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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 2004)
Spotlight on Health Terrell Brandon Assist Hundreds join second annual Wellness Within REACH Walk Local NBA star prepares kids for court and classroom See Metro section, inside ‘City of Roses’ See Sports, page B6 w r 'Jpartlanh ©EserXier Established in 1970 Committed to Cultural Diversity Volume XXXIV • Number 35 www.portlandobserver.com Wednesday • September 8. 2004 ality in the Workplace Frances Ends Florida Assault New Seasons president lends significant community impact by J ohanna S. K ing T he P ortland O bserver M otivated and determined to make a lasting impact on his local community, Brian Rohter, president and co-founder of New Seasons Market will be recognized this fall at theLrban League of Portland Equal Op portunity Day Dinner for his outstanding efforts in working to achieve equality for all. Frances wound up a two-prong assault on Florida that pounded both the central part o f the state and the Panhandle, leaving storm- weary residents with flooding, frayed nerves and shortages of everyday items such as gas, ice j The award honors individuals residing in the Portland metropolitan area that have made significant contributions to the cause of equality in education, employment and economic development. "'(Rohter) was chosen as an individual who had made an overall significant differ ence in the dynamics of com m unity.” said V anessa Gaston, president and CEO of The Urban League o f Portland. "This isour way of saying thank you for laboring amongst our own to foster an encouraging improve ment.” The journey began in 1999 when three and water. At least 14 deaths were blamed on the storm in Florida and Georgia. Inmate Charged in 1968 Murder A W ashington man already serv ing two life sentences for murder has been charged with com mit ting what prosecutors say is the state's oldest unsolved crime, the I Will Shabazz and Ginny Sorensen 1968 fatal stabbing of a pregnant prepares culinary delights at the new teenager. families and about 50 o f their friends decided to create a business they could be proud of - a company that had true commitment to its community, to maintaining a progressive and diverse workplace and to promoting sustain able and strong local agriculture. Five years later, under Rohter’s leader ship, that vision has been realized with five Portland area New Seasons locations, more than 8(X) employees and ongoing relation ships with dozens of community partners. He also strives to reach out and hire diverse individuals in all his stores. Rohter believes that, because New Sea sons Market is locally owned and operated, he and the company have a duty to contrib ute to Portland's environment o f equity, op portunity and health. Leading the effort to develop the com er of Killingsworth and NE 33rd he invested in a neighborhood that was blight and abandoned by other investors. The improvements are remarkable. Today. Seven Corners New Seasons Market in southeast Portland. Nevada Stages Huge Cook-Off Some 3(X),(XX)people areexpected to pig out on about 130,(XX) pounds ofporkribsduringthe 16th annual Best in the West Nugget RibCook- off in Nevada which got off to a sizzling start over the Labor Day weekend. '.4 1 ' v-7. Waving flags and banners, tens of thousands of Russians dem on strated against terrorism Tuesday, massing outside the Kremlin in response to calls for solidarity by President Vladimir Putin’s gov-1 em ment after a series o f deadly attacks that have killed more than 400 people. New Seasons President Brian Rohter is recognized by the Urban Leauge of Portland for strengthening his commu nity and building a diverse workforce. P hotos courtesy oe F ritz I jedtke oe F ritz P hoto ‘Swamp Pop’ Singer Joe Barry Dies Hard-living swamp pop performer Joe Barry, whose I960 version of "I’m aFool toC are" put him in the national spotlight, died Aug. 31. He was 65. New Seasons Market's latest offering, the Seven Corners A new store on North Interstate and Portland Boulevard is Education Opt lO iiS “Jeopardy!" master Ken Jennings has advanced his winning streak to 39, picking up another $ 10 ,0 0 1 Education and bringing his total money won I to$l,331,661. '-n ’. M Russians Rally Against Terror Jeopardy Winning Streak Continues tjfcs opened on Sept. 1 SEI Academy adds creative learning opportunities Director Natasha Butler oversees SEI Academy, a new charter school in north Portland. "First things First" is just one o f the innovations SEI is using to tip the odds of success in its favor as it opens a charter school on its inner-north Portland campus this fall. manager. All teachers have at least five “It’s an opportunity for all students and years experience and classroom materials, the staff to get together as a team, to examine including textbooks, are either current or the spirit o f the group and set up the day,” cutting edge. said Natasha Butler, education director for Each year, the school will add a new sixth SEI Academy. "It's an open place where grade class until it operates as a full middle students feel they can express themselves, school with 150 sixth, seventh and eighth vent, clear the air. so they can walk in the grader. classrooms and focus on academics." SEI Academy opens Sept. 8 with 50 sixth Butler holds the role o f principal at SEI. grade students and 15 on the waiting list. The academy has a 12 to I student-to-edu- To introduce the academy and draw in the cator ratio, including two full-time teachers, community, the morning will begin with a two part-time teaching assistants, a full-time continental breakfast for students and their youth service coordinator, and a project parents, the SEI education team and local Language Arts and social studies teacher Carl Reinhold looks throut materials. photos by M i < haei R ubenstein /T he P orti dignitaries including Oregon Dept. o f Edu- cation ( hiel Policy Officer Patrick Burk, State Senator Margaret Carter and Tony Hopson, president and founder o f SEI. Kids will then be dismissed to receive new backpacks full of school supplies, provided by SEI. before heading o ff totheir firstclass.T heirunifonnsof navy and khaki were also provided, free o f charge. "All they have to do is show up," said Butler of the supplies SEI Academy pro- vides. She says the school is in discus- sions about getting laptop com puters do nated to every student. Academy visionaries saw natural extension to the afters that SEI has been providing t and northeast Portland for 23 SEI. which has a95 percent among its high school partic ping its track record o facad e develop the academy 's curri extend to the classroom SETs lationship model." which worl all fronts, by developing and issues including individual, continued on pa