‘City o/
Roses’
V'
Earth Day
Cleanup
Main Street
group plans
event
See page 4
Boogie-
Woogie Queen
Blues artists join
in benefit for
music education
See page 10
11
Read back issues o f the Portland Observer at WWW.portlandobserver.CQni
Volume XXXXI. Number 15
Wednesday • April 13. 2011
E sta b lis h e d in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Î
XTÍ
m int tv $erv¡
A Family’s Anguish
‘Where is she?’ - There’s
hope someone will talk
C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
Where is she? Yashanee Vaughn's family and community want her home.
As frustration and anguish builds, the face of Yashanee Laface Vaughn
appears on hundreds of reward flyers posted by her family and friends who
desperately continue the search for their 14-year-old girl that went missing nearly
one month ago, presumably killed by her teenage boyfriend. Parish Bennette Jr.
"We will continue to paper the town to keep our baby girl’s face out there until
we bring her home," Reynelda Hayes, Vaughn’s grandmother writes in a disclo­
sure attached to a “Have You Seen Me” titled reward flyer.
Last seen waiting for the #72 bus on Northeast 82nd Avenue, the 5 foot 3 inches
tall, 110 pound, girl was last seen wearing a yellow sweat suit with the letters —
—— —
P.I.N.K. and a green 86 on the leg, a white v-neck t-shirt, a black leather jacket, Yashanee Vaughn
by
and a red and black fitted beanie.
On her right leg, Bonnie B is tattooed in Chinese lettering.
She also has a mole over her left eye and piercings on the left
side of her nose and belly button.
Within the past few weeks, massive searches have failed to
find Vaughn's body or any evidence that may lead to her
whereabouts, and so the hunt continues with hopes that
someone out there who knows where Yashanee Vaughn is will
speak up.
Crime Stopper's is offering a $ 1,000cash reward for informa­
tion that assists police in Vaughn's case.
A rrested in connection with Vaughn's disappearance,
16-year-old Parish Bennette was indicted by a M ultnomah
County Jury on April 8 on m urder and first-degree m an­
slaughter charges.
Prosecutors believe that Vaughn was with Bennette on
continued
on page 2
Breathing Life
into Bronze
Local sculptor has the right touch
C ari H achmann
on the philosophy of his work.
T he P ortland O bserver
For portraits of people, Gion likes to
According to ancient mythical tradi­ arrange a few sittings with his models that
tions, a long time ago God breathed into last about 1 to 2 hours each. Unlike some
clay and created life. Today, one local sculptors that might demand subjects to
artist, Jim Gion, plays God from his studio sit perfectly still in the same stance for
in Northeast Portland. Sculpting in bronze, hours, Gion will engage with each person
he brings alive portraits of people, ani­ and create a mutual, conversational atmo­
mals, and other things.
sphere where he is able to capture the
His process is unique, and one that shape, feeling, and personality of his sub­
produces not just a portrait in dead like­ ject. In such a way, a person's natural
ness of his living subjects, but a represen­ liveliness is infused into the sculpture.
tation true to their life, spirit, and character.
W hat Gion cannot absorb through
" A completed portrait becomes a touch­ memory, he takes away with photographs.
stone for the past and a foundation stone If the subject is unable to be present live,
on which future tradition will rest. It pro­ Gion requests photos taken from several
vides a sense of continuity that serves as angles, which he then uses for details
an anchor to future generations giving during the long sculpting process.
photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
them an animated sense of the character
Jim
Gion
molds
clay
from
his
northeast
Portland studio to create bronze statutes with
continued
on page 18
and spirit of their ancestors," Gion writes
life, spirit and character.
by