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Posted inMovies & TV

Second Run Portland: Phantasm’s Freaky Mortician Takes Over a Portland Funeral Home

Plus, city theaters pregame for Halloween with Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s neo-noir Cure and a fashionable giallo classic.
Avatar photo Lindsay Costello

Yes, it’s October, and yes, that means it’s time to watch something that leaves you a little unsettled. But that doesn’t mean settling for the same old slashers. (Okay… some slashers can stay. More on that below.) This month, indie theaters dig a little deeper, offering less-screened but much-loved options like Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s slow-burn detective […]

Posted inThe Black Byline

THE BLACK BYLINE: I’ve Never Joined the Naked Bike Ride—But I Won’t Hate on It

White whimsy, federal troops, and what Portlanders should really be focused on.
Avatar photo Donovan Scribes (fka Donovan Smith)

[What follows is a new column from Donovan Scribes, a writer, producer, former VP of the Portland chapter of the NAACP, and the editor of the Mercury‘s print issue BlackOut: a 5 Year Retrospective of Portland’s Racial Justice Protests.—eds.] This week, against the backdrop of attempts by the President of the United States to flood […]

Posted inMercury Music Picks

Mercury Music Picks: Nonbinary Girlfriend Play Free Show, Duster Side Project Play Gaza Fundraiser

Plus an Improvisation Summit, getting Nourished by Time, and Portland music news! 
Avatar photo Nolan Parker

Whose idea was it to book Autechre, Nourished By Time, Lucinda Williams, and Fleshwater all on the same night? And then, the very next night, Turnstile, Amyl & The Sniffers, Speed, and Jane Remover?? At least those last four are on the same bill…. Having a friend visiting you from a city you used to […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Portland City Attorney Goes Off on US DOJ, Kristi Noem Set To Visit Portland, and Podcast Bros Try To Distance Themselves From Trump After Helping Him Get Elected

Avatar photo Taylor Griggs

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 […]

Posted inNews

Portland City Attorney to US DOJ: “Please Do Not Fail America”

City’s legal team says federal police are brutalizing protesters, and the government is weaponizing its longstanding settlement agreement with the city.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Courtney Vaughn and Taylor Griggs

Portland’s city attorney says federal police are brutalizing protesters, and the government is weaponizing its longstanding settlement agreement with the city.  In response to an investigation launched last week by the federal government into the Portland Police Bureau’s policing practices at the local ICE facility, the city’s legal counsel shot back, laying out a pattern […]

Posted inDo This, Do That

The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: Your Top Events for October 6-12

New performance art pairs well with Portland Fermentation Festival’s kimchi and kombucha.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

Sure, a certain someone claims you live in a war-torn hellscape pockmarked by domestic terrorists, fire, and whatever brimstone is. But it’s a gorgeous day, right?! You’ve got many reasons to wear your little fall outfit this week, as the leaves gently turn and the National Guard is less gently told they can’t come to brunch. […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Trump Tripped Twice by Federal Judge, Another Bullshit NYT Article About Portland, and Your Recap of the Craziest Weekend Ever!

Avatar photo Wm. Steven Humphrey

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 […]

Posted inNews

Frustrated by Court Loss, Trump Sends 300 California National Guard Troops to Portland

One hundred members of the California National Guard have reportedly arrived already, with more to follow. A lawsuit to stop the move is already underway.
Avatar photo Wm. Steven Humphrey

UPDATE (OCT 5, 8 pm): The same federal judge that ruled in favor of the state’s temporary restraining order to block Trump’s attempts to send Oregon National Guard members to Portland, has also blocked the administration from deploying troops from California to the city. Read more here. Original story:  After a federal judge on Saturday batted […]

Posted inNewsblast!

YOUR SUNDAY READING LIST: Trump’s Portland Invasion, Vampire Love, and Who’s Down for Some “Antifa Hellfire”?

Avatar photo Wm. Steven Humphrey

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 […]

Posted inNews

Federal Judge Grants Restraining Order Blocking Trump From Deploying Troops to Portland

Judge says Trump administration violated Constitution and failed to provide proof that National Guard activation was necessary.
Avatar photo Taylor Griggs

A federal judge has granted the state of Oregon a temporary restraining order, legally prohibiting the Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Portland through at least October 18. The decision comes a week after Trump announced in a Truth Social post he would be sending troops to the “war torn” city of Portland, […]

Posted inNews

Portland Children’s Levy Funds Set to Be Disbursed After City Halted, Then Restored Grant Recommendations

City councilors caused a stir by pausing funding recommendations in June, citing concerns with the application scoring process. The levy is a lifeline for many BIPOC organizations.
Avatar photo Abe Asher

In late September, the East Portland-based youth mentorship program HOLLA got a much-needed financial boost when it received its first grant disbursement from the Portland Children’s Levy. The influx of funding comes as nonprofits like HOLLA have been scrambling, both in Oregon and nationally, to make ends meet after the Trump administration cut a number […]

Posted inPhoto Essay

Photo Essay: The Gathering of the Jugglers

Inside Portland’s Juggling Festival and how a lifetime of practice can result in peace of mind.
Avatar photo Corbin Smith

Watching masses of people heaving clubs at one another during the Portland Juggling Festival last weekend, one wonders: How exactly did Reed College, an exclusive liberal arts college tucked away in the Woodstock neighborhood of Southeast Portland, become a destination for jugglers and other circus artists? It’s hazy. The best I could figure was this: […]

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