FILE – The toes of a baby peek out of a blanket at a hospital in McAllen, Texas. On Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the increase of U.S. infant mortality rate to 3% in 2022 — a rare increase in a death statistic that has been generally been falling for decades. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. births slightly decreased in 2025.
That’s according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It reports just over 3.6 million births, about 24,000 fewer than in 2024.
This decline aligns with expert predictions that the 2024 increase wouldn’t start an upward trend.
The CDC updated its data last week, covering nearly all of the babies born in 2025.
Final numbers may add only a few thousand more.
Despite efforts to encourage births, like expanding in vitro fertilization access, the fertility rate has been declining.
Economic conditions and uncertainty continue to impact childbearing decisions.
NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione spoke out in court Friday against the prospect of back-to-back trials over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, telling a judge: “It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition.”
Mangione, 27, made the remarks as court officers escorted him out of the courtroom after a judge scheduled his state murder trial to begin June 8, three months before jury selection in his federal case.
Judge Gregory Carro, matter-of-fact in his decision after a lengthy discussion with prosecutors and defense lawyers at the bench, said the state trial could be delayed until Sept 8 if an appeal delays the federal trial.
Mangione’s lawyers objected to the June trial date, telling Carro that at that time, they’ll be consumed with preparing for the federal trial, which involves allegations that Mangione stalked Thompson before killing him.
“Mr. Mangione is being put in an untenable situation,” defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said. “This is a tug-of-war between two different prosecution offices.”
“The defense will not be ready on June 8,” she added.
“Be ready,” Carro replied.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges, both of which carry the possibility of life in prison. Last week, the judge in the federal case ruled that prosecutors can’t seek the death penalty.
Jury selection in the federal case is set for Sept. 8, followed by opening statements and testimony on Oct. 13.
Wearing a tan jail suit, Mangione sat quietly at the defense table until his outburst at the end of the hearing.
As the trial calendar began to take shape, Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann sent a letter to Carro asking him to begin the New York trial on July 1.
The prosecutor argued that the state’s interests “would be unfairly prejudiced by an unnecessary delay” until after the federal trial. Under the law, he said, the state has “priority of jurisdiction for purposes of trial, sentencing and incarceration” because Mangione was arrested by New York City police, not federal authorities.
When Mangione was arrested, federal prosecutors said anticipated that the state trial would go first. Seidemann told Carro on Friday that Thompson’s family has also expressed a desire to see the state trial happen first.
“It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first,” Carro said Friday.
Scheduling the state trial first could help Manhattan prosecutors avoid double jeopardy issues. Under New York law, the district attorney’s office could be barred from trying Mangione if his federal trial happens first.
The state’s double jeopardy protections kick in if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution, such as a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea. The cases involve different charges but the same alleged course of conduct.
Mangione isn’t due in court again in the state case until May, when Carro is expected to rule on a defense request to exclude certain evidence that prosecutors say connects Mangione to the killing.
Those items include a 9 mm handgun that prosecutors say matches the one used to kill Thompson and a notebook in which they say he described his intent to “wack” a health insurance executive.
Last week, Garnett ruled that prosecutors can use those items at that trial.
Thompson, 50, was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan.
Portland Community College will host Lane Community College in a basketball doubleheader on Saturday. The games will have weighted meaning as PCC continues to remember former standout Chris Bendle, a beloved member of the Portland Community College basketball team who died in a car accident more than five years ago.
“It’s a great opportunity for the community to come together,” PCC athletic director Tony Broadous said. “Scappoose (where Chris was from), St. Helens, Portland.”
“(It will be in memory of) a young man who worked very hard and was a really giving person,” Broadous continued.
Broadous says a fundraiser is held every season for a cause near and dear to the local community.
“The proceeds from the games goes to the Chris Bendle (Basketball Scholarship, which) supports young people,” Broadous said. “It is just a great opportunity for the community to come together.”
Event details (via PCC)
What: Chris Bendle Memorial Games (fundraiser doubleheader)
When: 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7
Where: Cascade Campus Gymnasium (600 N. Killingsworth St.)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) speaks during a news conference on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in San Jose, Calif., ahead of Super Bowl 60 between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Sports betting wasn’t even legal in Oregon the last time the Seahawks were in the Super Bowl over a decade ago. Fast forward and Seattle is once again looking for a championship.
Greta Coe with the Oregon Health Authority says what addicting factors there are within sports gambling, which will be heightened on Sunday as the Hawks face the Patriots in Super Bowl LV.
“What makes it slightly more harmful is the micro betting or live betting that can occur,” Coe said. “Placing rapid wagers on numerous small events in a game.”
Betting sites opened up for business ahead of this Sunday’s Super Bowl earlier this week. Oregonians contributed over 8-million dollars during last year’s big game and the Lottery forecasts that record to be shattered with the Seahawks in the big game this season.
“It’s important to weigh the risk before participating,” Coe said. “There’s potential for addiction, severe financial losses, including debt, and adverse mental health effects like anxiety, depression, and stress when you do participate.”
Coe also says OHA’s Behavior Health Division offers innovative tools and support for those who need it.
FROM OHA
Publicly funded treatment and counseling services are available free to any Oregon resident who is suffering from gambling related harms, either as:
An individual with a problem with gambling, or
A concerned other (people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s gambling problem, such as family, friends, significant others, and colleagues).
Problem Gambling Helpline
Call 1-877- My Limit (1-877-695-4648) or
Get help by Instant Messaging/Chat/Email
Es: 1-844-TU VALES
Help is free, confidential, and it works. Change starts here.
Good Morning, Portland! We knew it was coming. Fake Spring is over after today, and it’s time to get back to our regularly scheduled programming. Rain, rain, rain this weekend and into Monday, just as February would have it. Let’s see what’s in the news.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
Some local prosecutors around the country have formed a group called FAFO (short for Fight Against Federal Overreach, or fuck around and find out) in an effort to pool resources and more effectively push back against the Trump administration and its lackeys. Despite the federal overreach that has taken place in Portland—Trump wanted to invade us, if you recall—Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez is conspicuously absent from the group. Vasquez doesn’t appear convinced that investigating or prosecuting federal officers who break local laws is a winning strategy. But as the feds continue their rampage on Portland, most recently by deploying large quantities of tear gas at a huge crowd of peaceful protesters last weekend, more and more people are calling on the Multnomah County prosecutor to act. After all, Vasquez was elected on a “law and order” platform—if federal officers are breaking the law, should they be ordered to stop? There are, of course, reasons it may be difficult for local DAs to actually prosecute federal officers for tear-gassing protesters and violently accosting immigrants on the streets. But critics say if Vasquez wanted to take a strong rhetorical stand against unlawful actions from ICE and other federal officers, it could be a deterrent in itself. Read all about it in our recent story, linked right here. TAYLOR GRIGGS
A Lake Oswego theater is canceling its showing of the Melania Trump documentary in a funny way, and we’re pretty sure the story is believable, despite the Oregonian using AI to help make its lil video about it. JEREMIAH HAYDEN
Portland Police officers shot and killed a man during an attempted arrest at his Northwest Portland apartment Thursday morning after using tear gas to force him out. The man was suspected of trying to shoot two security guards at a grocery store five days earlier, then fleeing the scene with a handgun. Police say a loaded shotgun was found at the scene with “threatening messages” naming Donald Trump on the shell casings. Read the full story here. COURTNEY VAUGHN
Here’s a helpful explainer thread from Oregon Capital Chronicle editor Julia Shumway, in case you want to catch up on what happened during the short legislative session in Salem, which began this week. The thread also includes a bit on how to be involved in the legislative process, because it turns out, the elected officials are not just supposed to turn whispers from corporate lobbyists into law, they’re actually supposed to work for you! JH
The #orleg is mostly done with its first week, and what a week it’s been! Our small but mighty @oregoncapitalchronicle.com team has been busy catching all the developments we can. Here’s a thread on what you may have missed…
New Portland music festival and industry conference dropped their packed inaugural lineup earlier this week featuring Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation, Shabazz Palaces, Facs, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio, and more. The Central Eastside won’t know what to do with itself come April 27. Check out the Soundscape Northwest lineup here. NOLAN PARKER
In this month’s Second Run: You’ve Got Mail is the most important romantic comedy revolving around the AOL dial-up sound, and The 400 Blows reminds us that childhood is pretty rough, actually. Plus, an adaptation of an Ursula K. Le Guin novel and Picnic at Hanging Rock’s enduring mystery hit Portland’s indie screens. LINDSAY COSTELLO
IN NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
What if we kissed and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ran out of funding? The New York Times reports that Senators in DC have already left for the weekend without making any serious progress to agree or compromise on a measure needed to keep DHS running past midnight on February 13. This situation is all a recent deal to separate DHS funding from a larger spending measure, which Democrats agreed to pass. They also extended the current DHS funding levels for two weeks so that representatives from the two parties could negotiate next steps. On Wednesday night, Democratic leaders released an expanded list of 10 detailed proposals to restrict DHS’ seemingly unchecked use of force in Minneapolis, which recently has escalated to public displays of lethal violence. In response to wide public outcry, some Republicans have agreed to add new restrictions, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the list “unrealistic.” Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told the press that a la carte funding of other agencies within DHS—such as the Coast Guard, TSA airport operators, and FEMA disaster assistance—could prove a solution. However, Thune responded that further splitting within DHS could single out ICE and “defund law enforcement.” 😈 SUZETTE SMITH
The Washington Post laid off hundreds of employees Thursday, making its slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness” more of a breaking news headline than a warning. JH
The Washington Post embarked on severe cuts despite appeals by the newsroom to owner Jeff Bezos. The paper is to narrow its focus largely to politics and national security. n.pr/4qAlWBj
Bitcoin is crashing. Panic! Do you remember when the price of Bitcoin reaching $50,000 was “to the moon?” Well, NYT reports that Bitcoin is trading at less than $64,000, lower than it was the day before President Trump’s election and at a nearly 50 percent decline from its peak price. The weird gambling problem that people call a currency reached its highest price point just last October, as President Trump gushed over his own coin $TRUMP, which started out at $45 and is now worth less than four dollars. Very diplomatically, AP blames the sell-off on investors pulling out of speculative assets, as well as a concern about the future of cryptocurrency. But the grand inflation of the currency could also be viewed as a scam perpetrated on Trump’s followers by the President himself. SS
Noted!
NEW: The FBI has been unable to access a Washington Post reporter’s seized iPhone because it was in Lockdown Mode, a sometimes overlooked feature that makes iPhones broadly more secure, according to recently filed court records.
Just a few days ago, Liam Conejo Ramos (the adorable boy with the blue hat) and his father were allowed to return home to Minneapolis from a measles-ridden ICE detention center in Texas. Now, the completely soulless goons at the Department of Homeland Security are seeking to end asylum claims for his family and expedite their deportation back to their home country of Ecuador or another, third country. The family came to the United States as asylum seekers and, like so many other families, their lives are now in complete disarray. And it’s all because of the total, festering rot at the core of our society, which convinced so many people that sweet, normal families like Liam’s are somehow more of a threat than billionaire rapists like Trump and his friends. TG
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Another round of near-record-breaking temperatures are possible around the greater Portland/Vancouver area on Friday. Sunny skies will help warm Portland area temperatures into the upper 50s and low 60s for some along the Willamette Valley. Temperatures will be slightly cooler along the coast, but still well above average for early February. […]
There’s a moment I still keep with me. It’s fragile and delicate. It’s close to twenty years old now and still doesn’t drive, but that’s perfectly fine with me. I don’t know how much of the moment is a memory or how much has been filled in and switched out over the years. For example, I can still feel the shingles under our hands and the warmth upon them radiating into us from where we sat. I remember trying to lean in to each other to take a picture of the sun for some reason. We didn’t say much. We didn’t know how to say it. We still don’t. We’ve tried. At times I get frustrated that the moment wasn’t anything more, like if we said or did something different, a whole different collection of decades would have occurred. That’s probably true too. Still, I’m incredibly thankful for all and everything that was in that moment. Those are the times I try to hold on to. I’ve been thinking about wishes lately, and I’m getting stumped. I don’t know what I would wish for right now. For so much, and for so little. Moments come and go. I’ve been holding on to what could have been for too long. I think its had its time. It was never really my moment anyway. None of us are who we were any more. Take that one to whatever depth you’re comfortable with. We don’t know each other any more. I love you. I love everything that was and how it happened. I love the decades that collected between that moment and now. I’m sorry for my part in the pain and confusion and heartbreak. Thank you for everything, honest. This is no declaration, I just thought I’d let you know, goodbye.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Anticipation is in the air ahead of the Portland Winter Light Festival. Installations that glow, live performances, and a hope for downtown foot traffic will all be part of the festivities, kicking off for its 11th year on Friday, February 6. With the citywide celebration of light-based art and interactive installations, […]
Portland Police officers shot and killed a man inside a Northwest apartment complex Thursday morning.
According to police, officers tried to serve a warrant on a man who pointed a handgun and tried to shoot at two security officers last Saturday, January 31. The gun didn’t fire at the time, and the suspect fled the scene with the handgun, leaving behind an instrument case with a loaded shotgun inside. Police say the shotgun contained shells with “threatening messages” written on them “that specifically named President Donald Trump.”
A shotgun was left at a grocery store where police say a man fled the scene after trying to shoot security guards with a different weapon. portland police bureau
Police say the man falsely claimed to be a member of the US Secret Service when he approached the security guards. The incident took place last weekend shortly after 1 pm at a grocery store on NW Lovejoy Street in Northwest Portland.
Officers searched the area and coordinated with the actual US Secret Service to try to identify the suspect. Eventually they tracked him down at an apartment on Northwest 14th Avenue.
According to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), the Bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team arrived at the apartment with an arrest warrant around 5:15 am Thursday, February 5. Police say they tried to negotiate the man’s surrender, but when he didn’t respond to police at his door, or commands and warnings to come out, they evacuated residents and used OC vapor and tear gas aimed at his apartment to force him out. Police claim the man stepped out into a hallway, holding a handgun.
Two SERT officers fired at the man. One claimed the suspect pointed a gun at him. When the man was seen laying next to the gun, they ordered him to move away but he was unresponsive. Paramedics at the scene were called in and indicated he was fatally shot.
A handgun recovered at the scene of a deadly shooting involving two Portland Police officers. portland police bureau
Police haven’t released the victim’s name yet. As part of PPB protocol, the officers who fired their weapons are on paid administrative leave.
“As part of the use of force review process, the Bureau will conduct an internal review of the entire incident, including the initial response, resources requested, tactics used, and post shooting actions,” PPB noted in a news release announcing the incident. “The case will go before the Police Review Board (PRB), which is composed of community members, Bureau members, and representatives from the Independent Police Review Division.”
After the investigation and legal process, the Bureau said it plans to release the investigative files and any grand jury transcripts via its open data page.
The shooting marks the first deadly force incident involving PPB this year. The most recent police-involved shooting was on September 20, 2025 when Bryan Velasco-Ruelas was shot and injured during a traffic stop. PPB recorded four deadly uses of force in 2025, but only one death. Damon Lamarr Johnson died last June after being restrained by police in his apartment.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A coalition representing working families rallied in Salem on Thursday in the face of what they say are potentially massive cuts for critical programs. This comes on the fourth day of the Oregon Legislature’s brief session this year. Organizers said they hope Oregon will follow the example of other states handling […]
I don’t know who you are, or whether you’re a man or a woman. I may never see you. I may never hug you or cry with you or get drunk with you. But I love you. I hope you escape this place. I hope that the world turns and that things get better, and that one day people have roses again. I wish I could kiss you.
What can local government leaders do to protect their residents in a time of federal authoritarianism? Many Portlanders have asked that question since federal officials and agents have become increasingly hostile to immigrants or those they perceive to be immigrants, as well as people protesting President Trump’s draconian immigration crackdown.
Recent actions by federal officers in Portland have left the city shaken and prompted calls for more severe consequences for the federal officials inflicting harm on residents. Portlanders were rattled by the Customs and Border Patrol shooting that injured two people in East Portland early last month. After federal agents deployed large quantities of tear gas on peaceful protesters, including children and elderly people, last weekend, calls for action have grown stronger.
A growing number of advocates are now turning their attention toward Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez—the elected official tasked with prosecuting those who break local laws.
In a February 5 letter, dozens of Oregon labor unions called on Vasquez and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson to take “immediate action in response to the violent federal crackdown” on last weekend’s union-led protest outside the ICE facility. For Wilson, this would mean holding the facility’s landlord to account for violating newly enacted city codes targeting detention centers. Meanwhile, they demanded Vasquez begin investigating and prosecuting federal officers for their potentially illegal conduct in Portland.
“The incident on Saturday shows that ICE has no discipline and no common sense,” Portland Association of Teachers President Angela Bonilla said in a statement released with the letter. Bonilla was referring to the union-led rally and march on January 31 that left thousands of people caught off-guard by tear gas. “We need to see an end to the obviously illegal actions of ICE and full prosecution of ICE agents who terrorize our city and our neighbors.”
Around the country, local and state prosecutors are taking strong positions against the Trump administration, which appears unwilling to investigate most incidents of excessive force by federal law enforcement. While such attempts to prosecute federal officials would likely face immense pushback from the current administration, advocates believe it’s still worth trying. Vasquez, for his part, appears skeptical.
Nathan Vasquez v. Federal Overreach
Vasquez has never claimed to be an ICE agent watchdog. He has, however, identified as a “tough on crime” prosecutor. In a statement to the Mercury, Vasquez said he “abhors political violence,” dedicating a good portion of his career to “aggressively prosecuting anyone engaged in it, regardless of their political affiliation.” Will that ethos extend to the actions of federal agents?
Vasquez was elected in May 2024 on a “law and order” platform, beating former DA Mike Schmidt—a progressive who was accused of being weak on crime. Vasquez began his term at the beginning of 2025, just before Trump took office. While other local electeds have frequently sounded off against the federal administration in recent months, Vasquez has largely stayed on the sidelines.
That’s not to say he’s been silent. In November, Vasquez signed onto a statement with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and two other Portland-area district attorneys, demanding the US Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security “immediately halt unlawful and reckless actions by federal officers operating in Oregon.”
At the time, Vasquez said he was taking a stand against “gratuitous force” across all levels of law enforcement. Even so, he didn’t commit to charging federal officers if they broke the law, citing his belief that it was unlikely for a criminal investigation against a federal officer for on-duty conduct to lead to probable cause.
In a February 4 statement to the Mercury, Vasquez again committed to “reviewing any investigations submitted to us by the AG, or any other law enforcement agency, for prosecution.” But he said the Multnomah County DA’s (MCDA) office is “not an investigative agency,” and they are “not actively working investigations” with the AG’s office or any other agency. Vasquez said while the MCDA does have an investigations division, its staffers are expected to work on existing, open cases.
“Originating new criminal investigations is not a part of their job, nor something that they have the resources to do without abandoning the work we rely on them to do every day,” Vasquez said. “AG Rayfield has said his office is investigating these situations and I have great confidence in his investigative team.”
“DAs are in a crucial position,” Schmidt, Vasquez’s predecessor, told the Mercury. “In fact, they may be one of the last lines of defense in our communities for being able to hold federal officers accountable.”
Schmidt pointed to a newly-formed national network of prosecutors, called Fight Against Federal Overreach. (Abbreviated, that’s FAFO, which has another meaning, too.) FAFO was organized as a way for prosecutors to “compare strategies, coordinate action, support each other, and confront federal overreach wherever it occurs.” Members include Minneapolis DA Mary Moriarty and Philadelphia DA Steve Krasner, as well as prosecutors from Austin, Dallas, and several more jurisdictions around the country.
“The very first thing that any DA could do is tap into the national network of prosecutors who are standing up bravely and saying ‘This isn’t going to happen in my community,’” Schmidt said.
Vasquez, meanwhile, appeared somewhat skeptical of the DA network.
“I am in contact with other district attorneys from across the country,” Vasquez said. “We are unaware of a single case that has actually been filed against a federal agent for on duty conduct by the DAs who are publicly stating that they will charge federal agents.”
Schmidt has other suggestions, too. He said the MCDA could set up an evidence-gathering portal like Rayfield’s, and ask people to share evidence in an anonymous, protected way. But Schmidt said the role of the DA extends beyond merely the job of a prosecutor.
“Local DAs are lawyers; they can be community leaders who talk to people about First Amendment rights so they’re absolutely, 100 percent clear on what the law is,” Schmidt said. “They can make it clear to federal law enforcement that when they commit crimes, they’re not above state law and they will be investigated and held accountable.”
While strong messaging may not seem like enough to push back federal overreach, it is certainly a tool some prosecutors have tapped into. Krasner, the Philadelphia DA, recently made headlines for his vows to hunt down federal agents “the way they hunted down Nazis for decades” in order to achieve justice.
Schmidt believes strong rhetoric could work to discourage federal agents from breaking the law.
“While deterrence doesn’t work for every population that may be committing crimes, it would absolutely work if it was meaningfully said to federal law enforcement,” he said. “When I see district attorneys across the country standing up at press conferences and telling the federal agencies they will be held accountable, that can absolutely, in and of itself, lead to more public safety.”
Other legal experts agree. In a recent New York Times opinion piece, legal scholars Barry Friedman and Stephen I. Vladeck called on local and state prosecutors to bring charges against federal officials when they break state laws. The approach, Friedman and Vladeck wrote, “may be the only path to accountability” for the officers who killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, as well as others who have committed other, non-lethal violations elsewhere.
“Prosecutors should be gathering and securing evidence and seriously considering filing charges — sooner rather than later,” the New York Times piece states. “Not every prosecution will succeed, and all will face obstacles that are built into our legal system. But critically, bringing these state and local prosecutions could produce deterrent effects that are so desperately needed now.”
Vasquez seems to hold different beliefs about how to deter federal officers from over-the-top responses to anti-ICE protests. In his statements to the Mercury, he called out “agitators on the political extremes” who “seek to co-opt demonstrations to generate [a] response from the federal government.”
“I believe that Washington is looking for a fight and will rise to every occasion to meet civil disorder in progressive communities with force,” Vasquez said, adding that his office “receives complaints from left- and right-wing livestreamers and demonstrators who are engaged in a back-and-forth of who can provoke whom to physical action and then asking police and prosecutors to get the other guy.”
“This is a distraction from the serious issues that exist in our community and nation and I would urge everyone: do not rise to the bait, you will give the extremists precisely what they are looking for, attention and a purported justification to escalate.”
Schmidt and others who believe DAs should be at the forefront of pushback to the Trump administration believe the dangerous, and sometimes lethal, actions of federal agents in American cities are the top public safety concern of the moment.
“At the end of the day, a DA’s role is to do everything they can with their authority in office to protect communities and keep the community safe,” Schmidt said. “What we are seeing with the federal administration and immigration enforcement is making our communities live in fear, and actually less safe. It’s hard to think of a bigger issue in Portland right now.”
Been saying it for over a year now, Portland is currently experiencing a music renaissance. Cherished bands are reforming and playing out for the first time in years, venues are for sure closing, but they’re also opening. It seems we even have a City Council president who might make good on being a Portland music champion. And just like that… we’ve got a new music festival and music industry conference launching this spring.
Soundscapes Northwest hits Portland’s Central Eastside April 27 to May 2 with the promise of 100+ artists and speakers across the six days and nights of the festival. The “walking festival” is, much like South By Southwest spreading across Austin, decentralized and will take over 12+ venues in Portland’s last bastion of inner city industrial. The venues have yet to be announced, but there’s a good chance there will be classic favorites, and some new industrial settings.
The initial lineup announce includes headliners Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Toro Y Moi, two bands that’ve been deep in the festival circuit for over a decade now. Though the first announced headliners do turn heads for some, the real traffic stoppers move in the lower levels of the festival’s lineup.
Jimetta Rose & The Voices of Creation was hands down the holy grail of Pickathon 2025, taking us to church during their Sunday morning Woods Stage set. While peering out from backstage with Mercury writer Jenna Fletcher, she exclaimed “I’ve never seen so many white people learn how to two-step at once.” Praise be.
Remember how hard Seattle was popping off with an intensely prolific hip-hop scene in the early 2010s? That was due in large part to the elevated consciousness of Shabazz Palaces lead astral projector, Ishmael Butler. Since dropping Shabazz Palaces’ debut Black Up in 2011, Butler has continually redesigned the hip-hop underground with every release. No surprise for the standout MC of Digable Planets.
Windy City trio Facs have been dubbed by our sister publication, the Chicago Reader as “peerless post-punk,” and we happen to agree. Their Wish Defense album last year steered the band in a more subtle direction. It’s still angular, it’s still noisy, it’s still the Chicago sound, and the push-pit that opens up is sure to scuff some Vans.
After the release of their self-titled sophomore album last year, Portland’s own, The Cosmic Tones Research Trio have been proselytizing their spiritual jazz gospel performance to performance, listening party to listening party. The Trio’s north star, Alice Coltrane, smiles down on the three, blessing their eternal exploration of the Great Mystery. Let the band’s music wash over you, cleansing what needs cleansing, igniting what needs igniting.
Related: Read our Best Portland Albums of 2025, on which The Cosmic Tones Research Trio make many appearances.
Perennial Portland favorite Y La Bamba holds the distinction of being Soundscape NW’s first Artist in Residence. What that means exactly has yet to be announced, though Portland rides for Y La Bamba and its mastermind, Luz Elena Mendoza. It’ll be nourishing to see the band back in town, being recognized as the deities they are.
Other bright sunspots playing Soundscape NW’s debut include the cosmic collage hip-hop of Brown Calculus, Orquestra Pacifico Tropical’s Earth-moving cumbia (by Earth I mean ass, and by moving I mean shaking), the soft vibrations of Seattle’s Damien Jurado, the Indigenous psych-pop stylings of Ya Tseen—who recently toured with Portugal. The Man, industrial music heavyweight Lead Into Gold, the Lou Reed-loving band Mirrors, and the powerful power of Yawa’s electronics.
But don’t take my word for it, check the full lineup below.
Soundscape Northwest’s inaugural music festival and conference lands in Portland’s Central Eastside April 27 to May 2. Tickets and more info here.
Photo provided by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office
Update: Kaiya has been located and is safe. The original story is below.
MARION COUNTY, Ore. — The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing and endangered 10-year-old girl who was last seen Tuesday morning.
Authorities say Kaiya Bermanis was last seen around 9 a.m. in the area of Lancaster Drive NE and Jade Street NE.
Kaiya is described as a Hispanic female, approximately 4 feet 9 inches tall with a medium build and dark, curly hair. She was last seen wearing a black, baggy sweatshirt with “USA” on the sleeve and blue jeans.
Deputies say there is concern for Kaiya’s safety due to her age and a medical condition.
Anyone who sees Kaiya or has information about her whereabouts is urged to contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 503-588-5032 or call 911.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Nobody on the Seattle Seahawks has supported Sam Darnold quite like Ernest Jones IV.
When Darnold threw four interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams in a 21-19 loss in Week 11, Jones had his quarterback’s back. The second-team All-Pro linebacker wouldn’t allow Darnold to take the blame.
“Sam’s been balling,” Jones said after that game. “If we want to try and define Sam by this game, man, Sam’s had us in every game. So, for him to sit there and say, ‘Yo, that’s my fault,’ no, it’s not. There were plays defensively we could have made plays, or opportunities where we could have got stops.
“This is football. He’s our quarterback and we’ve got his back.”
Darnold rewarded his teammate’s faith. He led the Seahawks back from a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit to an overtime win against Los Angeles in the next meeting and was sensational in Seattle’s 31-27 victory over the Rams in the NFC championship game.
“Like I said, doubt Sam if you want to, Sam’s gonna show you every time,” Jones said afterward. “That’s who we know, and that’s why I stood on that, and I’ll do it all over again.”
Darnold has earned plenty of trust in the locker room in his first season in Seattle after a breakout year in Minnesota. Once considered a bust after the Jets drafted him No. 3 overall in 2018, Darnold — on his fifth team in eight seasons — is one victory away from leading Seattle to the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy.
Darnold and the Seahawks face Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday in a rematch from a matchup 11 years ago.
Tom Brady and the Patriots won that one, 28-24, after Russell Wilson’s pass from the 1-yard line in the final minute was intercepted by Malcolm Butler.
That gave Brady, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots the fourth of their sixth Super Bowl rings before the dynasty ended.
First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, a standout linebacker on three of those championship teams, has quickly turned a team that was coming off consecutive 4-13 seasons into a winner.
Maye has been the catalyst for New England’s impressive turnaround.
“From Day 1, I feel like the guys have really taken what Coach Vrabel has wanted to do with us and have just really applied it to their lives in every single way,” Maye said.
“Whether it’s on the field, off the field, getting treatment, doing little things, making great decisions off the field. I think the biggest thing is just — Coach Vrabel always says he treats us how we treat the team. I think that’s how guys have taken this year, and I think it’s just rallying together and wanting to play for each other. From there on, we just have had fun doing it every single day since, and it’s been a ride. Looking forward to trying to finish it off.”
Brady also was a second-year quarterback when he led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title in the 2001 season.
They were double-digit underdogs when they beat the Rams. The Pats were favorites in their next eight Super Bowl appearances until now. New England is a 4 1/2-point underdog this time around.
The 23-year old Maye, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, will be the second-youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Ben Roethlisberger was the youngest to win one when he led Pittsburgh to a victory over Seattle in the 2005 season.
Maye has demonstrated plenty of poise in clutch situations. He changed a play and ran a bootleg to extend the drive on third down late in the AFC championship game against Denver to seal a 10-7 victory in the snow.
“I think just as we’ve gone through this entire year in this program, and the more that he’s been out there and the games have kind of built up on us that, really, we’ve done a nice job in those situations,” Vrabel said of Maye’s maturity in big moments. “I think he’s improved in them, and he’s a big part of why we’re here, obviously.”
Of course, both teams are far more than just their quarterbacks.
Darnold has All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, running back Kenneth Walker and Seattle’s defense is the stingiest in the league. The Seahawks allowed the fewest points in the NFL and have standout players at every level. Defensive tackle Leonard Williams, linebacker Jones and cornerback Devon Witherspoon were second-team All-Pros. Safety Nick Emmanwori had a standout rookie season.
Maye has running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and the defense has been dominant in the playoffs.
Only one team will leave Santa Clara, California, with the Lombardi Trophy.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Members of a local immigrant rights group are set to directly confront officials at Portland City Hall, promising that they will “refuse to leave until [their] questions and demands are answered,” regarding the delay in revoking the permit for the Portland ICE facility. In a release, Portland Contra Las Deportaciones (PDXCD) […]
This Dec. 15, 2016, file photo shows a Pizza Hut restaurant in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Pizza Hut plans to close 250 U.S. restaurants in the first half of this year as its parent company considers a sale of the chain.
Yum Brands said Wednesday it’s targeting underperforming Pizza Hut restaurants in its system. Pizza Hut has more than 6,000 locations in the U.S.
Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum Brands said in November it was conducting a formal review of options for Pizza Hut, which has struggled with outdated stores and growing competition. The chain’s U.S. same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 5% last year, Yum said.
Rival Domino’s, the world’s largest pizza company, hasn’t yet released its full-year earnings, but its U.S. same-store sales were up 2.7% in the first nine months of last year.
Internationally, Pizza Hut’s results have been stronger. International same-store sales were up 1% last year, with growth in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, Yum said. China is Pizza Hut’s second-largest market outside the U.S., accounting for 19% of sales.
Yum CEO Chris Turner said Wednesday that the company plans to complete its review of options for Pizza Hut this year. He declined to share further updates on the process.
Pizza Hut ended 2025 with 19,974 stores globally, which was 251 fewer than it had the previous year. Pizza Hut opened nearly 1,200 stores across 65 countries last year, but closures outpaced that. Yum said Wednesday that Pizza Hut plans more global openings in 2026 but it didn’t give details.
Pizza Hut was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. PepsiCo acquired the chain in 1977 but spun off its restaurant division — which became Yum Brands — in 1997. Yum Brands also owns KFC, Taco Bell and Habit Burger & Grill.
I’m certain I don’t need to tell you this, but: Shit sucks. Are you taking care of yourself right now? One reliable method is through the poetry and dissociative capacity of good cinema. This month, options abound with screenings of Picnic at Hanging Rock (romance is cryptic), You’ve Got Mail (romance is online), and In the Mood for Love (romance is a dance of restraint and unspoken longing). Nonplatonic attraction aside, films by François Truffaut and Andrei Tarkovsky—plus a Le Guin adaptation—lean existential. Ready?
The 400 Blows
For fans of Vittori De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves (1948), Louis Malle’s Au Revoir les Enfants (1988), Richard Linklater.
Childhood is rough, particularly if you are a tormented little Parisian boy with a penchant for writing on walls and stealing typewriters. François Truffaut’s semi-autobiographical film The 400 Blows (1959)—which pulls its title from the French idiom faire les quatre cents coups, meaning something like “to raise hell”—takes an episodic approach that eschews elaborate narrative in favor of studying its child protagonist. Antoine’s (Jean-Pierre Léaud) small world falls apart as he lies and runs from every adult’s (often unjust) rules and expectations. But when he’s sent to a youth detention center, his final escape is also his most transcendent.
The film revisits what we all experienced as children at one point or another: the weight of feeling confused, unwanted, and full of frustration with nowhere to put it. Kids reliably know more than they let on, and Antoine’s no different; his big feelings are clearly driven by the violence, anger, and infidelity of his parents’ world. If you haven’t seen The 400 Blows, you’ve heard of it—the film placed Truffaut at the crest of the French New Wave, and its realist perspective has inspired many coming-of-age films since. Of the film’s many beautiful aspects, Jean Constantin’s score stands out—it’s silvery, haunting, and quite childlike. (Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st, Sat Feb 7, 11 am, $9, more info, not rated)
You’ve Got Mail
For fans of the AOL dial-up sound, literary types, ’90s New York.
“Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life… Do I do it because I like it? Or because I haven’t been brave?” Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) asks herself in Nora Ephron’s 1995 film You’ve Got Mail. It’s a puzzling line at first. Kathleen’s life seems fairly idyllic. She owns a beloved children’s bookstore in New York’s Upper East Side. She goes to Starbucks, back when that was a kind of cool thing to do. She attends elegant parties with caviar and bookish people.
But Kathleen’s worries ring true. Like many, she moves the goalposts for herself, yet clings to the aspects of her identity that are grounded in familiarity and obligation. And things inevitably fall apart. In her case, she falls in love with the nuclear option, Joe (Tom Hanks)—a bookstore magnate who’s actively putting her out of business.
Should Kathleen have stolen Joe’s hot and bitchy editor girlfriend Patricia (Parker Posey) instead? Well, yes. But You’ve Got Mail is really charming, even if its central premise is flawed. It offers the best cinematic depiction of the thrill of receiving an email in the mid-’90s, the Cranberries and Harry Nilsson command the soundtrack, and the film references Foucault, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, and Francisco Franco. How many romantic comedies can say the same? (PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St, Thurs Feb 12, 7 pm, $15, more info, PG)
Picnic at Hanging Rock
For fans of Sophia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides (2000), Robert Altman’s 3 Women (1977), Daphne Du Maurier.
Track down your rose water and your candelabra, because nothing says “Valentine’s Day approaches” quite like a clique of ribbon- and lace-clad boarding schoolers gone missing in the Victorian-era Australian Outback. Based on Joan Lindsay’s 1967 novel, Peter Weir’s eerie dreamhouse melded panpipes and parasols into a lasting aesthetic vision—Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) has become a mood board for those entranced by its pastoral, impressionist sensibility. The film served as a progenitor for soft femme subcultures and inspired the tonal similarities found in Sophia Coppola’s films. Chloë Sevigny once cited it as one of her favorites, too.
Picnic at Hanging Rock requires an acceptance of unsolved mystery. Its open-ended conclusion and gauzy plot rely heavily on vibes. But one could interpret the film as an exploration of sexual awakening, lesbian tension, and surrender in the most elemental sense. (In the words of one Letterboxd reviewer, “horror doesn’t always have to be normal.”) The story’s “horror” is conjured through the strange hypnosis of one sun-drenched day, as an ancient volcanic rock formation towers above a group of girls on the brink of adulthood. A central question emerges: Would it be so wrong to loosen your corset, duck behind a boulder, and disappear? (Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark, Feb 13-19, showtimes vary, $6.50-$9.50, more info, PG)
Also worth it:
Waiting to Exhale with Grand Gesture Books
Forest Whitaker directed a warm, messy portrait of female friendship in which Angela Bassett torches her ex’s car. Local bodice-ripper purveyors Grand Gesture Books promise all attendees a “delectable” goodie bag with face masks and chocolate, because you’re worth it!! (PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, Fri Feb 6, more info)
Muriel’s Wedding
Muriel (Toni Collette) escapes her politico father, bops over to the big city (Sydney, AU), and finally starts shaping her dream life in this ’94 rom-com, which is perfectly framed by its ABBA soundtrack. (Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, Sat Feb 7, more info)
The Lathe of Heaven
Based on Ursula K. Le Guin’s ’71 novel of the same name, The Lathe of Heaven (1980) imagines dystopian consequences when a psychiatrist manipulates his client’s dreams. See it after catching A Larger Reality: Ursula K. Le Guin at Oregon Contemporary (closing Feb 8), which includes an interactive Lathe of Heaven installation. (PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, Sun Feb 8, more info)
In the Mood for Love
A lonely married journalist meets a similarly isolated woman in Wong Kar-wai’s 2000 romance, set in ’60s Hong Kong. Christopher Doyle’s cinematography—candid-feeling, and lush with symbolic color—helped cement In the Mood for Love as a major stylistic influence on the last 25 years of film. (PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, Sat Feb 14, more info)
Stalker
Cinemagic’s month-long exploration of Andrei Tarkovsky’s filmography offers several opportunities to sit with deep existential queries. Among their picks are two sci-fi films with distinct takes: the misty wasteland of Stalker (1979) screens on February 15 and 18, and space-age Solaris (1972) screens on February 22. (Cinemagic, 2021 SE Hawthorne, $7-$9, multiple dates through March 1, more info)
La Ciénaga
Argentine director Lucrecia Martel’s 2001 feature debut follows a wealthy family’s languid summer; a quiet plot unfolds amid the creeping, heat-struck malaise. La Ciénaga introduced the hallmarks of Martel’s later films, with nuance found in class-informed atmospheres. (5th Avenue Cinema, 510 SW Hall, Feb 20-22, more info)
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 coming at ya this week! CHECK IT OUT!
Check out our Maximalist Dreamscapes series this February at the renovated Whitsell Auditorium—including Mulholland Drive, Amadeus, Black Orpheus, Brazil, and more! Get your tickets now or enter to win a free pair!
Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave, now through March 8, $10-$35, All Ages
UpDating is the critically-acclaimed New York City-based live dating & comedy show bringing two singles on blindfolded first dates in front of live audiences. Dubbed “the most raw dating show in existence,” what follows is a hilarious show with audience participation, raw moments, and relatable feedback on modern romance in real-time with real people. Get your tickets now or enter to win a free pair!
Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave, Wed February 18, 8 pm, $44.24+, All Ages
Beloved for her sharp wit and infectious charm, powerhouse comedian Cristela Alonzo brings hilarious new stand-up to Portland on ‘The Midlife Mixtape Tour!’ Get your tickets now or enter to win a free pair!
Aladdin Theater, 3017 SE Milwaukie Ave, Sun February 22, 7:30 pm, $36.80, All Ages
Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark Street, Tues February 24 and Wed February 25, 8 pm, $62.23+, All Ages
Zachary William ‘Bill’ Dess, known by his stage name Two Feet, is an American singer, songwriter, and producer from New York City. A multi-instrumentalist, Dess is one of the few artists today who writes, plays, sings, and produces all his own music in his studio. Reviewers have called his music ‘mesmerizing’ and noted his ‘silky vocals, low-key beat.’ He is a blender of genres and makes some of the most raw and original, emotionally alive music today. Get your tickets now or enter to win a free pair!
McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, 1332 West Burnside Street, Sun March 8, 8 PM, $37.50+, All Ages
GOOD LUCK! Winners will be notified on Monday, and check back next week for more FREE TIX from the Mercury.
NEW YORK (AP) — During the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts worried that disruptions to cancer diagnosis and treatment would cost lives. A new study suggests they were right.
The federally funded study published Thursday by the medical journal JAMA Oncology is being called the first to assess the effects of pandemic-related disruptions on the short-term survival of cancer patients.
Researchers found that people diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and 2021 had worse short-term survival than those diagnosed between 2015 and 2019. That was true across a range of cancers, and whether they were diagnosed at a late or early stage.
Of course, COVID-19 itself was especially dangerous to patients already weakened by cancer, but the researchers worked to filter out deaths mainly attributed to the coronavirus, so they could see if other factors played a role.
The researchers were not able to definitively show what drove worse survival, said Todd Burus of the University of Kentucky, the study’s lead author.
“But disruptions to the health care system were probably a key contributor,” said Burus, who specializes in medical data analysis.
COVID-19 forced many people to postpone cancer screenings — colonoscopies, mammograms and lung scans — as the coronavirus overwhelmed doctors and hospitals, especially in 2020.
Earlier research had shown that overall cancer death rates in the U.S. continued to decline throughout the pandemic, and there weren’t huge shifts in late diagnoses.
Recinda Sherman, a researcher on that earlier paper, applauded the new work.
“As this study is the first to document pandemic-related, cause-specific survival, I think it is important,” said Sherman, of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. “The more we understand about the impact of COVID-19, the better we will be able to prepare for the next one.”
How could overall cancer death rates decline in 2020 and 2021, while short-term survival worsen for newly diagnosed patients?
Cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment measures that for years had been pushing cancer death rates down did not suddenly disappear during the pandemic, Burus noted.
“We didn’t forget how to do those things,” he said. “But disruptions could have changed access, could have changed how quickly people were getting treated.”
Further research will show if any impact was lasting, said Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist and cancer epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society.
“Transient declines in survival that quickly recover may have little impact on long-term mortality trends,” she said.
The new study tapped national cancer registry data to focus more specifically on patients who had a first diagnosis of a malignant cancer in 2020 and 2021. More than 1 million people were diagnosed with cancer in those two years, and about 144,000 died within one year, according to the researchers’ data.
The researchers looked at one-year survival rates for those patients, checking for what stage they were at the time of diagnosis.
They calculated that one-year survival was lower for both early- and late-stage diagnoses, for all cancer sites combined. Most worrisome were large differences seen in colorectal, prostate and pancreatic cancers, they said.
Overall, the researchers found that more than 96% of people who got an early-stage cancer diagnosis in 2020 and 2021 — and more than 74% of those with a late-stage diagnosis — survived more than a year. Those rates were slightly lower than would have been expected based on 2015-2019 trends, resulting in about 17,400 more deaths than expected.
