September 20. 2006
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Page AS
Security Increases in Downtown Parks
Riverfront
safety drives
action
Responding to the grow ing
numbers o f visitors at Portland’s
riverfront, Portland Parks & Rec­
reation is taking steps to make
Tom McCall W aterfront Park and
Vera Katz East Bank Esplanade
safer and more accessible for
those who want to use them.
The plan is to add two security
officers patrolling the river w alk­
ways, as well as Couch Park in
Northwest Portland.
T he tw o se c u rity o ffic e rs
would patrol the parks from 7 a.m.
to midnight and have backup help
available if necessary. One o f the
officers will be armed.
The security personnel will be
provided by Portland Patrol Inc,
which is under contract with the
Portland Business A lliance.
"The livability of downtown is
at acritical juncture, and we must
continue to m aintain the highest
Last fall, the parks bureau
level o f safety and cleanliness in added nine arm ed security offtc-
our parks,” said C om m issioner
own o u n . ringing the
Dan Saltzman.
total of security officers to 22.
photo by
Kaucasi Bank Espian3deare ,ec'M
"W e are being reactive and
pro-active m providing security
the parks bureau. "W e are con-
cerned enough about the safety
sures.”
Recently, more graffiti and
W aterfront Park which narks
officials say could lead to a de-
at o u r p a rk s,
sa id L y d ia
Kowalski, a senior m anager for
and cleanliness in our parks to
propose these additional mea-
vandalism has sprung up at The
crease in park visits among ca
•
sual users.
Jefferson Community Breakfast Saturday
Support for
area school
cultivated
"The Jefferson PTSA (Parent
T each er Student A ssociation)
wants this Community Breakfast to
continue the dialogue among all of
us who love Jefferson and want the
best learning environment and class
All families, neighbors and busi­ offerings for the youth inour neigh­
ness people in the Jefferson cluster borhood,” said Glenda Walker,
are invited to join Portland Public PTSA president.
Schools and Jefferson High School
"W e’re reaching out to the com ­
leaders forafreeCommunity Break- munity to hear their dreams for
last from 10 a.m. to noon on Satur­ Jefferson and to build partnerships
day, Sept. 23 in the school cafeteria with leeder schools and the busi­
at 5 2 1 ON. Kerby.
ness community,” said Harris.
M ark W ashington /T hf . P orti ano O bserver
Also greeting guests will be
Superintendent Vicki Phillips, and
Jefferson's new principal Leon
Dudley who will make a brief “Fo­
cus on Jefferson" presentation.
The major part of the morning
will be small group conversations
around tables where every person
can share his or her dreams and
visions for Jefferson. Results of
these conversations will be col­
lected to guide Jefferson and PPS
stall in decisions and recommen­
dations regarding the future of
Jefferson.
In addition to Jefferson High
School, schools in the cluster are
Beach, Chiel Joseph, Faubion,
H u m b o ld t,
K ing.
V ernon,
W oodlaw n, O ckley Green and
Tubman.
“We invite all families and friends
o f Jefferson to march with us in the
parade to return Jefferson to its
tradition ol excellence in academ­
ics, arts and athletics," Dudley said
in urging people to attend the Com­
munity Breakfast.
E ast
Bank
E s p la n a d e
and
Minimum Wage Increase Coming
A 30-cents-per-hour increase
toOregon's minimum wage will
go into effect at the beginning of
the New Year in January.
The cost-of-living adjustment
was announced Friday by Or­
egon Labor Commissioner Dan
Gardner. It means Oregon's mini­
mum wage will rise from $7.50
per hour to $7.80 per hour.
"The rising cost of living
makes a serious dent in many
workers’ paychecks, but it hits
the lowest paid in the worst
way." Gardner said. “Oregon’s
minimum wage law makes sure
these workers' wages keep pace
with rising costs."
In Novemer 2002, Oregon
voters passed a law that annu­
ally adjusts the minimn wage for
inflation based on increases in
the Consumer Price Index.
Recently, California raised its
minimum wage to $8 an hour
starting in 2008. The federal
minimum wage is $5.15 an hour
and hasn’t increased since 1997.
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