Look, you dont have to force me! I LOVE reading all these Mercury stories!
"Look, you don't have to force me! I LOVE reading all these Mercury stories!" Alina Rosanova / iStock / Getty Images

Whooo! You're a BUSY BEE. Look, it's completely understandable that since you've been SO busy, you may have missed some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! So while you're lounging about this weekend, catch up on the knowledge you need by reading some of these A+++ Mercury articles! (PRO TIP: If you despise being "the last to know," then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to your email's in-box... and then... YOUR HEAD.)

• City Council to Pay $125,000 to Protester Injured by Police in 2018
Last Wednesday, Portland City Council agreed to pay Portlander Aaron Cantu $125,000 to settle a case accusing police of using violence to silence his First Amendment rights to protest.

1637791036-1570493636-screen_shot_2019-10-07_at_1.18.02_pm.png
Aaron Cantu

• Former Rep. Akasha Lawrence Spence Appointed to Oregon Senate
Portland City Council candidate Akasha Lawrence Spence was just appointed to the Oregon Senate—even though she's running for Portland city council. What? How? (Read on to learn more.)
1638227403-screen_shot_2021-11-29_at_3.08.53_pm.png
AKASHA LAWRENCE SPENCE

• An Ode to the Reuben, the Perfect Holiday Sandwich
"I have been Jewish all my life and never once known when Hanukkah is, or will be, or if it has already been," writes Ben Coleman. "But in the spirit of holiday hedonism I offer this ode to my favorite culinary product of the Jewish diaspora: the Reuben."
1638298103-goose_hollow_reuben_1.jpg
Ben Coleman

• City Council Urged to Approve Purchase of Cooling Units for Vulnerable Residents Before Next Heatwave
Amid timing and supply chain concerns, Portland’s voter-approved green energy fund is asking city council to accelerate the funding timeline for its Heat Response Program in order to get cooling units into homes before next summer.

1638232394-51278155807_c39356e291_c.jpg
MOTOYA NAKAMURA / MULTNOMAH COUNTY

• Savage Love: Past Tense
Her sexual fantasies included thinking about his ex partner... until she learned their relationship was much more serious than she thought. Can this fantasy be saved? Dan Savage has an opinion in the latest SAVAGE LOVE!
1638382052-1638222039-120121_savage_past_tense_wide.jpg
Joe Newton

• Gov. Brown Announces Dec. 13 Special Session to Prevent Evictions
The Oregon Legislature will convene a special session on Dec. 13 to address protections for renters who've been financially impacted by COVID-19.
1638310111-gettyimages-115166534.jpg
Getty / eyecrave

• Portland Winter Is Coming. Brighten Your Days With These Vibrant Visual Art Experiences
Native artists focusing on critical social issues, holiday craft fairs, and colorful grids made from computer algorithms—there's something for everyone when it comes to visual art in Portland this winter.
1638384589-screen_shot_2021-12-01_at_10.33.15_am.png
COURTESY OF AGENDA

• Auditor Suggests County's Homeless Service Provider May Be Inflating Successes
How should homeless service providers keep tabs on the number of unhoused people it connects to permanent housing? This question is central to the county auditor's latest memo.
1638467230-51203900344_0383bf28f1_k.jpg
MOTOYA NAKAMURA / MULTNOMAH COUNTY

• Hear in Portland: New Music Video from Karma Rivera, Plus Jazmine Sullivan Tickets Go on Sale this Week
"I’m outside with the college drops/I’m vaccinated with the shots/I come thru and hit all the spots/With nothing on except my crocs"—Karma Rivera
See the video and get more local music news with "Hear in Portland!"
1638474949-screen_shot_2021-12-02_at_11.54.18_am.png
Karma Rivera

• Album Review: Blue Cranes’ Voices Overflows with Portland’s Musical Abundance
Portland post-jazz quintet Blue Cranes dropped their ambitious fifth album Voices, a collaboration with nine talented vocalists with Portland ties. The album serves as a sublime reflection of the collaborative spirit that makes Portland artists special.
1638395685-screen_shot_2021-12-01_at_1.52.58_pm.png
Blue Cranes

• POP QUIZ PDX: Get Your Brain Runnin' with Our Weekly Portland Trivia Quiz!
Attach thinking caps! It's time for the weekly, super fun POP QUIZ PDX, featuring sassy-ass Qs about Portland scandals, weirdo history, and a subjective question about what YOU think should be the new national anthem! (Britney Spears' "Toxic" perhaps?)
Pop-Quiz.jpg



WOW, THAT IS A LOT OF GOOD READIN'. I hope you didn't have any other plans this weekend! Dig in, and remember: Producing all this hard work costs moolah—so please consider contributing to the Mercury to keep it all coming! Thanks!