Let multi-hyphenate superstar and electric lady Janelle Monáe transport you to the Age of Pleasure this September. Also this fall, the sound of guitar solos will fill our city as Queens of the Stone Age and Tool have both announced local tour dates. Plus, get ready for good girl Nikki Glaser

MUSIC

Agalloch
Crystal Ballroom (Sat Sept 23)

Ben Howard
Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Wed Nov 8)

Boris & Melvins
Roseland Theater (Thurs Aug 31)

In 2011, an upstart start-up arrived on the scene with the intent of disrupting the traditional methods of moviegoing—before flaming out spectacularly eight years later. 

While active, the folks behind MoviePass—a service that at one point allowed subscribers to watch a movie per day for a ridiculously low monthly fee—burned through millions of dollars and the patience of its users. Its subscription fees and terms of service kept changing in response to demand, technical glitches, and the fury of the major studios and theater chains. Surprising few, the company shuttered in 2019. 

Knowing all that, how in the hell is MoviePass back in the world of the living and what does this mean for our local theaters? And why on earth am I so excited about its return?

The answer to the first question is pretty easy to track. Stacy Shines, one of the co-founders of MoviePass, was given the go-ahead by a bankruptcy judge to repurchase the company last August and quickly set in motion plans for a relaunch. Beta testing began a month later in a few key markets, expanding further this past January after getting an injection of cash from Animoca Brands, a Hong Kong-based venture capital firm. 

All the bugs apparently worked out, the resurrection of MoviePass was officially made manifest on Monday with the service now open to all. Users can now choose between four different subscription levels ranging from $10-40 that will allow them to see between one and 30 movies each month at any local theater. 

For dedicated cinephiles like myself, it's an almost too good to be true offer. As an early adopter, I've been using MoviePass since February, catching screenings at Cinema 21, Century 16, and AMC Vancouver Mall 23 without issue. If, unlike me, you are approaching this development with a lot of skepticism, you have every reason to be wary. 

Every decision made on behalf of MoviePass 1.0 was very much a leaping-before-looking situation. The initial launch of the service in San Francisco was a mess. Users were forced to print out physical vouchers to exchange for a ticket, and because MoviePass didn’t consult with theaters ahead of time, many refused to accept it as payment. After fixing that glitch by the creation of a debit-style card for users, the company kept fumbling along, offering up an ever-changing selection of subscription options while acquiring and squandering many millions of dollars in investment funds. 

The hubris reached its height when, in 2018, the company announced the creation of MoviePass Films, a subsidiary that would produce new movies. All that came out of that venture was 10 Minutes Gone, a best-forgotten crime thriller co-starring Bruce Willis (“Almost every element of the film has been seemingly engineered to be the ne plus ultra of slapdash ineptitude,” sniffed Slant’s Derek Smith in his review), and a short-lived deal with NEON Films to co-release a pair of movies, including the bizarre, beautiful drama Border. The deal quickly fell apart the next year, setting the stage for MoviePass’s bankruptcy. 

At the outset, MoviePass redux doesn’t seem to be that much different than its original incarnation. Subscribers still receive a physical card to use to pay for their ticket and the expectation is that it will be accepted at whatever theater they take it to. The company also hasn’t reached out to any movie houses to give them a heads up or offer them the option of whether or not to accept the pass. Not that they really need to. As Joe Bolenbaugh, marketing manager at Portland’s Hollywood Theatre said in an email, “MoviePass works like a credit card, so we really have no decision to make. We’ll accept it just like any other card-based payment.” 

The system is, of course, not without its flaws. Unlike all other subscription services like Regal Unlimited, Cinemark’s MovieClub, or AMC’s Stubs, you can’t buy tickets well in advance, thereby securing you an early seat. You have to be within the physical proximity of the actual theater to first check in on the MoviePass app and then pay at the box office. Also, the pass only works for regular 2D showings, leaving you on the hook for 3D, IMAX, or special event screenings. And as Brian Alter, executive director at the Grand Illusion Cinema in Seattle, points out, the cost/benefit math of using MoviePass may simply not add up. 

“I think [it] probably makes sense if someone is going to the multiplex a lot,” he writes via email. “But at the Grand Illusion, they could buy a membership for $40/year and get into almost every film for $6. Maybe that’s not the same sweet deal as MoviePass, but we typically show indie/foreign films that no one else in town is showing.” 

For this regular filmgoer, MoviePass makes sense as an addendum to my Regal Unlimited subscription and my membership at the Hollywood, making sure I’m not burning through as much cash as I otherwise would to catch screenings at the other multiplexes and the indie houses in the area. Not so much the beginning of a beautiful friendship as it is a side piece that I simply can’t quit. 

LET'S GO, BRAINY BOTTOM! 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've got lotsa Qs about Oregon booby trap makers, local wild animals on a pet-trampling rampage, and... guess what? It's the MERCURY'S 23rd BIRTHDAY! (What did you get us?? 😃)

But before we continue... HOW DID YOU DO ON THE PREVIOUS QUIZ? Ooh-la-la, verrrrry good! And I especially liked your idea for a new Rose Festival event! (Hear that, organizers? So it is written, SO IT SHALL BE DONE! 🐶🌭)

OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY!

Create your own user feedback survey

I walk a lot around this city and the amount of full sun yards I see with nothing but mown grass is disgusting! Plant some fucking flowers and shrubs and trees, or some goddamn fruits and veggies! Feed the bees and the hummingbirds and other pollinators while helping conserve water and free up your weekends by not having to mow that shit and then blow your grass clippings into the street with your loud ass leaf blower that billows fumes like it’s fucking rolling coal. You’re lucky enough to own a piece of land in one of the most beautiful corners of the world, show some respect and gtfo with your grass yard. Ban grass yards!

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! The Mercury's SANDWICH WEEK is still going on—but only until Sunday, so make sure to grab an 8 dollar sandwich from top-notch spots around the city before it's too late. You can find all the details here. 

The only thing better than sandwiches? News roundups. So let's get into it.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Portland City Council did as everyone expected and voted "aye" to ban daytime camping from city-owned property (you know, the plan that's going to be "impossible to comply with.") The only "no" vote came from Commissioner Carmen Rubio. But Commissioner Mingus Mapps didn't vote either, even though he supposedly supports the policy, because he's in Washington, D.C. on his transportation grindset. Seems a little convenient, if you ask me. Either way, the ordinance—which will be needlessly cruel AS WELL AS ineffective—passed. Our Courtney Vaughn has more. 

Imagine looking at a person suffering on the street without housing and thinking that what they really needed wasn’t care and attention and shelter but instead a citation and a pathway into the carceral system. It’s all so embarrassing, motivated by our worst, illogical impulses https://t.co/D5wDrCmgiJ

— amb ☀️ (@ambrown) June 8, 2023

• Former Oregon Governor Kate Brown will need to give a deposition in the class-action lawsuit that alleges she and other state officials acted with "reckless indifference" toward the health of people in Oregon prisons during the pandemic. The trial is set to start next summer.  

• The culture war wages on in southern Oregon: funding was just cut for Oregon State University's extension program in Josephine County because local commissioners and community members believe it to have a "woke agenda." It appears one inciting disagreement between OSU and critics in Josephine County happened over a 4-H shirt that featured a large cross. OSU officials wanted kids in 4-H to wear different shirts—the land-grant university has a very reasonable religious neutrality policy—which community members balked at, saying it's sad to "take God out of 4-H." Now, it seems that youth in Josephine County won't have access to 4-H at all. 

It took us 10 years, but we wrestled back this terrible decision and then kept pushing.

Today, Portland's city council unanimously voted to cut the last vestiges of mandatory auto parking from city code. 🎉🎉🎉 https://t.co/qxWRnPfKDV

— Michael Andersen (@andersem) June 8, 2023

• If I may have a moment to kvetch: my allergies are sooo bad right now, and yours might be too—the Willamette Valley is experiencing record pollen counts. But as this Oregonian article points out, the going is a lot tougher for our pals in Eugene. Sorry, guys. 

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Pat Robertson, the disgustingly homophobic and bigoted televangelist, has died at 93. Robertson will be remembered for blaming gay people and feminists for 9/11 (among other terrible things he said) and essentially laying the groundwork for the modern conservative culture war ruining so many lives. MOVING ON.

• Smoke from Canadian wildfires is still looming over New York and the eastern US, and it looks awful. While I understand the desire to scoff at these New Yorkers and their pathetically pink lungs ('cause out west, we've BEEN inhaling particulate matter), I would urge the fighting to stop so we can direct our wrath toward the real enemies. I'm talking about Chevron, BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, and the rest of their ilk, whose execs purposefully hid information about the climate crisis for decades and are continuing to sow the seeds of our planet's destruction in order to pad their pockets with a little more cash. You can't take it with you, folks, especially not where the Big Oil CEOs are going. 

“Whether it’s the depth of the snow, the volume of the rainfall, or the speed of the flames, when it comes to extreme weather, our heads are still in the 20th century.” https://t.co/0lF6ngQpyW

— David Wallace-Wells (@dwallacewells) June 8, 2023

• The orcas have struck again since I checked in on them last week: on Monday, five Iberian killer whales left a sailor stranded on Gibraltar after tossing his yacht around "like a rag doll." By the way, I'm designating myself the Mercury's official whale-watcher, so you can expect more updates on these marine animals whether you want them or not. 

• Federal prosecutors have formally notified Donald Trump that he's a target of their investigation into why he had those classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after leaving office in 2021. According to the New York Times, this is "the clearest signal yet that the former president is likely to face charges in the investigation." Good news, maybe, but I'm not holding my breath about this one. 

• Finally, it's almost Friday. May the rest of your week be as blissful as this seal covered in mud:

this probably feels immaculate pic.twitter.com/d7daDNHvAU

— claudia (@idkcloudy) June 7, 2023

In the realm of politics, some leaders recognize the threat of homelessness as a motivator to control a certain class of the population. As a result, they are unmotivated to provide meaningful solutions to this pressing issue. Instead, they resort to measures like no camping ordinances and bans on feeding the homeless, which serve as cruel acts of kabuki theater, designed to change the window dressing on the problem of gross inequality. These leaders employ these measures as smokescreens, diverting attention from the systemic causes of homelessness and their failure to make any measurable progress on the issue during their tenures. No camping ordinances are attempts push the homeless out of public spaces, making their struggle invisible to the general public. By criminalizing actions such as camping or providing food to those in need, they create an illusion of control and prosperity, while ignoring the desperate circumstances faced by those on the streets. Such policies, including bans on feeding the homeless, undermine the efforts of compassionate individuals and organizations who aim to provide basic sustenance to those in need. By criminalizing acts of kindness, they stigmatize and isolate the homeless community, perpetuating their suffering and marginalization. It is crucial to recognize these measures as empty performances that distract from the underlying issues of inequality and lack of social support. We must reject this theatrical approach and demand real solutions rooted in compassion, social justice, and the principles of human dignity.

Fining homeless people $100 for violating the no day time camping rules? Really? These people have nothing and you want to fine them? Seriously, not one person on your staff had the guts to call you an idiot? This is a tough problem but first arrest the drug dealers and users. Long prison terms or rehab for first offense, prison for the repeats. Just do that. 60% of the problem goes away. The rest we help. Time to grow a pair Ted.

We’re almost to summer, music nerds! Whether you’re into rock, jazz, or pop, there’s a little something for everyone this week, thanks to an increasing amount of genre-fluidity running rampant these days. Here are two shows and one new release to dig into this month and beyond... right Hear in Portland!

Upcoming local show(s) featuring local artist(s).

One of Portland’s most enduringly epic rock groups, the Prids, will soon bring their atmospheric indie shoegaze to Lollipop Shoppe's intimate stage. While they haven't released a proper album since 2018’s Do I Look Like I’m In Love, there were a number of worthwhile reissues in 2020 (a fine thing to do in 2020), and last spring the group put out a two-pack of singles, including “Small Amounts,” and “Liar of My Dreams.” The former track features hushed vocals and an eerie energy, to compliment lyrics about emotional unavailability: “We go through with it/ Half way out the door/ You want apologies/ You’ve given your last tour.” In keeping with this show’s dark-ish vibes, support comes in the form of gothic post-punk from fellow Portland bands Vueltas, as well as experimental/industrial trio Ism. (Lollipop Shoppe, 736 SE Grand, Fri June 9, 8:30 pm, $18, tickets here, 21+) 

<a href="https://theprids.bandcamp.com/album/small-amounts-liar-of-my-dreams">Small Amounts / Liar of my Dreams by The Prids</a>

New release(s) from a Portland-relevant artist. 

Driven by Portland multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Roman Norfleet, Be Present Art Group just released a self-titled debut EP via Chicago's Portland's Mississippi Records. [Record label Mississippi Records thinks it lives in Chicago now, but the store and the SPIRIT remain in Portland. -eds.] “The album emerged out of drum gatherings in Washington DC’s Malcolm X Park—a pocket of freedom built on collective improvisation and shared rhythm,” the album's liner notes read. Norfleet assembled a collective of artists, in Portland channel the energy of those DC sessions, working with vocalists Jacque Hammond and Mia Raiah, percussionists Darian Anthony Patrick and Elijah Jamal Asani, and Brown Calculus members Andre Raiah (Brown Calvin) and Vaughn Kimmons (Brown Alice). The resulting album is earthy, cosmic, and transgenerational. Its inspirations span time and space, via the African diaspora from spirituals to the jazz era. “Brothers Gathering” is all chimes and bells. “Cosmic Forces" leans into sax and percussion. “A Vessel” and “Future Ancestors/Awaken” are each a whopping eleven minutes long—the latter is exquisite, featuring lots of erratic saxophone over progressively jazz-informed organ, and ending with a bevy of guttural vocalizations. The upbeat track “Joy” isn’t a slow burn like the others, but rather a jam session named for its repeated mantra, one of the only constants in the song. The final track, “Turiya the Butterfly,” features vocals from the titular toddler Turiya, the daughter of band members Andre and Mia Raiah.

<a href="https://mississippirecords.bandcamp.com/album/roman-norfleet-and-be-present-art-group">Roman Norfleet and Be Present Art Group by Roman Norfleet and Be Present Art Group</a>

Some upcoming music buzz to put on your radar.

On June 9, Janelle Monae fans finally receive her long-awaited fourth studio album, The Age of Pleasure, and the teaser album video—which portrays Monae’s naked chest—has everyone beyond excited. I was obsessed with Monae's outstanding 2018 film and album, Dirty Computer, and I’m looking forward to hearing her attempt to improve upon it, especially since lead single “Lipstick Lover” is absolutely ravishing. I want the Kris Bowers and Brian and Caleb Chan—the orchestra behind Bridgerton's orchestral pop covers—to do an all-strings version of it for season three, and I want it to play while an epic love scene takes place. JUST AN IDEA! The singer and rapper returns to the Pacific Northwest with her “Age of Pleasure Tour” on September 2, marking her first visit since slaying Edgefield in 2018. For some reason the show will be at RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater in Ridgefield, instead of literally any other place. Concertgoers should buckle up for some serious post-show parking lot traffic. (RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater, 17200 NE Delfel Rd, Ridgefield, WA, 8 pm, $124 and up, tickets here, all ages)

I'm exhausted. I put so much effort into building connections, but it feels like a one-way street. I'm constantly initiating check-ins and conversations, yet rarely do others reach out to me. It's frustrating, but I understand that there are various reasons for this dynamic. I'm aware that social anxiety, awkwardness, and unhealthy behaviors like ghosting can contribute to mutual isolation. I don't want to sound whiney, but sometimes I just need to vent. I believe in treating others with kindness and care, and it can be disheartening when that isn't accepted as the norm. However, I also recognize that everyone has their own struggles and limitations. Perhaps it's time to let go of expectations and focus on accepting people as they are. Mutual isolation is a complex issue, and it's not solely the responsibility of one person. We all have our battles to fight. Instead of dwelling on the frustration, I'll make an effort to understand and support others, even if they struggle with reaching out. So, here's to embracing empathy, acknowledging our own needs, and cultivating a sense of understanding for the challenges we all face. Let's strive to create a world where kindness and connection prevail, even amidst the awkwardness and isolation we may encounter.

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! Do I need to remind you how much you love SANDWICHES? Well, then do I need to remind you that the Mercury's SANDWICH WEEK—featuring one-of-a-kind creations made by the city's top sammy makers for only 8 bucks each—is ending this Sunday? Don't panic, but it would BEHOOVE YOU to get all the info you need right HERE. It may also behoove you to check out this NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Portland city employees—the ones who do all the heavy lifting work on budgets, data analysis, developing policy, and lots more—have had it up to HERE (gesturing just about a foot over my head) with the shit pay they've been receiving and have formed a union to start getting what they're due. Check out this great explainer article from our Courtney Vaughn about this exciting new chapter for city employees.

More than 700 professional workers are now eligible to join an independent union for Portland employees. Organizers said salaries haven't kept up with inflation, and many other city workers are already unionized. https://t.co/ucFsDmXwU3

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) June 7, 2023

• Note: Portland City Council is scheduled to vote on the mayor's cruel plan to criminalize the homeless today at 3:30 pm. Stand by for our wrap-up, and get the background here.

In a city where homeless people are already much more likely to face arrest than housed people, officials have a ‘new’ proposal: warn, fine and arrest homeless Portlanders.https://t.co/GwOFVWB4Nj

— Street Roots (@StreetRoots) June 6, 2023

• As you may have heard, six women have been murdered recently and their bodies found in both Oregon and Washington. Portland Police were quick to issue a statement saying the murders were not connected, and... what's this? A source close to the investigation told the O that actually three of the six had been "known to frequent Southeast 82nd Avenue and an area near the Clackamas Town Center," and it's far too early in the investigation for the police to come out with such a careless statement—but isn't that kind of par for the course?

• Police in Redmond, Oregon, are investigating a hate crime after the town's mayor found a dead raccoon and a racist note in front of his door that was clearly directed at Redmond's only Black City Councilor. Sadly, this is only one of several recent racist incidents in one of Oregon's fastest growing cities.

• Wallowa County is the latest county to vote for seceding from the state of Oregon in the stupid, doomed plan known the "Greater Idaho Movement." The measure won by a scant 7 votes, but again, the subject is moot because even Idaho Republicans don't want them. 😢

• Thoughtless gun obsessives have rested their case in their court battle to overturn the voter-approved Measure 114 that would, among other things, ban large capacity ammo magazines that are necessary for those who love to commit mass shootings. Their primary defense: "But... but... OUR RIGHTS!!" Now, considerably more sane people (those protecting Measure 114 and the lives of those who don't want to be brutally murdered for someone's idiotic hobby) will make their appeal to the judge. 

Check out the stories from our amazing, talented Mercury writers that won lots of awards from the Society of Professional Journalists! 🏆https://t.co/NIl7Ft1ldb

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) June 6, 2023

IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:

• Wildfire season in Canada has begun in earnest, sending smoke and unhealthy, hazardous air into eastern portions of the US, affecting millions of people up and down the coast.

• Welp, that was mercifully quick: Controversial asshole Chris Licht, the chairman and chief executive of CNN for only one short year, has been given the boot. He will be remembered for kowtowing to calls for more right-wing news coverage and platforming Donald Trump by allowing him the stage on an episode of CNN Town Hall.

i know someone looking for an opportunity at a struggling media empire pic.twitter.com/A2AeLDOO1I

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) June 7, 2023

• Today in gun-happy America: A white Florida woman, Susan Louise Lorincz, has been arrested on charges of murdering her Black neighbor, Ajike Owens, following a two-and-a-half year feud. Owens was shot through the white woman's front door after Lorincz was heard yelling racial insults at Owens' children. MEANWHILE... A Black father and son were killed and five more were injured during a shooting on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. They were attending a high school graduation. 

• That federal indictment of Trump that we've all been waiting for could finally be drawing near as the grand jury investigation of his mishandling of classified documents reconvenes, and Trump's lawyers have been meeting with Justice Department officials. In other words, don't make the popcorn yet... but maybe stock up on your Orville Redenbachers.

pic.twitter.com/AtXqIOW90O

— Laurence Tribe 🇺🇦 ⚖️ (@tribelaw) June 6, 2023

• And finally... it's Wednesday. Watch your back.

pic.twitter.com/MItYxJEyZA

— place where cat shouldn't be (@catshouldnt) June 7, 2023

Employees at the city of Portland just formed Oregon’s second-largest independent labor union in the state. 

Professional employees of the city voted Tuesday, June 6, to unionize as the City of Portland Professional Workers (CPPW). 

A recent election saw 306 of 385 eligible employees vote in favor of the effort, representing 54% of all eligible employees. Organizers say efforts have been in the making for the past four or five years, spurred in part by salaries that haven’t kept pace with inflation.

“Effectively, our staff for the last three years have been working as hard, if not harder, than anyone else in the city because of inflation,” Connor Anderson, an outreach coordinator with the new union, told the Mercury on Tuesday. “One of the chief motivating factors for many folks is simple pay equity.”

Anderson said the group hopes to begin bargaining in August or September.

The new union represents professional positions, including coordinators, data analysts, policy developers, administrators, financial analysts, multimedia specialists, technology business representatives, and hearings officers. 

The group doesn’t include city commissioners’ direct staffers.

Kari Koch, CPPW organizing committee president, said the new union comprises employees whose expertise helps keep the city functioning. 

“City workers came out strong to say that we want a voice at the table,” Koch stated in an announcement of the new union. “CPPW members hold critical jobs in the city. We keep programs running, turn raw data into meaningful policy options, balance the books, and are helping guide Portland through the charter reform transitions. Our members work hard for the City and now are organizing for the respect we deserve.”

The Professional Workers are among the last city employees to join a union. Other employees are part of larger, national labor groups, Anderson noted. There are more than 700 employees who are now eligible to join the CPPW. 

Robert Pineda, who also serves on the organizing committee, said the city’s other unionized employees were often given more autonomy than professional workers.

“It’s been our members who’ve felt the sting of budget cuts, furloughs, and layoffs first,” Pineda said in Tuesday’s announcement. “While our unionized coworkers got the regular salary increases they deserved, and their rightful seat at the table to negotiate how best to deal with budget cuts, our members were lucky if they got two percent annual performance raises and are often the first ones on the chopping block. No more.”

The city of Portland employees are the latest in a wave of unionization efforts at businesses, restaurants, and nonprofits, small and large. 

In 2021, Burgerville employees signed their first union contract. Eight New Seasons Market locations are now unionized. Workers at Portland and Eugene locations of sporting goods and outdoor wear company, REI, have attempted to unionize, alongside Starbucks employees at a handful of Portland cafes, with mixed success.

Let's pause for a moment to recognize and celebrate the eye-popping talent of our Mercury writers... many of whom snagged awards this year for excellence in journalism and culture writing from the Oregon chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for stories published in the Mercury and elsewhere! Let's check 'em out:

Hard News category (second place): Former Mercury news reporter Isabella Garcia for her February 2022 feature, "Pumping the Brakes: How Can Portland Slow Its Rising Traffic Fatality Rate?" Isabella dug deep into the numbers, reporting on a startling rise (30 percent) in traffic-related deaths, and what the city is doing to slow down speeding drivers.

Review category (first place): Mercury Arts & Culture editor Suzette Smith for her March 2022 food review "Astral PDX's Han Oak Pop-up Is a "Fucked-up Good" Exploration of Mexican Cuisine." Suzette's smart and drool-worthy description of Astral PDX's five course prix fixe meal was a delight for all the senses.

Education reporting category (second place): Mercury News Editor Courtney Vaughn's (during her tenure with Pamplin Media) article "Teachers Say Special Education Is in Crisis." Special education teachers are understaffed and underpaid to the point where a crisis is imminent, and Courtney's deep dive into the situation was illuminating.

Review category (second place): Mercury Arts & Culture editor Suzette Smith for her September 2022 performance review "Four Hilarious Things That Happened at Takahiro Yamamoto’s NOTHINGBEING." Suzette offered a fun and intelligent description of TBA's thought-provoking NOTHINGBEING, a performance filled with amazing visuals, occasional hilarity, as well as... something kinda scary?

LGBTQ+ equity reporting category (first place): Mercury/EverOut Editor Janey Wong for her December 2022 piece for Eater PDX titled "This Nonprofit Provides Free Meal Deliveries to Portlanders Having Gender-Affirming Surgery." Janey reported on local nonprofit Meals On Us and their program Trans Meal Train, which delivers meals to folks post-surgery when their mobility is limited, while also highlighting the organization's necessary work and the people it helps. Check out Janey's excellent work every day at Eater and the Mercury's EverOut!

Plus it goes without saying (but since I'm here, I'll say it anyway), I'm super proud of all our Mercury staffers and freelancers, who I think are the most thoughtful, smart, and funny writers in the city! Help us keep all these great people employed and working for you every day by making a small contribution to the Mercury. Don't forget: Your contributions go directly to paying our editorial staff and nowhere else! PLEASE AND THANK YOU! ❤️

[ Read more ]

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! Today we’re gonna party like it’s ‘92, because that’s today’s forecasted high temperature! Whew! Tonight’s low is 59. 

This toasty Tuesday is a good excuse not to cook. Instead, go get yourself a delicious, $8 sandwich from among the bevy of Sandwich Week participants. Where else can you get a filling meal for less than $10?!

Let's celebrate! 🎉 The Mercury's SANDWICH WEEK is officially underway! Get your creative sandwich creations all week long—and for only $8 each! 🥪😋https://t.co/PL1d5uKmq3

— Portland Mercury 🗞 (@portlandmercury) June 5, 2023

In Local News: 

• The Portland Police Bureau is trying to assuage an uneasy public, after online rumors and suggestions that the spate of homicides of six women in the greater Portland area might be the work of a serial killer. PPB released a statement Sunday, saying the cases are unconnected.
• If you’ve ever been stuck on the wrong side of the train tracks in Portland’s inner east side, you know the misery of waiting up to an hour just to cross. The train’s frequent, extended delays have plagued TriMet and the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). Now, PBOT will use federal grant money to study the impacts of freight trains that block….err…run through Southeast Portland, transporting everything from dry goods to flammable materials. 

• Sen. Ron Wyden is pressing the FDA and DEA on the ongoing shortage of generic ADHD medications. Wyden cited “conflicting reports” from federal agencies, manufacturers and pharmacies about the cause of the shortage. The federal lawmaker who represents Oregon, says the persistent shortage is having an outsized impact on rural areas that often rely on independent pharmacies.
• In case you missed it, a Portland school bus driver accused of proselytizing to kids and asking them to sing along to religious hymns has been the subject of at least one prior complaint. The Oregon Department of Education determined Portland Public Schools shouldn’t be held to blame for the bus driver’s behavior, but the parent who initially reported the problem says the district is handling the issue poorly. 
• Nurses at three Providence medical centers voted to authorize a strike, citing unfair labor practices and failure to maintain wages that attract and retain experienced medical providers.
• Finally, if you’ve been playing the ‘is it allergies, or a virus?’ game, it’s probably the former. Grass pollen counts in the Willamette Valley have reached all-time highs, and cities as far north as Portland are feeling the impacts, albeit much less than in Eugene.

How to prevent allergy symptoms as grass pollen nears historic levels in Willamette Valley https://t.co/fIRf6EKOf6

— Statesman Journal (@Salem_Statesman) June 5, 2023

In National/World News:

• Former Vice President Mike Pence has officially filed to run for president in the 2024 election. He’ll face off against former President Donald Trump, current Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and at least six other Republican candidates who will undoubtedly try to sell Americans on lower taxes and less government, while simultaneously applauding bans on abortion and drag queen shows. Grab the popcorn! 🍿 Can’t wait to see what Pence will say to Trump, who notoriously tried to get Pence to overturn the 2020 election results leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection.
• Speaking of DeSantis, a Texas sheriff’s office is recommending criminal charges be brought against his administration, in connection with flights paid for by Florida, which shuttled migrants in San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Authorities say officials coerced migrants to board flights with false promises of jobs, and used illegal restraint, including on some children. 

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said it has investigated the transport of 49 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard last September by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and filed criminal charges — without naming any individual suspects. https://t.co/JtIumifavA

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) June 6, 2023

• The construction of a police training facility in Atlanta dubbed “Cop City” was approved for funding by the city’s elected leaders after a nearly 14-hour meeting. The training center, which has yet to be built, will require a large swath of forest to be cleared to make way for development. Environmental protesters have been actively fighting local authorities, leading to the death of a 26-year-old activist earlier this year.
• A school board in Oklahoma approved the first state-funded public charter school that is also a religious school. They’re either testing the legal waters in hopes of a Supreme Court review, or none of those poor souls paid enough attention in school to learn about the separation of church and state. Yes, the Oklahoma Attorney General already warned the board that its actions are likely to land the state in legal trouble.
• A new study from North Carolina State University found that sucralose, a common ingredient in artificial sweeteners like Splenda, damages human DNA. 

Here’s your reminder that dogs fix everything.

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Ahh yes. It’s that time of year where Portlanders set up camp on Sandy Blvd, arguing over who has “dibs” on a sidewalk space. My neighbors and I helping clean up your mess you leave behind after the multiple off key marching bands come by. And please, keep your kids out of people’s yards. That should be a no brainer, yet I can’t really plant anything until after this event because your little sex trophies ruin my yard every year. I know it has to be hard for you to realize, but not everyone is excited to see your children fuck up their yards much less trash our neighborhood. Be good neighbors, it’s not too much to ask.

Anyone who frequents inner southeast Portland is familiar with the persistent—yet unpredictable—freight train bottlenecks near railroad crossings in the area. Union Pacific freight trains rolling into town via the Brooklyn Intermodal Rail Yard cause such notable logjams in Portland's Central Eastside that more than 1,500 people signed a Change.org petition asking the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to do something about it. 

Now, thanks to a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the city hopes to do just that. 

Last summer, PBOT planners announced the bureau would apply for a planning grant through USDOT's new Railroad Crossing Elimination Program, which receives funding from the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act. The program allocates grants nationwide for jurisdictions to plan or build railroad crossing improvements that "maximize the safety and efficiency of the U.S. rail network." 

“The train blockages encourage unsafe behavior," PBOT planner Zef Wagner said during an August presentation addressing the railroad crossing woes. "Drivers might try to beat the gates if they see a train might be sitting there for a long time, and people walking and biking will sometimes hop the trains, which is really unsafe." 

The $500,000 federal grant will be supplemented with $150,000 from PBOT. The local match is funded with Central Eastside parking permit surcharge revenue and PBOT's heavy vehicle use tax. With this grant, PBOT will examine 15 at-grade crossings in Portland's Central Eastside, hoping to find a solution to the "frequent blockages [that lead to] safety and congestion issues."

This isn't enough money to start building anything yet, but PBOT Public Information Officer Dylan Rivera told the Mercury it's a good start. 

"This is really great news for us," Rivera said. He said the grant will fund a report containing recommendations for short-term and long-term fixes to help Portland overcome freight train obstructions. "[The long-term fixes] could involve capital construction dollars to adjust the freight tracks themselves or to build some improvements, like a bridge or under crossing to separate travelers in the area from freight." 

Freight train blockages aren't a new inconvenience for people traveling around Portland, but the problem has become even more noticeable in recent years. Freight rail operators have made cargo-carrying trains longer, saying it's cheaper and more energy efficient. Union Pacific's trains are 30% longer today than they were in 2018, when the rail company switched to a new service model to accommodate more freight capacity. The switch has resulted in extra-long wait times at railroad crossings nationwide, which local jurisdictions have no control over. 

"We’re as frustrated as the public is with the lack of responsiveness we get from Union Pacific," Rivera told the Mercury. "We have zero authority to influence what they do." 

In Portland, freight train blockages are especially prominent on the city's east side: north of Powell Blvd and south of Stark St. People in other parts of town are impacted, too, but PBOT said they want to deal with the Central Eastside first. 

"We’ve identified the Central Eastside as having among the most critical needs for railroad crossing improvements, but certainly there are other neighborhoods that have needs," Rivera said to the Mercury. "We’re hoping that what we learn in the Central Eastside will help us better understand options that could be applicable in other areas." 

To advocates who have been pushing the city to make changes at the railroad crossings, news of federal funding comes as a relief. 

"Any funding to help relieve a constant bottleneck in Southeast Portland is much needed," Andrew Lindstrom, a transportation advocate who lives in the Brooklyn neighborhood, told the Mercury. "Hopefully the study will find good ways to mitigate the root causes of Union Pacific assembling mile plus long intermodal trains in a yard that is too small to handle the trains without stopping to block a key local street connection."

Brooklyn neighborhood resident and accessibility advocate Josh Hetrick has led several informational campaigns to help people avoid getting stuck at the rail crossings, including a website that offers alternate route ideas.  

"I’d say that with longer and longer trains becoming the norm now, more study—and hopefully action—is definitely welcome," Hetrick told the Mercury. "The Bob Stacey Overcrossing elevators are out (again), and the #70 bus route was changed in part to avoid delays at that intersection, so this is something that’s increasingly disruptive to the area." 

Rivera said PBOT hopes findings from the railroad crossing study will be released by 2025. From there, the bureau will look into finding more funding for solutions. 

Fazilat Soukhakian is an Iranian artist, photographer, scholar, and storyteller whose work depicts the stories of bravery and strength of those marginalized by society, highlighting the act of overcoming struggle and inspiring others. She is currently an Associate Professor of Photography at Utah State University. In our interview, we talk about following dreams, challenging injustice, and creating a better future for LGBTQ+ people.

You started your career as a photojournalist in Iran, and became one of very few female photojournalists. Can you tell me about pioneering this career within a tremendously patriarchal society?

I did have a few examples of very strong female photojournalists around me, which gave me the courage and vision to start my career as a photojournalist when I was only 22 years old. It took me a while until I was able to prove myself as a female photojournalist working almost exclusively alongside men in the field. But I believe that this time was the most important period in my photography career, giving me a vision on what I wanted to do with photography. Being right in the center of the capital and documenting the governmental workings, I witnessed the inequalities, and I knew I wanted to portray them with my camera. 

That’s inspiring. And what brought you to the USA in 2011?

From my experiences working as a photojournalist in Iran, I realized the characteristic of photography as a tool of power where you can record, portray, and express your concern for social injustice, and inequalities. I realized how photography could be so powerful that it is considered a threat for those who benefit from this injustice. I wanted to learn more about this medium, so I decided to get my master’s degree and be in a place where I could freely practice photography without a constant risk and worry of getting arrested or being threatened for any project I would work on.

How did you find yourself creating the Queer in Utah photo series?

As a photographer dealing with social justice issues, born and raised in Iran; the country that still punishes the LGBTQ+ with the death penalty, I always felt extremely helpless that I was not able to reflect on this issue to showcase the challenges that my queer friends and community in Iran, were dealing with (the risk was too high).

After moving to the USA, I was shocked to find out that the LGBTQ+ community in certain regions of the United States goes through similar struggles and challenges of discrimination and suppression. The Queer in Utah project was started after witnessing people from my new community in Utah struggle with depression, sometimes even injury by self-infliction. Friends that had to choose between their faith and desires, all rooted in a system of self-doubt from a clash where faith and sexual orientation can’t seem to harmonize.

Growing up Mormon, this is something I can really relate to, and appreciate. What do you hope to achieve with this work?

My photographs simply portray these beautiful people in their pursuit of love in a society that considers their identity and desire to be something to feel guilty about, yet they resist in their own individual ways. I can only hope that, by sharing these stories, it inspires others in similar situations not to lose hope and to feel empowered towards their own love pursuits. Ideally, I hope to contribute a small part towards the normalization of the LGBTQ+ community in the conservative setting of Utah with this project. This project is evolving as the Queer community in Utah's situation is changing due to the fight of this community and the many activists working towards a better future. 

Currently, the series is on view at the Metaverse Gallery of FOTOEVIDENCE, where the project has been well received and viewed by many people from across the world, which is amazing. It is a very important time to highlight this subject, as the LDS church has recently backed a bill that supports same-sex marriage. I believe now is the time to push harder for real change to happen.

Find more of Fazilat Soukhakian’s work at soukhakian.com and follow her on Instagram at @fazilatsoukhakian.

The first full week of June is coming in HOT, bringing equally hot events from Portland Rose Festival to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and from Portland Mercury's Sandwich Week to Ocean Vuong and Anis Mojgani.

Psychotronic Afterschool Special in 16mm
Pop your edibles, people! This mind-bending 16mm collection from local film archivist and programmer Greg Hamilton is a thrilling addition to the mix of psychedelic film compilations that's been hitting the indie cinema scene lately. Psychotronic Afterschool Special is an all-new freaky mash-up of weirdo animations, commercials, processed ham slices, furry green menaces, and more. Cowabunga! (Wanna learn more about the man behind the madness? Check out this 2022 profile on Hamilton.) LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)

IT'S A FACT: The pinnacle of human ingenuity is undoubtedly THE SANDWICH. And at long last, it's time to celebrate humankind's greatest feat with the Portland Mercury's Sandwich Week! (Brought to you by our pals at Jim Beam and EverOut!) And if you love sandwiches, you are gonna lose your damn mind, because happening RIGHT NOW from Monday June 5 to Sunday June 11, Portlanders will be feasting on delectable, original sandwiches built by the city's most creative sandwich makers... and if that's not enough, each of those sammies can be had for a mere $8! Are you dreaming? NO, YOU ARE NOT! 

The Mercury's Sandwich Week is not only a perfect excuse to shove a delicious sandy (or 10... or 20) into your mouth, but it's also a great way to support and introduce yourselves to local restaurants who might not be on your radar. AND it also helps the Mercury continue the top-notch investigative reporting and arts/entertainment coverage you rely on every day. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT!

Check in at portlandsandwichweek.com to see pics and descriptions of all of this year's one-of-a-kind sandwich creations, and plot your Sandwich Week course with our handy-dandy map—but before you start planning the most delicious week of your life, please keep a few things in mind:

TIP!
And please, don't be stingy! Sandwich Week takes a ton of work—especially from Portland's beloved servers, cooks, and bartenders! Let 'em know you appreciate it. With money.

BRANCH OUT!
Each Sandwich Week location has more than just fantastic sandwiches—you'll also find excellent drinks and sides! Could you survive this week eating nothing but sandwiches? Uh... probably. But you'd miss out on other awesome stuff!

RELAX!
Due to its official status as The Most Beloved Event on Planet Earth™, Sandwich Week can get a little hectic. There will be lines—so if a place is too busy, just come back the next day, or hit another Sandwich Week spot!

#PORTLANDSANDWICHWEEK
The Mercury's got you covered with Sandwich Week updates, reviews, and tips on Instagram, as well as Twitter (just search the #portlandsandwichweek hashtag for loads of up-to-the-second info). And make sure you're signed up for Portland Mercury and EverOut newsletters to stay up to date on ALL the news and events in town.

WE ADORE YOU!
Thank you so much for partaking and enjoying in the Mercury's food weeks and supporting small local businesses—especially those who may not get the attention they deserve! YOU'RE THE BEST. And, as always, if you appreciate the Mercury's daily efforts to keep you informed and entertained, please consider dropping a small contribution so we can keep it going!

Don't miss the delicious fun of the PORTLAND MERCURY'S SANDWICH WEEK happening right now from Monday June 5 to Sunday June 11! Your mouth never had so much fun!

Hello my little Trash Pandas, and welcome to The Trash Report! It's your girl, Elinor Jones, coming to you live from a rainbow T-shirt I bought at Target, which is not an act of defiance (or even really allyship, because capitalism is inherently harmful to marginalized communities), but it is kinda cool that wearing said rainbow T-shirt might piss off someone who sucks. I hope you are enjoying the early days of PRIDE month by being joyous and thoughtful while centering queer voices. (Or your own voice, if that's you!)

If you need any inspiration to get your head in the gayme, Jezebel has a great roundup of both successful and unsuccessful #pridemonth social media posts, the best being Kim Cattrall's announcement that she was reviving her Sex and the City character Samantha Jones for a brief cameo in the HBO spinoff And Just Like That, cementing her status as an queer icon who knows what the people want and need, and the worst being major league baseball who could only make it one day with their rainbow avatar, cementing baseball's status as the least gay major league sport.

Major League Baseball quietly removed their pride month logo from social media accounts after just one dayhttps://t.co/rk2nckNVYM

— OutKick (@Outkick) June 2, 2023

Now, onto the gossip!

Beloved daddy Pedro Pascal was on a Hollywood Reporter actor roundtable where he and others talked about weird fan interactions. Both of them seemed pretty gracious, which I certainly would not have been if I were Pascal: He shared that fans kept trying to recreate the moment his Game of Thrones' character Oberyn Martell got his eyes gouged out by sticking their grubby thumbs in Pascal's eyes after he agreed to take a photo with them to the extent that he got literal eye infections. Can you imagine?! The nerve! And ew, gross! This must say something about Pascal's approachability that they'd even try. I really doubt fans of Sean Bean (Ned Stark) would try to cut off his head. Or would they try to attack Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton) with dogs? You gonna pretend to be a zombie attacking Bella Ramsay (Lyanna Mormont)? Get a grip, people. Or rather: Don't.

Speaking of people trying to ruin things, Wednesday star Jenna Ortega was recently papped smoking a cigarette, and then her own mom tried to shame her by posting on social media about the dangers of cigarettes. Which like, as a parent, yes, I understand the compulsive need to keep our children safe and use every moment as a teaching moment. But as a permanent teenager, honestly, isn't making our parents mad kind of the point of smoking cigarettes? People look cool smoking because it makes their parents hate it. Jenna's mom just made each cigarette a thousand times more delicious. Don't smoke—but if you do, make sure it makes your mom mad. That's how you know you're doing it right.

The American economy has added a lot of jobs since Joe Biden took the wheel, and our tiny horny grandmother Dr. Ruth got real about what it means:

More people with jobs means less depressed people which means a rise in the nation's sex satisfaction index. Who said economics isn't a sexy subject? https://t.co/dX0xDbj77b

— Dr. Ruth Westheimer (@AskDrRuth) June 2, 2023

I've yet to see Dr. Ruth not manage to sexualize any piece of news. Remember early in COVID when she told us lockdowns would be okay, because we could all have sex all the time? I'm flattered she thought any of us could have used that time for being horny and not just drinking too much and watching all of television, which is definitely what I was doing.  

In other news, several more Republicans either have or are about to throw their red baseball caps into the ring seeking the Republican presidential nomination. Chris Christie, Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, and Ron DeSantis—as well as disgraced former president Donald Trump himself—have either formally announced their candidacy or been dancing around it. Trump did a lot of damage to American institutions, and one thing he totally FUBARed for me is the absolute glee I used to experience during primary season when power-thirsty Republicans would tear each other apart and debase themselves. Because last time they did that, Trump came out on top, and I feel like he might again, so now it's not fun anymore, it's just stressful. Thanks a lot, Trump. First you ruined golden toilets for me, and now this!

Through Lainey Gossip I was blessed with this link to a 2004 People Magazine roundup of that year's notable breakups and hookups, and it's outrageous for how foundational some of those pairings/unpairings have been to so much celebrity news that we enjoy today! For real, 2004 was the year of the demise of Bennifer 1.0 (with Ben Affleck and J. Lo) and the beginning of Bennifer 2.0 (with Jennifer Garner) as well as the beginning of J. Lo's relationship with Marc Anthony. Despite both of those romances resulting in long marriages and children, it's so clear now that they were trying to out-rebound each other. BTW, since Ben and J. Lo are back together again, do we call that relationship Bennifer 1.1? Bennifer 1, a? Anyway, this was also the year Lindsay Lohan and Wilmer Valderrama broke up, kicking off Lilo's wild child era, and the year that Britney married K. Fed, kicking off all of our wearing-tracksuits-with-words-on-the-butt-at-weddings era. What a time to be alive. #neverforget 

Some more old gossip that is important to me and whoever else spent a good portion of the 90s wearing out their VHS of Wayne's World is that Mike Meyers almost single-handedly ruined the movie and was probably the reason that the sequel sucked. The first film's director Penelope Spheeris told The Hollywood Reporter that while filming the first movie was relatively low-drama (aside from Meyers getting hangry, which like, relatable), after the film Meyers gave the studio 10 pages of notes about all the ways he wanted the movie changed, including such boneheaded suggestions as cutting the scene when they all sing "Bohemian Rhapsody" in the Mirthmobile, which has since become a touchstone of American comedy. In a heroic display of female excellence, Spheeris rejected Meyers's changes, resulting in her not getting brought back to direct the sequel, which again, sucked.

I gotta go now, but I hope that you have a gorgeous week in honor of this newest member of the LGBTQIA community:

Time to add a new stripe to the flag pic.twitter.com/YnWeulX9u3

— Jeff Yang 🫶 (@originalspin) June 2, 2023

Junely,