If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. 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!👋

You can expect a mostly sunny morning with some clouds rolling in this afternoon, and a verrrrrry balmy high of 85 degrees! But no rain—which means you're free and clear to go out and enjoy the Mercury's NACHO WEEK! That's correct: More than 25 creative Portland chefs are whipping up plates of one-of-a-kind nachos, and they're only $10 each! So check out the all those 'chos here, plot your course with our Nacho Week map, and dive face first into the best pile of nachos you've ever eaten in your life! (And while you're at it? Dive face first into this NEWS.)

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• In yet another glaring example of our how Democratic legislators DO. NOT. GET. IT: Members of the Oregon House passed a $2.6 billion housing budget bill which would provide nearly $205 million for homeless shelters across the state (Yay!), but then turned around and cut more than $100 million (!!) for eviction prevention services that includes rental assistance (BOOOOOOO!!!). Apparently the legislators are claiming that the cut was necessary due to having $500 million less in the state coffers than was originally forecasted, but, BUT, BUT! The reason why so many people are homeless in the first place is due to escalating rents, and not to mention (but I'm gonna anyway) that those in most dire need of this sort of eviction protection are non-whites. 👀 The bill will now move on to the Senate for its first reading, and the budget must be passed within five days. (Yipes, almighty! Sure, times are tough... but maybe can we not make a terrible situation exponentially worse?)

• Speaking of NOT. GETTING. IT. (and attempting to overturn the will of 64 percent of voters):

 

An amendment to a placeholder Senate Bill in the Oregon legislature, posted late Monday night, seeks to phase out Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program by June 2027.

[image or embed]

— Willamette Week (@wweek.com) June 24, 2025 at 12:01 AM

 

• At long last and after more than four years of waiting, the members of the new Community Board for Police Accountability (CBPA) have been selected. This is the latest iteration of Portland's many public police oversight boards, all of which were ultimately rendered toothless by the entitled demands of the police union—but advocates are hoping the CBPA will actually be able to hold cops accountable. Portland City Council chose the 21 members of the new board from a broad range of Portlanders with varying viewpoints, including Karly Edwards (the chief of staff for former Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty), former city council candidate (and occasional cop advocate) Terrence Hayes, along with several community organizers, lawyers, and even failed council candidate (and one of the "brains" behind the latest "People for Portland" knock-off, "Partnership for Progress") Bob Weinstein was added as an alternate. The board will be reviewing cases of police malfeasance chosen by the Office of Community-based Police Accountability before rendering a verdict. (Taking accountability is something that scares the cops witless, so don't be surprised when they do everything they can to torpedo this process.)

• According to environmental activists, nearly 2 million acres of Oregon's national forests could be affected by King Fool's latest scheme to rescind a longstanding law blocking logging on national forest land. It's an abrupt turn from former President Biden's policies that restricted logging to protect old-growth forests, and more proof that Trump is doing everything he can to privatize and sell off land that rightfully belongs to the public.

• Waitasecond... who exactly is comedian Margaret Cho flipping off? Read this week's hilariously sharp edition of The Trash Report and find out!

Gather 'round, Trash Pandas! It's time for the latest TRASH REPORT. In this week's gossip: Trump's war, more Katy Perry/Orlando Bloom drama, and Margaret Cho has a message for the feds in Portland (as well as Ellen Degeneres).

[image or embed]

— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) June 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM

• Trail Blazer fans will have to bid a sad farewell to starting point guard Anfernee Simons, the seven-year Blazer vet that has been traded to the Boston Celtics for Jrue Holiday, considered to be one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. The trade won't become official until July.

• REMINDER: The City of Portland has enacted a burn ban for all recreational fires, including bonfires, leaf burning, and campfires due to the danger of wildfire. And DOUBLE QUADRUPLE REMINDER: The City of Portland has instituted a fireworks ban which, since 2022, forbids the sale and use of all personal fireworks—a rule which is routinely ignored by many of your thoughtless neighbors who apparently don't give a single fuck about terrified pets, veterans suffering from PTSD, regular people who have ears, and their own fingers which could be blown off while celebrating the most pointless tradition ever. Have a great July 4th, y'all! 💣

This week on the Mercury’s Do This, Do That: killer nachos, supernatural comedy, a dairy-fueled bike ride, and a robot bent on destruction. Consider your plans DETERMINED with help from our new round-up of the week's best arts and entertainment events.

[image or embed]

— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) June 23, 2025 at 3:53 PM

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• The "world's greatest deal-maker™" (can you taste the dripping sarcasm?) Donald Trump is FAH-URIOUS that the shaky truce between Israel and Iran isn't going as well as he planned! Both sides are accusing the other of violating the agreement shortly after it started, and were wildly attacking each other in the hours prior to the truce. "They don’t know what the fuck they’re doing," squealed the president, who is the absolute epitome of "not knowing what the fuck he's doing." It's estimated that 28 people have been killed in Israel since the beginning of the war, while bombing has killed at least 974 people in Iran. (This count, of course, does not include the nearly 59 THOUSAND killed during Israel's continuing genocide of the Palestinian people).

 

The CNN poll found that 56% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s decision to launch airstrikes in Iran.

[image or embed]

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) June 24, 2025 at 8:07 AM

 

• Trump's conservative-heavy Supreme Court has caved in to their dear leader's demands and will allow the president to continue his kidnapping of immigrants and their swift deportation to random countries other than their homelands. Justice Sotomayor wrote in her dissent that the court’s decision will expose “thousands to the risk of torture or death” in countries like Sudan, and adds to the Trump administration's recent wins which include a transgender ban in the military, while also honoring his refusal to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers.

• Saaaaad Trommmmmbooooone!

 

President Donald Trump’s media company plans to buy back up to $400 million of its stock, which have lost 46% of their value this year.

[image or embed]

— Lyric Rivera | NeuroDivergent Rebel (@neurodivergentrebel.substack.com) June 23, 2025 at 1:18 PM

 

• Wait... what? The prosecution is expected to rest their case today in the sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, while the defense is indicating they will not call any witnesses–which could bring the trial to a close much earlier than anyone expected. (Quick! Run to the store for popcorn before the jury decides!)

• All eyes are on today's New York Democratic primary, as Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani is quickly closing the gap between himself and front runner Andrew Cuomo—which, if accomplished, would provide a huge incentive for more people to take on the tired, and increasingly out-of-touch democrat establishment.

• And finally... here are your WISE WORDS™ of the day:

@adventures_with_katieo

 

♬ original sound - jcapp | hunger games politics