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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 1995)
14 ▼ January Ov 1003 ▼ just out local news FELLER A U T O W O R SPECIALIZING IN GERMAN AN D SWEDISH AUTOMOBILES Fanning the flames • Q u ality, com prehensive care for your auto • C o nveniently located just minutes from dow ntow n • O p e n Tuesdays through Saturdays A Portland firefighter has been convicted o f the “intimidation” o f a state lawmaker and her partner o f four years T by Inga Sorensen BRING THIS AD FOR $10.00 OFF AN Y SERVICE 1114 SE CLAY 236-9202 T TH O M AS FELLER, MASTER CERTIFIED, AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE ENGINEER L e t M e E a r n Y o u r B u s in e s s I work to combine professionalism with personal attention in all phases o f real estate. Whether you’re buying or selling, 1 provide extensive knowledge of neighborhoods and complete commitment to serving each o f my client’s individual needs. SPECIALIZING IN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBORHOODS STEVE BUCHERT S.îles Assoi i.iti/ Realtor For personal, professional service and a free consultation call: ( ronin& C a plu/i Realty Group (503) 220-1144 • Mobile: 970-3801 h lC * HOUR-LONG SPEC IA L THE SNICKERS LABARR SHOW ON LOCATION AT THE IMPERIAL ROSE COURT CORONATION 1994. INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL STARS, TITLE HOLDERS, AND OUT-OF-TOWN CELEBRITIES. A FEATURED INTERVIEW WITH EMPRESS XXIX LADY ELAINE PEACOCK SHOW TIMES SUN. THUR. TUES. WED. JAN. JAN. JAN. JAN. 08 12 17 25 9:00 PM MIDNITE 8:00 PM 10:00PM VOICEMAIL: (503)-727-2491 LABARR PROD. P.0. BOX 22607 PORTLAND, OR 97222-0607 CH. CH. CH. CH. the arresting officer, Mike Runyon, Harder said here’s still no word on the professional the women were “ ‘lesbians’ and that he knew fate of a Portland firefighter who re [this] because o f their appearance and the special portedly called a state lawmaker and plate on their vehicle, H B 3435.... Mr. Harder h er fem ale c o m p an io n “ fu ck in g seemed focused on his perception that the victims bitches” and “cunts,” and was later lived a he homosexual lifestyle.” convicted of intimidating the women because Runyon charged Harder with disorderly con perceived them to be lesbians. duct and Harder was released at the scene. In his Portland fire officials are investigating the inci report, Runyon claim s “the victim s indicated they dent, which involves 42-year-old James Patrick were satisfied with the results o f the investiga Harder, a Gervais resident and 17-year veteran of tion.” the Portland Fire Bureau. Portland Fire Chief Rob “T h at’s absolutely untrue,” says Rijken. Ac ert Wall, who says he did not know about the cording to a Sept. 14 m em o from W ilke to her incident until Harder’s Dec. 8 conviction, says the attorney, Lisa M axfield o f the Portland-based firm department is conducting its own investigation to Ransom, Blackman & W eil, that report omitted a determine whether it should discipline Harder. “couple o f key items which were relayed to the The incident took place Sept. 6 on highways 18 police at the time.” and 22 in the area known as the Van Duzer Corri W ilke wrote: “The suspect approached my dor in Polk County. According to the Polk County w indow and between District A ttorney’ s office, beatings on the win Harder was driving when dow pulled his lips he spotted the license plate back and flicked his o f a van driven by Danetta tongue menacingly, as W ilke and her passenger, if to indicate some state Rep. Hedy Rijken, a kind o f oral-sex thing. state lawmaker from the He also made his fin c o a sta l c o m m u n ity o f gers into a ‘V ’ shape Waldport, who is an out and licked between lesbian. Rijken and Wilke them , then im m edi have been a couple for a te ly p u n c h e d the nearly four years, and were door. Both Hedy and I commuting together from told the deputies this their coastal home to their independently. [Also] workplaces in Portland. at this point, as I was A cco rd in g to P olk shying away from the County District Attorney w indow , he yelled, F red A v era, H a rd er ‘Get enough slick [sic] thought the duo’s license this w eekend?’ mean p la te — w h ich read s ing oral sex. [He] then HB3435— related to a gay proceeded to beat on and lesbian civil rights bill Hedy Rijken (left) with Charlotte Comito th e w in d o w som e which had previously been more. I did not hear this com m ent, as I was protect considered by the Oregon Legislature. (The li ing m yself from the potential o f him breaking the cense plate actually pertains to a law enforcement bill.) When Harder saw the van was occupied by glass, but Hedy did.” two women, he began tailgating them. W ilke also says R unyon’s claim that she and “We noticed this guy driving like a maniac Rijken were “satisfied” with the deputies’ investi behind us,” says the 36-year-old Rijken, who has gation is incorrect. She says they told police they lived in the Newport area nearly her entire life. “understood [W ilke’s em phasis] what [the offic “There was a lot o f traffic on the road because it ers were] going to charge [Harder] with, but that was the day after Labor Day. We were really we wanted this handled as a hate crime. We also concerned he was going to hurt somebody.” told him we wanted [Harder] taken into custody, A statement from Avera’s office says: “Harder but he said he couldn’t do it for that level of began to pass the van. As he passed the van a car charge.” came around a curve from the other direction. He Avera, whose office later brought additional nearly hit the oncoming car [and] swerved into the charges against Harder— including menacing, reck lane nearly hitting Ms. Wilke and Ms. Rijken.” less driving, and reckless endangerm ent— ques At this point, the statement says, Harder pulled tions why the officers did not charge Harder with over, got out o f his white Honda Civic, and started intimidation at the scene. yelling obscenities at the women. Wilke drove “ I just don’t see how you could ignore some around Harder; he pursued the chase, and again thing like that,” he says. “It was clear from talking passed the duo. Near Valley Junction, the parties with the victims that this was a case o f intimida were forced to stop at a construction site. Wilke tion.” was behind Harder, who got out o f his car and “again began yelling obscenities at Ms. Wilke and ccording to an Oregon Supreme Court rul Ms. Rijken. He tried to get in their van. When he ing, bias crim es can be primary or second discovered it was locked, he pounded on the win ary in nature. Primary bias crimes are those dow and continued to yell obscenities [which in committed due to perceived race, sexual orienta cluded] remarks about his personal feelings to tion, color, etc. Secondary bias crimes would in wards and perceptions of gay and lesbian lifestyles.” clude, for exam ple, a situation where two people of During the incident, Wilke and Rijken dialed 9- different races get into a car wreck and one begins 1-1 on their cellular phone, and Harder was ar assaulting the other and scream ing racial epithets. rested by Yamhill County sh eriffs deputies at the “ It’s one thing to not like me because of the construction site. color o f my skin, or my religious beliefs. It s According to the incident report authored by another thing to drive me o ff the road and smash 21 11 21 21 A