Why body camera footage won’t get a look

Aminé Hosting Music Festival

The Portland-born rapper Aminé is hosting a new music festival at Edgefield. "The Best Day Ever” festival will be on the weekend of August 10. [KGW]

• Related: Presale tickets go live on Thursday.

An Impeccable Soccer Sponsor?

Portland Timbers have some non-scandalous news. The soccer team procured a sponsor with a solid reputation: Tillamook. The last sponsorship deal ended after home-contracting company DaBella’s CEO faced accusations. [KOIN]

Limited Review of Body Camera Footage

Portland police will soon have body cameras, but Multnomah County prosecutors will review footage only in felony cases, and then only 15% of the time before charging defendants. The DA’s office asked for a $3 million in funding to review videos, but the county has yet to find the money. [Willamette Week]

• Related: DA Mike Schmidt’s change of heart. [City Cast Portland 🎧]

Congressional races can be sleepy affairs, with incumbents reliably sleep-walking to reelection, but two local primary races are fiery and competitive:

3rd District — Democratic Primary 🟦

Portland’s bow-tie-wearing, bike-riding congressman, Earl Blumenauer, is retiring at the end of this year, after nearly three decades’ of service in Washington. The competition to replace him is an intense one (at least in the primary, which is expected to all but decide the race in a heavily Democratic district):

🗳️ Who’s on the Ballot

• Maxine Dexter, state representative
• Susheela Jayapal, former Multnomah County commissioner
• Eddy Morales, Gresham councilor
• Nolan Bylenga, Portland State graduate student
• Michael Jonas, attorney and business owner

🗞️ The Inside Scoop

Dexter’s candidacy is being buoyed by big-dollar independent expenditures and sizable campaign donations from backers of Israel. Her two main opponents are drawing attention to the outside spending.

📖 Read Up on the Candidates With:

• OPB’s guide to the race
• Profiles and policy priorities of the top three contenders, from the Oregonian
• Capital Chronicle’s questions for the candidates and guide to the race.

5th District — Democratic Primary 🟦

Unlike in the 3rd District, this Democratic primary is to face a Republican incumbent: Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who is a moderate, in her first term, and excelling at fund-raising. It’s one of the closest-watched districts in the country, because Democrats have the chance to flip it.

🗳️ Who’s on the Ballot

• Janelle Bynum, state representative
• Jamie McLeod-Skinner, lawyer and the 2022 Democratic nominee

🗞️ The Inside Scoop

Bynum has twice beaten Chavez-DeRemer in state legislative races and has the backing of key Democratic leaders, including Gov. Tina Kotek. McLeod-Skinner, a favorite of grassroots Democrats, accomplished the rare feat of beating a sitting incumbent in the primary two years ago.

📖 Read Up on the Candidates With:

• OPB’s guide to the race
• A run-down of the race, from the Oregonian
• Capital Chronicle’s guide to the race.

Note: Candidates included here took the initiative to appear in the official Voters' Pamphlet.

A recent poll shows Mayor Ted Wheeler’s popularity is in the tank, with just 24% of voters approving of his performance. On the one hand, that’s very low, but on the other, I was curious: Why does he still have anyone backing him?

I asked readers and received a couple of good arguments in his favor:

• “I've met him, humble man. I think he's doing an amazing job under the circumstances.” — Mary MacFarland
• “I support him. He seemed lost a couple of years ago but has found his footing as a competent and strong leader, ironically once he decided to not run again. He has nothing to lose or prove, and his leadership has been great since he got there. It's a lesson for whoever comes next: Don't be afraid to do what you know is needed, even if the public will isn't quite there yet. If your vision is good and if you're getting things done, the public will follow soon enough.” — Nate H.

Oregon’s Latest Eyebrow-Raising Spirituality Group

On the City Cast Portland podcast’s Tuesday news round-up, a new-age spirituality group is raising eyebrows in Ashland. How do they fit into Oregon’s strange propensity for attracting religious cults? Plus, there’s a look at the worst reviews of Portland’s favorite karaoke spots.