(EIjc Jlortlanò (Observer
Page A2
Ad\ crtise with diversity in
<rb* P o rtia n i* (O b a rn irr
Portland General Electric presents
NEW FRONTIERS IN
DIVERSITY
DIVERSITY SUMMIT 2004
Learn how to build a stronger, more competitive
organization ready to face the challenges of the
21st century at PGE's Diversity Summit 2004. It's an
opportunity for anyone interested in diversity issues
in today's workplace Register online to attend
classes with worldwide
leaders in diversity
W ednesday
issues, network
A p ril 28
with the region's top
O regon
organizations, and
C
o
nvention
C enter
learn from outstanding
8 a.m . - 5 p.m .
keynote speakers.
Stephens Sentenced to Life
(A P )— A man convicted o f rap­
ing, sodom izing and m urdering a
14-year-old girl w ho was abducted
w hile walking to school from her
hom e in northeast Portland, was
sentenced to life in prison without
the possibility o f parole.
The 12-memberjury reached their
verdict M onday, ju st o v er tw o
hours after they began their delib­
eratio n . T he d ec isio n w as a n ­
nounced to the court on Tuesday.
Prosecutors had urged the jury
to sentence Ladon A. Stephens to
death, calling him a "hom icidal se­
rial rapist."
“ N o th in g w orks w ith Ladon
S te p h e n s ,” s a id M u ltn o m a h
C ounty Senior Deputy District A t­
torney Rod Underhill. "O ur great­
est fear is. W ho is going to be the
next victim o f Ladon Stephens?”
But Tom and Mary Bittler, the
parents o f 14-year-old M elissa,
w hom Stephens killed in 2 0 0 ,, had
stated publicly they preferred he
Keynote Speakers
Madame Jehan Sadat, world-renowned
peace and civil-rights activist and widow of
the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat
Judy Shepard, champion of hate-crime
legislation in memory of her slain son
Matthew Shepard
Convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad (left) during sentencing
Tuesday in Manassas, Va. (AP photo)
Mark Williams, author of the highly
acclaimed book 10 /ruses Your Guide to
Living mid Working ill u Multicullurnl World
DC Sniper Gets
Death Sentence
Portland General Electric
THANKS
It
TO
OUR
SPONSORS:
Prnvidm rr | Health System
A c a r in g d i f f e r e n c e y o u c e n f e e l
♦ PACIFIC POWER
FredMeyer
Standard Insurance Company
Hewlett-Packard Company
T R I ©
"W
M E T
N a tu ra l
Port of Portland
Legacy Health System
Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
P o rtla n d G e n e ra l.c o m /D iv e rs ity S u m m it
Melissa Bittler was murdered
after leaving home for school.
not be sentenced to death. It w as an
opinion that they were not allow ed
to share in front o f the ju ry , h o w ­
ever.
M elissa Bittler w as S tephens’
last victim. Prosecutors identified
19 other girls and w om en he had
threatened, or assaulted.
Last m onth, the sam e jury con­
victed Stephens, 35, o f three 1997
rapes o f 14- and 15-year-old girls
and the 2002 rape o f his girlfrien d 's
cousin.
Chamber Honors
Black Women
For more details and to register, visit
Por tlandGeneral com/DiversitySummit
PGE/
March 10.2004
(A P) — John Allen M uham m ad
was sentenced to death Tuesday
for his role in the sniper shootings
that terrorized the W ashington area.
Circuit Judge LeRoy F. MiIlette Jr.
turned aside a plea from Muhammad- s
lawyers to spare their client's life. He
ordered Muhammad executed on Oct.
14, but that date likely will be post­
poned to allow appeals.
M uhammad, 43, w as convicted
o f capital m urder on Nov. 17 and a
ju ry recom m ended he be sentenced
to death for the m urder o f Dean
H arold M eyers at a gas station near
M anassas.
M uham m ad denied any involve­
ment in the killingsTuesday. telling
the judge, “D o n 't m ake a fool o f the
Constitution o f the United States
o f A m erica.”
“Just like I said at the begin­
ning, I had nothing to do with
this, and I'll say again, I had noth­
ing to do with this," M uham m ad
said.
D efense lawyers had filed a
motion M onday arguing that life
in prison w as the more appropri­
ate sentence to elim inate the dis­
p arity betw een M u h a m m a d 's
punishm ent and that o f his 18-
year-old partner in the killings,
Lee Boyd Malvo.
M alvo, who will be formally
sentenced W ednesday in C hesa­
peake, was given life in prison by
the jury in that case.
African-American women will be
honored at the A frican A m erican
C ham ber o f C om m erce’s annual
event titled "N ever U nderestim ate
the Power o f a Black W om an" at the
O regon C onvention C enter on Fri­
day, M arch 19.
T h is g a la h o n o rs A fric a n -
A m erican w om en in O regon and
so u th w est W ash in g to n for th e ir
acco m p lish m e n ts and d ed icatio n
to im proving in d iv id u al and co m ­
m u n ity liv e s a n d p e r s o n a l
ach ie v em e n ts.
“A frican-A m erican w omen sel­
dom get this recognition for build­
ing com m unities and families. This
is long overdue,” said Roy Jay,
president o f the cham ber.
Highlights o f the event include
keynote speaker Patricia Russell
M cCloud, nationally-noted orator,
educator and m otivational speaker,
recognized by O prah W infrey and
many publications from coast-to-
Ask o
Patricia Russell McCloud
coast. Renow ned evangelist TD
Jakes will also make a special pre­
sentation.
T ickets are limited. T hose inter­
ested in attending should call 503-
244-5794, extension 48 for reserva­
tions and m ore inform ation.
parents and I d o n ’t w ant to hurt
neither one. M y d ad ’s a good man
and if he asks me. I ca n ’t look him in
the eye and lie about it. Help! —
A nonym ous; Indianapolis, Ind.
Dear Anonymous:
t ’s Not W h eth er
Win or
But How You Play The Game
Real People, Real Advice
An advice column known fo r
its fearless approach to reality
based subjects!
Let your m other know s h e 's wrong
and shouldn’t be doing this to your
dad. Y our m other is unfit because
sh e 's teaching you adultery, forni­
cation and lying. If your dad asks,
d o n 't lie — tell ev erything you
know. Pray for your m other b e­
cause w hen that dram a harvest
com es in that she’s sow ing it ain 't
going to be pretty. S h e 's going to
reap what she sow ed in such a way
that only the Lord can save her.
Dear Deanna!
Dear Deanna!
D uring M arch M adness my hus­
band loses his m ind over the bas­
ketball crap. It’s so bad w e’ve al­
m ost divorced because he chooses
the gam es over me. W hen these
college gam es begin, he goes on
vacation, w o n ’t bathe or do noth­
ing except sit and rom ance the tele­
vision. W e’ve had too m any sports
argum ents and enough is enough!
—M elissa; Little Rock, Ark.
I love being naked and having sex
in public. I’ ve paid a few tickets for
indecent exposure but the thri II turns
me on. N ow I’m pregnant and I
d o n 't w ant to go through the preg­
nancy because I w o n ’t be able to
show my body anym ore. I dread the
w eight gain, the stretch m arks and
I’ll have to keep covered. How do I
cope? —Victoria; Inglew ood.Calif.
Dear Melissa:
You cope by going back into the
rubber room you cam e out o f. Cope
by keeping your legs closed or
having safe sex so you d o n ’t get
pregnant. C ope by grow ing up and
realize y o u ’re bringing a child into
this world and the freaky behavior
m ust go. Last but not least, cope by
exercising afterb irth , put m ake-up
on your sears, walk your crazy be­
hind outside nude and social ser­
vices will take the child and y o u ’ll
have exactly what you wanted. Seek
family counseling immediately.
Dear Victoria:
T h e g a m e is j u s t a g a m e , i t ’s h o w y o u p la y
t h a t m a k e s th e d iffe re n c e . I f s o m e o n e y o u k n o w
is g a m b l i n g f o r m o r e t h a n f u n , t h e y m a y h a v e
a p r o b le m . W a r n in g s i g n s in c lu d e :
P r e o c c u p a t io n w i t h g a m b lin g
G a m b lin g to e s c a p e
L y in g to c o v e r u p g a m b lin g
T r e a t m e n t c a n h e lp p r o b le m g a m b le r s p u t th e
g a m e b a c k in p e r s p e c tiv e a n d g e t t h e i r liv e s
b a c k o n t r a c k . T r e a tm e n t is fr e e , c o n f id e n tia l
a n d it w o r k s .
If p la y in g isn 't fun anym ore, ca ll for
1-877-2-ST O P -N O W
L ic e n s e d t r e a t m e n t p r o v id e r s a r e th e r e to lis te n , h e lp a n d m a k e
r e f e r r a l s to lo c a l t r e a t m e n t c e n te r s 24 h o u r s a day.
How about som e cheese with your
whine!! Sports obsession is a man
thing and they go bananas during
M arch M adness. You knew o f his
sports obsession before marriage
so stop tripping. Be glad your man
isn’t obsessed with strippers and
he has a jo b that he can take vaca­
tion from. Take advantage o f the
quiet tim e w hile h e 's buried in bas­
ketball and do som ething for your­
self. O h yeah— quit nagging.
Dear Deanna!
H elp me fast! My m o th er's having
an affair on my father and I' m in the
middle. I'v e lied for my m otherand
covered for her but I think she’s
about to get busted. M y d ad ’s real
suspicious and h e 's going to ques­
tion me soon. I’m loyal to both my
Ask Deanna is written by Deanna
M. Write Ask Deanna! Email:
askdeanna ! @ yahoo.com or
write: Deanna M, P.O. Box
88847, Los Angeles, CA 90009.
Website: www.askdeanna.com
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