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.
Good Morning News!
Bully Bombs: The U.S. works out a deal to place “defensive missiles” in Poland and Bush calls Russia a big bully. Democrats Unite!: Hilary’s name will be on the ballot at the Denver convention – Clinton says a role call vote will be “cathartic”, critics think it’s her “barely disguised desire” to see Obama fail. […]
Tax Broken
After taking tax breaks, developers and dollars can slip through the city’s cracks.
82nd Ave Neighbors Plan Prostitution Town Hall
Blatant prostitution along 82nd Avenue has both local residents and Council Commissioner Randy Leonard hot and bothered. After the expiration of the prostitution-free zone along the Ave last September, Leonard has been meeting with police officials to figure out other methods of ending the sex work–in Leonard’s view, the city should use a service coordination […]
Sexy Bike!
Every week, the Mercury hangs out drinking 40s on the street, trying to spot sexy bikes and bring you a mini-interview with their rough-riding handlers. This time, we were in luck: at the #10 bus stop on 4th Ave., a posse of three blingin’ lowriders were sitting outside a convenience store, their makers drinking booze […]
Good Morning News!
Talks tanked?: Russia and Georgia form peace agreement, Russia keeps fighting Bombs on Blogspot: While Russia and Georgia square off on the ground, hackers attack a new frontier: Georgia’s internet – as the government’s sites crumble, the military switch to using Google blogs. Excerpt from current post: “09:12 Four civilian cars with murdered passengers are […]
NW Parking Garage Rolls Forward
The Northwest’s parking garage issue will never die. Developer Richard Singer has been battling neighbors for years as he tried a parking garage to capitalize on the trendy and traffic-clogged NW 23rd Street. Neighbors have a long list of concerns, mostly about the big garage infringing on a historic residential neighborhood. In February 2007, after […]
Good Morning News!
Look into the Future! 8pm on 8/8/2008 has already come and gone in Beijing, so the Olympic’s opening ceremony is already over. But expect to see officials booting migrant laborers and some sweet dances celebrating national conformity. Don’t look over here! While all eyes are on the Olympics’ fireworks, (including terrorists’) Russia invades Georgia. Or […]
Trash Talk
Public housing tenants and landlord spar over profanity and paperwork.
Sexy Bike!
Every week, the Mercury keeps its eyes peeled for a pair of hot wheels around town, bringing you photos of one sexy bike and a mini-interview its equally scintillating rider. Joel’s patterned reflectors caught my eye as he rode a flew blocks ahead of me down NW Davis and I didn’t think I’d be able […]
TriMet Rider’s Union in the Works
Pricey gas is pushing TriMet ridership to a record high and a fare-hike is on the horizon – could the time be right to form a Transit Rider’s Union? The upstart group Portland Coalition Against Poverty (PCAP) thinks so. Last week they started a city-wide grassroots campaign to organize a union, donning silkscreened red PCAP […]
Developers Essentially Steal From the City, Screw the Poor
Last week, City Auditor Gary Blackmer released the report of a months-long investigation done on the PDC and Bureau of Planning’s policies surrounding tax breaks given to developers who build affordable housing. The report is serious. It points out the poor follow-up process that has resulted in some developers snagging tax breaks by promising to […]