GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It's the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (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.)
• Judge Extends Temporary Restraining Order in Class-Action Suit Against DHS
A federal judge extended a temporary restraining order (TRO) that bars federal agents at Portland's ICE facility from using tear gas on protesters for another two weeks.
• POP QUIZ PDX
In this week's super fun local trivia quiz: Blazer dreamboat Damian Lillard's latest big win, the irredeemable dumbshits of ICE, and in our weekly "subjective question" (surprise) it's your birthday! (Choose from a selection of the world's most horrifying cakes.) See how well YOU score!
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield is helping a group of protesters and journalists strengthen their case against the Department of Homeland Security. That lawsuit, filed by the ACLU of Oregon on behalf of protesters and journalists, alleges federal agents have violated their First Amendment rights and used excessive force at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland.
• Art Snack
January through March are lean times for everyone, and the week’s Art Snack has way too many restaurant closings. But we’ve also got some some silver linings in building buying and the promise Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride in August.
• City Issues Report Clearing Zenith Energy of Alleged Violations
The city of Portland says Zenith Energy did not violate city code when it constructed and used new piping without authorization beginning in 2026. Environmental advocates and some city councilors are still skeptical.Â
• Don’t Be Sad, the Waterfront Blues Festival Is Back
One of Portland's best summer events is coming back: Waterfront Blues Festival! Tank and the Bangas, the Revivalists, and more artists will perform at Tom McCall Waterfront Park this July. Check out the fun lineup!
• Ten Black Portland Innovators and Changemakers You Should Know
Black History Month isn’t just about honoring the past—it’s about celebrating the future being made right now. History is happening in Portland every day. From arts to activism, Black Portlanders are reshaping the Rose City. Meet 10 Black innovators and changemakers making history in Portland.
• Timbers Preview: A Season of Questions
While the Portland Timbers won their first playoff game in four years last fall, their 2025 season was... less than stellar. As the season kicks off, resident expert Abe Asher poses the five major questions which face the club as it prepares for its sixteenth MLS season.
• Album Review: Coastal Conjurings on Derek Hunter Wilson’s Sculptures
Portland composer Derek Hunter Wilson's new LP on the Beacon Sound label, Sculptures, builds its six compositions from gentle grief and coastal memories.
• David Hockney Is So Changeable
Portland Art Museum's new David Hockney exhibition is a whopper, filling two levels of the museum with 200 of the artist's works—from queer-coded etchings to large-format iPad drawings and a video installation. The show highlights Hockney's lifelong fascination with perspective, new technology, and the viewer's role in seeing. (On that note, read our review to learn what Hockney means by "perspective should be reversed.")
• Savage Love
This week, Dan tackles the eternal question: Open up a relationship, or slam that door shut forever? Plus: If you're ethically non-monogamous, is it okay to have sex with a married person who isn't? Or is that, as the writer puts it, "squiffy"?
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!
