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Posted inMusic Issue 2026

Justin Townes Earle’s Portland Years

The late singer-songwriter’s time in town was pivotal and painful.
Avatar photo by Jonathan Bernstein

What follows is one of the many articles in the Mercury‘s 2026 Music Issue. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous and want to keep these types of articles coming, support us here.—eds. On November 6, 2016, Justin Townes Earle made an important proclamation: He was moving […]

Posted inMusic Issue 2026

Get Into the Groove

How Discogs evolved from a Portland vinyl collector’s dream to a worldwide phenomenon.
Avatar photo by Ryan J. Prado

What follows is one of the many articles in the Mercury‘s 2026 Music Issue. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous and want to keep these types of articles coming, support us here.—eds. Like many dot-com era ideas ushered into use just below the radar in the […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: The Latest Moda Center Funding Fight, Trump’s Laughable Plan To Lower Gas Prices, and the Video Game You Didn’t Know You Needed

Avatar photo by Courtney Vaughn

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. 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! Hopefully you got outside and frolicked in the sunshine […]

Posted inMercury Music Picks

Mercury Music Picks: Cabaret Voltaire’s Portland Debut, Yuvees Back in Town, and Texas Is—in Fact—the Reason

Plus, Ashanti plays the Portland Fire’s franchise opener, and Portland Music News.
Avatar photo by Nolan Parker

You miss Mercury Music Picks the last few weeks? Well, I missed you too! But the absence was for a good reason—next week sees the launch of the Mercury’s first Music Issue since pre-pandemic. Editing a print issue takes an incredible amount of time and effort by a huge crew of hard working people—and we’re […]

Posted inNews

Protesters Push City To Investigate Firm That Appears To Supply Drone Tech to Israel

Sightline Intelligence sent AI-supported tool to company that provides drones to Israeli military, research group says
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

This story was co-published with the Guardian. Anti-war activists in Portland, Oregon, are pushing city authorities to ensure no local resources, tax breaks or investments support a local company that appears to be supplying artificial intelligence software to the Israeli military. The company, Sightline Intelligence, manufactures AI-supported video technology that is used in drones to interpret target movements and […]

Posted inNews

Home Forward CEO Resigns Amid Scrutiny Over Travel

The housing authority announced Ivory Matthews’ departure Wednesday morning.
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

The CEO of Multnomah County’s housing authority, Home Forward, is resigning effective May 1. Home Forward announced Ivory Matthews’ departure via a press release Wednesday morning. Matthews’ resignation comes amid questions about travel she made on the public’s dime, first reported by Willamette Week earlier this month. Home Forward offers program vouchers and rent assistance […]

Posted inNews

Mayor Wilson’s Economic Development Budget Is a Balancing Act of Cuts and Cash Infusion

Climate programs, Prosper Portland, and tree permitting slated for cutbacks while graffiti abatement and Metro Chamber marketing could see a boost
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

“Tough choices” is public officials’ shorthand for this year’s budget cycle. In Portland’s Community and Economic Development service area, the mayor and his administrators have turned to cutting social programs and staff to balance a proposed $1.24 billion budget for the service area’s bureaus. This service area—which could see a 7 percent budget cut this […]

Posted inNews

Women’s Treatment Center Announces Permanent Closure After Abruptly Halting Services 

Amid mounting operating expenses and a sudden closure that triggered complaints to the state, Volunteers of America Oregon says it will shut down the women’s inpatient facility and lay off all staff.
Avatar photo by Courtney Vaughn

Almost two weeks after abruptly discharging nearly 50 patients from a women’s inpatient substance use treatment center in Northeast Portland, Volunteers of America Oregon (VOA) announced it will permanently close the site and lay off all staff, effectively immediately.  Staff were laid off Thursday, April 16. VOA Oregon did not confirm how many employees were […]

Posted inNews

Should Portlanders Pay Hundreds of Millions for a Refurbished Moda Center? City Councilors Say “Not So Fast”

With local budget cuts looming and Trail Blazers ownership committing to stay in Portland, some city leaders aren’t ready to pull out the checkbook.
Avatar photo by Abe Asher

On the heels of an intense lobbying campaign by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Oregon Legislature last month passed a $365 million funding package to renovate the Moda Center contingent on the Blazers remaining in Portland under new majority owner Tom Dundon. State leaders trumpeted the passage of the funding package as an economic boon […]

Posted inNews

Ethics Commission Fines Homelessness Influencer Over State Violations

Kevin Dahlgren used his position as a city employee for personal gain. The state penalty stems from a previous felony plea.
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

Likely very few people think it is lucrative to take advantage of homeless people, but one former outreach worker is still paying the consequences for trying. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) approved a final settlement April 10 for claims against the local social media influencer Kevin Dahlgren for violating state law when he worked […]

Posted inNews

Advocates Reject Zenith Energy Investigation in Letter Delivered to Mayor’s Office

An “artificially narrowed scope” predetermined the outcome of city-led investigation, letter says.
Avatar photo by Jeremiah Hayden

Local environmental advocates remain frustrated with Mayor Keith Wilson over his handling of Zenith Energy, saying he has not kept his promise to revoke the Houston-based fossil fuel company’s land use credentials if the city found it violated the law. A small group of environmental advocates gathered at Portland City Hall Monday to deliver a […]

Posted inThe Trail Blazers

Blazers Sink the Clippers Battleship for All the 8th Seed Marbles

Matisse Thybulle and Donovan Clingan now sharpen their guillotine for Sunday against the Sacramento Kings.
Avatar photo by Cameron Crowell

With the 8th seed in the Western Conference on the line, the Portland Trail Blazers bested their Los Angeles Clippers conference rivals for a second time in two weeks, beating them 116-97. The Blazer win brings their record to 41-40 on the season, tied with the Clippers with only one game remaining in the regular […]

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