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GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! 👋
Those who hate summer season droughts and wildfires, rejoice: We can anticipate lots more rain today and through Wednesday as a weak atmospheric river strikes by way of the world and heavy snow dumps within the Cascades. This moist climate will assist beef up our state’s snowpack, which matches a protracted option to scale back the possibilities of a smoky, dry summer season. (This can be me making an attempt to keep away from the moody despair that comes with winter’s incessant rain and cloudy skies, whereas trying to look on the brilliant aspect of issues. Sooooo… yaaaaaaaay. Snowpack. Yaaaaaaaaay.) And now? THE NEWS!
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• “Screeeeeech!” That sound you hear is Portland City Councilor Loretta Smith hitting the brakes and slamming it into reverse after making final week’s alarming assertion when she steered that her fellow commissioners ought to brandish weapons throughout metropolis council conferences. After protesters disrupted final Wednesday night time’s assembly (approaching councilors and shaking a petition demanding they revoke the ICE facility’s land use allow), Councilor Smith floated the thought of an open-carry ordinance for councilors at City Hall, presumably to guard themselves from individuals who have… you realize… opinions. The proposal shortly drew extraordinarily loud criticism from each the general public and her colleagues, and sooooo… shock! As of Friday, Smith says she’s deserted the unreasonable plan, and is pushing for elevated safety as an alternative. (Apropos of nothing, do not forget that time Republicans were pushing to arm teachers in a knuckle-headed try to curb college shootings? Apparently some folks do not.) Anyhoo, our Courtney Vaughn has the deets.
After signaling a need for a brand new coverage that may permit metropolis councilors to carry loaded firearms to City Hall, Portland City Councilor Loretta Smith says she “denounces violence” however needs extra security protocols for her and her colleagues.
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) February 21, 2026 at 3:08 PM
• In associated information, Portland City Council is searching for methods to make their 12-person council extra environment friendly, and voted in favor of overhauling the present coverage committee construction to reduce the number of committees from five to three. “Whaaaat? How come?” you may be wondering. Well, as it turns out, holding eight bimonthly committees is A LOT OF WORK, and they say that the result is a logjam in council business. But instead of losing some potentially very important committees, newly-elected Council President Jamie Dunphy has come up with a restructuring plan instead, creating five new groups that will do the work of eight. “OH REALLY? And what exactly are these ‘new’ committees,” you are undoubtedly wondering. Geez… you have a lot of questions. So tuck into this very informative article from our Taylor Griggs to satiate your endless curiosity!
• Today in “Trump administration losers just can’t stop losing”: On Friday a federal judge in Eugene shot down the administration’s attempt to outlaw protesters making a lot of noise outdoors their ICE amenities. Back in November, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tried to push by way of a collection of guidelines outlawing “loud or unusual noise” round its many headquarters across the nation, main a few Eugene protesters to sue, rightly calling it a violation of First Amendment rights. The decide agreed and repeatedly blocked any makes an attempt at noise enforcement by DHS. Then on Friday, the decide took the additional step of issuing a preliminary injunction towards the administration, telling them in no unsure phrases they don’t seem to be allowed to pursue any noise enforcement till the lawsuit is over (or everything of DHS is burning in hell, which might be my alternative 😇).
• Portland vacationers going to and returning dwelling from Mexico obtained a scary, unsettling shock, after they had been knowledgeable that their flights on Alaska Airlines were canceled Sunday after the Mexican military killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the chief of the highly effective Jalisco New Generation drug cartel. The dying of the cartel’s chief, generally known as “El Mencho,” led to the death of 25 Mexican National Guard members, and set off ripples of violence and property destruction across the country, particularly around the popular vacationing destination of Puerto Vallarta. All taxis and ride-share services were suspended in the area as well, and the U.S. State Department has warned American visitors to “shelter in place” till additional discover. Alaska Airlines stories they’re making an attempt to e-book clients on new flights because it continues to observe the unstable state of affairs.
Calling all smarty butts! It’s time for another brain-teasing and sassy edition of POP QUIZ PDX. In this week’s super fun local trivia quiz: Blazer dreamboat Damian Lillard’s latest big win, the irredeemable dumbshits of ICE, and more!
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) February 20, 2026 at 10:29 AM
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• And Trump loses once more… and in a bigly method: In a stunning transfer on Friday, the president’s largely hand-picked Supreme Court dealt their chief a vicious blow, ruling that his trademark sweeping tariffs compelled on different nations (and screwing our financial system within the course of) is a violation of federal law. An enraged Trump squealed that he was going by way of with the tariffs anyway utilizing a special authorized avenue, introduced a 15 p.c international tariff on all imports—which as you realize, will go all value will increase onto YOU, the buyer. (Note: According to poll results launched earlier than the ruling on Friday, a whopping 64 p.c of YOU, the customers, frikkin’ haaaaaaaate Trump’s tariffs—so let’s examine how that works out for his Republican minions through the upcoming midterms!)
Disapproval of Donald Trump has reached its highest stage for the reason that Jan. 6 Capitol riot, based on a brand new nationwide ballot.
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast.bsky.social) February 23, 2026 at 5:08 AM
• A person was shot and killed by authorities and Secret Service brokers this weekend after he allegedly entered Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate carrying a shotgun and a can of gasoline. The suspect—Austin Tucker Martin, a 21-year-old from Cameron, North Carolina—had made it into the internal perimeter of the property when he was confronted by safety. Officials say the person put down the canister, however allegedly raised his shotgun, which led brokers and officers to kill the person. Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago on the time, and nobody else was reported injured.
• Trump is within the unenviable place of defending his employment in Tuesday’s upcoming State of the Union address to a rustic who, by and huge, thinks he is TERRIBLE at his job. Meanwhile, legacy Dems are telling their congressional members to go forward and protest through the State of the Union, however to take action with extra decorum than they did through the earlier SOTU, the place they held up indicators that pointed to Trump’s constant lies, loudly heckled from the ground, or walked out in protest. Many Dems are planning to boycott Trump’s sure-to-be-rambling, lie-filled tirade completely, and can maintain an alternate “People’s State of the Union” handle which can happen on the National Mall. (Maybe Trump will attempt to lure them again with a particular SOTU efficiency that includes Kid Rock?)
A federal decide has completely barred the discharge of a report by particular counsel Jack Smith on his investigation into President Donald Trump’s hoarding of categorised paperwork.
— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) February 23, 2026 at 7:25 AM
• Officials are warning that the snow storm at the moment pelting Northeastern states might be the worst in 150 years, as New York City finds itself underneath 9-15 inches of snow. A journey ban has been put in place, throwing the nation’s airports into turmoil with 89 p.c of all flights out of JFK airport being canceled. Roughly 600,000 folks throughout the Northeast are reportedly with out energy, and whereas the snow is predicted to taper off later this afternoon, a further 3-6 inches is predicted for the tristate space.
• And lastly…. should you’re something like me, you might be contemplating slicing your personal bangs this week. On behalf of the bang victims on this video, “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT DO IT!!!”
@happytimeforpets0 These ladies need to minimize their very own bangs.😭🤣🤣#funnyvideos #usa #bangs #fyp #fail #funnymoments #funny#viral ♬ original sound – happytimeforpets0