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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 2012)
Weight Loss Tips Rose Bowl Win! Local woman writes cookbook fo r healthy living Ducks outpace Wisconsin and end bowl game drought See Health, page 8 See story, page 3 © B orilanbO bserlier 4 2 L M d U l l J l I C U iil in III 1970 1 7 /U « Established 1970 Established n Read back issues of the Portland Observer at www.portlandobserver.com ‘City 0 /Roses’ Volume XXXXI, Number 52* I Wednesday • January 4, 2012 Com itted to to Cultural Cultural D iversity D iversity <commu!diy •Komnumity sendee Com m m itted sendee New Year, New Wages Higher minimum to benefit thousands by M indy C ooper T he P ortland O bserver Beginning with the New Year, more than 100,000of Oregon’s lowest paid workers are getting 30-cents an hour more in their pay thanks to a cost-of-living Oregon Minimum Wage increase. The increase from $8.50 to $8.80, which went into effect on Jan. 1, means an extra $624 a year for a family with one full-time minimum wage worker. "A strong minimum wage is good for work ers and good for O regon's econom y," said Chuck Sheketoff, executive director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy. "It helps the lowest-paid workers make ends meet, and it helps the economy when the workers spend those extra dollars in local businesses." The wage increase is the result of a ballot measure approved by voters in 2002 that compensates for increases in the cost of living as defined by the Consumer Price Index, which rose 3.6 percent last year. "The increase reflects the fact that costs have risen, and allows minimum wage work- ers to maintain much of their purchasing power," said Sheketoff. A W ashington, D.C.-based Economic Policy Institute estimated that an additional 19,000Oregon workers currently earning just above the new minimum wage will also see their paychecks increase as employers ad just their overall pay structures to reflect the new minimum wage. The manager of a local Popeye’s said the ch an g e s are a u to m ate d th ro u g h the I have to find a way to make due and cancel the unnecessary. MMMI -Linda Phan company’s payroll department, and will help employees “pay their bills.” Other entrepreneurs and minimum wage workers said the amount wasn’t enough to make ends meet. Linda Phan, who works at the 76 Food Mart in northeast Portland, where every worker receives the minimum, said the in crease was still not enough. continued on page 5 photo by M indy C ooper /T he P ortland O bserver Minimum wage employee Linda Phan, who works at the 76 Food Mart in northeast Portland, is happy about the increase to her wages this year, but the new $8.80 an hour rate she receives is still not enough to make ends meet in such an expensive economy. M M H H H M M H M M M M H H M NM M NH H M NM H H NM ■M M M HNM M M M NM M M M M M M M M M MMMMMMR* Successful Coach Helps College-Bound Urges athletes to keep options open C ari H achmann T he P ortland O bserver by photo by M ark W ashin €; ton /T he P ortland O bserver Local high school graduates Denetia Carline (from left), Kamaron Boggan andPaedra Carline are multi-sport athletes playing NCAA Division 1 volleyball at Jackson State. Dennis Carline, athletic director of De La Salle High School, does not believe college- bound players are taking full advantage of future athletic scholarship opportunities. Banking from 30-years of coaching experi ence, Carline gives student athletes and parents an informational pep talk. Contrary to what many may have been told, he advises student-athletes to explore multiple sports in high school rather than focusing on just one. Why? “It gives them a choice,” said Carline. “If kids are good athletes, explore the possibilities. Don’t limit them to one,” he said. As a former Benson High School basket ball and volleyball coach, Carline encour aged his players to cross-train in track, golf, softball, and other sports during the off season. His three daughters, all NCAA Division 1 scholars, were multiple-sport ath letes in high school. “Playing multiple sports keeps doors open,” said Carline. A high school athlete may be less inter ested or talented in one sport, but find greater continued on page 4