Regina Waller-Darden and her colleagues received an unusual gift. A client, Velda Green, gave them a rock to remind them that she feels solid and stable. 

About a year ago, Waller-Darden, a housing navigator with New Narrative, helped Green find an apartment with a Regional Long-Term Rent Assistance (RLRA) voucher. Green had been living in shelters for two years.

Now Green is successful and happy in her place, with plans to renew the lease.

Originally published in our sister publication, The Stranger. 

André 3000's not in the Dirty South anymore, literally or figuratively. The Grammy-winning ATLien rapper moved to LA, lost his urge to rhyme (at least with words), got heavily into flutes, and found some deep jazz cats in his area to augment his epic, enigmatic jams on the surprise 2023 album, New Blue Sun. Nearly a year later, André Lauren Benjamin's taking the spirit of that very un-hip-hop record on a North American tour, which hit the Paramount in Seattle, on Wednesday night.

Every track on New Blue Sun has between two and 10 million streams on $p0t1fy, which is kind of shocking for such an uncommercial record on which the average song length is nearly 11 minutes. But those stats are also a tribute to the loyalty that the 49-year-old star has earned over the last 30 years as a rapper/producer for OutKast. 

NEW OPENINGS & RETURNS

Lei Brilla
Owner Riley Riotto debuted this new cafe, described on the website as "a community-centric gathering spot that marries good-for-you food with a welcoming ambiance," today.
Nob Hill

The weekend awaits, as do fun ways to spend it, from the farewell showing of Coraline's Curious Cat Trail to the 26th Annual Portland Open Studios Tour and from Portland's Arbor Day Tree Planting to We Are Sacred: An Indigenous Peoples Celebration. For more ideas, check out our roundup of this week's top events.

FRIDAY

COMEDY

Small Fruits - Queer Comedy
I am a strong believer in a cute little night out, and this, dear reader, fits the bill. Hosted by "dynamic duo" No Sex and the City, whose lackluster love lives must give them a lot of time to practice their improv skills, Small Fruits invites attendees who are "navigating perpetual singlehood or basking in newfound love." It promises to be fun, gay, and "leave you smitten," which seems ideal. Plus, Small Fruits features a roster of local, "delightfully humble queer improvisers." Humility isn't a trait I typically look for in comedians, but sure, why not? LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Kickstand Comedy, Ladd's Addition, $10-$15)

The Mercury provides its readers with interesting and useful news & culture reporting every single day. If you appreciate that, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. If you read something you like, something you don't like but are glad to know about, and/or something you can't find anywhere else consider a one-time tip. It all goes in the same pot and it all goes to the editorial team. Thanks for your support!

Good Morning, Portland! It's shaping up to be a pleasant day—weather-wise. That good fortune will continue until next week when IT WILL RAIN FOR DAYS. Bring it; I love it. AND NOW let's get into the NEWS TO LOVE OR NOT LOVE OR EVEN HATE.

IN LOCAL NEWS:
• Researchers at Brown University released a paper last month concluding that "decriminalization of drug possession was not associated with an increase in fatal drug overdose rates in Oregon." Read the university's digest here or find it on JAMA Network Open.

• Today is opening day for the Marie Equi Day Center, Portland's new day center dedicated specifically to serving queer and trans residents. While Marie Equi has existed as a nonprofit for a decade, operating out of the Q Center, this expansion represents a new chapter, as the organization works to respond to a notable influx of queer and trans folks moving to our state. At the 13,000-square-foot center Marie Equi staff will continue to help people navigate social service systems, but will now be able to also offers showers, laundry services, a gymnasium, food pantry, kitchenette, computer lab, reading nook, and art space to those in need. There's so much more to the story—read Anna Del Savio's report for the Mercury.

• The Oregonian continues to review mayoral candidate City Commissioner Carmen Rubio’s parking and traffic tickets. And they want you to know that, while Rubio has told multiple media outlets that the tickets are the result of working in an over-patrolled area—accumulating 150 violations over the course of two decades—she actually received only a third of the citations around that location. 

Body camera footage released Thursday shows the tense moments when three Portland police officers fired a combined 30 lethal rounds at a man outside a home in the Woodlawn neighborhood last month. 

At 6:21 pm Sept. 26, detectives with Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) Major Crimes Unit and officers from the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) showed up to a house in the 7000 block of NE 17th to arrest a man identified as a suspect in a string of armed robberies, including a robbery earlier that day.

Police said they believed the man, 24-year-old Jesse James West, was armed “with an AR-style rifle” and had access to another gun.

Baker & Spice
Whoopie pies are scarce on the West Coast, but Baker & Spice is offering a pumpkin version of the old-timey Maine specialty for fall, featuring cinnamon and rum-infused mascarpone whipped cream sandwiched between soft pumpkin cookies.
Hillsdale

R&B crooner John Legend is coming to town this December to serve holiday cheer, Christmas carols, and special stories. Potty-mouthed blonde and legendary roaster Nikki Glaser will serve up something crass on her Alive And Unwell tour. Plus, country queen Megan Moroney has extended the tour for her sophomore album Am I Okay?, adding a Portland date next fall. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

Tickets go on sale at 10 am unless otherwise noted.

ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11

MUSIC

Caravan Palace
Crystal Ballroom (Mar 27, 2025)
On sale at 7 am

Eric Bellinger
Roseland Theater (Feb 1, 2025)

Jesus Piece
Hawthorne Theatre (Tues Dec 10)

Portland’s first day center for unhoused queer and trans people is opening this month in Southeast.

The Marie Equi Center’s new Brooklyn neighborhood day shelter will welcome visitors “just coming in to regulate their nervous systems in the space and hang out, or to get connected to our peer services,” center director Katie Cox said.

“We say that we're a really LGBTQ-affirming city and space, but the services and the infrastructure have needed more support,” Cox said. The new funding, which comes from Metro’s Supportive Housing Services tax revenue via Multnomah County, “feels like folks putting their money where their mouth is,” Cox added.

A few years ago, Jeffrey Martin made a last-minute decision to record one of his concerts with the intention of possibly turning it into a live album.

It didn’t turn out.

“Listening back to it, the recording was unsalvageable because there was some ghost in the machine or something. But I was grateful that it got messed up, actually, because I could hear myself, in the performance, being aware that it was being recorded,” the Oregon-based folk singer said.

“Ideally,” he continued. “I think the best way to make a live record would be to have somebody recording and you don’t know it.”

That is decidedly not the plan on October 26 at Mississippi Studios, where Martin is not only recording a live album, it’s billed on the venue’s website as “Jeffrey Martin Records A Live Album.” Martin is acutely aware of the plan, but he feels more prepared this time—he has written a bunch of songs and played scores of gigs and gained valuable life experience since last time, after all.

“I feel like I’ll be able to play this show just like any other show,” he said.

He’s looking forward to it, in fact, because it’s an opportunity to capture how his songs have evolved since they were written—songs from his most recent album, last year’s introspective Thank God We Left The Garden; songs from 2017’s stunning One Go Around; and songs from earlier in his career, too.

Who's ready to have some fun? Well, the Mercury is here to help with FREE TICKETS to see some of Portland's best concerts and events—our way of saying thanks to our great readers and spread the word about some fantastic upcoming performances! (Psst... if you want to say thanks to the Mercury, please consider making a small monthly contribution to keep us alive and kickin'!) And oh boy, do we have some fun events coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT!

• Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Portland Cello Project on October 25 at Aladdin Theater!

Known for their expansive repertoire and lively shows that bounce from Bach to Radiohead to Prince without missing a beat, genre-bending string collective Portland Cello Project appears at the Aladdin with special guests Skip vonKuske and Diane Chaplin! Get your tickets now, or enter to win here!

Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie, Fri Oct 25, 8 pm, $35, all ages

• Enter to WIN FREE TICKETS to see Katie Pruitt on October 25 at Mississippi Studios!

With her sophomore album Mantras, Nashville-based musician Katie Pruitt now looks inward to explore such matters as gender identity, self-compassion or the lack thereof, and the struggle for peace in times of chaos and uncertainty—ultimately arriving at a body of work that speaks to the strength in undoing harmful self-beliefs and fully living your truth. Get your tickets now, or enter to win here!

Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, Fri Oct 25, 9 pm, $22, 21+

CALLING ALL SMARTY BUTTS! It's time once again to put your brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And in this edition, we're testing your knowledge on a variety of topics including coyotes vs. NextDoor, snobby New York Post critics, and what Portland-based villain should star in your major Hollywood horror movie? 👻

But first, how did you do on our previous quiz? GOT-DAMN, you are smart! And I really like the majority choice for best Halloween candy... see you at YOUR house on October 31! (I'll be the adult dressed as a child dressed as a ghost.) 🎃

OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY!

Create your own user feedback survey

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! 👋

A foggy morning will clear away to reveal the sun and high of... 69. (Niiiiiice.) Will that joke never stop being funny? To you maybe, but apparently not to me. Anyway, let's read some partially niiiiiiiice NEWS. 

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• A cannabis dispensary employee in North Portland has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon after allegedly shooting and killing a pair of young men who police say were trying to rob the store. The La Mota dispensary has reportedly been robbed four times since 2022, and police are looking for a third suspect in the robbery that escaped.

• Deschutes County sheriff candidate Kent Vander Kamp was desperately trying to hide his past police record from local media outlet OPB, but that plan blew up in his face after his own lawyers inadvertently released the records. (Whoopsie.) Turns out during his stint as a volunteer officer in La Mesa, California, Vander Kamp was accused of several acts of "serious misconduct," including using excessive force on a driver and perhaps "falsely arresting him," as well as providing false information.

UPDATE: So, the lawyer who threatened to take OPB to court to prevent records from becoming public —- published those records as part of his court filing this afternoon.

🫡https://t.co/aZRODMTbXf

— Ryan Haas (@ryanjhaas) October 10, 2024

The latest culture buzz out of Portland this month includes some exciting music- and non-music related updates—like the delightful and wholesome news that Portland-based rising R&B star and DJ Zyah Belle and rapper Covi. got engaged! We’re also thrilled to hear the new single from Fountaine, news of an album on the way from Isabeau Waia’u Walker, and to applaud local showcase A Beat Happening on its seventh anniversary!

MUST SEE: 

Upcoming local event(s) featuring local artist(s). 

A Beat Happening’s Final Show of 2024

As we mentioned in the intro, producer- and DJ-focused showcase A Beat Happening celebrates seven years of its beatmaker-focused series this month. Hosted by resident DJs Luvjonez and Free Tillman, in its new home of art space and cafe L’Atelier Yaffe, the stacked afternoon lineup includes Mijo (Global Based), stalwart producer-DJ Sir Nai, beatmaker Foliage Beats, emotive bass-heavy vibes from Kaeli Hertz, hip-hop producer/DJ Surebert, and DJ Wicked. This is the anniversary show and also the last chance to catch a regular A Beat Happening in 2024. The show is still free and open to all ages—and that alone is worth celebrating (L’Atelier Yaffe, 111 NE MLK, Sun, Oct 20, 4 pm, FREE, all ages)