Murmurs: Hardesty Backs Eudaly

HARDESTY BACKS EUDALY: In a surprising and potentially consequential choice, City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty has endorsed incumbent Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, who faces a stiff challenge from academic Mingus Mapps in November. Earlier this summer, Eudaly and Hardesty clashed over cuts to the police budget, as Eudaly pushed for a bigger cuts than Hardesty considered warranted. That led Hardesty to blast Eudaly for "performative allyship"—that is, showing off her support for people of color when it's convenient—and imperiled the endorsement she'd given Eudaly in the primary. "Commissioner Eudaly and I haven't always agreed on every policy position. However, our values are closely aligned, and we have agreed on much more than we have disagreed on," Hardesty said in a statement. "After consulting my Rise Together team and deep consideration of the issues Portland is facing, I am proud to endorse Commissioner Eudaly for a second term. Chloe has been a passionate and effective advocate for renters and affordable housing. She passed a first-of-its-kind tenant relocation ordinance and sped up our public transit through the creation of the Rose Lanes. As we look to the future, Portland will need more advocates for those on the margins. For these reasons, I am looking forward to continuing to work together."

GOV. BROWN ISSUES COVID COMMUTATIONS: Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday that she had commuted the sentences of 66 incarcerated adults due to the threat of COVID-19. The Oregon Department of Corrections determined that none of the 66 presents an "unacceptable public safety risk." Of the 66 released, 10 are considered particularly medically vulnerable to the virus, and 56 are within two months of their release date. In June, Brown released 57 inmates determined to be medically vulnerable. The new announcement brings the total number of sentences commuted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to 123. Prison rights advocates have called Brown's release of prisoners paltry and said it is not enough to significantly stem the spread of COVID-19 in Oregon prisons. So far, nine adults in custody have died after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to corrections data. At least 972 inmates and 258 staff have tested positive for the virus.

LOCKED UP: Donald A. Beckwith, once featured in a WW cover story on juvenile justice ("Spare the Jail, Spoil the Child?" May 7, 2014), was charged Sept. 15 with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of LaSalle Jamal Shakier in North Portland on Sept. 9. Beckwith, 31, says he will plead self-defense. Beckwith, who was 24 and serving a sentence for a juvenile conviction when WW published its story, had petitioned then-Gov. John Kitzhaber for clemency after a series of juvenile convictions, including one for a drug house break-in in which he was shot. "I've had time to prioritize my life and get a handle on my anger," Beckwith told Kitzhaber in a letter at the time. Kitzhaber did not grant clemency and Beckwith served his time, leaving Oregon State Penitentiary on Aug. 12, 2016.

BROADWAY CORRIDOR ADVANCES: The Portland City Council marked a major step forward last week in the yearslong process to redevelop the site of the main U.S. Post Office in inner Northwest Portland and surrounding blocks into the 34-acre Broadway Corridor project. Mayor Ted Wheeler called the development and community benefit agreements, signed with Continuum Partners of Denver and the advocacy group Healthy Communities Coalition, a "once-in-a-generation opportunity." One sour note: Disability Rights Oregon attorney Matt Serres blasted the deal in a letter to the council. "For persons with disabilities, the Broadway Corridor CBA perpetuates a long history of ignoring their needs," Serres wrote. "It affords no promise of shared prosperity for workers with disabilities or disability-owned businesses and only shallow commitments for tenants with disabilities seeking accessible dwelling units." Wheeler says city officials will meet with DRO soon. "I am focused on three main priorities for the Broadway Corridor: good jobs, affordable housing and great public spaces," Wheeler adds. "I remain committed to ensuring that all three of these priorities address the needs of people with disabilities."