SALEM, Ore. – Oregon’s annual job growth turned negative in 2025 as employers cut payrolls and unemployment climbed to its highest level in a decade outside of a recession.
According to the Oregon Employment Department, nonfarm payroll employment declined by 3,300 jobs, a decrease of 0.2%, marking the first annual job loss since the pandemic recovery and one of only a handful of annual declines since 1990 that were not tied to a recession. While a few sectors added jobs, gains were narrowly concentrated in health care and social assistance.
The state’s labor force continued to grow modestly, but all of the increase came from a rising number of unemployed workers rather than employment growth.
More information from the Oregon Employment Department:
Job losses widespread despite concentrated gains
Health care and social assistance accounted for the majority of job gains in 2025, adding 13,300 jobs, or 4.4%, from the previous year. Government employment also increased, with public-sector payrolls growing by 3,300 jobs, or 1.0%. About three-quarters of those gains occurred in local government, including public schools, higher education and municipal services.
Most other major sectors experienced job losses. Manufacturing shed 6,900 jobs, a decline of 3.7%, while retail trade lost 3,100 jobs, or 1.5%. Wholesale trade employment fell by 2,200 jobs, administrative and waste services declined by 2,100, and the information sector dropped by 2,000 jobs, a decrease of 5.6%. All remaining sectors changed by fewer than 2,000 jobs over the year.
A diffusion index, which measures how broadly job growth is spread across sectors, showed more industries losing jobs than gaining them throughout 2025. The index remained well below 50 for most of the year, indicating contraction across much of the economy, though conditions improved modestly toward year’s end.
Health care leads for third straight year
Health care and social assistance led job growth for the third consecutive year, driven by gains across all major subsectors. Nursing and residential care facilities posted the largest increase, adding 3,900 jobs, or 6.9%, bringing total employment in the subsector to about 60,500.
Private social assistance employers also added 3,900 jobs, a 4.9% increase, while ambulatory health care services grew by 3,200 jobs, or 3.1%. Private hospitals added an average of 2,200 jobs in 2025, a gain of 3.5%.
Rising unemployment drives labor force growth
Oregon’s labor force grew by 20,200 people in 2025, an increase of 0.9%, consistent with gains seen since 2022. Unlike the pre-pandemic years, however, employment did not rise alongside labor force growth.
Instead, the number of employed Oregonians was essentially unchanged, while unemployment increased by 20,200 over the year. On average, there were 10,000 more unemployed workers in 2025 than in 2024, a 22% increase and the second consecutive annual rise.
After two years of stagnant job growth and rising joblessness, Oregon’s unemployment rate averaged 5.1% in 2025, the highest level since 2015 outside of a recession or recovery period.
Slow rebound forecast for 2026
Looking ahead, the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis projects a return to modest job growth in 2026. Employers are expected to add about 10,000 nonfarm jobs, a growth rate of 0.5%, or roughly 800 jobs per month.
Professional and business services are forecast to lead gains, followed by health care and social assistance. Job losses are expected in government, parts of manufacturing, financial activities and the information sector.
While growth is projected to resume, analysts say employment gains are likely to remain below historical averages.
With an NBA team, its G-League affiliate, two Division 1 universities, and coming later this year, a professional women’s team—say it loud, say it proud, Portland is a basketball town!
“Rip City Runs Deep” may be the Portland Trailblazers corny catchphrase for the season, but when it comes to basketball culture, we really do run deep. So whether you’re just beginning to watch hoops, new to the city and our teams, want to ball on a budget, or are ready to make the jump from a casual baller to a true basketball sicko—Portland has it all. Our local teams and arenas come with their own unique charm to offer any sports fan. This past month, I went to the home games of four different Portland teams, breaking down each stadium environment based on cost (ticket/food/drinks), quality of basketball, fandom, snack quality, and the inexplicable things you can only get from watching big time live sports, the x-factor.
Most Electric Basketball in Town Crown
Portland State University Vikings at Viking Pavilion (SW Downtown/Park Blocks)
Portland State Vikings vs. Sacramento State Hornets; January 10 (PSU won 96-69)
Cost: 🏀🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
While tickets are always free for students, for fans, $12 gets you in the door while $55 gets you courtside! PSU also offers discounted group rates. Viking Pavilion features the cheapest snack item—possibly at any 21st century basketball game—with a $1 small popcorn. But the $7 beers, $4 sodas, and $6 hot dogs shined. Getting the traditional stadium smorgasbord for under $20 puts the clutch in clutch time.
Quality of Ball: 🏀🏀🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
Usually a 30 point blowout wouldn’t warrant such a high Quality of Ball rating, but this game was simply electric. The Viks are 14-6, and in first place in the Big Sky Conference, the team has the potential for a historic season and a March Madness tournament appearance. Senior guard Jaylin Henderson is a star. His alley-oop dunk and transition poster dunk are literally among the two best dunks I’ve seen in person. Just disgusting, disrespectful work that had every fan on their feet screaming for a beautiful, uninterrupted minute before Sacramento State Coach Mike Bibby (yes, that former Sacramento Kings point guard Mike Bibby) called a timeout to calm things down. The Viks also had a 25 point-20 rebound effort from Quebecois center Tre-Vaughn Minott, and a triple-double from forward Terri Miller Jr. This all overshadowed the other team featuring Shaq’s son and a 29-point effort from former high school YouTube star Mikey Williams. Mostly because Mike Bibby’s squad is 8-13 and in the middle-tier of the Big Sky Conference.
Jaylin Henderson attacking the rack. JACK LEWY
Fandom: 🏀🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
Viking Pavilion may be the smallest arena of the bunch, but it’s also the newest. With comfortable seats and a small but mighty student section, it’s the right size looking mostly full without many gaps of empty seats. The student band, seemingly with an average age of 67, sported green flame bowling shirts and played Elvis songs. The cheerleaders looked like they were about to break their toes kicking the bleachers so hard on free throws. Alumni taunted a 21-year-old YouTuber and a 47-year-old former NBA journeyman while the team’s dunks brought the house down. At one point, an old man caught a free T-shirt thrown by a cheerleader, he immediately took the shirt off his back, and the entire student section erupted in cheers for the shirtless grandpa as he flexed and danced before putting on his new Vikings threads. This is the beauty of our beloved commuter university, the joy of college basketball.
Snack/Food Quality: 🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
The Viking Pavilion does not feature any frills. Just a straightforward, reasonably priced snack bar that can be found at any stadium in America. Want a hot dog, nachos, or popcorn? They have you covered. Anything else? Eat somewhere else before the game. If it’s a Saturday game, the PSU Farmers’ Market is literally outside the pavilion’s front door.
X-Factor:
This PSU team is flat-out fun to watch. Fast-paced offense, incredible highlight plays, and fun personalities. As my friend pointed out, “more guys are rocking mismatched shoes on this team than not.” But more than anything, we were locked in on the Portland State head basketball coach. Jase Coburn is a true basketball sicko. Coburn came in hot like a nurse about to work the night shift at a hospital, with two C4 energy drinks and three bottles of water (the water was never touched). Sporting a classy suit-tie combo, there was no chair for Coburn to sit in if he wanted to. Instead he paced the sidelines for the full 40 minutes. While up 30 in the second half, he left his starters in to put heavy ball pressure on the opposing point guard. The Vikings still shouldn’t give up anything easy—Coburn wants to win at all costs, and I’d run through a wall like the Kool-Aid man for him.
The Portland State University Vikings Men’s Basketball schedule can be found here.
Baller on a Budget Award
University of Portland Pilots at Chiles Center (St. Johns)
University of Portland Pilots vs. Oregon State Beavers; January 10 (UP won 82-76)
Cost: 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
While tickets to premier matchups against their West Coast Conference (WCC) in-state rivals Oregon State ran for $13-25 depending on the seats, UP has a killer “503 Game” promo for several upcoming home games (not including Gonzaga), offering $5 tickets, $3 hot dogs, and free parking (there’s also bike parking and Chiles Center is right off the 44 bus line). That really can’t be beat for some mid-major hoops.
Quality of Ball: 🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
The hometown Pilots handled the Beavs in what many are now calling an in-state rivalry in Oregon. The truth is both these programs are having relatively underwhelming years, with overall losing records, sitting in the middle-bottom of the WCC. As is the case with many mid-major college basketball teams today, both lost a lot of their top-end talent to the transfer portal this off-season: Oregon State lost all-conference forward Michael Rataj to Baylor, and defensive guard Damarco Minor to Pittsburgh, while the Pilots lost WCC Freshman of the Year Austin Rapp to Wisconsin. Now, the Pilots are led by the scrappy undersized Australian freshman guard Joel Foxwell and versatile junior forward Cameron Williams. Both gave Beavs standout guard Josiah Lake II a hard time in a grind-it-out, physical—if not super aesthetically pleasing—basketball game. However, when St. Mary’s and Gonzaga come to town (January 24 and February 4), both are highly ranked perennial powerhouses in college basketball that feature some top end talent. Gonzaga is currently ranked in the Top 10 nationally, vying for a top seed and long run in this year’s March Madness tournament on the backs of a borderline unstoppable forward duo in Graham Ike and Braden Huff. Maybe the Pilots can pull off an improbable upset. Either way, you can see future NBA players light up the dome.
Fandom: 🏀🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
So while this was a Portland Pilots home game, truth be told, Oregon State fans outnumbered Pilots’ fans and students about two-to-one. This is to be expected for a PAC-12 school and true flagship university for our great state (sorry Ducks). The Pilots’ student band was small but mighty, playing horn section versions of “Hot To Go!” and “Industry Baby,” while the sax player screamed and banged the bleachers while the Beavs shot free throws. The game got pretty heated and you wouldn’t want a rivalry any other way. A few fans said a few things they may regret. One impassioned Beaver fan screamed, “TRAVEL” non-stop for at least two minutes straight, falling on the uncaring ears of the referees. Sitting in the Oregon State section, I got to watch the co-hosts of Oregon State Men’s Basketball podcast, The Payton Years, have a collective aneurysm as the Beavers faded late. Their yells of “Beaver Bias” (the unofficial catchphrase of the show, essentially the theory of a mass referee conspiracy against the Oregon State Beavers) felt unusually deflated, knowing their heart wasn’t in it this time. All they could do was watch on in disappointment when the Pilots brought out a drum to celebrate with the home fans after a win in the style of the new San Antonio Spurs tradition.
Snack Quality: 🏀🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
The single best food item I tasted at any of these games was the kalua pork mac and cheese special at the Chilies Center. The pork, tender and juicy. The mac and cheese, perfectly creamy. The bacon and chives, a nice little crunch to top it off. One may be tempted to go for the “walking taco,” but should avoid this at all costs—it’s just Doritos with the tiniest little dollop of nacho cheese imaginable. Get the special!
X-Factor:
Last year’s Battle of the Willamette Valley at the Chiles Center came during our annual “snowpocalypse.” Because the Chiles Center has sort of oddly high-vaulted ceilings, the gym was freezing cold, further highlighting the sparse winter storm attendance. For the lucky few who braved the icy roads—Deandre Ayton did not attend—it ended up being a pretty great game in which the Pilots held on to upset an actually very good Oregon State team 84-72. One of those in attendance was the then Mayor-elect Keith Wilson. Wilson did not visibly pick sides by wearing UP or OSU related gear—a true politician’s mind.
The University of Portland Pilots Men’s Basketball schedule can be found here.
Family Friendly Fun Award
Rip City Remix at Chiles Center (St. Johns)
Rip City Remix vs. Stockton Kings; December 16 (Stockton Kings won 129-100)
Cost: 🏀🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
While adult tickets start at $15 (depending on the day of the game), the real focus here is the youth—kids get in for $5-10. The $7 hot dogs, $5 sodas, $9 beers, and $12 special street tacos are all solid deals, and much more affordable than an NBA game, but slightly more expensive than the college games.
Quality of Ball: 🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
Okay, I will readily admit the Rip City Remix are a better basketball team than either of the college teams listed above. Much better even. It’s really not comparable between adult professionals and college prospects. But here’s the thing, these games have no stakes. The G-League playoffs don’t matter. The teams don’t really have stand-alone fanbases or rivalries, and seemingly not even the gym staff care about the results of the game. The reason for the team is to be a place to park young, borderline NBA players, or to give young stars live basketball minutes with the professional staff in the building able to give real time feedback. Though the results of the game don’t matter, it is cool seeing the young Chinese phenom Yang Hansen play 30 minutes and struggle against a team featuring the NCAA all-time scoring record holder Antoine Davis, retired NBA journeyman Jameer Nelson’s son, and a bald guy who looks like the star of an LA Fitness pickup game. A perfect opportunity to “remember some guys,” and maybe see the Blazer’s next 15-minute role player shine.
Fandom: 🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
The “fans” in question aren’t really fans of the Remix. They’re Blazer sickos, they’re random people from the neighborhood, they’re parents taking their kids to their first basketball game without having to put the giant headphones on their ears, and they are adult sons taking their dads out for their birthdays. It’s a calmer environment where no degenerate gambler angry fan will yell “fuck you, I didn’t hit my parlay.” Also they have a spinning wheel prize game that costs $5, fans can win T-shirts, jerseys, or an actual basketball!
Snack Quality: 🏀🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
The hotdog and soda were just what I wanted: good snap to the dog, loaded with condiments, classic bottled Coke. Pro tip: They had pickled jalapeños, salsa, and taco fixings available for the street taco special, but you could add them in addition to the typical hot dog accoutrement. It elevated things a nice little bit.
X-Factor:
At the game I went to, Portland’s dad, Damian Lillard posted up on the sidelines to watch his metaphorical sons play a game that mostly resembled NBA basketball. In addition, other current Blazer rotation players (or at least guys who sit on the Blazers bench) got in the game for big minutes with Yang Hansen, Rayan Rupert, and Javonte Cooke. Borderline NBA stars still shone bright in the 20 percent full arena on a rainy December evening.
Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center (Rose Quarter)
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Orlando Magic; December 23 (Orlando Magic won 110-106)
Cost: 🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀 (2 if the Lakers are in town)
NBA ticket prices fluctuate like ride shares since most people buy tickets on secondary markets these days. Los Angeles, New York, and Boston games cost a lot, while Washington and New Orleans not so much. An hour before tip off against the Orlando Magic, $15 got you in the door up in the rafters, while the lower levels ran for up to $340. A regular size hot dog goes for $9, beers $10.25-16, and it’s $8 for a bottle of soda. Pro tip: You can get a 12oz Rainer in the 300 section for $5!
Quality of Ball: 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀 out 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
Depending on who’s playing that night, the best basketball players in the world could be playing in that gym. The Blazers are currently 23-27 (good for 10th place in the Western Conference). After three miserable seasons of watching a team lose on purpose, this team is actually fun. This season of pretty good is due in part to the astronomical rise of point-forward Deni Avdija’s all-star campaign, even though some NBA all-star voting system skeptics have said there’s been election interference (pointing to his high “fan vote” from international fans despite relatively lower jersey sales). Sure, he may be one of the most “unethical hoopers,” and really good at angling his body and arms to bait defenders into fouls. But to that I say—haters can die mad or try to be in a better defensive position—even though I would 100 percent be one of the haters dying mad if he played for the Houston Rockets.
January started out with so much hope, but things really slowed a few weeks back when Deni walked off the court at the end of a loss to the New York Knicks—hobbling like my dad after a hard week at the lumber yard—and our collective hearts sank. Fear turned to “oh shit, here we go again,” when in the first game without Deni, the Blazers lost to the hated Golden State Warriors by 30 on national television. In a season where Dame will be out for its entirety, and Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, Jerami Grant, and Matisse Thybulle (to name a few) have missed significant time, the injuries feel like a cruel game of whack-a-mole. Last week Deni came back from his back injury, only for it to seize up again two games later—unfortunately he’s not beating the back-of-a-48-year-old-construction-worker-at-the-ripe-age-of-25 allegations yet. Maybe if the Blazers have access to a more elevated painkiller cocktail than the mixtures of cortisol shots, Percocet, coffee, and actual cocktails my family with back problems use, they can continue to tread water. But hopefully all Deni needs is some yoga to return to full strength soon.
Fandom: 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
A game at Moda Center really can’t be beat. Whether 20,000 fans are jumping and screaming because Shaedon Sharpe threw down a windmill dunk or Yang Hansen set a screen, the energy is contagious. A couple years ago I went to a game with a few friends when the Blazers were really struggling. Tickets were $4 and the Sacramento Kings clinched a playoff spot for the first time in 16 years by beating the Blazers. Blazer fans actually cheered for the Kings, chanting “Light the beam” while the home team was borderline laughed off the floor. A true low point after years of the Blazers as playoff mainstays. Now that sort of groveling to opposing fandoms is done, Blazer games have actual stakes. As for the non-basketball entertainment at Moda Center, DJ OG One is a consummate pro and the halftime shows are generally at least pretty funny, like when someone in upper management’s spouse seemingly had their Zumba class perform. And as for the location, the Moda Center is hard to beat. It’s easy to get to by public transportation or bike from anywhere in the city. I do not want to hear any complaints about “parking” literally ever, stop drinking and driving—take the MAX!
We love Yang Hansen! BRUCE ELY
Snack Quality: 🏀🏀🏀🏀.5 out of 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀
In addition to classic stadium fare, Moda Center also has several local chains including, Killer Burger, Cha Cha Cha, and Bae’s Chicken. Burgers with weird stuff on it, decent burritos and bowls, and spicy fried chicken—and they don’t seem to be egregiously gouging us with arena prices. I got a chopped Italian sandwich with chips ($16) from Chop that was actually excellent. The sheer amount of quality options really sets the Moda Center a cut above the more discount food options. Hot dogs from the unlicensed vendors outside the stadium are $10 (I know, kind of crazy), with their glorious mixture of grilled onions, grilled jalapeños, and bacon. They have the potential to be the ideal hot dog for a city that has yet to coin an official “hot dog style.” However, full disclosure, one time I did drunkenly buy one on my walk home and the hot dog was literally ice cold. So buyer beware.
X-Factor:
In mid-December, Desmond Bane and the Orlando Magic came to town. Bane was coming off his truly inexplicable arc of becoming the latest NBA League-wide villain. During the game he argued with the referees, fans booed. He caught a pass, scored a tough bucket, and flexed at the Blazers bench, fans booed. Then later Sidy Cissoko, a high energy guy in a long line of beloved Blazer role players, took a charge on Bane and he threw a little tantrum at the refs. Fans cheered as if the Blazers had just made the finals, even as the team ultimately fell short of winning. I won’t say the Blazers are fully “back,” and I won’t say this team is ready to compete for a championship. Hell, they’re probably not even ready to win a playoff series yet. But in a season of many tiny turmoils, where the head coach getting arrested by the FBI feels like the distant past, things seem to be headed generally in the right direction. For opposing teams (and referees) to have rightfully returned to their role as villains in the eyes of fans means the game matters again.
The Portland Trail Blazers schedule can be found here.
If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. 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! 👋
After a skootch of light rain today and a high of 54, we’re in for a significant sunny drying spell lasting throughout the week, with temps rocketing up to a balmy 60 degrees by Wednesday. And now, try to keep your blood pressure from rocketing up while reading today’s NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• This past weekend brought another, especially disgusting display of force from Trump’s personal immigration Gestapo, as thousands marched on Saturday from Elizabeth Caruthers Park to Portland’s ICE facility—where protesters were immediately met with an overwhelming, unnecessary barrage of tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets. Led by local unions, and marching in protest against the border patrol agents who murdered Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last weekend, members of the huge throng—which included CHILDREN and the ELDERLY mind you—were throwing up in the street after being exposed to the dangerous gas, which also caused protesters’ eyes and skin to burn. Mayor Keith Wilson issued a furious response to the actions of Trump’s agents, writing, “To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave. Through your use of violence and the trampling of the Constitution, you have lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame.” To put even a finer point on it, he continued, “To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children.” WHY INDEED. Our Taylor Griggs was there and files this report along with a lot of similarly furious quotes from participants and city officials.
I recorded this today, in Portland, Oregon, at a huge march to the ICE facility in SW. The crowd was full of cyclists who had ridden there in memory of Alex Pretti; members of several labor unions; and ordinary citizens of every age, including this little girl. So of course ICE deployed tear gas.
If your children got tear gassed today I want to hear from you, even if you don’t live in my district. You can contact my office at councilor.green@portlandoregon.gov
Here’s how to identify some crowd control munitions, canisters of which federal agents have left on the ground after deploying them against people in Minnesota. bit.ly/3YWp1jE
Graphic by Mark Boswell/The Minnesota Star Tribune
• IN OTHER ICY NEWS: The ICE gassing continued on Sunday as well, as another large crowd of protesters marched on the facility. The tear gas and rubber bullet barrage was reportedly somewhat less intense than the day before, though that’s probably because the agents didn’t see any children in the crowd. 😒 Meanwhile, the ACLU of Oregon is representing protesters who are now suing the federal government for their dangerous, unnecessary use of tear gas against peaceful protesters. And King Fool issued another of his bombastic, lie-filled tirades on Truth Social over the weekend—though this time, instead of pinpointing Portland, he spewed his ire over the Oregon city of Eugene, following their large protest against ICE on Friday, in which protesters entered the federal building. Falsely calling the demonstrators “highly paid Lunatics, Agitators and Insurrectionists,” the blithering 79-year-old warned that any further, similar actions would be met by the “military” who would make them “suffer.” (Grumpy Grampy should take a nap, and then learn when to use proper capitalizations and the Oxford comma.)
• In case you haven’t noticed, Portland’s public transit agency, TriMet, is in big financial trouble, and it’s unclear when—or if—help will arrive. In the meantime, they say they’re going to have to make some major bus and MAX service cuts… even potentially eliminating several entire bus lines. 😧 So what’s to be done about it? Get the full details from our hotshot transpo reporter, Taylor Griggs.
• Hey readers who like to read things: Hurricane Envy, Sara Jaffe’s new short story collection, channels the post-punk charge of the former Erase Errata guitarist into restless, electric fiction, according to our Lindsay Costello. So if you like stories that navigate queer parenthood and artistic anxieties, set in some very familiar Portland landmarks, then have we got the book review for you!
• Today’s palate cleanser from the Oregon Zoo:
Happy birthday Tula-Tu! This petite party pachyderm is 1 today 💖
• The government experienced yet another partial shutdown over the weekend, as House Weasel Mike Johnson struggles to get the House to fund a package that will prevent a full government closure. One of the big sticking points? ICE, of course, and if the funding for border patrol will be rolled into this same package. Democrats are refusing to budge, forcing the GOP—who have their own ICE detractors—to figure out a way to pass the package as-is, or separate the funding for the violent, immoral agency.
NEW: A federal judge has ordered 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father RELEASED from the Dilley detention center. www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/u…
• Trump is pushing to close Washington’s Kennedy Center performing arts facility for two years for so-called “renovations”—though the decision comes quickly after a litany of artists have canceled their appearances following King Fool’s meddling with the institution. Calling the center “tired, broken, and dilapidated,” and based on almost certainly imaginary advice from “Highly Respected Experts” 🤣, Trump has unsurprisingly refused to produce any evidence that the Kennedy Center is in shambles. (But let’s face it… he wants it to look nice when Kid Rock eventually performs.)
• Congratulations to recording artist Bad Bunny who made history last night after being awarded the “album of the year” at the Grammys—the first time an all-Spanish-language album has taken top honors in the category. The artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, will also be the first Spanish-language Latin solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show next Sunday. After thanking everyone who worked on the album, Ocasio blasted the inhuman cruelty of ICE, saying, “We’re not savage. We’re not animals. We’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.”
President Trump on Monday sharply criticized this year’s Grammys telecast and threatened to sue its host, the comedian Trevor Noah, over a joke that appeared to tie Trump to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
• Good news out of Texas: Democrat Taylor Rehmet has flipped a historically red district in the state to win a Senate seat—and its the same district that Trump won by 17 points in 2024. Rehmet is a labor leader and veteran who whomped conservative activist (and Trump pick) Leigh Wambsganss by an impressive 14 points—marking it as yet another come-from-behind victory for Democrats which is leaving Republicans shaking in their boots over the upcoming midterms.
• And finally, as someone whose cooking skills could use… shall we say… some “work,” I feel much more confident after watching these people hilariously fuck shit up in the kitchen.
An Oak Grove man is accused of multiple charges, which include rape, after finding victims on dating apps.
24-year-old Jacob Koser was arrested last week during an investigation by the the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. Officials say he was booked on multiple counts, including rape, assault, and menacing. Koser is currently in the Clackamas County Jail on 500-thousand dollars bail.
He allegedly gave substances to a victim under the age of 21, having seeked them out on the dating app Tinder. The investigation is also looking into Koser’s history on another dating app, Pure.
Under Oregon law, detectives released Koser’s mug shot despite him currently not being convicted of a crime. This is because the investigation points to more victims that Koser may have met up with on dating apps.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s office says that there may be more victims that Koser has targeted. The public is asked to contact the tip line at 503-723-4949 and refer to CCSO Case # 26-000978 if they have any new information.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Protesters returned to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland Sunday night, one day after a large demonstration culminated with federal agents using tear gas on the crowd. By 5 pm Sunday, about 50-100 people were outside the ICE facility in South Portland, far fewer than the day before. However, […]
Thousands of local union members and supporters gathered in Portland’s South Waterfront Saturday afternoon for an anti-ICE demonstration hosted by Oregon labor leaders. The family-friendly event turned chaotic after federal agents met the peaceful crowd with repeated rounds of tear gas as they marched outside Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
The disproportionate federal response to the peaceful protest prompted widespread condemnation from Portland leaders, including Mayor Keith Wilson, who called on ICE agents to resign in a strongly-worded statement issued January 31.
“Through your use of violence and the trampling of the Constitution, you have lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame,” Wilson said. “To those who continue to make these sickening decisions, go home, look in a mirror, and ask yourselves why you have gassed children.”
Protesters emerge out of a tear gas cloud in the aftermath of the first rounds of munitions. taylor griggs
The rally began at Elizabeth Caruthers Park, a few blocks north of the ICE facility, around 3 pm. A roster of local union leaders spoke to the growing crowd, emphasizing the importance of solidarity among organized labor and marginalized groups currently being targeted by President Trump’s administration.
“The labor movement’s guiding principle is solidarity,” Graham Trainor, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO union federation, said at the rally. “That means that anything that aims to undermine our solidarity or divide our communities is a fucking labor issue.”
At the labor rally on January 31, speakers called for more union-led actions like the general strike in Minneapolis. Mark Medina, an organizer with the Coalition of Independent Unions, called on those at the rally to “get organized” and “get ready to fight.”
“You have the opportunity to change the future and make one that is just, humane, and includes your immigrant brothers and sisters,” Medina said. “Join a union no matter what, if there is none in your industry, organize your own. If you think there is a time to fight, it is now.”
Mark Medina from the Coalition of Independent Unions. taylor griggs
The labor rally coalesced with a large group of people on bikes who joined the protest in support of Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on January 24, while observing and recording the agents’ response to protests in the city. Similar rides took place in Minneapolis and hundreds of other cities to honor Pretti, who was a cyclist in Minnesota. Pretti was also a Veterans Affairs (VA) intensive care unit nurse and union member. Many people held signs honoring Pretti and Renee Good, another Minneapolis resident who was killed by federal agents earlier in January.
After hearing from several speakers, the group began to line up for the march. Leaders expected the group to march past the ICE facility before heading back north to Elizabeth Caruthers Park. Before leaving the park, organizers said while they didn’t disparage any protest tactic, they wanted those participating in the march to commit to remaining peaceful. The crowd, which included many children, responded affirmatively.
The Oregon Nurses Association saw a large member turnout at Saturday’s rally and march. taylor griggs
The march began heading south on South Moody Ave, toward the ICE facility, around 4 pm. Those at the front of the group arrived at the facility about 20 minutes later, and headed back toward the starting location, this time walking north on South Bond Ave. But the march fractured on South Bancroft Street in front of the ICE building, with some protesters choosing to stay put in front of the facility. That group, as well as hundreds more who were stationed near the back of the labor march, were hit with several rounds of tear gas when federal officers deployed the chemicals without warning, at roughly 4:30 pm. The affected group included children and elderly people. Most people were not prepared with gas masks or other protective gear.
Lisa Morrison, 64, attended the rally with her 78-year-old husband, Bud Erland, a retired TriMet driver representing the Amalgamated Transit Union.
“I knew the union organizers were committed to a peaceful, family-friendly march so we did not expect to be gassed and we were in no way prepared to shield ourselves,” Morrison told the Mercury.
Morrison said she and her husband were still marching on South Moody—“in a crowd of peaceful people of all ages, from elders to babies”—when the agents deployed tear gas. Within minutes of hearing the flash bangs and seeing the tear gas cloud form, she and her husband were “overcome with burning eyes, noses, throats, and skin.”
“We were blinded and started coughing and retching,” Morrison said. She said other protesters helped wash her eyes out with water, but she continued to feel the effects of the tear gas throughout the rest of the evening and into the following day.
Blake Goud attended the rally with his wife and two elementary school-aged children.
“We had come out to support the teachers at our school and to stand in solidarity with the families who have been impacted by ICE in our community,” Goud told the Mercury.
Goud and his group were also still heading south on South Moody when the tear gas hit. He said the people surrounding his family encouraged them to get the kids out as soon as possible, and they were able to exit relatively quickly.
“Thankfully, none of them had been directly affected by the tear gas, but my son complained of a headache all evening,” Goud said. “Our kids were scared and crying, but also angry about what had just happened, and what ICE is doing to other families. We thought this would be a safe experience given it was a daytime march and included nurse, doctors, teachers, etc.”
Protesters watch as plumes of tear gas billow up from the ground near the ICE facility. taylor griggs
The chemicals eventually forced a large group of people to turn around and attempt to leave the area as quickly as possible. Still, even after the first rounds were deployed, several hundred Portlanders remained in the streets near the facility chanting “ICE out of Portland,” dancing to music, and blowing bubbles, as volunteers cleaned up tear gas canisters and spent flash bang grenades. Others returned with gas masks and helmets after the march concluded.
Some agents shot pepper balls from the rooftops at protesters standing outside the facility. Just before 6 pm, federal agents again exited the facility, throwing tear gas and flash bang grenades into a crowd of roughly 300 people. The cloud of gas and smoke held in the air outside of an affordable housing complex adjacent to the facility, hovering two blocks away for several minutes. Portland Police Bureau officers looked on as they blockaded Macadam Avenue with their vehicles during the clash.
The force used by federal officers drew widespread attention and backlash from local elected officials and beyond. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield encouraged people with video footage or accounts of federal agents’ unlawful actions to report them to the state Department of Justice.
Portland Councilor Mitch Green, who was present at the event and experienced the effects of the tear gas, posted on social media about the experience, calling on Mayor Wilson to enforce a new Portland code prohibiting the use of tear gas at detention centers like the one ICE operates. Green and Councilor Angelita Morillo sent Wilson a letter last week asking him to speed up the enforcement of a new detention center fee, which went into effect January 2. The new code makes it a violation for agencies like ICE to deploy tear gas beyond their immediate premises.
In his statement Saturday evening, Wilson said the city is “moving swiftly to operationalize” the code change.
“As we prepare to put that law into action, we are also documenting today’s events and preserving evidence,” Wilson said. “The federal government must, and will, be held accountable.”
The Mercury‘s Jeremiah Hayden contributed reporting to this story.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Tula Tu, the Oregon Zoo’s baby elephant sensation, celebrated her first birthday on Sunday. The zoo said the celebration for the “petite party pachyderm” kicked off with a brand new red ball gifted to her by new WNBA team, the Portland Fire, followed by special keeper talks. As for the birthday […]
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A must-see outdoor art event that brightens up Portland’s skies and streets is returning this week. The Portland Winter Light Festival will cover the Rose City in over 170 light-based art installations, with this year’s theme being All The Little Things. Coinciding with the festival are events like an illuminated bike […]
Why is it that when I get on a bus on a hot day all the windows are closed and the AC is off? The Sun is beating down on me and I am sweltering. No one else seems to care. Conversely, whenever it’s cold and wet outside, half the windows are open, the heat is off, and I’m freezing. No one else seems to mind. Did you know that you can get hypothermia in eighty degree weather if you’re wet and the wind is incessantly blowing on you? It’s more than just uncomfortable being cold on the bus, it’s a health concern. Can we please try for more comfortable temperatures?
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland city councilor Jamie Dunphy is the new council president. Although he didn’t seek the job, he’ll now set the agenda for the council for at least the next year. On Jan. 14, Dunphy emerged as the unlikely winner in a contest between two people who did want the job — […]
I can’t believe I’ve been reading these for years and never clicked through to post. I guess that sums up so much of my life. The 90s support for gay rights because who you love as a consenting adult shouldn’t matter to 20s out nonbinary queer pipeline. Interest in EFF because cyber philosophy to Thanks I Really Don’t Want Government In My DMs. Going to the Red Cap as a bi woman and finally feeling safe on the dance floor getting down with men to weekly t shots. All we are is all we are. All we are is all we are.
GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It’s the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being “the last to know,” then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to your email’s in-box… and then… YOUR HEAD.)
Portland City Councilors Angelita Morillo and Mitch Green are asking the mayor to expedite enforcement of a new detention center impact fee that targets landlords. The city code change makes it a violation to emit harmful chemical agents like tear gas, which pose environmental and health hazards.
Portland’s public transit agency is in a dire financial place, and it’s unclear when—or if—help will arrive. In the meantime, TriMet is going to have to make major bus and MAX service cuts.
Here at the Mercury we love an action film director who’s secretly so much better than anyone asked him to be. Ric Roman Waugh’s Shelter hits theaters with a nearly wordless guy (Jason Statham) forced to return to a secret, violent vocation.
Given ICE’s relatively limited infrastructure in Oregon, a possible federal plan to build the state’s first immigrant detention center in Newport has emerged as one of the key battlegrounds in the state’s struggle against the agency.
In this week’s spicy gossip column: ICE is everywhere and it’s scary AF, Brooklyn Beckham calls out his famous parents, Karamo backs out of Queer Eye press tour, Prue is leaving the Great British Bake Off, and more!
Pickathon is back in 2026, and has announced their initial music lineup! The genres represented, as per usual, feature an expansive lineup of international heaters and regional heavyweights, and heavyweights in training.
Despite a host of compromises over what to prioritize, Portland City Council has yet to decide how to allocate $21 million in funding generated by the city’s Rental Services Office.
Here’s your curated Portland concert and music news guide! This week in town we’re being treated to a Meredith Monk documentary, Cate Labubu, Steve Reich’s Counterpoints, and so much more!
A new biography by Rolling Stone writer Jonathan Bernstein, What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome, draws from interviews with family, friends, and colleagues to look at the unvarnished truth of Just Townes Earle’s life and legacy.
Book cover courtesy of Da Capo, author photo by Sachyn Mital
WOW, THAT IS A LOT OF GOOD READIN’. I hope you didn’t have any other plans this weekend! Dig in, and remember: Producing all this hard work costs moolah—so please consider contributing to the Mercury to keep it all coming! Thanks!
Welcome to the sum times. Some people look away while others add things up. Some are waiting for someone else to do it for them, hoping the numbers will work themselves out. But no. The sum is yours to calculate. We can help each other, that’s how it all holds together,but at the end of the day, there’s another day dawning and the math is on you. Two plus two equals four. No ifs, no maybes. It’s the law of the freaking universe. Some want us to forget that. They want us to believe that reality is up for grabs, that the numbers can bend to whatever story they tell. But we know better. We know better. We know better. Because once you start letting the numbers slide, you’re giving up the whole equation. two plus two equals accountability. two plus two equals truth. Count the lights, count the cost, count the truth, add it up or fall for anything. Two plus two equals four, and it’s time we start taking the sum back. Stand up for the basic math, the simple truths, and never let them tell you anything else. This is how we hold the line, one answer, one sum, one stand at a time, one love.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A celebration of life was held for a Vancouver man who died in a shooting at a bar earlier this month. Corey Jones died on January 3 after an altercation with another man at the Off-Ramp Sports Bar in Vancouver turned deadly. The argument began inside but escalated once the two […]
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Two people were arrested in connection with a bank robbery in Depoe Bay earlier this week. Portland resident Franco Armando Mereno Jr., 37, and Canby resident Jonathan F. Schwentner, 43, were both arrested at Nye Beach in Newport and accused of robbing $50,000 from Columbia Bank in Depoe Bay. On Thursday […]
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One of the most adorable mammals in the Pacific Northwest isn’t the beaver or wolf. It’s a soft, elusive, ferret-sized member of the weasel family known as a coastal marten or Humboldt marten. Researchers from Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources recently led a three-month survey to learn more about […]
When Kennedie Shuler fouled out 30 seconds into overtime in Oregon State’s eventual win over Gonzaga last week, she had no idea what she had narrowly missed out on accomplishing. “Yeah, no, I didn’t,” said Kennedie of being aware of what her stat line was. “I was like, ‘Oh, dang.’ But it’s okay.” Triple doubles […]
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield hosted a town hall on Friday, in part to address concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies impacting the community. Rayfield hosted the event alongside Oregon state lawmakers at Pacific University’s Forest Grove Campus from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Rayfield said the […]
To whom it may concern, I’m a mom of a set of twin kids they are about 4.5 yrs old they are pretty independent kids but still need mom and dads help for somethings. I told dad twin A needs this, dad said ok. And let it be. I got up and tended to twins A minor needs but told dad this is why I get mad. All things pertaining to the kids fall on me. In dads eyes things I tell him need to be done immediately and he called himself shrek. I walked away and said I didn’t call you names I just stated why I get mad and walked away. Now shrek is asleep and the lil minions are up. And that’s why I get mad all things pertaining to kids are left to me. providing and driving are left to shrek. Being this vague is not helpful but I feel like he provides and I care for kids.
