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Taylor Griggs

Taylor Griggs is a news reporter for the Portland Mercury. She is interested in all of your ideas, comments and concerns, particularly those related to transportation, climate, labor, and Portland city government. Send Taylor an email at tgriggs@portlandmercury.com, and find her on Bluesky @taylorgriggs. 
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Former City Hall Staffer Files Discrimination Complaints Against Councilor’s Office

The complaints, which have yet to be investigated by the city and state, allege Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane and her chief of staff retaliated against and fired a staffer after she requested ADA accommodations.
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The Mercury’s Jeremiah Hayden contributed to this story.  A former staffer in Portland City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane’s office filed complaints with the city and state, alleging the councilor and her chief of staff, Mary Li, retaliated against her after she requested reasonable accommodations for a disability.  The former employee, Sprout Chinn, believes she was punished and […]

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Good Morning, News: Oregon Primate Center May Close Up Shop, Portland Named Its Snow Plows, and Here’s the Latest Way the Trump Admin Plans to Ruin the Earth

Avatar photo Taylor Griggs and Mercury Staff

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! We are set for a dry and balmy day […]

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What Can the Multnomah County District Attorney Do to Stand Up to Trump?

Prosecutors across the country are vowing to hold federal officials responsible for breaking the law. Portlanders are asking the Multnomah County DA to do the same. 
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What can local government leaders do to protect their residents in a time of federal authoritarianism? Many Portlanders have asked that question since federal officials and agents have become increasingly hostile to immigrants or those they perceive to be immigrants, as well as people protesting President Trump’s draconian immigration crackdown.  Recent actions by federal officers […]

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Good Morning, News: Housing Bureau Finds More Unspent Funds, Local Movie Theater in Trouble (Kinda) for Melania Jokes, and Why You Shouldn’t Trust the Government’s Story

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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 going to be unseasonably warm today and for […]

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Portland Officials Condemn ICE After Federal Agents Tear Gas Peaceful Protesters and Children

Saturday’s rally and march led by local labor unions against ICE drew thousands of participants. The disproportionate federal response to a peaceful protest has rattled the city.
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Thousands of local union members and supporters gathered in Portland’s South Waterfront Saturday afternoon for an anti-ICE demonstration hosted by Oregon labor leaders. The family-friendly event turned chaotic after federal agents met the peaceful crowd with repeated rounds of tear gas as they marched outside Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. The disproportionate federal […]

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TriMet’s Present Crisis, and Uncertain Future

Portland’s public transit agency’s budget crunch is forcing major cuts to bus and MAX service. 
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This story has been updated to clarify the sources of payroll tax revenue TriMet receives.  TriMet is facing a $300 million budget gap, and it’s unclear when—or if—the public transit agency can expect any new funding to help fill the void. As a result, the agency is planning to make some major cuts, set to […]

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Good Morning, News: Info on ICE in Oregon, Bovino Backlash (and Other Chaos), and TikTok is Even Worse Now

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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 rain returns this week. Maybe not today, though. […]

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Legacy Emanuel Sends Cease and Desist to Nurses Union Over ICE Statements

Oregon Nurses Association previously spoke out about alleged patient privacy violations of ICE detainees who receive medical care at the Legacy facility.
Avatar photo Taylor Griggs and Jeremiah Hayden

Updated: 11:37 am January 25. Originally published: 2:55 pm January 23 This story has been updated with comment from Legacy Health.  Attorneys for Legacy Emanuel Medical Center sent a cease and desist notice to the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) on January 16, accusing the union of making “false and misleading statements” regarding the hospital’s policies […]

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Good Morning, News: Shooting in Sullivan’s Gulch Sends Two Police Officers to the Hospital, Greenland and Catholics Rebuke Trump, and Minneapolis Fights Back Against ICE Takeover

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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! Weather today: High of 46 degrees and partly cloudy. […]

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Good Morning, News: Racist Texts From Portland Power Players, City Councilor Fired Union Supporter, and Trump is Making a Bunch of Threats

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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 set to be sunny this afternoon after a […]

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Council Workers’ Union Complaint Alleges Loretta Smith Fired Staffer in Retaliation for Union Organizing

The newly-formed Council Alliance of Workers union is calling on city councilors to uphold their commitment to labor rights in their own workplaces.
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A new union representing Portland City Council aides and operations staff filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) complaint against the city for alleged anti-union conduct from Councilor Loretta Smith’s office. The complaint, filed January 13, alleges Smith retaliated against and fired a former aide due to his role in organizing the Council staff union.  The […]

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After Border Patrol Agent Shoots Two People In Portland, Oregon AG Vows to Investigate

Update: Homeland Security identifies man and woman shot and injured during an encounter with immigration agents in East Portland. Oregon officials are imploring DHS to leave the state.
Avatar photoAvatar photoAvatar photo Jeremiah Hayden, Courtney Vaughn, Taylor Griggs, and Wm. Steven Humphrey

This story has been updated with additional reporting.  Updated: 8:30 pm January 9; Originally published: 3:56 pm January 8 The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified the man and woman shot Thursday by a US Border Patrol agent. According to DHS, Luis David Nino-Moncada was driving the vehicle that agents tried to conduct […]

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