As of Monday afternoon, workers at more than half of all New Seasons grocery stores in the Portland Metro area have moved to unionize. A New Seasons store in Beaverton's Cedar Hills neighborhood became the tenth to file a petition to hold a union election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Monday.
As with many New Seasons workers who've joined the union drive this year, employees at the Cedar Hill store say the effort was inspired by the 2019 purchase of New Seasons by a company called Good Food Holdings, which is owned by international retail giant E-Mart. After that sale, New Seasons introduced several policies around worker attendance and scheduling that, to employees, felt uninformed by staff experiences.Â
"People realized that workers speaking up for themselves was increasingly useless," said Cedar Hills New Seasons employee Maggie Myers."And the polices started to negatively impact staff."
The Mercury provides news and fun every single dayâbut 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 AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! If you love a festive, holiday cocktail, get ready to crap your pants in glee... for theMercury's HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK is happening RIGHT NOW! Get all sorts of creative, holiday-themed fancy cocktails concocted by your fave Portland bartenders... and get this: They're only $7 each! But hurry, hurryâthe fun ends this coming Sunday, December 4. Now let's drink up some partially festive NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
⢠HELLO to Portland's screeching wealthy people who cannot be convinced that the city and county are making headway in getting the homeless off the streets and into permanent housing. Check out the opening sentence from this OPB article about the voter-approved supportive housing fund: "In its first year, Metroâs supportive housing fund placed 1,669 people into homes." đĽ An oversight committee will now look into the fund to see if even more improvements can be made, but WOW. Wave this in the face of the next willfully ignorant rich person you see screaming at a cloud.
⢠Related: Despite little interest from the county, and against the advice of actual experts (who weren't even asked), on Wednesday, City Council is expected to pass a $27 million âdown paymentâ for the six internment camps described in Mayor Wheeler and Commish Ryan's plan to criminalize the homeless. They say this money would build and operate three of the camps for one year. Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty was the lone voice of reason who voted against it. (Too bad she was voted out of office, only to be replaced by a puppet from Portland's wealthy "Screaming at Clouds Committee.")
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Ghost of Christmas Eve As Stranger writer Joseph Schafer wrote in 2019, "Yes, I know, they're cheesy in the extreme and not even actually from Siberia, but Trans-Siberian Orchestra's jolly blend of electric-guitar shredding and Christmas music is like the flu: It comes around every year and it's extremely catchy. That being said, if I'm going to be afflicted with pinch-harmonic-inflected cheer, then I'm at least going to focus on the upside. Which is, TSO formed from the remains of the excellent and under-appreciated power-metal outfit Savatage, whose interpretation of Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" probably sparked the whole classical-music-meets-metal fad. Now if only they still had Alex Skolnick from Testament in the band." (Moda Center, Lloyd District)
Hello Trash Pandas, and welcome to another round of steaming hot goss in this here Trash Report. I'm writing it as my child is blasting Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," making me really question both why I let her use my phone, why I taught her how to use Spotify, and why I taught her how to read so she can pick what to listen to. Last week I covered that Carey tried to trademark the title of "Queen of Christmas," but after a week of no school and my kid listening to this song at least 8,209 times, I'd like to give Carey the title of "Queen of Ruining the Vibe in My Home." The Christmas season only just officially began and I for one am ready for it to be over!
Christmas is trash but so is a lot of other stuff; let us peruse the rest of the dumpster?
The Latest in the War on Ice Cream
Portland-based (for now?) ice cream company Salt & Straw is making salted caramel waves for their announcement that they're considering moving their headquarters from Portland to the vague "out of state" due to perceived lawlessness in our city. This instead of, I don't know, finding a different office space? KGW reported that CEO and co-founder Kim Malek "drove to City Hall in tears" as she sought solutions from local leaders. I hope that one of those local leaders was councilman-elect Rene Gonzalez, who knows all about getting deals on real estate! Perhaps Jordan Schnitzer could offer Malek a premium downtown office space for $250 a month (parking included!) and then she'll reconsider her threat?Â
The whole thing feels even ickier when the company's website brags that "we establish deep connections with our neighborhood and merchant associations" and "a business is only as strong as its community." Maybe they're just butthurt that President Biden went to Baskin Robbins instead of Salt & Straw on his recent visit to Portland?Â
Can you imagine a corporation that would threaten to leave a city because someoneâs home burned down near their headquarters? Instead of offering help, Salt & Straw wants to pack up its waffle cones and flee to the burbs. Enjoy your gated community.
The only way I'd consider leaving Portland is if I accepted one of those deals to let the Italian government pay me to live in a crumbling villa. And I wouldn't consider that because Portland is reportedly a shithole, but because America, in general, is a shithole. Then it wouldn't matter if Salt & Straw had left Portland because I would be eating gelato anyway.Â
BEHOLD! It's the Portland Mercuryâs HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK! That's correct: Starting NOW it's an ENTIRE WEEK (November 28-December 4) of specially crafted, original holiday themed cocktails mixed by the best bartenders in town⌠and get this, they're only $7 each!
Weâve teamed up with the finest bars and restaurants in Portlandâalong with our cocktail-lovinâ pals at Jim Beamâto bring you this one-of-a-kind booze-tacular! At each location, youâll find $7 specially crafted cocktails, and even better? They'll be available ALL DAY (not just during happy hour)! TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE DELICIOUS BOOZY CONCOCTIONS HERE!
Stay tuned to holidaydrinkweek.com and the Mercury for announcementsâthen plot your strategic course with our handy-dandy Holiday Drink map and set sail on a river of booze happening right now through December 4! You'll get even more hot tips if you sign up for Mercury and EverOut newsletters, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
Say, do you love the Mercuryâs Food and Drink promotions (such as Highball, Burger Week, Pizza Week, and more)? Then please consider becoming a recurring contributor to the Mercury. We would never be able to do these fun things without you!
So, are you ready for HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK? Great! Just remember a few friendly rules:
The Mercury provides news and fun every single dayâbut 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! By now, itâs likely youâve run out of leftover turkey sandwiches to brace you against the rainy cold of the week ahead. Might I suggest an alternative source of warmth: the Portland Mercuryâs HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK! From November 28 to December 4, our friends at some of the best bars in town are featuring specially crafted, original holiday themed cocktails for only $7 each! Don't forget to tip your bartender. Now, for the news:
- Portland Thorns captain and Canadian National Womenâs Team player Christine Sinclair has published a bookâgiving OPBâs Geoff Norcross an opportunity to ask her a few questions on air. Hereâs what âfamously privateâ Sinclair has to say about the reported abuse within Thorns and US Soccer management: âI think itâs important for young girls to know that this isnât a Portland Thorns problem. This isnât an NWSL problem. Itâs not a womenâs soccer problem. Itâs a cultural problem. This is how women are treated around the world. We had brave women come out and step forward and bring this to light. I know here in Portland, positive changes have been made, but thereâs still more to be done.âÂ
- TheOregonian took a look at how the âsecond lookâ bill passed by the Oregon Legislature last year has allowed district attorneys to successfully petition judges to reconsider charges for convicted individuals. The article chooses to highlight a few particularly grim cases, but leaves readers with a clear understanding of how the policy can truly help rehabilitate people convicted of a crime.Â
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.)
Outgoing JOHS Director Singleton addresses the inner workings of the region's largest homelessness agency, the public's misgivings about its output, and hopes for the future.
Your doctor called and said you aren't getting enough garbage. Rectify the situation with this edition of THE TRASH REPORT from Elinor Jones! This week: Mariah wants to own Xmas, and our new fave Brad Pitt conspiracy theory! đ¤Ť
The Mercury provides news and fun every single dayâbut your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, or dropping off your leftovers by the office BECAUSE WE ARE HUNGRY. Thanks for your support!
Good Afternoon, Portland! I made a waffle out of leftover stuffing, and I demand your respect.
IN LOCAL NEWS: If you were half in the bag or out the door on Wednesday evening, you may have missed the results of an environmental assessment, conducted by ODOT, that say the proposed addition of lanes to I-5 in the Rose Quarter area would have no significant environmental impactâ okay, some at first, but not a lot in the long run, the report says. The projectâs detractors disagree. Isabella Garcia breaks it all down.
⢠Speaking of things that we know very little aboutâthere are only two weeks until Measure 114 takes effect (slide whistle noise).
Less than two weeks remain for Oregon officials to hammer out a complex permitting regime for firearm ownership under Measure 114, and that could put the state in a constitutionally precarious spot. https://t.co/JjfurzA0Y7
You love giving gifts, AND supporting the local small business community, right? Well, this holiday season you have a choice where to spend your money. Through the haze of Black Friday ads for corporate retailers and 2nd-day-air delivery promises, if you look closely enough, you can find LOTS of local mom & pop shops bringing you lovingly-curated gift options. Don't forget: These businesses are the backbone of the city, and your buying choices can help ensure they stay that way. Support local and shop local... and the Mercury is here to help with our annual HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE!
And trust us when we say, our gift guide has something for EVERYONE on your holiday listâand that includes those hard-to-shop-for people! All these prezzies are conveniently listed under easy-to-use categories, such as gifts for Artsy Folks, Foodies, Stoners, Fashion Hounds, Adventurers, Lovers, and SO MUCH MORE!
Plus! Since more gift ideas are being added every day, come back often to check out what's new. So what are you waiting for? Show your favorite people (and Portland's local businesses) lots of love this holiday season... with the Mercury Holiday Gift Guide!
Black Friday isn't just about scoring steep bargains on AirPods and Instant Pots: Many breweries use the occasion to offer discounts and release dark, wintry beers like porters and stouts, while bars like Deadshot and Imperial Bottle Shop and Taproom plan to debut festive pop-ups. We've rounded up some events and new special releases around town for this weekend. For more ideas, check out our food and drink guide.
Deadshot The kitsch-tastic holiday cocktail pop-up phenomenon Miracle, which was invented by New York bar owner Greg Boehm in 2014 and has expanded to over 100 bars around the world, will kick off at Deadshot from 4 pm to midnight on Black Friday. Look forward to cozy drinks like spiked chai, hot buttered rum, and the "Snowball Old Fashioned," plus a food menu by the Filipino pop-up Sunrice. Hosford-Abernethy
The Mercury provides news and fun every single dayâbut 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! If you're thinking of contributing to capitalism today, please also consider shopping local! And a great way to get some inspo is to check out the Mercury's HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, which is cram-jammed full of amazing, interesting gifts for all types of peeps from local, Portland stores that could use your support. Thank you, and let's cram-jam some NEWS!
IN LOCAL NEWS:
⢠In case you missed it, Portland Police has finally released a modicum of info about last Saturday's deadly shooting of a man by an officer/officers. According to an updated press release, Jaquez Clark-Johnson was the man killed, though little else is known other than he was driving a car that fit the description used in a robbery. We also don't know what happened after officers "attempted to contact" the man before the shooting began. Oh, and once again the police have not released the name of the officer/officers who killed Clark-Johnson, even though they are required to by city regulations. In short, business as usual!
Adding additional lanes to Interstate 5 in the Rose Quarter will have no significant impact on the environment, according to a new assessment from the federal and state transportation departments. Critics are skeptical of the findings. https://t.co/MVrUIm8RAe
⢠Thanks to a frightening surge in RSV cases, OHSU and Randall Children's Hospital are taking drastic steps to free up pediatric bedsâincluding turning away teenagers in mental health crises.
BEHOLD! It's the Portland Mercuryâs HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK! That's correct: Get ready for an ENTIRE WEEK (November 28-December 4) of specially crafted, original holiday themed cocktails mixed by the best bartenders in town⌠and get this, they're only $7 each!
Weâve teamed up with the finest bars and restaurants in Portlandâalong with our cocktail-lovinâ pals at Jim Beamâto bring you this one-of-a-kind booze-tacular! At each location, youâll find $7 specially crafted cocktails, and even better? They'll be available ALL DAY (not just during happy hour)! TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE DELICIOUS BOOZY CONCOCTIONS HERE!
Stay tuned to holidaydrinkweek.com and the Mercury for announcementsâthen plot your strategic course with our handy-dandy Holiday Drink map and set sail on a river of booze starting November 28! You'll get even more hot tips if you sign up for Mercury and EverOut newsletters, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
Say, do you love the Mercuryâs Food and Drink promotions (such as Highball, Burger Week, Pizza Week, and more)? Then please consider becoming a recurring contributor to the Mercury. We would never be able to do these fun things without you!
So, are you ready for HOLIDAY DRINK WEEK? Great! Just remember a few friendly rules:
A Black man named Immanueal Jaquez Clark-Johnson was killed by a Portland police officer early Saturday morning, according to an updated press release from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).Â
Per the PPB, officers suspected that Clark-Johnson, 30, was responsible for an armed robbery that took place shortly after midnight on November 19 near SE Powell Blvd. and SE Foster Rd. That's because Clark-Johnson was driving a car that fit the description of the supposed robber's vehicle.Â
PPB noticed Clark-Johnson driving on SE Steele St. alongside Reed College, and followed the car until it stopped in a nearby parking lot. PPB's press release did not indicate whether Clark-Johnson was actually pulled over by police or if he simply parked on his own volition. PPB did not explain what happened after officers "attempted to contact" Clark-Johnson. Yet, at 12:41 am, the bureau notes that at least one officer shot Clark-Johnson. An autopsy reviewed by PPB shows that Clark-Johnson died from the gunshot wound.
The Mercury provides news and fun every single dayâbut 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 AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! If you're anything like me, you're already thinkin'... about HOLIDAY DRINKIN'! That's why it's time to get pumped for theMercury's HOLIDAY DRINK WEEKâfeaturing $7 festive cocktails concocted by the city's best bartenders! It's starts this coming Monday, November 28... so save a little room in your liver, okay? Now let's drink up some NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
⢠In the new, post-pandemic Portland, businesses take priority over people. You see it with repeated homeless sweeps meant to appease the city's rich, political action groups formed by big business interests whose sole purpose is to spread disinformation, and a city council that, come January, will boast four out of five members that are squarely in the pockets of local real estate baron Jordan Schnitzer and the Portland Business Alliance. Therefore it shouldn't be any big surprise that homegrown, popular ice cream makers Salt & Straw is the latest company to threaten to move their headquarters out of state due to perceived safety concerns from the homeless. OH, of course they would rather NOT leave and will supposedly do everything in their power to help support local leaders "find solutions"âbut sure, let's try threats first. Lucky for us, there are plenty of fantastic ice cream makers in town who remain loyal to the city that gave them success... and even better? No long lines! For all those businesses threatening to leave, I hope you enjoy "out of state." (I hear Arizona is nice!)
⢠In a related story: "Portland auditor withdraws $5,520 fine against Rene Gonzalezâs city council campaign." The auditorâs office reportedly made this call following a decision to revoke the fine by Judge Joe L. Allen, who based his ruling on the testimony of a bunch of witnesses who were chosen by (and most likely work with) Jordan Schnitzer. Make of that what you will!Â
⢠ALSO RELATED (I'm on a roll!): In case you missed it, the Oregonian Editorial Board penned an opinion piece begging Portland to support the criminalizing and mass incarceration of the homelessâa plan cooked up by the Mayor, Commissioner Dan Ryan, and mayoral aide Sam Adams with pressure from city hall's wealthy overlords... and WITHOUT asking a single local homelessness expert. It's almost like they all belong to one big club! This is me:
Adding additional lanes to Interstate 5 in the Rose Quarter will have no significant impact on the environment, according to a new environmental assessment from the federal and state transportation departments. Critics of the project believe that the agenciesâ calculation fails to account for an increase in vehicle demand that will accompany lane expansion and are urging the state to use tolling to address congestion in the corridor before spending over $1 billion to widen the freeway.
âThey are putting their thumbs on the scale to make these absurd claims that a billion dollar freeway expansion is somehow good for traffic, the planet, and the communityâs lungs,â said Aaron Brown, a member of environmental group No More Freeways, during a press conference.
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was directed by the state legislature in 2017 to address congestion in the Rose Quarter section of I-5. The area is considered the worst bottleneck in the state, creating hours of congestion along a major freight route. ODOTâs solution was a proposal to add two âauxiliary lanesââlanes added for onramp-to-offramp connectionsâand to study traffic tolling possibilities as a solution.
