Courtney Vaughn

Courtney Vaughn

Courtney Vaughn is the news editor at the Portland Mercury. She appreciates your news tips and musings. Reach out at cvaughn@portlandmercury.com or on Twitter.

Recent Articles

Meet Your Portland 2024 Mayoral Candidates

Here's who wants to be Portland's next mayor.

Portland Police Sergeant Placed on Leave After Drunk Driving Arrest

Sgt. Patrick Mawdsley was arrested for impaired driving in Minnesota in July while off duty. In 2015, he grabbed a woman by the throat during an altercation at a wedding.

Meet the Portland City Council Candidates: District 4

These candidates are running in the district composed of Portland's west side and some Southeast neighborhoods.

News Aug 19 8:57 AM

Portland Elections Office Investigating Rene Gonzalez For Using Taxpayer Funds on Wikipedia Edits

Records show Auditor's Office received three complaints over a $6,400 expenditure by the city commissioner's office to alter his Wikipedia page in the thick of campaign season.

News Aug 12 4:40 PM

Attorneys Claim Plasma Donation Centers Illegally Discriminate Against Gay and Bisexual Men

Grifols USA, which operates two centers in Portland, faces a class-action lawsuit after an Oregon man was denied donation.

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City Council Race 2024 Aug 9 10:58 AM

Meet the Portland City Council Candidates: District 3

These candidates are running in the district located mostly in inner Southeast Portland.

News Jul 24 11:03 AM

How Rene Gonzalez Found Common Ground With a Right Wing Provocateur

Over the span of 24 hours, the Portland commissioner and mayoral candidate managed to anger his most conservative supporters, while inflaming progressives over a recent nod to Andy Ngo.

News Jul 19 10:49 AM

Portland Emergency Dispatch System Impacted by Global IT Outage

City says 911 is taking calls manually, as other businesses and a local hospital report disruptions from the massive software outage

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City Council Race 2024 Jul 18 12:45 PM

Here's Who's Running for Portland City Council in 2024

As the city gears up for a new government structure and a 12-person council, candidates are in the thick of campaign season for a pivotal November election.

News Jul 12 11:30 AM

Another Suspected Heat-Related Death Pushes Oregon's Tally into Double Digits

During a wave of excessive temperatures, medical examiners across the state are investigating at least 16 deaths that may have been caused by the heat.

News Jul 10 9:03 PM

Commissioner Rene Gonzalez Wants City to Rein in Public Comments Criticizing Police During Council Meetings

The city commissioner and candidate for mayor insists the city should no longer "platform abolitionists" by allowing comments about police brutality during council votes on legal matters.

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News Jun 28 2:41 PM

What the Supreme Court’s Ruling Against Homelessness Means for Portland and Oregon

Portland must still abide by state law—policy which some experts say should be adopted by the entire nation.

News Jun 26 12:43 PM

Candidate for Mayor Carmen Rubio Snaps Up Endorsement From Gov. Tina Kotek

Rubio is among a crowded field of mayoral candidates, including two other current city commissioners.

News Jun 25 4:07 PM

Home Forward and City of Portland Unveil 206 New Affordable Apartments in Southeast Portland

The Hazel Ying Lee apartment complex sits at the site of a former strip club on Powell Boulevard. It's the largest new construction project funded by the Portland Housing Bond.

News Jun 24 7:40 PM

Hundreds of Women Rally on Burnside Bridge For Reproductive Rights

The June 24 demonstration was part of a national women's strike planned around the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling against abortion rights.

News Jun 18 11:15 AM

Oregon's Legislative Landscape Supports LGBTQ+ Rights, But Is That Enough?

As the American legal landscape for LGBTQ+ residents 
grows hostile, Oregon works to enshrine rights for all.

Queer Guide 2024 Jun 13 3:56 AM

The Long Road to Justice

As the American legal landscape for LGBTQ+ residents 
grows hostile, Oregon works to enshrine rights for all.

News Jun 7 5:03 PM

He Isn't the DA Yet, but Nathan Vasquez Already Secured More County Money for Drug Prosecutions

Local groups cry foul after Vasquez scores backroom deal for drug prosecution funding.