Shane Dixon Kavanaugh
Verified
As seen in:
The Oregonian,
MSN,
HuffPost,
New York Daily News,
U.S. News and World Report,
Associated Press,
Flipboard,
The Seattle Times,
AL.com,
NJ.com,
ProPublica
and
Reporter at The @Oregonian | Priors: @nydailynews; @crainsnewyork; @vocativ | Holler: skavanaugh@oregonian.com
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 Shane Dixon Kavanaugh
All Portland City Council incumbents appear headed toward reelection, partial returns show
All six Portland City Council incumbents running in two districts appeared to be headed toward reelection despite voter frustration with City Hall and a bevy of challengers vying for the seats, according to partial returns Tuesday. Preliminary results showed Councilor Steve Novick garnered the most first-choice votes among the 21 candidates in District 3, which covers much of close-in Southeast Portland and a portion of Northeast.
All Portland City Council incumbents appear headed toward reelection, partial returns show
All six Portland City Council incumbents appear to be headed toward reelection despite voter frustration with City Hall and dozens of candidates vying for the seats, according to partial returns Tuesday. Preliminary results showed Councilor Steve Novick garnered the most first-choice votes among the 21 candidates in District 3, which covers much of close-in Southeast Portland and a portion of Northeast.
Right-wing YouTuber removed from Portland City Hall after stunt
A right-wing personality known for trolling elected officials at local government meetings was booted this week from Portland City Council chambers while performing a provocative spoof Alex Stein, a Texas-based comedian and YouTuber, showed up during the City Life Committee's public comment period Tuesday clad in a sleeveless fleece vest and backwards baseball cap, claiming that he recently arrived in town from the Lone Star state.
Right-wing YouTuber removed from Portland City Hall after stunt
A right-wing personality known for trolling elected officials at local government meetings was booted this week from Portland City Council chambers while performing a provocative spoof. Alex Stein, a Texas-based comedian and YouTuber, showed up during the City Life Committee’s public comment period Tuesday clad in a sleeveless fleece vest and backwards baseball cap, claiming that he recently arrived in town from the Lone Star state.
Right-wing YouTuber removed from Portland City Hall after stunt
A right-wing personality known for trolling elected officials at local government meetings was booted this week from Portland City Council chambers while performing a provocative spoof. Alex Stein, a Texas-based comedian and YouTuber, showed up during the City Life Committee’s public comment period Tuesday clad in a sleeveless fleece vest and backwards baseball cap, claiming that he recently arrived in town from the Lone Star state.
Ex-Metro President lands new top political job — at Portland City Hall
Former Metro Council President Lynn Peterson, who left her elected position earlier this year for a senior administrative role in Lake Oswego, has now landed a new job at Portland City Hall. Peterson will become chief of staff to City Administrator Raymond Lee, who oversees the day-to-day operations of Portland’s vast bureaucracy, city officials confirmed Thursday. She begins the job Nov. 16 and will earn $237,744 annually.
Major union switches sides in heated Multnomah County chair race
Multnomah County’s largest public employee union on Wednesday pulled its support for the county chair pick it previously backed and instead endorsed a rival candidate, according to three people with direct knowledge of the decision. Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 88 voted to rescind its endorsement of Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards at the union’s monthly general membership meeting.
Oregon Democrats decried a deepfake. Then the evidence fell apart
The headline made an immediate impact: “Deepfake of Washington County Candidate Goes Viral Nationwide.”At least a few words proclaimed by a prominent Oregon news outlet were true. The claim, however, wasn't. What happened next is a cautionary tale in an age of artificial intelligence, when discerning what's real and what isn't requires careful verification.
Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon has an image problem. A new poll shows just how big it is
The new owner of the Trail Blazers has few fans across Portland and the rest of the state — though he's yet to sway most residents one way or the other. Just 7% of Oregon respondents in a new poll said they have a positive impression of Tom Dundon, who led the purchase of the NBA franchise in March for $4.25 billion , the survey commissioned by The Oregonian/OregonLive found.
Democratic socialists are winning converts in Oregon. There’s a catch, new poll says
A far-left movement that’s gained political ground in Oregon and nationwide remains largely unpopular with the state’s electorate on the whole but is finding significant support among registered Democrats. Fifty-one percent of Oregon voters said they hold a negative impression of the Democratic Socialists of America while only 34% said they view the organization in a positive light, a new poll commissioned by The Oregonian/OregonLive found.
The Portland places that explain this year’s City Council races
Dive bars. Parks. A troubled intersection. With dozens of candidates vying for six seats on the Portland City Council in November, The Oregonian/OregonLive sought a novel way to illuminate differences among some of the hopefuls. The news organization recently invited all 34 candidates running in Districts 3 and 4 — the only districts on this year’s ballot due to staggered terms — to detail their experience and positions on numerous issues and policies.
On school picture day, an Oregon community’s nightmare began
The unspeakable horror began with the sound of shotgun blasts striking a pickup truck, shattering the quiet calm outside Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Ore., early Thursday afternoon. It ended only after a teacher inside a special needs classroom tried to wrestle the firearm away from a 16-year-old assailant as he slaughtered those in the room, and when a school parent who had pursued the teen fatally shot him.
On school picture day, an Oregon community’s nightmare began
The unspeakable horror began with the sound of shotgun blasts striking a pickup truck, shattering the quiet calm outside Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend early Thursday afternoon. It ended only after a teacher inside a special needs classroom tried to wrestle the firearm away from a 16-year-old assailant as he slaughtered those in the room, and when a school parent who had pursued the teen fatally shot him.
Public safety, accountability, reform: Multnomah chair hopefuls make their case
The trio of candidates vying to become Multnomah County’s next chair shared a stage in downtown Portland on Tuesday where they pitched their track records and prescriptions for how to best rebuild trust and get the beleaguered local government back on track.
Poll reveals where voters stand on high-stakes Portland Trail Blazers negotiations
As state and local officials scramble to persuade the Portland Trail Blazers to renew its Moda Center lease in exchange for a taxpayer-funded makeover of the arena, nearly two-thirds of Oregon voters appear indifferent to the final outcome. Sixty-four percent of voters statewide said it was not important to them whether political leaders succeeded in their effort to strike a deal that ultimately keeps the team in town, a poll commissioned by The Oregonian/OregonLive found.
ICE agents in Salem tear gas group of 30 that blocked feds' vehicles, local police say
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents blasted more than two dozen protesters with tear gas after the group attempted to block their vehicles Saturday morning in Northeast Salem, according to local police. The clash comes amid a surge in federal immigration arrests across Oregon in recent weeks.
Frybread, cedar hats, resilience: Indigenous Peoples Day celebration returns to Clackamas Community College
The history, culture and continued contributions of Oregon's Native communities filled Clackamas Community College on Saturday as hundreds gathered for the school's annual Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. Artisans of all stripes lined the halls of the Niemeyer Center for the Arts at the college's Oregon City campus. The smells of frybread and Indian tacos wafted through the air outside.
Portland expands sidewalk cleaning program to long neglected parts of the city
A Portland initiative that provides extra sanitation services to commercial areas is expanding to more places historically overlooked or underserved by city government. Crews with the city’s sidewalk cleaning program this month began working along additional portions of 82nd and 122nd avenues, Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Southeast Division Street and a host of other east Portland business corridors, officials said.
‘People are outraged’: 3 candidates vie to remake Multnomah County
The problems confronting Multnomah County, the primary social service provider for one-fifth of all Oregonians, are as plentiful as they are pronounced. The crises of homelessness, addiction and behavioral health continue to worsen and wreak havoc on residents despite record spending to tame them. Programs ranging from tuition-free preschool to providing drug users an alternative to arrest face intense scrutiny and skepticism.
Portland's business lobby just sued the city over a $15 arts tax increase. The stakes are much higher
Portland's largest and most influential business organization has followed through on a legal threat it made earlier this year and is suing the city of Portland over changes made to the city's arts tax. The Portland Metro Chamber filed a lawsuit Thursday in Oregon Tax Court, alleging that city officials do not possess the legal authority to create, raise or even tweak taxes without voter approval.
Portland’s business lobby just sued the city over a $15 arts tax increase. The stakes are much higher
Portland’s largest and most influential business organization has followed through on a legal threat it made earlier this year and is suing the city of Portland over changes made to the city’s arts tax. The Portland Metro Chamber filed a lawsuit Thursday in Oregon Tax Court, alleging that city officials do not possess the legal authority to create, raise or even tweak taxes without voter approval.
Jane Fonda weighs in on governor’s race: The latest on Oregon’s 2026 election
What does Jane Fonda have to say about Oregon’s upcoming gubernatorial election? Plenty, it turns out. Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek on Tuesday boasted that the Hollywood icon had endorsed her in her razor-thin rematch against Republican state Sen. Christine Drazan. (OREGON ELECTION 2026: Your guide to Oregon’s November election) Fonda, through her Jane Fonda Climate PAC, gave Kotek $5,000 back in August and said in a statement released this week that she supported Kotek’s environmental stance.
‘Multnomah County is broken’: Chair candidates offer competing solutions
“Multnomah County is broken.” That was the dire assessment Monday of Sharon Meieran, the former Multnomah County commissioner running to be the local government’s next chair in November’s election. Meieran’s two opponents in the contest, current commissioners Julia Brim-Edwards and Shannon Singleton, painted a troubling though somewhat less severe picture of the county’s problems and potential during a 50-minute debate sponsored by the City Club of Portland.
Families wait for preschool as Multnomah County spends millions on empty seats
Multnomah County will likely pay millions of dollars for empty Preschool for All seats over the next year while hundreds of families remain waitlisted for the tuition-free program, according to the county’s elected watchdog. The glaring mismatch was flagged by Auditor Jennifer McGuirk, who warned in a report to county leaders last week that it could lead to wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars and place the program’s sustainability at risk over the long term.
Portland voters are frustrated. City Council is deadlocked. Will the election change either?
Byron Vaughn, like many voters, believes Portland’s new City Council remains disappointingly divided and dysfunctional after nearly two years. The faction-fueled body has bickered too often and focused too little on what he says are the city’s pressing problems — neighborhood safety, a lack of family wage jobs and systemic racism.
Portland councilors seek major expansion of city’s CEO pay-gap tax
A pair of Portland city councilors will seek to dramatically increase the city’s existing, first-of-its kind tax on public companies that pay their chief executives vastly more than they pay an average worker. The proposal, announced Wednesday by Councilors Mitch Green and Angelita Morillo, would apply to about 405 large corporations and would also cut taxes for thousands of small businesses, according to their offices.
Portland police chief says, ‘I no longer have confidence' in Mitch Green after anti-police tweets resurface
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said Wednesday he no longer had confidence in Councilor Mitch Green after old tweets resurfaced showing the first-time elected official disparaging officers, mocking local business owners and defending and promoting rioting. “We know words cause harm,” Day said.
Portland police chief says, ‘I no longer have confidence’ in Mitch Green after anti-police tweets resurface
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said Wednesday he no longer had confidence in Councilor Mitch Green after old tweets resurfaced showing the first-time elected official disparaging officers, mocking local business owners and defending and promoting rioting. “We know words cause harm,” Day said.
Resurfaced tweets show Portland councilor’s ‘pure hatred for the Portland police’
A Portland city councilor professed his “pure hatred for the Portland police,” defended and promoted rioting and mocked business owners seeking help from the city in a series of resurfaced social media posts he deleted prior to running for elected office in 2024.
Portland councilors directed funds to favored groups and projects, even as budget woes deepened
With just days to spare, Portland City Council President Jamie Dunphy, like many of his legislative colleagues, began spending a big chunk of the money still left in his office coffers near the end of the annual budget cycle. On June 25 and 26, records show, Dunphy made payments of between $2,000 to $21,720 to nearly 20 neighborhood groups, nonprofits and other handpicked organizations, totaling more than $80,000.
With Moda Center talks stalled, Portland’s top administrator gets face time with Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon
Facing a December deadline to secure state bonding for renovations to the city-owned Moda Center, Portland’s top administrator met this week with Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon in Texas, a city spokesperson confirmed Thursday afternoon. The meeting between Dundon and Raymond Lee, who was appointed as Portland’s first city administrator late last year, is a flicker of progress in fraught negotiations between the city and the NBA franchise in which Dundon has largely been absent.
With Moda Center talks stalled, Portland’s top administrator gets face time with Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon
Facing a December deadline to secure state bonding for renovations to the city-owned Moda Center, Portland’s top administrator met this week with Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon in Texas, a city spokesperson confirmed Thursday afternoon. The meeting between Dundon and Raymond Lee, who was appointed as Portland’s first city administrator late last year, is a flicker of progress in fraught negotiations between the city and the NBA franchise in which Dundon has largely been absent.
Portland gives city workers free TriMet passes ahead of I-5 closure
City of Portland employees will get free TriMet passes ahead of the planned weekslong closure of southbound Interstate 5. The City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the pilot plan, which will give passes to all of Portland’s 9,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal workers for at least the next year. The city will also extend the benefit to about 150 contracted employees, including janitors and security workers.
OR: Portland mayor wants to give a free public transit pass to all city workers
OR: Portland mayor wants to give a free public transit pass to all city workers Portland Mayor Keith Wilson is looking to provide a new perk for city employees — free public transit. Source oregonlive.com (TNS) Portland Mayor Keith Wilson is looking to provide a new perk for city employees — free public transit.
Portland mayor wants to give a free public transit pass to all city workers
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson is looking to provide a new perk for city employees — free public transit. Wilson’s proposal, scheduled to go before the City Council on Wednesday, would offer TriMet passes to all of Portland’s 9,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal workers for at least the next year, according to a copy of the ordinance. Billed as a pilot program, the benefit would cost the city about $495,000 through the end of next August under an agreement with the transit agency, documents show.
Former Portland commissioner, mayoral hopeful faces $600K lawsuit, home foreclosure, court records show
A former Portland city commissioner and his spouse face a six-figure lawsuit and a potential foreclosure of their Eastmoreland home after they defaulted on a business loan, court documents allege. KeyBank is seeking more than $600,000 from Rene Gonzalez and his wife Angela Uggen, according to a complaint filed Monday in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
$222k payout to Portland's top public works leader is city's latest golden parachute
Portland's top official for public works will become the latest city leader to receive a six-figure payout in exchange for their resignation. Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal, who oversees the city's water, transportation, parks and environmental services agencies, will step down from her post Sept. 4, City Administrator Raymond Lee announced to staff in an email Tuesday.
$222k payout to Portland’s top public works leader is city’s latest golden parachute
Portland’s top official for public works will become the latest city leader to receive a six-figure payout in exchange for their resignation. Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal, who oversees the city’s water, transportation, parks and environmental services agencies, will step down from her post Sept. 4, City Administrator Raymond Lee announced to staff in an email Tuesday.
Endorsement battle takes shape in race for Multnomah County chair
Two leading candidates for Multnomah County chair are each touting their growing roster of labor and other institutional backers while a third is publicly forswearing such political support as the race begins to take shape.
Trail Blazers ‘not acting like a team’ trying to land a Portland arena deal
Just one week after Texas businessman Tom Dundon closed on a multibillion dollar sale of the Trail Blazers in late March, the team stressed to Portland officials how vital it was to move quickly on a proposed $600 million makeover of the city-owned Moda Center. “The timeline in front of us is tight and requires immediate action,” Blazers General Counsel Zandria Conyers wrote to the lead lawyer on the city’s negotiating team.
Trail Blazers once pushed for urgency on Moda Center deal. Is the team now running out the clock?
Just one week after Texas businessman Tom Dundon closed on a multi-billion dollar sale of the Trail Blazers in late March, the team stressed to Portland officials how vital it was to move quickly on a proposed $600 million makeover of the city-owned Moda Center. “The timeline in front of us is tight and requires immediate action,” Blazers General Counsel Zandria Conyers wrote to the lead lawyer on the city’s negotiating team.
Portland expands right-on-red limits to more crash-prone city streets
Portland will expand existing limits on right-on-red turns along some high-crash streets, furthering the city’s effort to reduce traffic deaths. The plan, unanimously approved last week by the City Council, will begin as a pilot program at 30 intersections identified by the Portland Bureau of Transportation as particularly dangerous.
Portland mayor picks favorites in upcoming City Council contests
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson is wading into this fall’s City Council races, throwing his support behind three incumbents running for reelection and an outside challenger who could shift the balance of power on the often divided legislative body. Wilson this week endorsed Kellie Torres, a longtime Parks Bureau official and former City Hall insider, for one of three council seats representing District 3, which covers much of Southeast Portland and a portion of Northeast.
Moda Center makeover: 7 key terms as Portland seeks a final deal with the Blazers
The Portland City Council this week approved a term sheet for a potential Moda Center renovation, cementing a significant milestone toward a final deal with the Trail Blazers. The document affirms a massive public funding commitment toward the arena project, estimated to be about $600 million, and sets out a series of provisions the city will seek in negotiations for a new long-term lease with the team. Here are the seven key terms that will determine the future of Rip City in Portland.
Portland councilors back $120M for Moda Center, in key milestone toward Blazers deal
The Portland City Council on Wednesday affirmed the city’s financial commitment toward a potential $600 million Moda Center renovation sought by the Trail Blazers, and set out provisions Portland will seek in negotiations for a new long-term lease with the team. The final term sheet, approved in an 8-4 vote, pledges up to $120 million from Portland toward the arena’s makeover as well as an additional $275 million in maintenance for the city-owned building over the next two decades.
In 11th-hour move, Portland seeks pricey new Blazers concession as part of Moda Center deal
Portland leaders will seek to extract millions more annually from the Trail Blazers in exchange for the city's financial contribution toward a potential renovation of the Moda Center , according to a revised term sheet released late Tuesday. Under the updated proposal, the team's sibling organization, Rip City Management, would be required to fork over $2 million a year in rent as the anchor tenant for the city-owned arena.
Portland City Council’s vote Wednesday could set the table for $600M Moda Center rehab
The Portland City Council on Wednesday is scheduled to vote on a measure that, if approved, would provide the framework for negotiations as the city and the Trail Blazers attempt to reach a deal on a $600 million Moda Center renovation and long-term lease for the team. The proposed term sheet would pledge up to $120 million from the city toward the up-front costs of the arena project as well as $275 million in maintenance over the next two decades.
In 11th-hour move, Portland seeks pricey new Blazers concession as part of Moda Center deal
Portland leaders will seek to extract millions more annually from the Trail Blazers in exchange for the city’s financial contribution toward a potential renovation of the Moda Center, according to a revised term sheet released late Tuesday. Under the updated proposal, the team’s sibling organization, Rip City Management, would be required to fork over $2 million a year in rent as the anchor tenant for the city-owned arena.
Multnomah County unveils new in-person work requirements for all employees
All Multnomah County employees will soon be required to work in person at least three days a week, top county officials have announced. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and Chief Operating Officer Chris Neal broke the news to county staff in an email Monday. “As you know, our work is highly collaborative and community centered,” the pair wrote, according to a copy obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Multnomah County chair doubles down on hiring former Blazers executive as Moda Center negotiator
Several Multnomah County commissioners expressed shock last week when, amid a contentious vote to commit $100 million toward a potential renovation of the Moda Center, they learned of an outside negotiator hired to assist the county on the complex public finance deal.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Shane
Contact Shane, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack