Friday was a beautiful night for a Krampuslauf or "Krampus run," a holiday activity that draws from Alpine folklore where mischief-makers dress up like horned creatures and caper together through their town. The Portland version of this-a little more costume-forward and kid-friendly-has been meeting up and merrily marching on or around Krampusnacht since 2010.
The ordinance has two components. First, it will require landlords who rent buildings used as detention centers to compensate residents and the city for actual costs incurred as a direct consequence of its tenants' actions. Those costs could include things like police overtime, traffic management, fire and emergency medical responses, and environmental remediation. The collected money will reimburse impacted community members, and the city's general fund.
WHAT UP, SMARTY BUTT? 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 this week we'll be testing your knowledge on last week's big events, including public aerobics, Trump's continuing humiliation at the hands of Portland, and everyone's fave subject... DRUGS! 🥳 But first! How did you do on our last quiz?
If all goes well, this will be the last time I am the news and you can instead count on me to bring you some uncompromising journalism as the latest addition to the Mercury's news team. You may be familiar with my work at Street Roots, where I worked as a staff reporter for the past few years. I'll say, despite the risk of turning this into a cover letter, I learned a lot about reporting on housing and homelessness there,
Portland Police have made 50 arrests at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building since June. The Oregonian reports that at least eight of the cases resulting from these arrests cite assistance from "what authorities call 'Confidential Reliable Sources' or, more plainly, 'informants.' Have we heard of this happening before at other protests? Yes. Are these likely plainclothes police? Yes.
In a recent news release, the White House accuses Portland protesters of engaging in years of "premeditated anarchy," attempting to bolster Trump's decision to send National Guard troops to "crush violent radical left terrorism" in the city. Local leaders remain firm in their opposition to the move. Portland's police chief says officers will continue to monitor protests at the ICE facility. Data shows protest response is costly, requiring staff to work significant overtime hours.
In early June, after organizations like HOLLA had been notified of their selection to receive grants from the Portland Children's Levy (PCL), the Portland City Council made an unprecedented decision: voting to reject $70.9 million in grants the PCL allocation committee had awarded for the coming fiscal year and instead extending funding to the program's current large grantees for another year.
If you're reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury' s newsreporting, 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!
HELLOOOO, SMART STUFF! 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 this week we'll be testing your knowledge on celebrities who love Portland, dipshit presidents who HATE Portland, and... wait. Did the rapture happen, and I missed it? 🤔 But first! How did you do on our last quiz? Oooo-wheeee, you are so smart! But when asked which mall food court restaurant you would
By the time tropical dream pop group Caicedo hit the stage at 6:30 pm, nearly every complimentary squiggly straw had found its way into the hands of eager festivalgoers swaying to the band's irresistible Latin grooves and hazy, late summer hooks. In beautifully all-ages PDX Pop Now! fashion, the crowd consisted of scene kids with purple hair nodding their heads, as well as children with giant earmuffs jumping up and down alongside their bigs.
If you're reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury' s newsreporting, 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!
Big changes and a rebrand are coming to Lil' America, a food cart pod that initially made headlines for its mission to exclusively host BIPOC- and LGBTQ-owned food carts. Opened by local restaurant group ChefStable in April 2023, Lil' America promised to provide mentorship to its tenants, host cultural events, and offer amenities like dry storage, a dish pit, and a walk-in fridge.
IN LOCAL NEWS: In 2002, when the city of Portland initially granted Zenith Energy permission to continue operating its fuel transport and storage facility in Northwest Portland, it did so with a number of conditions-in an attempt to limit further potential for local pollution. Environmental advocates who disagreed with the permit subsequently sued, and now a city attorney has admitted that the city does not believe it can enforce those compromise conditions at all. For the Mercury, Abe Asher has more.
