Not a lot to say by way of an intro this week. Everything is so heavy. Lean into yourself and your communities. Seek joy. Contribute to liberation in all the ways you're able. Music, live music especially, is one of the few places real community and joy can be found, so go find it. 

Thursday, March 12

Lo Steele

For fans of Nubya Garcia, Yazmin Lacey, Toni Braxton 

Portland soul songstress supreme Lo Steele releases her new record Only a Drop March 13. The album’s first single, “Greenz,” is a potent reminder of the power of the blues, where the genre comes from, and how it can sound in 2026. The deeply Black art form can’t be manufactured, Steele rightly points out, coming from musical stock as the daughter of Portland blues and jazz icon LaRhonda Steele. But don’t get it twisted—Lo is her own artist. A fixture on our city’s theatre circuit (her portrayal of Gwendolyn Fairfax in Portland Center Stage’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest last year was lights-out funny) and a multitudinous force of creativity in the region. (Music Millennium, 3 pm, FREE, more info here, all ages)

Seffarine 

For fans of Rodrigo y Gabriela, Shabv, Y La Bamba

If you’ve ever been to Morocco, you know the markets and squares of the country burst with life and voices and bodies (both human and animal) and music. The frenetic energy of the cultural and social hubs is music itself, an ancient music of gathering places that is otherworldly. Taking their name from the metalworking square in Fez, Seffarine sprang forth after singer Lamiae Naki and multi-instrumentalist Nat Hulskamp met at a coffeeshop in Fez, eventually marrying and forming the band. Now Portland-based, Seffarine is the bright femme vocals and Iberian-Arabic rhythms needed to undo the collective stress we are all feeling, fortifying us through to spring and summer. (Alberta Rose Theatre, 7:30 pm, more info here, all ages)

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! Today will likely be very wet, but a little warmer than yesterday, with a high of 54 degrees and a low of 44. We can expect showers throughout most of the day. Reminder: It’s OK to use an umbrella. 

IN LOCAL NEWS: 

• Today we’re following news in the Lund Report about a new Oregon law that was meant to prevent private equity firms from owning or controlling health care facilities here. The law was well-intentioned, but may not have enough teeth to be clearly enforceable. Nonprofit health care org PeaceHealth is carrying out a plan to contract out emergency services at three of its Oregon hospitals to a for-profit company based in Atlanta. “Observers say the new arrangement … appears to exactly mirror the sort of arrangement that the Oregon Legislature sought to block with a law passed last year,” according to the Lund Report. 

Blazers star and hometown hero Damian Lillard is bringing Dame Time to the local food and drink scene. On Friday, March 6, Lillard and his business partners officially opened Honorable Mention, a sports bar—actually, it calls itself a luxury sports lounge—in the basement of the historic Benson Hotel in downtown Portland.

Honorable Mention features vaulted ceilings, round banquettes, cozy couches, tucked-away tables, and cushy bar seats. Behind the bar and along the walls, TVs play not just sports, but black-and-white photos and video clips of trailblazing (!) Black athletes. The menu features beer, wine, and over a dozen cocktails, plus fancy versions of classic sports bar snacks, tavern fare, and steaks.

“Portland is my home,” Lillard said in a press release. “When I think about helping build this city back up to what made me and many others fall in love with it, I know that starts with presenting people who come here with an experience we can all share—fellowship, fun, good food, and safety. I look forward to building on this as we continue to lift Portland back to what it once was.”

Dear Readers: I’m off this week. To tide you over until I’m back, the tech-savvy, at-risk youth pulled some classic “PUD” questions from the archives. A PUD, of course, is someone who is “poly under duress.” Because while some of us start out poly and some of us achieve poly, others have poly thrust upon ’em. These are their stories.—Dan

 I’m a 25-year-old woman currently in a poly relationship with a married man roughly 20 years my senior. This has by far been the best relationship I’ve ever had. However, something has me a bit on edge. We went on a trip with friends to a brewery with a great restaurant. It was an amazing place, and I was sure his wife would enjoy it. He mentioned the place to her, and her response was NO, she didn’t want to go there because she didn’t want to have “sloppy seconds.” It made me feel dirty. Additionally, the way he brushed this off means this isn’t the first time. I go out of my way to show him places I think they would like to go together. I don’t know if my feelings are just hurt — if it’s as childish as I think it is — or if it’s a reminder of my very low place in their hierarchy. I hesitate to bring this up, because when I have needs or concerns, they label me as difficult or needy. Is this part of a bigger trend I’m missing? Should I do anything to address this or just continue to stay out of their business and go where I wish with my partner?

Treated With Outrage

I’m having a hard time reconciling these two statements: “This has by far been the best relationship I’ve ever had,” and, “When I have needs or concerns, they label me as difficult or needy.” I suppose it’s possible all your past relationships have been so bad that your best-relationship-ever bar is set tragically low. But taking a partner’s needs and concerns seriously is one of the hallmarks of a good relationship, to say nothing of a “best relationship ever.”

That said…

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! It's set to be another somewhat-drizzly, cool day, like yesterday. We could see some pretty heavy rain later in the week, most likely starting tomorrow and not today. But we are heading into a time of year with unpredictable weather, so it's hard to say exactly what to expect. Don't blame me if you get rained on (or if you don't!) is what I'm saying. 

The race for chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners has begun in earnest.

Last month, Commissioner Shannon Singleton became the first major contender to declare her candidacy for the position being vacated by Jessica Vega Pederson. She was quickly joined by her fellow commissioner, Julia Brim-Edwards. Voters will decide in a ranked choice election in November who will take the helm.

Singleton, who was elected to the Board in 2024 in a special election to represent a district that covers North and Northeast Portland, told the Mercury that she joined the race because she believes she can better serve the county as an executive rather than a legislator. 

“I think I’ve been able to get a lot of things done in my role as commissioner for District 2—I’ve also focused a lot on some district-specific things,” Singleton said. “As chair, I’d have the ability to do some of the de-siloing work I think needs to happen.” 

During the City Council president vote earlier this year, Portlanders may have been surprised to hear City Councilor Loretta Smith (D1) say she wanted to use her office funds to sue the city. After multiple rounds of deadlock, Smith wanted to challenge City Attorney Robert Taylor’s 2025 interpretation of the government charter, outlined in a memo, that said the mayor cannot break a tie during a council leadership vote, because the mayor is not part of the Council.

“I would like to ask that we get a declaratory judgment from a judge to view our charter so that we can have an outside person tell us what was meant,” Smith said. “Until we do that, we're going to be going back and forth, back and forth.”

New records obtained by the Mercury show the idea did not come from Smith alone. Records suggest it came from Northwest Oregon Labor Council (NOLC) Executive Secretary-Treasurer Laurie Wimmer, a hidden hand in local politics. And the idea wasn’t just to find a way to break a tie. It appears it was one of two pathways floated by local attorney Misha Isaak, which Wimmer believed would give then-President Elana Pirtle-Guiney the position for at least another year.

This week, Indigo De Souza swings by to make us cry, Pi Day means eight types of pie are up for grabs at Lauretta Jean's (but you better get there early), and I bet you've never seen a chamber opera about a UFO cult! Plus, Portland has a few Academy Awards watch parties on the docket, but if you're more the type to rage-scramble around on Sunday afternoon trying to figure out how to watch the Oscars from home, I've got you: Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV, and FuboTV will stream the show live, some of which offer a free trial. Isn't Do This, Do That helpful?! On to the events!

Hello, hello! Time for another Trash Report. I'm Elinor Jones. The human world—it's a mess. If we don't make fun of it I think we become complacent in it? Or at least apathetic. And I, for one, prefer to be regular pathetic, thank you very much. Let's gossip!

Hail to the Rash

Donald Trump started a war with Iran last week to distract us all from the disgusting new rash he has on his neck. The White House said the rash is being treated, but provided no further information. Believe me when I tell you that I do not want to imagine what is happening underneath all those ill-fitting suits, but with the bruise on his hand and now this new neck thing, you know whatever we're not seeing has got to be very gross. 

In addition to growing new scabs, this week Trump fired Kristi Noem from her job as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security after a dismal performance at a Senate committee hearing where she didn't NOT say she was fucking Corey Lewandowski. Trump didn't come right out and fire her, of course. Instead he said he was appointing her to a totally real new post as special envoy to the Shield of the Americas, which is a political way of saying, we didn't kill your career, we simply sent it to live out its days on a farm outside of town. Lots of people gloated about her firing including Meghan McCain, who called out Noem for blowing $200 million on an ad campaign. Okay, legit. Then she tweeted "BYE WIG" to which I say: girl. Leave the hair-shaming to those of us who have never looked like this:

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!👋

And also happy daylight saving time to those who celebrate—which is nobody, right? 🙄 In any case, you can expect today's cloudy skies to be turning on and off their drizzle faucets all day, with a high of 53. And for those reading this from higher elevations (as in feet, not weed), you might see a mixture of snow and rain Tuesday, before it warms up later in the week. And now, set your brains forward for a look at today's NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• A new proposal is set to come before Portland City Council this month to help establish a more permanent solution to the city's pothole crisis. As you undoubtedly recall, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has been suffering a budget crisis for years, leading to crumbling roads and sidewalks and a financial inability to fix them. This time around council will consider a three-pronged attack on the problem, including a potential “transportation utility tax” on residents and businesses, charging fees to utility agencies whose vehicles damage the roads, as well as a possible surcharge on food and retail deliveries (like Door Dash and Amazon). The transportation utility fee—a tax that several other Oregon cities already implement—could raise up to $46.7 million a year. However, even most transpo officials agree that these extra fees would only be a drop in the proverbial bucket. 

• Have you been wondering, "what in the ever-loving hell is going on with the Lloyd mall and its beloved ice skating rink?" Last Thursday, March 5, the Portland Design Commission unanimously accepted the Lloyd Mall owners’ Revised Primary Master Plan, thereby pushing the massive project—which would eventually demolish the mall and replace it with mixed-use development—another small step forward. While this vote focused more on boring stuff like zoning codes and isn’t a demolition order, the plan—as it stands now—will eventually lead to the massive tear-down. Here’s an update on the decision from our Joe Streckert.

The Portland Design Commission unanimously accepted the Revised Primary Master Plan for the Lloyd Center Mall, pushing the massive project one small step forward.

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— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) March 6, 2026 at 12:46 PM

Big Walk made me motion sick, but I want to play it again. The new video game invites players into an open world setting where they can talk to their friends, solve puzzles, explore, or—dare we say—kiki?

We got a chance to demo the game at the Panic office in downtown Portland, and soon so can you. Starting March 9, Panic is inviting fans to come play it in their studios.

IT'S A FACT: Sandwiches are the best. You can eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And thankfully, it's time to celebrate this feat of ingenuity with the Portland Mercury's Sandwich Week! (Big thanks and "what’s up!" to our pals at Jim Beam and Travel Portland for their help.) But you better hurry, because today Sunday March 8, is the last day for Sandwich Week, in which Portlanders will be feasting on delectable, original sandwich creations built by 88 (!?!) of the city’s fabulous chefs... and if that's not enough, each of those sammies is only $10! Are you kidding me? NO, WE ARE NOT! 

Did you know that the Mercury's Sandwich Week is not only a perfect excuse to shove a delicious sandy (or 10... or 20) into your mouth, but it's also a great way to support and introduce yourselves to local restaurants who might not be on your radar. AND it also helps the Mercury continue the top-notch investigative reporting and arts/entertainment coverage you rely on every day. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT!

Check out pics and descriptions of this year's one-of-a-kind sandwich creations, and plot your sandwich-filled path to glory with our handy-dandy Sandwich Week map—but before you start planning the most delicious week of your life, please keep a few things in mind:

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.)

• New Preschool for All Data Challenges Idea That Wealthy People Are Fleeing County

Skeptics have suggested the universal preschool tax was driving high-income earners out of Multnomah County. The latest data doesn’t support that notion.

• Initiative to Divert Clean Energy Funds to Cops Moves Ahead Under Constrained Timeline

The future of the effort to tap PCEF for police hiring remains unclear, as time runs out for petitioners to collect signatures for the initiative so it can be on November's ballot. People on both sides of the issue celebrated the judge's decision.

• A Bakery Specializing in Viral Korean Salt Bread Is Coming Very Soon

Hailed by many as the next great competitor to the croissant, salt bread consists of a simple yeasted dough wrapped around a log of butter. As it bakes, the butter melts, leaving behind what many call a “butter hole” as the butter creates a crispy, glossy fried bottom.

In Hoppers—the latest Pixar flick, directed by We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong—under-enrolled college student and over-enthusiastic environmental activist Mabel (voiced by Piper Curda) stumbles upon her professor’s (Kathy Najimi) secret invention, which can transfer human brains into the CPU of a lifelike robot animal.

“Like Avatar,” Mabel remarks, immediately jumping into the machine.