Here’s your daily roundup of all the latest local and national news. (Like our coverage? Please consider making a recurring contribution to the Mercury to keep it comin’!)

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• Today in “that’s the least we can do”: Gov. Kate Brown is considering reducing the sentences of prisoners who helped battle dangerous wildfires last year—and as our Blair Stenvick reported, were paid less than $10 per DAY for their service.

After a little over a year on the job, Portland Police Bureau’s first ever homeless community liaison has left the post.

Stephanie Herro was brought on in 2019 following an eight-month hiring process.https://t.co/1xfIC0HgQZ
— Rebecca Ellis (@Rjaellis) March 11, 2021

• A 100 person-strong Portland protest was held downtown today to bring attention to stopping Line 3—an oil pipeline that extends from Alberta, Canada, to Superior, Wisconsin and will cross tribal lands.

• Portland City Council approved a $2.1 million wrongful death settlement yesterday to the family of Quanice Hayes, a Black teenager who was killed by a Portland police officer in 2017. The settlement didn’t include an admittance of wrongdoing, but the majority of City Council chose to apologize to Hayes’ family for what they have endured.

City advocates for state law to allow creation of civilian police oversight board in Portland without bargaining https://t.co/LKl2Whad5C
— Maxine Bernstein (@maxoregonian) March 12, 2021

• Despite communities of color being the most impacted by COVID-19 in the Portland metro region, they’re being offered vaccinations at a much lower rate than their white neighbors. Mercury contributor Hanna Merzbach digs in to Portland’s patchwork vaccination system in this excellent news feature.

• Busy Bee Biden has another busy day, quickly signing the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package (passed without a single Republican vote) and giving a speech tonight in which he’ll call for states to make all adults eligible to be vaccinated by May 1, while also explaining some of the bill’s many great aspects, particularly those designed to assist the nation’s poor. Meanwhile the GOP is preparing their counter-argument which is “we hate humanity in all its forms.”

White House: The Biden admin will more than double the number of federally-run mass vaccination centers, run by FEMA, the U.S. military, and other federal agencies in partnership with states.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 12, 2021

• The House has passed two bills that would significantly strengthen gun safety laws… both of which will probably be squashed by utterly corrupt Republican senators who pay their pool boys with NRA bribes.

• A judge has okayed a prosecutor’s request to reinstate a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin—the former Minneapolis cop who killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly 9 minutes. Chauvin already has a second-degree murder and manslaughter charge against him, but the third charge will give jurors another chance to make sure he receives the punishment he deserves.

• More and more people are demanding the resignation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, particularly following a recent groping charge—one that the police plan on investigating. Meanwhile the state assembly is launching a Democrat-led impeachment inquiry due to the growing number of sexual harassment charges leveled against the governor.

The Kentucky Senate votes to make it a crime to insult a police officer, boost “rioting” penalties 22-11 pic.twitter.com/bfnYgXs0ro
— Ryland Barton (@RylandKY) March 11, 2021

• This just in: Fox News’ Tucker Carlson has once again proven himself to be a worthless pig and a piece of shit. That is all. Wait! Wait… wait… this also just in: He’s a piece of shit for this, too.

• Related: Clueless star/conservative commentator Stacey Dash unleashed a tearful apology today for her years of defending Trump and spouting hateful bullshit, and announced she’s going to give President Biden “a chance.” The world responded by saying, “Whatever… go away” followed by “Wait… which one was she in Clueless?”

• In stiff upper lip news: Prince William has responded to allegations leveled by Meghan and Prince Harry in their Oprah interview, putting all concerns quickly to rest by saying, “We’re very much not a racist family.” A Fox News talking head responded, “How could they be racist? They have Black subjects!“

“I’m really queer” – demi lovato.
This makes my heart happy ❤ https://t.co/xRB0cUSsva
— Lara (@laralovatic2001) March 11, 2021

• Get ready to party HARD in the third installment of the Mercury Music Series, with a livestream concert from super fun Portland rapper/singer/producer FOUNTAINE, coming at ya TONIGHT, THURSDAY, March 11! Snap up those tix, babies!

• If you cannot get enough of Dan Savage, then get a LIVE dose of his sexual wisdom in this Saturday’s special livestream edition of the SAVAGE LOVECAST! Get your tickets here!

• And now… THE WEATHER REPORT: Another glorious sunny day tomorrow and a high of 57!

• And finally, if you miss seeing big budget action thrillers, don’t miss this short video of a drone flying through a bowling alley. Somebody deserves an Oscar for this!

A drone operator shot a short video in a Minneapolis bowling alley to rally support for the business. It was viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media and won high praise from Hollywood directors. https://t.co/1hzsXQa7ev pic.twitter.com/1SHY1HDy1d
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 11, 2021