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THE ASTORIAN • TuESdAy, AuguST 20, 2019
FIELD TEST
Candidates Wanted
URGENT NOTICE: You may be qualified
to participate in a special Field Test of
new hearing instrument technology
being held at a local test site.
AP Photo/Noah Berger
Police detain a protester against right-wing demonstrators following a rally in Portland.
Far-right and antifa groups
both claim Portland victory
By GILLIAN FLACCUS
Associated Press
PORTLAND — With both the left and the
right declaring victory following a long-hyped
rally that had Portland on edge, it seems the lib-
eral city will continue to be a flashpoint in an
increasingly divided country.
City officials were mostly relieved that a
downtown gathering Saturday of more than
1,000 far-right protesters and anti-fascist count-
er-demonstrators wasn’t as violent as feared.
“I’m grateful this was largely a peaceful
event,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “We were
preparing for and planning for a worst-case
scenario.”
There were 13 arrests and police seized bear
spray, shields, poles and other weapons. But by
using barriers and bridge closures — and allow-
ing a large contingent of right-wingers to leave
when they asked to — authorities were able to
mostly keep the two sides apart. Six minor inju-
ries were reported.
Joe Biggs, the organizer of the right-wing
gathering that featured the Proud Boys, Patriot
Prayer and other far-right groups, said they
accomplished their goal of drawing attention to
black-clad anti-fascist protesters — known as
antifa —who showed up to meet them.
President Donald Trump tweeted early Sat-
urday that “major consideration is being given
to naming ANTIFA an ‘ORGANIZATION of
TERROR.’” It wasn’t immediately clear what
he meant by that, because there’s no mechanism
for the United States government to declare a
domestic organization a terror group.
Biggs was pleased the rally attracted Trump’s
attention.
“He talked about Portland, said he’s watch-
ing antifa. That’s all we wanted,” he told The
Oregonian.
Biggs and the right-wing groups would keep
coming back to Portland so long as antifa was
around, he said.
But Eric K. Ward, executive director of the
Portland-based Western States Center, said the
right-wing rally was a bust.
“Portland won today, and far-right leaders
like Joey Gibson and Joe Biggs lost,” Ward said
in a statement.
The Western States Center stated mission is
to increase inclusive democracy.
In an interview, Ward said Biggs’ groups cut
short a planned five-hour rally after only one
hour and left.
“The white nationalist, alt-right coalition that
came to Portland were denied what they sought
to create, which was large-scale civil distur-
bances,” Ward said.
While antifa protesters get a lot of attention,
Ward said there were many others who came
out to oppose the right-wing groups. He also
praised police and city officials for their actions.
“What I saw yesterday was the first step
in Portland really putting together a citywide
response,” he said.
Wheeler, Portland’s mayor, said at a Saturday
evening news conference that Biggs and anyone
espousing hate or violence was not welcome.
“We do not want him here in my city.
Period,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler tied the demonstrations to “a ris-
ing white nationalist movement” and a growing
sense of fear in the country.
WORLD IN BRIEF
Associated Press
US talks secretly to
Venezuela socialist boss
Planned Parenthood
leaves federal family
planning program
BOGOTA, Colombia — The U.S. has
opened up secret communications with Ven-
ezuela’s socialist party boss as members of
President Nicolás Maduro’s inner circle seek
guarantees they won’t face retribution if they
cede to growing demands to remove him.
Diosdado Cabello, who is considered the
most-powerful man in Venezuela after Mad-
uro, met last month in Caracas with some-
one who is in close contact with the Trump
administration, a senior U.S. administration
official said.
Cabello, 56, is a major power broker
inside Venezuela, who has seen his influ-
ence in the government and security forces
expand as Maduro’s grip on power has
weakened. But he’s also been accused by
U.S. officials of being behind massive cor-
ruption, drug trafficking and even death
threats against a sitting U.S. senator.
The administration official said that under
no circumstances is the U.S. looking to prop
up Cabello or pave the way for him to sub-
stitute Maduro. Instead, the goal of the out-
reach is to ratchet up pressure on the regime
by contributing to the knife fight the U.S.
believes is taking place behind the scenes
among competing circles of power within
the ruling party.
NEW YORK — Planned Parenthood said
Monday it’s pulling out of the federal family
planning program rather than abide by a new
Trump administration rule prohibiting clin-
ics from referring women for abortions.
Alexis McGill Johnson, Planned Parent-
hood’s acting president and CEO, said the
organization’s nationwide network of health
centers would remain open and strive to
make up for the loss of federal money. But
she predicted that many low-income women
who rely on Planned Parenthood services
would “delay or go without” care.
“We will not be bullied into withhold-
ing abortion information from our patients,”
said McGill Johnson. “Our patients deserve
to make their own health care decisions, not
to be forced to have Donald Trump or Mike
Pence make those decisions for them.”
Enforcement of the new Title X rule
marks a major victory for a key part of Pres-
ident Donald Trump’s political base — reli-
gious conservatives opposed to abortion.
They have been campaigning relentlessly
to “defund Planned Parenthood” because —
among its varied services — it is the largest
abortion provider in the United States, and
they viewed the Title X grants as an indirect
subsidy.
Pentagon conducts 1st test of
previously banned missile
NYPD fires officer 5 years after
Garner’s chokehold death
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has
conducted a flight test of a type of missile
banned for more than 30 years by a treaty
that both the United States and Russia aban-
doned this month, the Pentagon said.
The test off the coast of California on
Sunday marked the resumption of an arms
competition that some analysts worry could
increase U.S.-Russian tensions. The Trump
administration has said it remains interested
in useful arms control but questions Mos-
cow’s willingness to adhere to its treaty
commitments.
The Pentagon said it tested a modified
ground-launched version of a Navy Toma-
hawk cruise missile, which was launched
from San Nicolas Island and accurately
struck its target after flying more than 310
miles. The missile was armed with a con-
ventional, not nuclear, warhead and likely
would have a range of about 620 miles.
The missile would have violated the Inter-
mediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty
of 1987, which banned all types of missiles
with ranges between 310 and 3,410 miles.
NEW YORK — After five years of inves-
tigations and protests, the New York City
Police Department on Monday fired an offi-
cer involved in the 2014 chokehold death
of Eric Garner, the black man whose dying
gasps of “I can’t breathe” gave voice to a
national debate over race and police use of
force.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill said
he fired Daniel Pantaleo, who is white, based
on a recent recommendation of a department
disciplinary judge.
O’Neill said he thought Pantaleo’s use of
the banned chokehold as he wrestled with
Garner was a mistake that could have been
made by any officer in the heat of an arrest.
But it was clear Pantaleo had broken depart-
ment rules and “can no longer effectively
serve as a New York City police officer.”
The decision was welcomed by activists
and Garner’s family, but condemned by the
head of the city’s largest police union, who
declared that it would undermine morale and
cause officers to hesitate to use force for fear
they could be fired.
An industry leader in digital hearing devices is
sponsoring a product field test in your area next
week and they have asked us to select up to
15 qualified candidates to participate. They are
interested in determining the benefits of GENIUS™
3.0 Technology in eliminating the difficulty hearing
aid users experience in difficult environments, such
as those with background noise or multiple talkers.
Candidates in other test areas have reported very
positive feedback so far.
We are looking for additional candidates in
Warrenton and the surrounding areas.
Dates: August 20 th thru 27 th
Miracle-Ear Center
Youngs Bay Plaza
173 S. Hwy 101
Warrenton, OR 97146
(503) 836-7921
Miracle-Ear Center
2505 Main Ave N, Suite C
Tillamook, OR 97141
(503) 836-7926
In an effort to accurately demonstrate the incredible
performance of these devices, specially trained
representatives will be conducting testing and
demonstrations during this special event.
In addition to an audiometric hearing evaluation,
candidates will receive a fiber-optic otoscope exam,
a painless procedure that could reveal common
hearing problems such as excessive wax or damage
to the eardrum, as well as other common cause of
hearing deficiencies.
Qualified Field Test Candidates:
• Live in Warrenton or the surrounding area
• Are at least 55 years of age or older
• Have experienced some level of hearing difficulty,
or currently wear hearing aids
• Don’t currently work for a market research
company
FIELD TEST
PARTICIPANTS
Will be tested and
selected same-day.
We have a limited supply of the GENIUS™ 3.0 test
product currently on hand and ready for testing.
We have also been authorized to offer significant
discounts if you decide to take the hearing
instruments home. If you choose not to keep them,
there’s no risk or obligation of any kind.†
TO PARTICIPATE:
1. You must be one of the first 15 people to call our
office Mention Code: 19AugField .
2. You will be required to have your hearing tested
in our office, FREE OF CHARGE, to determine
candidacy.
3. Report your results with the hearing instruments
to the Hearing Care Specialist over a three week
test period.
Qualified candidates will be selected on a first-
come, first-served basis so please call us TODAY
to secure your spot in the Product Field Test.
Participants who qualify and complete the product
test will receive a FREE $100 Restaurant.com Gift
Card* as a token of our thanks.
AVOID WAITING – CALL AND MENTION CODE: 19AugField
*One per household. Must be 55 or older and bring loved one for familiar voice test. Must complete a hearing
test. Not valid with prior test/purchase in last 6 months. While supplies last. Free gift card may be used toward
the purchase of food at participating restaurants where a minimum purchase may also be required. See restau-
rant.com for details. Not redeemable for cash. Promotional offer available during special event dates only. †If you
are not completely satisfied, the aids may be returned for a full refund within 30 days of the completion of fitting,
in satisfactory condition. See store for details.