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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 4, 2007)
<Tb PageA2 f JJnrtkuih ©bseruer A p ril 4, 2007 With War Abroad, Are We Prepared at Home? c o n tin u e d fr o m F ront bul the actual need is nearly $40 billion. Braibish said he did not know what O regon’s share o f the $21 billion would be. The N ational G uard A rm ory on N ortheast 33rd D rive is not e x p e riencing a sh o rtag e o f eq u ip m en t - th eir battalion is in ch a rg e o f su p p ly in g e q u ip m e n t to o th e r units in the area and p ro v id in g support for co m m u n ity , state and federal m issions - but the o n g o ing w ar has affected them in o ther w ays. "The big impact for us is person nel,” said D ora Van Zandt, the arm ory’s human resources coordi nator. Van Zandt said the federal m is sion in A fghanistan took the m ajor ity o f her battalion's personnel - around 350 members out of a total o f around 500. They w ere deployed to A fghani stan m February 2006 and are ex pected to return this summ er. In the m eantim e, the battalion is finding "im aginative and more specific" w ays to train with a much sm aller unit. Van Zandt said. “ W e could do a state m ission but w e ’d have to prio ritize how to b e st use o u r r e s o u r c e s ,” she added. S ince the Iraq invasion d ozens o f funerals have been held for O regon soldiers lost in the war. M any o f them w ere m em bers o f the O regon N ational G uard. Gov. fed Kulongoski has been a vocal advocate for our troops, at tending and speaking at funerals for fallen soldiers, but at the same time he is a vocal critic o f the troop decisions concerning the g u ard ’s federal m issions - the Pentagon holds exclusive authority over N a tional G uard deploym ent outside o f the United States. So Kulongoski "continues to use the bully pulpit,” said his spokes We could do a state mission but we 7/ have to prioritize how to best use our resources. - Dora VanZandt. Kliever Armory's human resources coordinator build-up in Iraq. Although the governor has ex pressed dissent over the war and is C om m ander in C hief o f the Oregon National G uard, he cannot make man Jake W eigler. He said the governor is working with the U.S. C ongress to discuss the g u ard 's resources, and in an indirect w ay is taking action to re duce what he perceives is the root cause o f the conflicts. "The governor sees the conflict is mostly about our dependence on fossil fuels and our need to co n tinue open access to resources in the Middle East," W eigler said. “ His agenda here is intim ately tied to reducing our dependence on for eign oil.” Kulongoski has also created a regional global w arming agreement with live other states to set lim its to reduce carbon em issions, with re duction targets over the next IS m onths. Critics o f the w ar within the O r egon H ouse o f R epresentatives passed a bill last month urging the president to reconsider the expan sion o f troop levels in Iraq. T he bill also urges Congress to halt further funding for the w ar’s escalation. T w o o f the bills spon sors were Rep. Chip Shields and Sen. Avel G ordly, both o f whom represent north and northeast Port land. T he bill passed in the house 33-25, with the support o f three Republicans. “ I d o n ’t want this to be a D em o crat v ersu s R ep u b lican issu e," Shields said. “ I think that no matter, many will see that our involvem ent in Iraq at this point is only making things w orse.” Senate President Peter Courtney said hisgroupof lawmakers will also considera resolution on the Iraq war, but no timetable has been set. Become a Full Circle Doula/Birth Companion Learn how to earn a good living while supporting women during pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. The International Center forTraditional Childbearing is holding an Intensive Doula/Birth Companion training April 26 through April 29. ICTC’s four day training includes: Medical Terminology Comfort measures during pregnancy Support measures for labor and birth How to help mothers with their new babies How to help establish Breastfeeding How to increase youremployability Business management skills Register by April 10th to reserve your space in this exciting career training! Call ICTC. 503-460-9324 Or Email ICTC at ictc@eomeast.net Orvisit ICTC: North Minister Presbyterian Church, lower level 2823 N. Portland Blvd. Portland, OR 97217 IC T C 's mission is to help reduce prem ature birth and help create positive birth experiences. We, as an organization, are particularly interested in training w omen o f color in this career path. An ex-gang outreach worker and his associate are accused of vandalism at The Victory Outreach Church on Northeast Alberta Street. Ex-Gang Worker Arrested After church hit by graffiti An ex-gang outreach worker and his associate were arrested early March 31 after spray painting foul language, gang signs and police code for murder on Victory O utreach Church on Northeast Alberta Street and 30th Avenue. Samuel Benitez, 31, was arrested with Jose Gonzalez, 21, around 3 a.m. Saturday after the church alarm alerted Portland police, who stopped the pair in a 1995 Nissan M aximaafter it sped in reverse from the church with its headlights off. Victory houses a recovery facility and offers shelter assistance as well as an extensive anti-gang ministry. The graffiti sprayed on the church and a van parked outside mostly referenced the “ 13th Street" gang, and the gang code “ 187” which is code for murder in California, on the front and side of the church. Benitez began volunteering with the non-profit agency N ortheast Coalition o f N eighborhixxl's Youth Gang Outreach last year, but was let go in Novem ber after his parole of ficer said he could no longer work with youth. Ben itez and Gonzalez face felony charges offirst-degree criminal mis chief and Benitez faces allegations o f attempting to elude police and reckless driving, plus a detainer for a parole violation. Church members cleaned up the graffiti before Sunday’s service. Girl Killed on Bicycle (AP) - A 5-year-oldgirl was killed Sun day in V ancouver after she w as hit by a truck while riding her bicycle. T he victim w as S elen a B ailey o f Vancouver. She died at Southw est W ashington M edical C enter o f head traum a after the 11:30a.m. accident. The accident was w itnessed by the girl's twin sister. It happened outside her hom e near Southeast 188th Avenue and 11th Way. Police say the driver o f the 1999 Ford F35O pickup truck that struck her, 31 -year- old Kenneth Jones o f V ancouver, was not __ ____________ Selena Bailey speeding. ‘r*’r ^Jnrtlanb Established 1970 USPS 959-680 _______________________________ 4 7 4 7 NE Martin Luther King. Jr. Blvd.. Portland. OR 97211 E ditor - in -C hif . i , Pnni.isiim: Charles H. Washington EmroK.Michael Leighton Pi m u K iis t io n s : Mark W ashington C kiative D ik u io k : Paul N eufeldt Omi i M anager : Kathy Linder R eporter : Sarah Blount R eporter : Nicole Roñal Hooper The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and w ill he returned if accompanied by a sell addressed envelope A ll created design display ads become the sole property o f the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent o f the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition o f such ad (<) 1996 THE PORI L A N D OBSERVER A L L RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN W H O LE OR IN PART W IT H O U T PER M ISSIO N IS P R O H IB ITE D The Portland Observer -Oregon s Oldest M ulticu ltural Publication -is a member o f the National Newspaper Association I ounded in ,88$. and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc . New York. 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