October II. 2006
Page A2
An artists ’ rendering shows Vanport Village, a major economic development project in the heart of
the African American community, being backed by black developers.
T h e V a n g u a rd o f N o r th e a st
Ground broken
for Vanport
Village on MLK
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Northeast Martin Luther King
Jr. Boulevard has come a long way
from its humble beginnings as a
state highway to the busy thor­
oughfare it is today. Community
supporters recently celebrated a
new construction project to hit the
boulevard, a 42,000 square feet
com m ercial space and condo­
minium complex called the Vanport
Project.
The renovated Marco Manufac­
turing building at 5225 N.E. MLK Jr.
Blvd. will join other new landmarks
on the thoroughfare like the Stan­
dard Dairy building and Nike Fac­
tory Outlet.
The V anport Project broke
ground on Tuesday with a cer­
emonydrawing MayorTom Potter
and two prominent African Ameri­
cans. Portland Family of Funds Chair
Carl Talton and Ray Leary, Vanport
Project’s principal developer.
The Vanport Project is expected
photo b \ S arah B i . ocnt /T he P ortland O bserver
to bring up to 75 jobs to the commu­
nity along with a $7 million public Ray Leary (from left) joins Mayor Tom Potter and developer
investment in street improvements Jeanna Woolley at a groundbreaking ceremony marking the new
along the street. The center is ex­ Vanport Project, a commercial space and condominium complex
pected to open in the fall of 2007. coming to Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
photo hv
M ark W ashing ion /T iie P ortland O bserver
World Can’t Wait Rally
Ginger Gouveira (left) and Bonnie Tinker express their dismay with
the right wing and the military budget during a "World Can t Wait -
Drive Out the Bush Regime" rally Thursday, downtown. Twelve
arrests were made after a splintergroup broke o ff from the peaceful
protest and police accused them o f trying to block freeway traffic.
Officers also spayed a chemical agent and fired beanbag rounds
in an attem pt to control the breakaway protesters.
Author Book Signing Saturday
Local author and
educator J. W. Doncan
will sign her book "Fa­
th e rle ss Boys and
M others On T h eir
Own" during a public
speaking event Satur­
day,Oct. 14at I p.m.at
Talking Drum Bixtk-
store and Coffee Shop,
also known as Reflec­
tions, located near the
corner o f Northeast
Killingsworth Street and Martin
Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The title "Fatherless Boys and
Mothers On Their Ow n,” may sug­
gest the need for rescue. But the
poems w ithin this fxxik demonstrate
determination that is
anything but a cry
for help.
Doncan, a single
parent raised by a
single parent, cel­
ebrates the love that
has inspired her. and
the support that has
repeatedly returned
her to her feet. Her
book questions the
w idely circulated and
wildly popular media image of
young men today. It shares a view
of strength and unwavering com­
mitment mothers on their own find
in their desperation to push chil­
dren through societal landmines.
Madam Speaker Would Dram Swamp
(A P ) — F ranklin
Roosevelt had his first
hundred days. House
Democratic leader Nancy
Pelosi is thinking 100
hours. Time enough, she
says, to begin to "drain
the swamp"' after more
than a decade of Repub- Rep. Nancy Pelosi
lican rule.
Asin the first lOOhours
the House meets after
Democrats— in her f ond­
est wish — win control in
the Nov. 7 midterm elec­
tions and Pelosi takes the
gavel as the first Madam
Speaker in history.