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Whiplash! Now the Street Fee Advisory Vote's on "Pause" While State Officials...
by Denis C. Theriault Illustration by Jess Smart SmileyAhead of a deadline at 5 tonight to put a street fee advisory vote on next week's council agenda, Mayor Charlie Hales and Commissioner Steve...
View ArticleGood Morning, News: Oregon's Endangered GOP, Target Practice with Black Men,...
by Denis C. Theriault Identifying as a Republican in Oregon is an increasingly lonely affair. The party's share of registered voters has hit a new low—just 30 percent. And after another bad election...
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Prominent Street Fee Critic Was Recently Elected Head of the Multnomah County...
by Denis C. Theriault via TwitterEric FruitsAn Oregonian story this morning on the beleaguered state Republican Party's leadership and fundraising struggles included a familiar name—alongside an...
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In 2004, a bid to ease sewer and water bills sliced money for paving instead. Or did it? by Denis C. Theriault HISTORY LESSONS have abounded in Portland City Hall over the past months, ever since...
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Commissioner Fritz presses the mayor on better protecting protesters. by Denis C. Theriault MAYOR CHARLIE HALES has suggested he'd be open to setting more limits on when Portland cops can show up at...
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The road to a Portland street fee now runs through Salem. by Denis C. Theriault IT DIDN'T MATTER that the call came in the middle of a Portland City Council meeting. Governor John Kitzhaber and House...
View ArticleGood Morning, News: Presented by the Doomsday Clock, WASP Nicknames, and...
by Denis C. Theriault The Doomsday Clock—a Cold War relic that's weirdly (and sadly) retained minor relevance) has hovered at five minutes to midnight for the past three years. Everyone expects that...
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Making Infrastructure Sizzle? Fritz Sells Colleagues on New Plan to Spend...
by Denis C. Theriault Illustration by Jess Smart SmileyPortland City Council's oft-ignored policies on infrastructure spending and maintenance are about to be refreshed, and with great fanfare—another...
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by Denis C. Theriault Snap to, vape fiends! Multnomah County commissioners are mulling over putting some new restrictions on your e-cigarette-type flavored tobacco juice vaporizers—maybe banning them...
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Trader Joe's Fallout: Housing Bureau Posts Plan for $20 Million in...
by Denis C. Theriault Four months after hosting forums on the past and future of gentrification in North and Northeast Portland—and nearly a year after the churn and controversy of an aborted attempt...
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Police Watchdog to Probe Cops' Commitment to Outing Dishonest Officers
by Denis C. Theriault illustration by neil perryThe US Constitution is painfully clear when it comes to cops and prosecutors' responsibility upon finding evidence that might prove helpful, instead of...
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After Her Husband's Death, Amanda Fritz Sadly Allows that "Things Have...
by Denis C. Theriault Enjoy the following sneak preview from today's Mercury—an early-bird and augmented version of our Hall Monitor column. Remember to read our whole news section once we hit...
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Saltzman Forecasts Broken Promises, Votes Against New Infrastructure Spending...
by Denis C. Theriault Illustration by Jess Smart SmileyCommissioner Dan Saltzman was plainspoken this morning when standing apart from his Portland City Council colleagues—all of whom had...
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A Portland cop's Facebook posts raise questions about lack of a social media policy. by Denis C. Theriault A PORTLAND COP flagged for poking at police accountability protesters on Facebook was briefly...
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Commissioner Amanda Fritz will be a far stronger incumbent in 2016 than she was in 2012. by Denis C. Theriault WHETHER SHE WON or lost in 2012—the latter briefly seeming possible in her bitter fight...
View ArticleGood Morning, News: KOIN Kills Kommenting! Cops Make Dubious Arrests! Cuba...
by Denis C. Theriault Look at little ol' KOIN! They've killed the comments on their website and declared "it’s time to be honest about what comment boards have morphed into over the years": For every...
View ArticleGood Morning, News: Goodbye, Affordable Housing? Good Riddance, Willard...
by Denis C. Theriault In a mistakenly sent email griping about our "overly political mayor," the Zidell family's public relations guru lays out a plan for stepping away from a development deal with...
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LIVE BLOG! State of the City 2015! Will the Real Charlie Hales Please Stand Up?
by Denis C. Theriault ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH HARMONBEFORE YOU DIVE IN, HERE'S A RECAP:• Hales wants $15 an hour for all full-time city workers.• Hales has promised housing for all homeless veterans by...
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Heartburn in Portland City Hall over Hales' Call to Give (Some) City Workers...
by Denis C. Theriault Mayor Charlie Hales' office forecast a "great debate" over living wages in city hall this year, after the Mercury's Dirk VanderHart last month examined the likely sizable cost of...
View ArticleGood Morning, News: Food Cart Pants Meat! Measles Politics! Long Live the...
by Denis C. Theriault "Some of the people shoplifting would steal meat, shove it down their pants, leave the store, and ultimately sell it to a food cart. They're using it for food and selling it to...
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