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Ihv ^Jnrilanò (Dbseruer
June 23, 2010
Good in the Neighorhood
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 3
gan in the early 1990s on the grounds
o f Holy RedeemerCatholic School.
Several years ago it moved to King
Park and the Northeast Coalition of
Neighborhoods became the event’s
main sponsor.
When the festival first began,
organizers wanted to highlight a
community that was safe and one
that embraced its ethnically diverse
roots, but the mission as changed,
according to veteran lead organizer
Cheryl Roberts.
“Now we provide a chance for
old residents to interact with new­
comers who have new expectations.
We bring them together, and w e’ve
done a really good job o f that,”
Roberts said.
Another change is the economic
hard times. Roberts says that find­
ing sponsors for last year’s event
was a major challenge, “and it was
even harder this year,” but some­
how enough o f them stepped to
the plate. It has also given added
emphasis to other missions o f the
festival.
“The Inform ation V illage
gives people a chance to access
the available resources, and with
econom ic conditions the way
they are, we need them more than
ever,” Roberts says. “The Ethnic
M arketplace is a venue for local
entrepreneurs. And during these
times, it’s good for people to be
able to have som e free entertain­
m ent.”
For more information, visit
goodintheneighborhood.org, or
call 503-282-1288.
Celebrating John Winters
Do y o u k n o w t h e s e g u y s ? H ig h l a n d b o y s b a s k e t b a l l te a m , 1 965. Join the celebration of
John Winters at Beaches Restaurant, 19 19 S.E. Columbia River Drive, Vancouver, Wash. The
event takes place between 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
No Closures for Now
continued Ék front fron t
M ark W ashington /T hf . P ortland O bserver
Portland's Kirk Green Band is part o f the fun at Saturday's
annual Juneteenth celebration
photo by
ssionate Heart
have allow ed (and som etim es
forced) com m unities to negotiate
their own trade-offs among ad­
vanced and support classes, arts
and career exploration. We have
pitted schools against each other
for enrollm ent,” she said.
In order to equalize the number of
students at each comprehensive
neighborhood high school, the rede­
sign as first proposed, would have
required the closure ofMarshall High
Funeral Home
School, in southeast Portland, and
would significantly reduce the en­
rollment at Benson High School in
northeast. The move drew emotional
appeals from supporters o f both
schools at recent board meetings.
Earlier this month, a majority o f
board members, took a turn by ex­
p ressin g su p p o rt for m aking
Jefferson High School a specialized
magnet school in order to cope with
budget strains.
Backers o f Jefferson had sup­
ported Smith’s original plan since it
CCC Ministries Family would like you to help
celebrate and acknowledge our Pastor
The Reverend Frederick W oods
1 st Pastoral A ppreciation
We carry your heart
in our hands, with
compassion and care ”
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Offering the Best Prices and the
Friendliest Service in Town.
Friday June 25th
___
7:00pm Praise and Worship Service
Sunday June 27th
Appreciation Celebration
Bishop Danyi Jackson .„port-
for, yOltr
Only twenty minutes from Portland
503-642-4620
ce
Email: nealsfenueralhome@hotmail.com
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This facility is licensed by the Oregon State
Mortuary & Cemetery Board # 0445
Effective Date April 6,2010
Certification#8407
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Saturday June 26th 2010
5
10:00am Pastoral Brunch
Purchase tickets $12.50 donation
11:30am Speaker: Bishop Freddie Brown
Full Gospel Baptist Fellowship
1093 SW Tobias Way
Aloha, Oregon 97006
A s k fo r M argaret N eal
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CCC Is also offering an additional opportunity
to participate In expressing your congregation
or business congratulations to:
The Reverend Frederick Woods
for his many years of service through
.i
nt ¡n
would have boosted enrollment and
funding, while establishing an aca­
demic priority zone that would give
it even more resources.
Jefferson community support­
ers drew a line in the sand over
possible closure at a board meeting
on June 16.
“It seems that when we play fair,
this is the end product,” said Tony
H o p so n , p ro m in e n t alum o f
Jefferson who heads the public char­
ter school Self Enhancement Inc.,
which serves low-income and mi­
nority students.
Hopson said that supporters o f
Jefferson were fighting for a school
that had steadily lost investment by
the district over decades.
He added that if the district
planned to move forward with plans
to close the school supporters would
grow increasingly confrontational
at school board meetings, jumping
on desks, just like during protests
end forced busing efforts in the
1980s- and he didn’t care if they
called the police.
On Monday, Smith specifically
addressed Jefferson, calling it a
“central dilemma in this process for
a host o f valid, compelling and con­
flicting reasons,” and seemed to
have heard the concerns expressed
from Jefferson supporters.
“The question about what hap­
pens at Jefferson demands that we
address our school district’s long­
standing failure to deliver on its
promises at the Jefferson campus
and to Portland’s African-Ameri­
can community,” said Smith. “It also
means that we need to recognize the
school’s historical connection to
the identity o f that community and
accept that we must move forward
in a way that builds community trust
and support.”