Who has the latest on the whale in Yachats?

Some news: tomorrow at 9am, Ted Koppel + CBS Sunday Morning will air a two-part story on the devastating surge of full-time workers being pushed into homelessness. I'll be interviewed along with two families from There Is No Place for Us. It would mean a lot if you'd watch and help spread the word.

People whose identities are systemically marginalized are also “everyday Americans.”

Advocates are celebrating a small win that makes a big difference in their lawsuit against the city after an appeals court ruled in their favor Thursday. A state land use board that understands complicated land use law better than the city's preferred Multnomah County court will hear their case.

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.

Yesterday city officials considered removing funding from a homeless sweeps program, and things got tense. Mayor Wilson rallied ahead of the vote, sparking fear in service providers that their funding could be cut. Providers say they need more notice next time if policy-makers want strong coalition.

Jeremiah’s rare, out of patience post, seven hours into a long ass Portland City Council meeting, with no good reason to post it: DSA is not a political party. K see ya.

I am so grateful for this award and to be in this company I don't have the words www.millerfound.org/news/spark-a...

This is amazing news for an amazing author, person, and friend @lydiakiesling.bsky.social. I’m proud! Congrats!

I love watching the crows fly downtown at night.

Somehow, Portland still wins in the funniest possible way.

Somehow, Portland still wins in the funniest possible way.

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.

NEW: We reviewed 700+ videos, hours of footage from ICE protesters and counterprotesters in Portland. In 2 months before Trump said he was sending the National Guard, federal officers fire on, grab, pepper-spray or tear gas people 20 times -- without charging anyone. "Gratuitous," one expert said.

Early results show roughly 53 percent of Portland voters favored a new parks levy measure. The measure would set up a new, increased property tax to support the city's parks system. While the results could change as more ballots are counted, parks levy supporters are celebrating the early returns.

According to police, the man was trying to use an electrical outlet in a shed near Avalos’ house to plug in a heater. The outlet didn't work, so he reportedly lit a small fire, which spread. Court records indicate the suspect is likely unhoused and battling behavioral health issues.

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.

Multnomah County last week paused rapid rehousing program vouchers for nearly 700 homeless residents, including those that move people directly from shelter into housing. As Mayor Wilson expands Portland's overnight shelter capacity, critics say shelters could bottleneck without housing supports.

The Mariners’ championship season begins!

Just to be clear, “camping” is something people do for enjoyment. Hope this helps!

If you don't know Portland at all this is a good primer by @jeremiahhayden.bsky.social, in his last story for @streetroots.bsky.social (in conjunction with @us.theguardian.com) before joining @portlandmercury.com www.streetroots.org/news/2025/10...

This story has been updated to include comments from Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vazquez, who says his office is eager to support Wilson’s plan, and will devote office resources and time to back up his efforts.

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.

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.

The generosity and benevolence of the councilor's friends, political supporters, and constituents was clear, but state ethics rules around providing cash gifts to public officials can complicate things for those on the receiving end. ⁠A staffer says Avalos will fully comply with state guidelines.

💔For every traffic fatality there are at least 10x that many victims of traffic violence who have life altering injuries, economic impacts, trauma. We can't police our way out of this violence. We can however, as a community, decide to invest in making streets that improve the quality of our lives.

I don’t cover transpo in Portland but I live in District 1 and I gotta say, it is just a blood bath out here with traffic violence. Two pedestrian fatalities last night (102 & Halsey and 122 & Glisan). These lives are just two of the countless consequences of ignoring an entire corner of the city…

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.

1. Friends, I want to reintroduce myself — in the context of my new gig at The Contrarian, where I’m now a Senior Writer & Editor.

OR’s reputation as an environmental leader is largely a branding success, not a reflection of our laws, which are weak compared to WA and CA. Take the example of Sustainable Aviation Fuel - our government just accepts industry claims it is good while WA holds a public process to assess its impacts.

SNAP isn't about "people who don't work." It's about people who don't get paid enough to live. Of the 40 or so million people who rely on food stamps: * Two-thirds are children, seniors, or disabled * Most working-age adults who receive SNAP are employed—but in jobs that pay poverty wages

My current crackpot theory is that congress is not coming back and the billionaires are just going to pay bribes to Trump to keep open the privatized agencies they like and shutter the rest.

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.

My current crackpot theory is that congress is not coming back and the billionaires are just going to pay bribes to Trump to keep open the privatized agencies they like and shutter the rest.

I can’t remember who but someone recently told me fascists never win power with majority approval, they just get whatever the centrists are willing to let them take. To me, that says everything about how anyone in any role should approach this moment. (Hint: The fascists shouldn’t get anything.)

Trump's version of a 'war ravaged' Portland did not appear out of thin air. The city's struggle to combat the housing crisis and homelessness is not a mystery to its residents, who are still waiting for adequate permanent housing options. (This story is co-published with @us.theguardian.com)

I noticed at Portland ICE last Saturday this agent, who was identified as a federal officer from the Bureau of Prisons. It seems strange that he would be in riot gear at an otherwise peaceful protest, but the administration seems to be pulling out any burly dude who wants to hurt people.

Mayors Wilson’s overnight shelters have a remarkable vacancy rate — some up to 80% empty on average night. He says that’s a positive. “I’ve told my team I need hundreds of empty beds every night.” That’s because it will allow him to start enforcing the city’s public camping ban next month.

“…in 2018, the first Trump administration added funds to help farmers struggling under retaliatory tariffs the U.S. faced amid trade disputes.” “Now characterizing the additional funding as a ‘Biden-era slush fund,’ the second Trump administration cut $500 million that had already been allocated.”

If you haven't signed up for a migra watch or legal observer training yet time to do it comrades

Leo Perales, a city councilmember in Pasco, Washington, introduced an initiative earlier this year called DOPE: Department of Pasco Efficiency. And in June, seemingly out of nowhere, he asked his colleagues to vote on removing fluoride from the water, despite longtime support for it.

Wow, The Guardian worked with Street Roots and an excellent local reporter to co-publish an actually good and nuanced article about Portland. Some other national and international outlets could save a few parachutes and better serve their readers by borrowing this approach.

"Here’s one way this gap played out. The Wayback Machine does not turn up a record of Oregon Public Broadcasting’s homepage on September 28. That was the day after President Trump ordered the deployment of 200 national guard troops to Portland, Oregon."

Ok we’re moving fast people! State of Oregon immediately requested En Banc hearing for reconsideration of the decision by judges across the 9th Circuit: www.courtlistener.com/docket/71554...

wow, a good and nuanced take on Portland’s issues written by an actual Portlander?! @nytimes.com take notes <3

I don't think many of the facts are wrong in this piece, but I do think the headline draws some bad conclusions: if we'd actually kept the "growth machine" better oiled for longer—or oiled it earlier—we'd have more housing and a better and more affordable city today.

Excellent article by @jeremiahhayden.bsky.social providing over a decade of context to truths + lies about Portland, Oregon. Co-published with the indefatigable @streetroots.bsky.social

Excellent reporting from @jeremiahhayden.bsky.social, a clearheaded analysis of actual conditions and challenges on the ground in Portland (spoiler, not war ravaged or burning). This bit at the bottom also warmed my heart. Kudos to @theguardian.com for co-publishing with @streetroots.bsky.social. ❤️