really can’t decide which innovative idiot is the more laughable: The person who built their own gas powered bicycle? Or the SUV-driving Steelers fan with the bad boy vanity license plate asking for a ticket?
Posted inNews
Pot of Gold
Oregon Mulls Marijuana Tax and State-Run Fields
State debates tax on pot and state-run fields.
Posted inNews
Fire it Up!
Leading Sit-Lie Activist Fired
Major anti sit-lie activist fired, creating uncertainty about future of
the sit-lie ordinance.
Posted inMisc.
In Which I Hold a Gun
Despite living in the U.S. for my entire life — including the Midwest for four years — I have never, not once, ever touched a gun. Until today! I was hanging out in Hawker’s Lockers pawn shop on 82nd Avenue for a story about the economy and, of course, conversation with the good-natured young woman […]
Posted inNews
Panhandling is Free Speech
An interesting debate played out in Southern Oregon this week, where a couple cities have banned panhandling for several years. The Oregon ACLU filed suit against Medford for its ban and won the case last week— the judge ruled that asking for money is free speech under the Oregon Constitution. There’s been lots of debate […]
Posted inPolitics
Miss Universe in Guantanamo: “A loooot of fun!”
Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza can have a good time anywhere. Even in a maximum security prison full of unconstitutionally detained terror suspects! Go Dayana!! Last week Mendoza gushed at her website, about her totally awesome trip visiting U.S. soldiers at Guantanamo. The entry mysteriously disappeared from her blog this morning, but luckily Alternet posted the […]
Posted inBikes
Another Great Reason to Drive a Car!
Conveniently timed to follow up on Oregon’s knuckle-headed debate over whether the state should tax bikes, the IRS announced today that anyone who buys a car this year will receive a tax break of up to $49,500! Because acres of free parking, thousands of miles of highway and a $15 billion bailout apparently weren’t helping […]