YOUR SUNDAY READING LIST: Portland Breaks Drag Record, More City Council Shenanigans, and Your Fave New Place to Eat! 😋

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.)

• The Mercury’s 48-Hour Drag-A-Thon Live Blog

This week Darcelle XV Showplace and Wildfang succeeded in their attempt to smash a Guinness World Record with a Drag-A-Thon lasting a whopping 48 hours! The Mercury was there for the whole glorious thing—read our liveblog recap!

Suzette Smith

• POP QUIZ PDX

Strap on your brain, it’s time for another super fun POP QUIZ PDX! This week: Sassy-ass trivia about local fab drag queens, more city council bullshit, and… which of these famous humans is actually a goddamn ROBOT?? 🤖

iLexx /iStock/Getty

• Commissioners’ Proposal Could Throw a Wrench in Voter-Approved Charter Reform Plan

Portland Commissioners Gonzalez and Ryan are apparently planning a new proposal that would overhaul several major components of the ongoing charter reform plan. Advocates who worked on the initial campaign have decried the news, calling it a “power grab.”

Courtney Vaughn

• Order Everything on the Menu at Pastificio d’Oro

The extreme handmade and farm-to-table ethos at Pastificio d’Oro could have turned out Portlandia-precious, but in Chase Dopson and Maggie Irwin’s capable, flour-dusted hands, it has become a new St. John’s landmark.

Sean Bascom

• In His Mayoral Run, Mingus Mapps Wants to Lead “Portland 2.0”

Commissioner Mingus Mapps previously opposed the new government structure coming to Portland in 2025. Now, the current City Council member has announced he wants to lead “the new Portland.”

Taylor Griggs

• Pete Buttigieg’s Tour of 82nd Avenue Underscores Opportunities, Ultimatums For One of Portland’s Busiest Corridors

Portland has $80 million in federal funds to spend fixing 82nd Ave by 2026. Transportation leaders will also need to hash out their broader vision for transforming the high-crash corridor. Can they do it on time—and withstand potential disagreements?

Taylor Griggs

• HEAR IN PORTLAND

Our appetite for song(s) of the summer is nigh on never-ending, and this week we’ve got a banger collab from JxJURY and Mal London. Plus, updates on Jinkx Monsoon, and who’s bringing brood to the Rontoms patio? Get in here—Hear In Portland!

MARTINE POULIN

• Portland Police Officer Apologizes to Photographer Struck in the Head With Baton During 2020 Protest

A Portland officer’s public apology to a photojournalist is a rare outcome in cases involving abuse of power by law enforcement. The D.A.’s office says it a “turning point.” Others say more action is needed to address lingering harm from the 2020 protests.

OREGON JUSTICE RESOURCE CENTER/TERI JACOBS

• Portland’s O’Bryant Square to Be Renamed Darcelle XV Plaza

A dormant pocket park on Southwest Harvey Milk Street will honor the legacy of Portland’s most famous drag performer.

Sarah Mirk

• THE TRASH REPORT

Cocaine in the White House, icky actors on parade, and in ancient times Oregon used to have… camels?? Get all the weirdest and hottest gossip with THE TRASH REPORT!

MRANDREWMURRAY / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

• Old Portland Is Alive (and Maybe Performing Live) at Foster-Powell Neighborhood’s Starday Tavern

Starday Tavern is both a nostalgic throwback to the sorts of dives us Old Portland curmudgeons so deeply miss, and a reminder that such places are still out there if you know where to look.

SEAN BASCOM

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!