Governor Tina Kotek signed a new state transportation funding package into law on Monday. Later that day, two state legislators and an anti-tax advocate filed a petition with the state in hopes of sending a referendum on the bill’s tax increases to Oregon voters.

First, Portland got a Mayor Wilson. Now, there’s going to be a Mayor Wilson in Seattle. At this rate, every city in America will have a Mayor Wilson by 2050. Is this the future we want????

Revoke my Oregonian card because I don’t like hearing about exploding whales, past or future. I think we should live in awe of those gorgeous, huge creatures who roam the vast sea, blessing it with their songs. It is okay if you find joy in the exploding whale but this is simply my truth.

Oregon Sen Bruce Starr, Rep Ed Diehl, and Taxpayers Association of Oregon founder Jason Williams have officially filed a petition against the state transportation package, which Governor Tina Kotek signed into law today. stopthegastax.com

My son Seamus died 15 years ago today. He was killed by a careless driver in a crosswalk. He walked at 9 months, almost as if he knew he wouldn’t have much time. His favorite thing to do was throw rocks into water. He loved the moon. He called butterflies “buddy buddies.” I miss him every day.

Moderate Democrats saw that voters were energized and might expect something from them, so they needed to put a stop to that ASAP

We used to build MAX lines and now we’re debating whether we can afford paint for bus lanes bikeportland.org/2025/11/07/t...

Portland City Council will consider an amendment next week to redirect $4.3 million from the city program that sweeps homeless encampments. If passed, the budget adjustment will instead invest $2 million in rent and food assistance, and support for immigrants and refugees.

Portland is setting up a new, more powerful police accountability office approved by voters in 2020. Whether current staff will be guaranteed jobs under the new structure is central to ongoing labor negotiations, and the dividing lines at City Hall are getting complicated.

Mamdani cracks 1M votes, the first NYC mayor to do so since John Lindsay in 1969

JUST IN: Mamdani, a democratic socialist and state assemblymember, will make history as the first Muslim and South Asian person — as well as the youngest in over a century — to serve as New York City mayor.

In a move lawyers called “highly unusual,” Portland City Council apparently declined the terms of a legal settlement over the city’s adherence to the Oregon Bike Bill. Now, a $6 million settlement agreement—intended to fund bike infrastructure projects around the city—is in jeopardy.

Dan Ryan voted with his colleagues in July to refer the Portland parks levy measure to voters. But the councilor, who once oversaw the city’s parks bureau, now says he can’t support the tax increase to support local parks services. Critics say Ryan’s denunciation is shortsighted and puzzling.

Sneaking this in before your feeds are flooded with election results. Portland City Council approves lots of legal settlements, but councilors were skeptical of this $6 million agreement — the result of a 2022 lawsuit over Portland’s adherence to the Oregon Bike Bill. What happens next is unclear.

Donald "Green New Deal" Trump strikes again!

Wow! Best review of LIFE AFTER CARS yet, via @taylorgriggs.bsky.social in @portlandmercury.com. Check it out and be sure to see us at @powells.bsky.social on November 13th!

Shake-up at the Portland Housing Bureau: Mayor Wilson put director Helmi Hisserich, an "unparalleled expert" on social housing, on leave with little explanation Thursday. She has been in the role since early 2024.

Portland's inflatable frogs have been making headlines. But it’s worth pointing out: real-life amphibians have a lot to offer, too. Guest writer Suze Wehr writes about the value and vulnerability of amphibians, and how Oregon can help them with a new source of funding for wildlife conservation.

Mayor Wilson announced police will begin citing homeless Portlanders for declining shelter, starting this weekend. The move comes as 15,000 homeless residents in the county are set to lose food assistance, and service providers say the criminal justice system only makes things worse.

BREAKING: The full bench of the 9th circuit has agreed to take up the Portland National Guard case and vacated the panel decision that had blessed Trump’s deployment.

It’s a very exciting time for the Portland Mercury

We're excited to introduce Jeremiah Hayden, the Mercury's newest news reporter. He'll be covering housing and homelessness, as well as other topics, like Zenith Energy's shenanigans.

Show the organ player!!!!!!

Thank you to everyone who has reached out with concern. Late last night, I woke up to my car, car port, and home engulfed in flames. I'm grateful for the quick response from Portland firefighters who prevented the fire from spreading even further.

The headline of this article makes a serious and incendiary claim that is not backed up by the facts presented in the story.

Breaking news: Interstate Bridge Replacement Project Administrator Greg Johnson is stepping down from his role in the project effective Dec. 31. He will be replaced by Carley Francis from WashDOT.

The man was on a DoorDash delivery run at the time that another Portland resident filmed his arrest.

On Saturday, October 18, ICE agents used a barrage of tear gas, stun (flashbang) grenades, and pepper bullets on demonstrators, leaving the neighborhood street in front of their building filled with gas for at least 10 minutes. More on this and the earlier No Kings rally at portlandmercury.com

Tens of thousands attended this weekend's No Kings march in Portland. The Mercury sent @taylorgriggs.bsky.social and photojournalist @corbinsmith.bsky.social to cover the massive demonstration, who returned with an essay documenting the voices, faces, and frogs fighting against authoritarianism.

People are dressed up and dancing outside Portland’s ICE facility. It’s raining lightly and there’s lingering tear gas in the air from a recent major gassing and occasional pepper ball deployment.

It’s raining at the ICE facility in South Portland and agents on the roof put up a tent. It didn’t seem like ICE could still lose the crowd’s respect but it appears they did.

Massive crowd at Portland’s No Kings protest today. Will be posting updates here as the march continues. @portlandmercury.com

saw this clip of the NYC mayor debate and i had tears in my eyes, perhaps the most insane section of any debate ever

I did not know this existed because I’m not Catholic, nor have I read The Da Vinci Code. But wow—this is wild. Evangelical Christianity is so powerful in modern US politics that one can overlook the specter of Catholicism. Interesting read here:

BikePortland obtained via a public records request, letters from two law firms that intensely oppose the bus lanes. The firms represent Washman (which has two car washes on 82nd), Fubonn, and a strip mall owner. bikeportland.org/2025/10/16/t...

US District Judge Karin Immergut ruled Wednesday that a restraining order blocking deployment of any National Guard troops to Oregon will be extended by two weeks. The original restraining order was set to expire this weekend.

Data reviewed by OPB show the DOJ's assertion that Portland's ICE building was out of commission for three weeks this summer is inaccurate.

The Portland frogs merit better artistic renditions than all the AI slop that’s being created about them!!!!

Emergency World Naked Bike Ride in Portland, OR—getting ready to go.

Massive escalation at the Portland ICE facility. Worst I’ve ever seen. More pepper balls than I can count. Teargas in the middle of crowd. Violent arrests. Some type of either noise or rubber bullet shotgun fired into the air then later aimed at protesters chests/heads at near point blank range.

The frog brigade is officially on scene at the Portland ICE facility. Despite the wet weather, spirits are very high.

Streets are still closed off in front of the Portland ICE facility at 8:30pm. Protesters have gathered on a side street. Dance party in progress.

Portland small business boosters, it’s time to embrace the inflatable animal costume economy. The people are willing to shell out cash for these and we need as much variety as we can get!!!

Apropos of nothing, Sec. Kristi Noem is currently praying over Burgerville with Portland ICE officials.

Residents of apartments surrounding the ICE facility say they can't get vehicles in or out and got no warning that the streets would be closed off.

The Oregon Republican Party tried to help Donald Trump make the case for military intervention in Portland with an image of a fiery protest — but since Portland is calm, they had to fabricate one by merging old photos of police in Ecuador and protesters in Brazil www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Say what you will about Taylor Swift, but I am personally quite grateful to her for making it ok to be an adult woman named Taylor. In my mind, that’s the name of a young child covered in dirt. So thank you, Taylor, for your much-needed (and highly outsized) contribution to this important field.

In response to an investigation launched by the federal government into the Portland Police Bureau’s policing practices at the local ICE facility, the city attorney shot back, laying out a pattern of excessive force used on protesters, and favoritism toward conservative streamers by federal police.