lanuary 4, 2006
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Page A3
Powerful Lobbyist Admits Guilt
Bribed members
of Congress
(AP) — Embattled lobbyist Jack
Abramoff pleaded guilty Tuesday
to federal charges of conspiracy,
tax evasion and mail fraud, agree­
ing to cooperate in an influence-
peddling investigation that threat­
ens powerful members of Congress.
Abramoff agreed with U.S. Dis­
trict Court Judge Ellen Huvelle when
she said he had engaged in a con­
spiracy involving “corruption of
public officials.” The lobbyist also
agreed when she said he and others
had engaged in a scheme to pro­
vide campaign contributions, trips
and other items "in exchange for
certain official acts.”
Huvelle and lawyers in the case
said Abramoff had agreed to make
an estimated $25 million in restitu­
tion to his victims and pay $1.7
million tothe Internal Revenue Ser­
vice for taxes he evaded.
According to the plea agree­ Lobbyist Jack Abramoff (center) leaves federal court in Washington, D.C. Tuesday after
ment, prosecutors will recommend pieading guilty to conspiracy, tax evasion and mail fraud, agreeing to cooperate with prosecu­
a sentence of 9 1/2 to 11 years, tors investigating powerful members of Congress. (AP photo)
Hate Crime Suspects Wanted
Four white males are accused
of assaulting a 15-year-old His­
panic male in a hate crime attack
on Dec. 26 in Vancouver.
Police said it happened at
the C-Tran Transit Mall lo­
cated at the W estfield Shop­
ping Center. The victim told
police a white male dished
out racial slurs before the at­
tack. The su sp e c ts w ere d e ­
scribed as being in their late teens
e a rly 2 0 ’s w ith the p rim ary
bangs. The suspect was also
w e a rin g a b la c k h o o d e d
sweatshirt with a Shorty's logo
and DC shoes. The other sus­
4 police com­
posite of a man pects were also wearing skate­
boarding apparel.
suspected of a
If anyone has inform ation
hate crime.
regarding this case, they art-
u rg e d
to
c o n ta c t
the
V ancouver Police Department
assaulter described as 6 feet tall, majorCrime Unit Detective Stuart
heavy set with chin hair, mus­ Hemstock at 360-735-8832 and
tach e and long brow n curly refer tocase V05-25452.
Making New Year Resolutions
For example, if
your overall goal
is to be healthier, a
sp e c ific
New
Year’s resolution
might be to start
Every year comes New
walking for exer­
Year’s resolutions that will
cise. However, be­
make our lives better. Then
fore you say, ‘I'll
we struggle for the next 12
walk five miles ev­
months to accomplish our
eryday’ be realis-
goals or we simply forget John
tic. Are you in good
about them.
enough shape to walk five miles?
John Ruiz, assistant professorat Does your lifestyle including work,
W ashington State U niversity’s marriage, etc, allow you time to walk
department of psychology, says everyday?
the key to accomplish a New Year's
“A more realistic goal might be
resolution is to be specific and re­ to walk one mile a day, three days a
alistic.
week for a month until you get in
“Choose a specific behavior to shape,” he said. “Being specific
work on and have realistic expecta­ and realistic gives you a New Year's
tions about your abilities," Ruiz resolution that you can do.”
said.
Ruiz recom m ends six tips for
Psychology
professor
provides tips
Ru'z
success: Find your m otivation by
rem em bering why you made the
resolution in the first place and it
will keep you going on the tough
days. Have a plan and be clear
about what it will take to reach
your goal. A nticipate challenges,
be realistic, reward small goals
and don’t buy into “all or noth­
ing" thinking.
Everyone has a weak moment.
Successful people get back up and
keep going.
Ruiz says to keep things in per­
spective - if you are successful for
a whole week and have one slip-up
— it doesn't take away from the
previous seven days of success.
Finally, find support: Surround
yourself with others who believe in
you and your goal. This helps main­
tain m otivation and gets you
through the tough times.
Bush Loses
Military
providing he cooperates with fed­
eral prosecutors in a wide-ranging
corruption investigation that is
believed to be focusing on as many
as 20 members of Congress and
aides.
A ssistant A ttorney G eneral
Alice S. Fisher said the Justice
Department will pursue the investi­
gation "wherever it goes.”
A bram offs travels with former
House Majority LeaderTom DeLay
are already under criminal investi­
gation. The lobbyist’s interactions
with the Texas Republican’s con­
gressional office frequently came
around the time of campaign dona­
tions, golf outings or other trips
provided or arranged by Abramoff
for DeLay and other lawmakers.
Court papers released Tuesday
also detailed lavish gifts and con­
tributions that Abramoff gave an
unnamed House member, identi­
fied elsewhere as Rep. Bob Ney, R-
Ohio, chairman of the House Ad­
ministration Committee, in return
for N ey's agreement to use his of­
fice to aid Abramoff clients.
Are you
~ °r ]
someone
you know
pregnant
Support
An annual poll by a newspaper
group that caters to the military shows
support for President Bush and Iraq
war is declining.
The 2005 Military Times Poll —
associated with the family of newspa­
pers that includes the Army Times —
says 54 percent of the active-duty
military respondents support the Iraq
war, down 9 points from last year.
Support for Bush overall fell from 71
percent to 60 percent.
The majority - 64 percent - agreed
that the military is stretched "too thin
to be effective.”
Half said the civilian leadership of
the military does not have military
personnel’s best interests at heart.
The survey was conducted by mail
between Nov. H and Dec. 23. Because
it was voluntary response rather than
a random sampling, its findings may
not be representative of the military as
a whole.
According to the Military Times,
the respondents are older more likely
to be officers, and more likely to be
careermilitary.
Healthy Birth Initiative can help.
Healthy Birth Initiative (HBI) is a program for
African American women and their families living
in N /N E Portland.
H B I o ffe rs :
• Transportation to medical and social
service appointments
• Home Visits
• Incentives
• Health education classes (free childcare and
transportation when attending any HBI
group or class)
• Information and referrals to community services
?
Lor more inform ation contact:
Healthy Birth Initiative
5329 NE Martin Luther King |r. Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 9721 1
5 0 3 -9 8 8 -3 3 8 7 x222 42
21st Annual I bM iM um S™ «
"Keep Alive The Dream"
Tribute to! Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mondayjanuaiy'16th,,2006
12:00P.M. -6:00P.M.
When?
Cascade Hosts Open House
Where?
Jefferson High School
School o f Cham pions ~ School o f Pride
The Trades and Industry depart­ Technology Education Building at and fiber optic programs.
ment at Portland Community Col­ the C ascade C am pus, 705 N.
Attendees can also learn about
lege is getting hands on with the KillingsworthSt.
becoming a mentor, administering
community.
PCC staff and faculty will internships or providing a co-op
The public is invited to attend an show case hands-on lab training training site.
open house for the department from in facilities m aintenance, heating
For more information, call 503-
1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 6 in the and air conditioning, electrical 978-5651.
The Robert G. Ford M em o ria l Theater
5210 N. Kerby, Portland, O regon
•
Nationally acclaimed, Dennis Springer,
Janice Scroggins, Linda Hombuckle,
Jeffrey Minnieweather and Friends
Submit Accident Reports to DMV Only
Drivers and owners of ve­
hicles involved in traffic crashes
will need to submit accident re­
ports directly to DMV, as part
of several new laws taking ef­
fect Jan. I.
Previously, accident reports
could be submitted to law en­
forcement agencies, as well as
the DMV.
“This new change in law re­
quirements will reduce the num­
ber of people who handle a re­
port before it reaches us, which
should reduce the chances that
reports are lost or delayed," said
DMV A dm inistrator Lorna
Youngs.
•
holocaust and political economic speaker)
Live Broadcast/Simulcast
•
Portland Community Media (PCM)
Jefferson High School
USPS 959-680
____________________________________
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