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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 3, 2004)
Pas cAb_____________________________________________ (Elje JJortlanö (ßbaeruer________________________ Locally Owned Market Gives Back Concordia New Seasons Market employee Shannon Liedtke greets customers with cake and ice cream Saturday during the store's fourth anniversary celebration. Since opening its first New Seasons Market in the Raleigh Hills neighborhood in 2000, New Seasons has demonstrated its commitment to giving back to the community by supporting local growers, hiring within the community and donating to nonprofits. In 2003, New Seasons was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medal o f Honor for Social and Eco nomic Justice by northeast Portland's St. Andrew Catholic Church. P hoto by M ark W ashington / T he P ortland O bserver an equal o p p ortun ity employer MULTNOMAH county www.multcojobs.org March 03.2004 Seattle NAACP Files $10 Million Lawsuit School security accused of undue force, abuse (AP) — The NAACPfileiiaSIO million claim against a suburban school district Monday alleging discrimination against black stu dents by security guards at two schools south o f Seattle. The claim was filed on behalf of three female students and their fami lies who contend they were “vio lated and humiliated with undue use o f force, handcuffing and physical and mental abuse.” The families each are asking for more than $3.3 million in damages, arguing that their children's civil rights were violated. Two girls, students at Meeker Junior High, allegedly were mis treated by a white security guard at the school, said Carl Mack, presi dent of the Seattle chapter of the National Association for the Ad vancement of Colored People. A third student allegedly suf fered similar treatment at Kent Meridian High School. “Clearly w e're appalled. When you start handcuffing children and throwing them up against lockers you’ve reached an all new low with us,” Mack said before delivering the complaint Monday morning to A Boost for Small Business Margaret Whitney, the district’s assistant superintendent. The district has 60 days to re spond to the claim; after that the group can file a lawsuit. The NAACP learned of the al leged incidents late last year when a parent, Shuloney Williams, com plained that on several occasions a security guard at the junior high students. Ebony Smith and Shetoia Ellis. Smith, 15, alleges that in spring 2003, she was handcuffed by M engino, as w ell as p ep p er sprayed. The complaint alleges that Ellis suffered back injuries as a result of her treatment Oct. 3 by two guards at Kent Meridian. Ellis also said she \ Clearly w e’re appalled. When you start handcuffing children and throwing them up against lockers y o u ’ve reached an all new low with us. - Carl Mack, Seattle NAACP president school had assaulted her 15-year- old daughter, Shuvonyeh Veasley. On March 15, Veasley was argu ing with another student at the school when guard Gayle Mengino “came up from behind Shuvonyeh, grabbed her by the hair, threw her into the lockers and then to the ground," handcuffing the child, the complaint said. In September, Veasley was again handcuffed by Mengino "for not sitting down” while in the vice principal's office, according to the claim. The three-page claim includes similar complaints from two other Running a successful small business is challenge enough. For women and minorities, a lack of exposure and support can add to the struggle. tried defending herself, resulting in the district filing a fourth-degree assault charge. Mack said he tried negotiating with the district in mid-December, asking school officials to place the guards on administrative leave and investigate the matter. He contends the abuse would not have happened if the students had been white. 'T w o of the girls were handcuffed by the same security guard who tends to show the same pattern toward our children,” Mack said. "What this is showing is an incredible amount of cultural insensitivity.” Landing government con tracts can make a big differ ence for small business own ers and make strides to build ing and strengthening a di verse community. Those interested can print the reg istra tio n form from www.hud.gov/washington orcall 1-877-741-3281. y u r t ( y u r t) n . O R E G O N I A N fo r W arm and D ry . — ...................................................................................................................................................— ---------------- ----------------------------- --- In Mongolia yurts are made of yak hide and yak hair. In Oregon, yurts are made of wood and fa b ric and they are giving Oregonians a whole new way to enjoy camping in our state parks - especially in the off-season. A yu rt is a round, canvas-sided building that has a solid plywood floor underfoot and a sturdy roof overhead. They come equipped with electricity, heat and furniture to comfortably sleep a family of five. W ith the help of funding from the Oregon Lottery, State Parks offers 190 yurts in parks from Wallowa Lake to Harris Beach - and Lottery profits are being used to add more every year. Yurts make camping easy, comfortable and fun in any weather. And more yurts mean more people can enjoy camping in Oregon's State Parks more often. O R EG O N LOTTERY It does good things O ve r $ 1 2 3 m illio n in L o tte ry p r o f it s have gone to O regon S ta te Parks since J999. L o tte ry p r o fits also s u p p o rt e d u c a tio n , jo b c re a tio n a nd w a te rsh e d enhancem ent p ro je c ts across the state . oregonlottery.org L o U ty garnet a rt ba sed on chance and should he plajed fo r entertainment only. ------------------------------ - — t ---- --------------------- ----- ------ $