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Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Transportation News 2022

The Mercury’s top transportation stories from the past year.

Portland City Council voted to return green bike boxes back to SE 26th and Powell, 15 days after cyclist Sarah Pliner was killed at the intersection. On October 4, a semi truck hit and killed cyclist Sarah Pliner at the intersection of SE Powell Blvd. and SE 26th Ave. For many cyclists, Plinerโ€™s death was […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Environment News 2022

The Mercury‘s top environment stories from the past year.

The Portland Clean Energy Fund distributed $107 million in green energy project grants in 2022. The Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) distributed its second round of grant funding in 2022, doling out $107 million to 65 projects slated to reduce carbon emissions, expand the green energy workforce, and lower Portlandersโ€™ utility bills. The grants came […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Health News 2022

The Mercury‘s top health stories from the past year.

Oregonโ€™s attorney general sued the Center for Covid Control, which was operating threeย questionable COVID-19 testing sites in the Portland area. In the height of the first Omicron surge in late 2021, COVID testingโ€”both at-home tests and appointments with testing clinicsโ€”was scarce. One independent testing company, the Center for Covid Control (CCC), opened three testing sites […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Politics News 2022

The Mercury’s top politics stories from the past year.

A political group called People for Portland raised $450,000 to unsuccessfully advance a ballot measure that would funnel tax dollars meant for housing toward a strategy to criminalize unhoused people. A dark money group called People for Portland attempted to push through a ballot measure to the November ballot that would have grabbed 75 percent […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Police News 2022

The Mercury’s top police stories from the past year.

The city of Portland is three months overdue from its previously stated starting date for a body camera pilot program for the Portland Police Bureau. After finally agreeing that arming Portland police with body worn cameras is the right call in 2021, city attorneys and the cityโ€™s police union, the Portland Police Association (PPA), began […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Housing News 2022

The Mercury‘s top housing stories of the past year.

Multnomah Countyโ€™s homeless population hit an estimated 3,057 in 2022. After a two year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Joint Office of Homeless Services conducted a regional โ€œPoint in Time Countโ€ to estimate the size of the unsheltered population in the tri-county area. They tallied 3,057 people sleeping outsideโ€”as opposed to shelter or temporarily staying […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Portland Criminal Justice News 2022

The Mercury‘s top criminal justice stories from the past year.

One out of three members of Patriot Prayer were convicted on riot charges for their involvement in a May 1, 2019, street brawl.ย  In July, a jury found Mackenzie Lewis, a member of far-right group Patriot Prayer, guilty of engaging in a riot during a May Day brawl with anti-fascists in 2019. The decision came […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Top Stories of 2022

Mercury news stories published in 2022 that attracted the most views.

One Dead, Five Injured From Shooting at Black Lives Matter Marchย  Oregon Has Legalized Psilocybin Therapyโ€”So When Can I Take Magic Mushrooms? Silence on the Set: Claims of Harassment and Assault Within Portlandโ€™s Film Community Uprooted and Unhoused: Portland’s homeless camp sweeps undermine the efforts of people seeking permanent housing. “It’s psychological warfare”: Old Town […]

Posted in2022 News in Review

Looking Ahead 2022

Top stories to keep an eye on in 2023.

The City’s Homeless Encampment Plan: ย  ย  In 2023, City Councilโ€™s plan to build mass outdoor tent encampments for homeless Portlanders is expected to kick off. According to the mayorโ€™s office, a contractor will be selected to oversee one or more camps in January (and the city already has its eye on one controversial contractor […]

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