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Good Morning, Portland: Spring has finally arrived! That means you Portlanders can get your short shorts out and put your raincoat away, then take it right back out because—who are we kidding?—the rain isn’t going anywhere quite yet. But signs of life are popping up here and there, and oh how we need some signs of life, am I right? Here’s this morning’s news. 📰
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Time is running out to tell the Trump administration what you think about its proposal to drastically scale up logging in Oregon’s old-growth forests. The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a plan last month that would quadruple the amount of allowed logging in western Oregon’s forests, in hopes of increasing timber yield harvest to about 1 billion board feet annually. Last year, the BLM yielded around 250 million board feet in the same area, so this would be a dramatic increase—akin to what was being harvested prior to restrictions that were put in place in the 1990s (remember the Northern Spotted Owl!??).
Some in the timber industry celebrated the proposal, as did leaders in parts of Oregon that historically relied on logging money and have suffered economically since the restrictions went into place. It speaks to major problems within Oregon’s government and budget system that these rural logging counties have not been able to recover in the 30+ years since the BLM was last allowed to go buck wild cutting down trees. The state could, and should, find other ways to help these communities, but once you cut down ancient trees, they’re not coming back. (Not a super sustainable revenue source, in that way.) And while the climate-deniers in the Trump administration say the logging is necessary for wildfire prevention, scientists say the diverse old-growth forests are much more fire resilient than the crops that would replace them. Oregon is known for its dense, wild forests, where enormous Douglas firs drip with lichen and moss, and there’s green as far as the eye can see. Some of the trees in these woods are up to 1000 years old. (The younger ones are 100-150 years old—still, elders!) Advocates and experts say the Trump administration’s plan would permanently change that. You can weigh in on the plan until Monday, March 23—click here to find out more and share your comment. Taylor Griggs
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A local nonprofit that helps homeless Portlanders access showers, survival supplies, and community care is trying to regroup after a series of fires left the location unable to operate. Hygiene for All operates under the Morrison Bridge in Southeast Portland. After a string of four fires since November—three since February—the organization is trying to recoup costs to get back to full service. The local burger joint Burgerville is helping out by donating funds for the next three Mondays too. Hygiene for All’s executive director, Sandra Comstock, spoke with the Mercury about how the fires have impacted their work, how an increase in sweeps have unraveled homeless Portlanders’ sense of safety, and a feeling of high desperation on the streets. Funding challenges come at a time of financial crisis for the city and county as well, meaning grants that used to help pay for these services appear to be less and less available. Read more here.
Dozens of Portland Community College faculty, staff and students spoke directly to the college’s president and board of directors at a remote meeting last night. Their message was clear: Meet union demands, end the strike and get students back in the classroom.
— OPB (@opb.org) March 20, 2026 at 8:34 AM
- The Oregonian reported Thursday that Portland City Councilor Steve Novick hit reply-all and sent two profanity-laced email responses to local real estate broker Brian Owendoff early Thursday morning. You’ll have to read the full story on their website, but let’s just say Novick used some innovative terms in the exchange after telling Mr. Owendoff to “shut your racist mouth.” Well, Novick is consistent on this one. The day this newspaper published a story on Owendoff and two Future Portland PAC affiliates’ offensive group chat, on January 13, Novick had this to say in a email to the Mercury: “Owendoff is a ‘frequent flier’ at council meetings whom I have found extremely tiresome. Now that these incredibly offensive comments have been published, I hope he will have the good sense to stay away from council meetings. He will not get a warm welcome. To put it mildly.” A few months later, it seems, Novick has decided to add a little spice.
- There are a lot of great events going on this weekend, and if you’re looking for inspiration, we have you covered.
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Tonight, Mercury music editor Nolan Parker recommends catching the Parson Red Heads at Bunk Bar with Spooky Mountain, and Michael Rowan ft. Luke Beckel. The Parson Red Heads took a bit of a break but returned to the stage to play their whimsical indie-folk last year. Lots of other music picks for your weekend in this week’s Mercury Music Picks.
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Today is the Spring Equinox! The Mercury‘s Lindsay Costello (and staff) has you covered on a bunch of good ideas for how to celebrate this weekend, starting with the Depths of Wikipedia live show at Revolution Hall tonight, or the Portland Thorns vs. Seattle Reign at Providence Park. Not your thing? Our Do This, Do That recommendations are available here for your perusal.
IN NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
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The martial arts champion and action movie actor Chuck Norris has died at age 86. His family announced Friday that he was hospitalized in Hawaii Thursday and later died. No details on the cause or manner of death have been made public. Norris was probably most famous for his role in Walker, Texas Ranger, the modern-day (1990s) western that lasted nine-seasons on CBS. The Hollywood Reporter goes deep on Norris’ life, here.
- Let’s hope for some rain after all? 😬
Even in a world of extremes, some events still stand out to me. This is one. All-time monthly records are being shattered. The size of this ridge across the western U.S. is truly striking for March, and we see a very clear climate change connection. Explore: csi.climatecentral.org/climate-shif…
— Zack Labe (@zacklabe.com) March 19, 2026 at 2:51 PM
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Content Warning: This story discusses suicide. If you need emotional support, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. A 19-year-old boy died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Florida earlier this week. The ICE press release wastes no time calling Royer Perez-Jimenez a “criminal illegal alien from Mexico,” and says he simply “passed away,” despite also saying it was “presumed suicide” and that an investigation is ongoing. The press release said Perez-Jimened “denied any behavioral health issues or concerns and answered ‘no’ to all suicide screening questions” when he entered the facility. Perez-Jimenez is the youngest person to die in ICE detention under Trump’s second term. It is worth noting that Trump’s immigration detention tactics are cruel and do not promote positive mental health for prisoners. Some two million people are also incarcerated in local, state, and federal prisons in the United States, and the conditions there are dangerously brutal as well. Maybe an expanding carceral system is not a sign of a healthy civilization. At least ten other people have died in ICE custody so far this year, and thousands of people die in America’s prisons and jails each year. Read more on Perez-Jimenez, here.
- Today in, Ok, Grandpa, Let’s Get You Home:
Trump: “Without USA, NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! Now that the fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, & we will REMEMBER!”
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) March 20, 2026 at 6:46 AM
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Ok, I’m not sure what, if any, lessons can be learned from this but Buzzfeed stock is apparently dropping faster than a robot in a restaurant after the listicle and quiz website went all in on AI in 2023. The company reported $57.3 million in losses in 2025, and appears to be on its last leg thanks to the fact that no one wants to read poorly written, repetitive news stories when they can read stories written by cute, charming and hilarious—not to mention wickedly cool—people, like this. Cool biz though, Buzz! I bet it was fun while it lasted and the promise of never having to provide health insurance was exhilarating. Read more on the company’s automated downfall here.
- We hope you get some good rest this weekend. Take good care!
