Abe Asher
As seen in:
MSN,
MSN Ireland,
MSN UK,
Yahoo Entertainment,
MSN South Africa,
Scribd,
The Independent (UK),
Yahoo Canada,
Yahoo News,
Yahoo News Australia
and
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Abe Asher
Portland Timbers Legend Diego Chará Will Retire Next Spring
Portland Timbers legend Diego Chará announced Monday afternoon that he will retire from professional soccer following the conclusion of the shortened 2027 spring MLS season. It will be the end of a remarkable era. Chará, who joined the club as its first ever Designated Player during the club’s inaugural MLS season in 2011, rewrote the Timbers record book over a decade-and-a-half in which he won the hearts of legions of fans who roared when he was introduced before each home game.
Critics Warn Trump’s “Roadless Rule” Repeal Could Increase Fire Risk While Degrading Drinking Water
Over the last year and a half, the Trump administration and its congressional allies have taken aim at a significant amount of the infrastructure protecting the country’s public lands—but a recent proposal from the US Department of Agriculture stands out for the threat it poses. “It’s all very concerning,” Sami Godlove, Central Oregon Field Coordinator at Oregon Wild, said.
A Battle Over Growth Threatens the Fabric of a Small Oregon City
The city of North Plains may be small, but its government is in a state of turmoil even much bigger cities rarely experience. In late July, the City Council voted to part ways with the city manager. The next day, the mayor resigned. Multiple city councilors have resigned this year, and two more members of the council are facing recall efforts. The city attorney called the staffing shortage a crisis unparalleled in her decades of experience working in local government.
Environment Archives - Portland Mercury
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
“Worse Than Anything We’ve Ever Seen”: Toxic Algae in Ross Island Lagoon Troubles Scientists
An unusually large outbreak of toxic algae in the Ross Island lagoon has spread to the Willamette River, troubling scientists who say the cyanobacteria bloom could have lasting effects. Cyanobacteria blooms in the lagoon have been a fixture of Portland summers over the last decade, with the combination of heat and stagnant water creating optimal conditions for algae, but this year’s outbreak has been atypical.
Fixing a Hole - Portland Mercury
This is one of many articles in the Mercury’s 2026 Climate Issue. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous and want to keep these types of articles coming, support us here.—eds. When Willie Levenson moved to Portland three decades ago, he very quickly learned how locals related to the river flowing through the middle of their town.
Climate Issue 2026
Posted inClimate Issue 2026 This is one of many articles in the Mercury’s 2026 Climate Issue. Find a print copy here, subscribe to get a copy mailed to you here, and if you’re feeling generous and want to keep these types of articles coming, support us here.—eds. When Willie Levenson moved to Portland three decades ago, he very quickly learned how locals related […] Posted inClimate Issue 2026 This is one of many articles in the Mercury’s 2026 Climate Issue.
World Cup Diary: Week 5
It’s been a theme throughout this remarkable World Cup of 2026: football rewards bravery. Play with ambition, send players forward, try to score goals, and more often than not, you are rewarded. When England took the lead over Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon, they appeared set for their first World Cup final since 1966.
What Could Be Lost After Trump Rescinds Rule Protecting Public Lands
Just over two years ago, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) adopted a policy designed to ensure that, after decades of uneven attention to conservation, the Bureau would center conservation and ecological concerns in its management of public lands. The Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, also known as the Public Lands Rule, explicitly stated that conservation is a use of public lands on par with other uses and aimed at protecting intact landscapes and restoring degraded ones.
World Cup Diary: Week 4
The early days of a World Cup are often its happiest: teams and fans assemble and arrive in the host countries fresh-faced and full of hope, and play a group stage that includes second and third chances, opportunities to refine and redeem imperfect earlier performances. It is, for a while, a great big party. And then, at a certain point, things get very real, very fast.
World Cup Diary: Week 3
Paraguay, in footballing terms, is a small, often overlooked country. Landlocked, bordered by much more famous neighbors, the Paraguayans had, prior to this week, only ever won a single knockout round game at the World Cup—against Japan, a team that has never won a knockout game in its history. The ethos of the Paraguayan national team, both historically and in its current iteration, is roughly this: we may not have the best players. We may not play the nicest soccer.
World Cup Diary: Week Two
Two decades ago, when their nation hosted the World Cup, Germans enjoyed what they still call the sommermärchen: the summer fairytale, when the country fell back in love with its national soccer team as it embarked on a stirring run to the World Cup semifinal.
World Cup Diary: Week One
The day before the World Cup kicked off in Mexico City, Pope Leo took to social media to weigh in on the tournament and the nature of life itself. “The World Cup begins tomorrow, and many will watch the matches,” he wrote. “Soccer reminds us of something we must not forget: life is not a race to show off on our own, but a path we learn to walk together. Anyone who does not know how to pass the ball, even if they have talent, has not yet understood the game.
Big Steelhead, Small Market
After years of heated debate and political wrangling, the new Live Nation-owned venue in the Central Eastside—the multinational entertainment giant’s first in Portland—is taking shape. Last month, Live Nation released renderings of the 3,500-seat venue expected to open next year. It also released a name: the venue will be called Steelhead, a nod to the trout who populate the rivers of northwest Oregon.
The 2026 World Cup: Where to Watch in Portland, How it Works, and Ranking the Teams
Originally published on our sibling site, the Portland Mercury. The biggest sporting event in the history of the world kicks off in Mexico City on Thursday afternoon (June 11), and before long, it will arrive in the Pacific Northwest. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 23rd edition of the men’s tournament, will feature the largest field and most games in the competition’s illustrious history: 104 matches played over five-plus weeks in stadiums across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The 2026 World Cup: Where to Watch, How it Works, and Ranking the Teams
The biggest sporting event in the history of the world kicks off in Mexico City on Thursday afternoon (June 11), and before long, it will arrive in the Pacific Northwest. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 23rd edition of the men’s tournament, will feature the largest field and most games in the competition’s illustrious history: 104 matches played over five-plus weeks in stadiums across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Hawks Reimagined
Anne first began visiting Hawks PDX, one of the only queer bathhouses in Portland, for years, dating back to when it was located on Grand Avenue downtown. Back then, they said, they were an outlier at the club. “When I was going there before, it was predominantly gay men—and once in a while you would see a single female or a male-female couple, and even more rarely see a transgender person,” Anne, who asked that the Mercury use a pseudonym for their name, said.
Could Oregon Get Swept Up In Redistricting Wars?
As an all-out war over redistricting upends voting rights law and a battle over congressional maps plays out across the country, Democrats are looking for opportunities to cancel out Republican gains—and they have their sights set on Oregon. Oregon, like all states, redraws its state legislative and congressional maps regularly following the release of each new US Census. The next redistricting process is scheduled to take place in 2031, with maps approved five years ago in place until then.
In San Francisco, a Divided Left Eyes Nancy Pelosi’s Seat
Saikat Chakrabarti would, on the surface, appear to be a slam-dunk progressive choice to succeed retiring Rep. Nancy Pelosi as San Francisco’s representative in Congress. In just more than a decade, the forty-year-old Chakrabarti has built a redoubtable record in left-wing politics: he worked on Bernie Sanders’s first campaign for president, cofounded Justice Democrats, and then wrote the Green New Deal bill when he served as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s pugnacious first chief of staff.
Spencer Pratt, the False Prophet of Los Angeles
In January, the Los Angeles–born reality television star Spencer Pratt published a memoir titled The Guy You Loved to Hate: Confessions from a Reality TV Villain.
Portland Timbers Coach Is Out; Club Searching for Replacement
For weeks, it had been a matter of not if, but when—and on Memorial Day morning, Phil Neville’s time as head coach of the Portland Timbers finally came to an end. Officially, Neville and the Timbers mutually agreed to part ways. But with the team sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference, on track for its joint-worst MLS season ever, it appeared Neville simply ran out of time to turn the Timbers into a contender.
Timbers Archives - Portland Mercury
Posted inTimbers For weeks, it had been a matter of not if, but when—and on Memorial Day morning, Phil Neville’s time as head coach of the Portland Timbers finally came to an end. Officially, Neville and the Timbers mutually agreed to part ways. But with the team sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference, on track […] Posted inSports The Portland Timbers won their first playoff game in four years last fall, but the 2025 season was otherwise largely a disappointment.
New Federal Logging Plan Could Decimate Oregon’s Old Growth Forests
In February, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) filed a notice of intent to revise its resource management plan for the nearly 2.5 million acres of forest land it manages in Oregon—aiming to quadruple its annual timber harvest. If the revised plan goes into effect, it could represent a step back in time to an era when logging interests dominated conservation goals in a state that has seen its timber industry shrink dramatically over the last three decades.
With Portland Public Schools’ Budget in Peril, All Eyes Are on the State
Portland Public Schools (PPS) is dealing with a major budget crunch—a situation that, former school board member Andrew Scott says, shouldn’t come as a surprise. “We’ve known for a long time that costs for education are growing faster than the funding that school districts receive from the state, and that’s been something that, when I was on the board, we talked about a lot, and talked to the state a lot, and tried to lobby, with very little success,” Scott said.
Should Portlanders Pay Hundreds of Millions for a Refurbished Moda Center? City Councilors Say “Not So Fast”
On the heels of an intense lobbying campaign by the Portland Trail Blazers, the Oregon Legislature last month passed a $365 million funding package to renovate the Moda Center contingent on the Blazers remaining in Portland under new majority owner Tom Dundon.
Deal Or No Deal?
The state of Oregon and the city of Portland may be gearing up to give hundreds of millions of dollars of public money to help finance renovations to the 31-year-old Moda Center—and organized labor wants something in return. “About a year ago, we had outreach from workers at the Moda Center in a number of different job categories there,” Mark Davison, president of Teamsters Joint Council 37, said.
Progressives Say Investments in People, Not Corporations, Can Jump Start City’s Struggling Economy
If you’ve been following local political news over the last several months, you’ve likely heard a lot of talk about budget cuts. The state is making cuts, even though those cuts aren’t as dramatic as once feared. The city of Portland may have to make cuts too. Some of the pressure facing both the state and the city is related to sweeping federal funding cuts to education, healthcare, and a variety of other social services.
Sports Archives - Portland Mercury
Skip to content Posted inSports Posted inSports Posted inPets Posted inSports Posted inSports Posted inSports Posted inSports Posted inNews Posted inSports Posted inSports Posted inNews
Texas’ looming ban on smokable THC products creates turmoil for industry and its customers
Smokable hemp products such as these will be banned statewide come March 31. When Brook Richie learned that Texas had moved to ban smokable hemp products — something that will go into effect March 31 — she wasn’t surprised. “You could already see it heading in this direction,” said Richie, who owns Bee’s Wellness Cafe, a dispensary in the Thousand Oaks Shopping Center.
Abe Asher
Posted inNews Posted inNews Posted inNews Posted inArts Posted inNews Posted inNews Posted inNews Posted inNews Posted inArts Posted inNews Posted inArts Posted inNews Posted inArts Posted inArts Posted inNews Posted inNews Posted inNews
Spring Arts 2026
Posted inSpring Arts 2026 You don’t have to have an art focus to benefit from art. Posted inSpring Arts 2026 This might be the last year for Lloyd Center. There’s a plan for what’s next, but a community that’s grown in the mall in recent years isn’t happy with it or the process of deciding Lloyd Center’s future.
NEA Cuts: One Year Later
When Donald Trump reassumed the presidency in January of 2025, arts organizations around the country anticipated changes at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)—particularly those the president accused of having a “woke agenda.” But they were not prepared for the chaos that would quickly develop. Last spring, numerous organizations, including in Portland, received emails stating that their NEA grants—provisionallly approved before Trump took office—were canceled.
Inside the Race for County Chair: Financial Woes, Homeless Services, and Capitulating to Trump
The race for chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners has begun in earnest. Last month, Commissioner Shannon Singleton became the first major contender to declare her candidacy for the position being vacated by Jessica Vega Pederson. She was quickly joined by her fellow commissioner, Julia Brim-Edwards. Voters will decide in a ranked choice election in November who will take the helm.
Legislators Temporarily Cut Data Centers From Oregon Tax Break Bill
Companies building data centers in Oregon already have a pretty good deal—and new economic development legislation pushed by Gov.
Oregon Democrats Want to Nix Trump’s Tax Cuts From State Code
When Donald Trump signed H.R. 1, coined “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act” on July 4 of last year, Oregon’s revenue forecast took a substantial hit. That's because Oregon is one of the few states in the country that has a rolling reconnection to the federal tax code, meaning the state automatically replicates any changes to the federal code in its state tax code.
Timbers Preview: A Season of Questions
The Portland Timbers won their first playoff game in four years last fall, but the 2025 season was otherwise largely a disappointment. After a relatively strong start, the Timbers won just two of their final 14 games—limping to a middling eighth place finish in the Western Conference and doing little to arrest the notion that the club has regressed both on and off the field. This year, the Timbers are mainly running it back: Ned Grabavoy and Phil Neville are returning as general manager...
Good Morning, News! New Mercury in Print, Feds Keep Changing Tactics, Neighbors of Portland Ice Facility Tell It to the Judge Today, EPA Wants To Kill Us, Senate Dems... Did Something?
If you appreciate the Mercury's interesting and useful news & culture reporting, consider making a small monthly contribution to support our editorial team. Your donation is tax-deductible. You can also subscribe and have our papers delivered! Good Morning, Portland! There could be some snow arriving in the upper elevations as soon as Monday, and in the Willamette Valley as soon as Wednesday. It isn't super likely, but with the need for precipitation on the mountains, one can hope.
Local Tavern Employee’s Detention Reflects Shifts in ICE Tactics in Portland
For much of its nearly two year existence, Miguel Alvarado-Lopez has been a fixture behind the scenes at Moonshot Tavern on NE 28th Ave. “He started off as a dishwasher, and then we realized we didn’t really need a dishwasher and he ended up quitting once he got his hours cut,” Josh Love, a partner and bartender at the tavern, said.
Silicon Valley Wants to Make Greenland a Libertarian Dystopia
Over the last several weeks, tensions over the future of Greenland have raised the risk of a military confrontation between the United States and its NATO allies, even as all sides say they hope to avoid war.
Stopping the Slow Creep of ICE
The beginning of 2026 has seen another surge of violence from immigration enforcement officers‚ÄĒincluding in Portland, where U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers shot two people in East Portland on January 8.¬† In response to that shooting, which came just a day after an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, Mayor Keith Wilson called on ICE to suspend operations in the city until the shootings have been fully investigated.¬† In the meantime, however,...
Ways to support Minnesota neighbors affected by ICE
With thousands of federal immigration officers in the Twin Cities this week in the aftermath of the killing of Renee Nicole Macklin Good in south Minneapolis, people across the area are working to support neighbors whose daily lives have been upended. A number of restaurants are offering free food deliveries to people affected by the presence of ICE, with multiple locations of Loma Bonita, Valerie’s Carniceria, and other businesses offering deliveries around the metro area daily.
Ways to help as ICE activity ramps up in Minnesota
With thousands of federal immigration officers in the Twin Cities during the seventh week of Operation Metro Surge, people are working to support community members whose daily lives have been upended. Here’s how you can help your neighbors impacted by ICE. Please check with organizers for updates on the activities below. Fly Freak Studio Who: This St. Paul fitness studio offers aerial and land-based classes, including sling, pilates and yoga.
Immigrant Rights Groups Allege Multnomah County Jail is Violating Sanctuary Laws
A group of immigrants rights organizations are suing Multnomah County, claiming the county and its sheriffâs office are violating Oregonâs sanctuary state law. The suit, filed in circuit court earlier this month, claims that Multnomah County is unlawfully agreeing to hold individuals detained by the U.S. Marshals Service for violations of federal immigration law even after they have posted bail or a judge has ordered their release. In one case, the organizations filing the suit allege,...
Strike Averted: New Seasons Grocery Workers Secure First Labor Contract
Just three weeks ago, Ava Robbins, cheese clerk at the New Seasons location in Concordia and co-chair of the New Season Labor Union, was preparing for a protracted, holiday-season strike. âA few months ago at the bargaining table, we said we canât let this drag on into another year,â Robbins said.
Housing Archives - Portland Mercury
Posted inNews Jeremiah Hayden Posted inNews Updated: November 20: Portland City Council voted Wednesday night to adopt Councilor Angelita Morillo’s proposed AI rental price-fixing ban, with eight councilors in support. In addition to co-sponsors Green, and Koyama Lane, the ordinance was approved by Councilors Dunphy, Avalos, Kanal, Loretta Smith, and Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney.
Legacy Health Staff Say They’ll Stay on Strike Until Company Offers Better Deal
Advanced practice providers at Legacy Health medical centers in Portland remain on strike this week, and say they’ll stay on their picket lines until they reach an agreement for a new labor contract. “The energy is high,” Megan Barckert, a nurse practitioner at Legacy Cancer Services, told the Mercury from a rain-soaked picket line at Legacy Good Samaritan.
Portland-Area Starbucks Baristas Remain on Strike Over Labor Contract, Wage Disputes
Workers at unionized Starbucks locations across the Portland area remain on strike this week and say they will not return to work until Starbucks resolves complaints about its labor practices and returns to the bargaining table. Roughly 2,000 workers at 95 unionized Starbucks locations across the country have been on strike since mid-November.
First Raze Gaza, Then Build a Playground for Global Capital
First Raze Gaza, Then Build a Playground for Global Capital Published November 19, 2025 When President Donald Trump brokered a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in late September, the American president was heralded, even by some leading Democrats, for his peacemaking. Speaker Mike Johnson and Israeli Knesset speaker Amir Ohana said they would jointly nominate Trump for his coveted Nobel Peace Prize.
First Raze Gaza, Then Build a Playground for Global Capital
When President Donald Trump brokered a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in late September, the American president was heralded, even by some leading Democrats, for his peacemaking. Speaker Mike Johnson and Israeli Knesset speaker Amir Ohana said they would jointly nominate Trump for his coveted Nobel Peace Prize.
With a Tenuous Ceasefire in Gaza, Portland Councilors Pledge to Investigate the City's Links to Israel
Last month, the progressive block of the Portland City Council signed onto a pledge to investigate the cityâs financial ties to Israel and its military.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Abe
Contact Abe, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack