by Wm. Steven Humphrey 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!👋 Expect a wet and occasionally windy Monday coming at you today with highs in the upper 50s—and things don't get much better from there, because more rainy-rain will be drippin'-droppin' on your noggin through Friday, with another expected two-to-three inches of rainfall this week. And now let's drippity-drop some NEWS into that noggin! IN LOCAL NEWS: • Staff and nurses at Legacy Emanuel hospital are sending out the alarm about how management are allegedly accommodating the evil plans of ICE agents, going against basic health practitioner codes of ethics. Multiple staff members told the Mercury that immigration enforcement officers have been bringing in several detainees each day—oftentimes as a result of violent ICE arrests. Moreover, Legacy reportedly allow these same officers to stay in the room while the victims are being treated, unnecessarily shackling patients to their beds, and listening to private clinical discussions, which could be in violation of HIPPA standards. While Legacy management deny they're helping facilitate the violent kidnappers of ICE, that's not flying with staff members who say the immigration agents are behaving in troublesome ways that run contrary to regular law enforcement. “We have an obligation to the public, to ethical practice, to our patients, that just feel completely violated,” one hospital worker told our Jeremiah Hayden. Read the complete story here. A quintessential Portland experience: Meeting the therapy llamas at PDX.[image or embed] — Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) December 12, 2025 at 1:08 PM • In related news, protesters gathered outside downtown Portland's Apple store on Friday to demand the return of an ICE-tracking app which helps witnesses report (often illegal, always cruel) immigration enforcement activity. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly pressured Apple into dropping the ICEBlock app, leading the main developer to sue the Trump administration, saying they had violated the company's free speech protections and used “state power” to force Apple to jettison the app. Portland protesters vow to continue demonstrating in front of the Apple store until Christmas. • Today marks the first day of Hanukkah, and Portland Police are increasing patrols at area Jewish events following Saturday's devastating antisemitic attack on a celebration held at a Sydney, Australia beach which killed at least 15. (More on that later.) While Portland Police insist there are no current threats against any Jewish events—such as the annual menorah lighting at Pioneer Courthouse Square last night, where the celebration turned into a vigil— they are stepping up patrols so festivities can continue. Oregon’s historic support for women athletes, paired with the growing cultural significance of the WNBA and NWSL, is colliding during a time when Portland leaders are desperate for an economic win.[image or embed] — OPB (@opb.org) December 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM • Our beloved Blazers broke their recent losing streak by taking down Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors last night, 136-131 at the Moda Center. Despite a better-than-average performance by Curry, the Blazers were aided in their win thanks to the return of the previously injured Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III, while Jerami Grant scored 19 points in a nail-biting fourth quarter. Congrats to the boyfriends! Experience the largest drive through holiday light show in the Northwest at Portland International Raceway's Winter Wonderland.  Photo essay by @corbinsmith.bsky.social >> www.portlandmercury.com/photo-essay/...[image or embed] — Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) December 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM • If you're anything like me—perpetually tired, and wanting to lie down like, all the time—you'll very much enjoy the new installation from Swiss experimental artist Pipilotti Rist at Portland Art Museum’s Crumpacker Center for New Art, which invites you to lie down on beds and gaze upward. What will you be looking at? Our Lindsay Costello was there, and writes that you'll witness "two 'biomorphic-shaped' (read: wiggly) screens depicting an underwater scene and the world just beyond it." In other words, just the type of stress-relieving, immersive experience you need right now. Read the entire review here. Calling all smarty-butts! It’s time for another super fun edition of POP QUIZ PDX. This week: “Who is this ‘Krampus’ person, anyway?” “Which local billionaire wants proof the earth is flat?” And “Why are ICE agents.[image or embed] — Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury.com) December 11, 2025 at 4:59 PM IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS: • Police are on the hunt for the suspected shooter who killed two people at Brown University in Rhode Island this past weekend. According to reports the gunman burst into a Brown lecture hall where roughly 60 students were studying for finals, and began shooting indiscriminately, murdering two and injuring nine more. Authorities briefly detained a suspect before letting him go due to lack of evidence, and say they now have no idea if the shooter is still in the area, and are asking for the public's help in apprehending him. "The Reuters-Ipsos poll asked whether Americans believed that Trump was not aware of Epstein’s alleged crimes before they became public. Just 18% said it was 'somewhat' or 'very' likely that Trump didn’t know," Aaron Blake writes | Analysishttps://cnn.it/4axsEDN[image or embed] — CNN (@cnn.com) December 13, 2025 at 10:00 AM • Meanwhile, even more senseless gun violence, this time on a beach in Sydney, Australia, where suspected father and son shooters opened fire on hundreds of celebrants at a Hanukkah celebration, killing at least 15 and injuring three dozen more. While the 50-year-old father was killed by authorities after being tackled by a hero on the scene, the 24-year-old son was also shot by officers and is currently in a coma and in critical condition. At this point, authorities aren't releasing any theories about what led to the massacre, but Australia has seen a dramatic rise in antisemitic attacks in the country.  Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in almost 30 years has sparked an outpouring of grief, anger and solidarity from the country’s roughly 120,000 Jews, which include the highest per capita population of Holocaust survivors outside of Israel. https://wapo.st/48DyZfp[image or embed] — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost.com) December 15, 2025 at 8:21 AM • In yet even more heartbreaking news, comedic director/actor Rob Reiner (All in the Family, This Is Spinal Tap) and his wife Michele, were apparently stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home last night. Police have arrested the actor's son, Nick Reiner, who is currently being held on $4 million bail, and has a history of drug abuse. OH, and because he can't be anything but a worthless POS, President Trump weighed in on social media about the apparent double homicide, saying Reiner's death was possibly due to “Trump derangement syndrome” because of the actor's progressive leanings. What a fucking vile human being. As we mourn Rob Reiner, don’t skip this: he was, pretty much, personally responsible for overturning California’s Prop 8 banning same sex marriage.  www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...[image or embed] — Peter Sagal (@petersagal.bsky.social) December 15, 2025 at 5:37 AM • A JetBlue commercial airplane and a US Air Force aircraft nearly collided midair near Venezuela on Friday, sparking continued fears that Trump's military escalation in the area has gotten out of hand. The JetBlue pilot reported that the Air Force aircraft passed directly in front of the commercial airliner, and without its transponder on, which allows air traffic control to monitor the location of planes. The incident is allegedly currently under review.  • Is Kamala Harris prepping for another White House run? It certainly appears to be the case, as she is currently the Dems' top choice for 2028 according to a new nationwide poll. According to the Florida-based polling company Big Data Poll, Harris has a 20-point lead over her closest competitor, California Gov. Gavin Newsom—though of course, it's faaaaar too early to say anything with certainty, so let's just forget I said anything and lie down for a nap. • And finally... hate to spoil the surprise, but your mother has a Christmas gift for you. @johnnycecco   ♬ som original - MANDABRAZA ...read more read less