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Portland Mercury

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Mercury Music Picks: A John Prine Christmas, a...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/09

Nolan Parker by Nolan Parker Drizzle getting you down? Fed up with puddles? Try live music, it's sure to put the pep back in your step this rainy December. Local, national, and international heat this week includes two "Christmas concerts," jungle acid trumpet from Tokyo by-way-of NYC, an actual Christmas concert celebrating John Prine, some real deal Texas shoegaze, and the unbelievably chill hip-hop of Earl

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SAVAGE LOVE: Creepy Dancer

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/09

Hands off! Her new boyfriend's friend is a dancefloor groper. by Dan Savage Cisgender bi-female late forties, living in the Bay Area. My boyfriend and I have been dating six months and are very much in love. His friends party quite a bit, lots of drinking and other party favors, and we all enjoy feeling good on the dance floor. The first time I met one of his friends — a guy in his thirties — it was a big, fun

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Good Morning, News: Atmospheric River Underway,...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/09

by Taylor Griggs If you appreciate the Mercury's interesting and useful news & culture reporting, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. Your donation is tax-deductible. You can also subscribe and have our papers delivered! Hello and good morning, Portland. It's rainy, as I'm sure you know. The weather is notable enough today to get its own bullet point below, so read on if you're curious.

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Mountain Goats Songs That Are About Portland, an...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/09

Holly Hazelwood by Holly Hazelwood Like a Canadian looking for any opportunity to point out an actor or musician is Canadian, any Portland-based Mountain Goats obsessive will leap at the chance to tell you just how much the Rose City comes up in the lyrics of singer-songwriter John Darnielle. Enough to make Elliott Smith’s references look sparse by comparison. The influence of location on Darnielle’s music can’t

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Legacy Health Staff Say They’ll Stay on Strike Until...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/08

Clinicians say their pay hasn’t kept pace with wages at other local health care systems as the two sides begin mediation. by Abe Asher Advanced practice providers at Legacy Health medical centers in Portland remain on strike this week, and say they’ll stay on their picket lines until they reach an agreement for a new labor contract. “The energy is high,” Megan Barckert, a nurse practitioner at Legacy Cancer

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: Your Top Events for...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/08

This week: eggnog cocktails, Scandinavian pastries, and topical humor. by Lindsay Costello It's that time of the year when all of your holiday obligations might be catching up to you—parties, presents, navigating family dynamics—and if you're like, "I don't wanna Do This, Do That," we understand. But then again, you did click the link to read this article, so you have to be at least a little intrigued by what's

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Photo Essay: Krampuslauf in Portland

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/08

Demonic goats, witches, and winter spirits gathered in Sewallcrest Park before treating SE Hawthorne to a holiday sight. by Elayna Yussen 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

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THE TRASH REPORT: Halle Berry and Sabrina Carpenter...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/08

Your weekly can of juicy trash is full. by Elinor Jones Hello Trash Pandas, and happy December! ’Tis I, Elinor Jones. Christmas has exploded in my home, with decorations that are a combination of vintage keepsakes my mom kept from my childhood and random crap my daughter insisted we buy from Freddie's. It's pure chaos and I will love it for the next three weeks and not a second longer. (Can you tell I'm a Cancer?)

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Good Morning, News: PCEF Pays Out $64 Million,...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/08

by Courtney Vaughn The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. 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! We’re just under two weeks away from winter’s official onset. Need gift ideas, or tips on beating Seasonal Affective

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YOUR SUNDAY READING LIST: ICE Facility Beware, a Big...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/07

by Wm. Steven Humphrey GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It's the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being "the last to know," then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to your email's in-box... and then... YOUR HEAD.) • City Council Puts Financial Crackdown On Detention

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If you actually want to see change

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/07

by Anonymous I see a lot of people who get passionate about change in our world to care about people but I don't see a lot of day to day action. Daily interactions are filled with people rushing, becoming easily frustrated and harshly judging others without consideration. Claiming to care about people while judging those who struggle, lack resources, or don’t meet socially approved standards is a contradiction. It’s easy to advocate for

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Noise & Grain Combines Two of Portland’s Loves: Film...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/06

Nolan Parkerby Nolan Parker Since the advent of pocket-sized cameras that hold thousands and thousands of photos, everyone with the means to buy a smartphone can document their lives, editing and sharing images from around the world in seconds. Is this a good thing? Generally, yes. Does that make everyone a photographer? Absolutely not. Those continuing to shoot film photography are the real photographers,

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Amid Grim Outlook for National Climate Investments,...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/05

PCEF awarded grants to 59 local nonprofits for climate projects. The news comes as the well-endowed program is at risk of being tapped for other city priorities. by Taylor Griggs It’s been a tough year for climate work around the country, with the Trump administration slashing funding for programs intended to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the threats of the climate crisis. But Portland has a secret weapon

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The Best Bang for Your Buck Events in Portland This...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/05

My People's Market, Holiday Drink Week, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $20 by EverOut Staff It's hard to believe we've reached the first weekend of the last month of the year, but here we are. Spend your invaluable time and energy and budget-friendly events from My People’s Market 17 to Paired by Poetry Volume 13 and from The Portland Mercury's Holiday Drink Week to Leach Botanical Garden's WinterFest. For

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Good Morning, News: City Afraid of 'Big PR Problem'...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/05

by Jeremiah Hayden If you appreciate the Mercury's interesting and useful news & culture reporting, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. Your donation is tax-deductible. You can also subscribe and have our papers delivered! Good Morning, Portland: Today I'm joined by the inimitable Suzette Smith for a few short cameos because, well, sometimes great people do kindnesses for other people. And if

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Portland Art Museum Wants to Be Used

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/05

Once hidden galleries can now be found; Rothko Pavilion presents a new way to see what was already there. by Suzette Smith "We always want to respect our donors," says Julia Dolan, Portland Art Museum (PAM)'s senior photography curator. "But we're trying to orient directionally." Dolan was leading a tour group through the new Rothko Pavilion, walking us into the north wing, which happens to house the now more

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Former Housing Director Says She Was Told Not to...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/04

A memo Helmi Hisserich sent to city councilors says city administration viewed unspent funds as "a big PR problem." by Jeremiah Hayden This story has been updated to include comments from Deputy City Administrator Donnie Olivera's office. The former director of the Portland Housing Bureau says she was ousted for trying to advance City Council’s social housing policy and was unfairly blamed for revenue that went

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Ticket Alert: Evanescence, FKA twigs, and More...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/04

Plus, Chance Peña and More Event Updates for December 4 by EverOut Staff Now that you’ve gotten your 2025 recap from your music streamer of choice, it’s time to look ahead to some upcoming concerts. Goth rockers Evanescence bring you to life at the Cascades Amphitheater next summer. Avant-pop artist FKA twigs supports her companion albums Eusexua and Eusexua Afterglow on her Body High Tour. Plus, indie folk

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Concert Review: Primitive Man Howls in the Holiday...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/04

Holly Hazelwood by Holly Hazelwood For many people, the autumn/winter zone between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be one of the bleakest slogs of the year. Can you think of a better way to kick that off than the most doom-laden concert that mortal money can buy? We can't, which was why a black Friday barrage, courtesy of Denver-based doombringers Primitive Man, was a no-brainer. This seems true for many

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FREE TICKETS THURSDAY: Enter to Win Free Tix to See...

Portland Mercury ·

2025/12/04

by Mercury Promotions 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

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