A pril 3,2013
sportiani» (Observer
IN S ID E
This page
Sponsored by:
The Week Review
Page 3
FredMeyer
What's on your list today?.
S ports
page 6
O pinion
pages 8-9
C alendar
M ETRO
page 11
u u n s ir u c u o n or me rort/and-Milwaukie light rail line south o f downtown. Work on the 7.5 mile line
has already created 5 ,0 0 0 jo b s and reached a new record for minority and sm all business participa
tion, according to a new report by TriMet.
Maximizing Jobs
Light rail sets
record for
minority
participation
tNTtPUINMtNI
pages 12-15
R eligion
C lassifieds
F ood ■■
page 20
pages 17-19
Construction o f the Portland-
Milwaukie Light Rail project from
downtown to Clackamas County has
set a record for its minority and small
business participation while also
creating more than 5,000 jobs, ac
cording to a new report by TriMet.
The transportation agency re
ported Friday that the project has
reached a new record of $ 103 million
in disadvantaged business enter
prise contracts, and created 2,749
direct jobs, including 1,816 on-site
construction jobs and 933 profes
sional and technical jobs. The em
ployment numbers also add 2,511
indirect and induced jobs.
The light rail extension is now 40
percent complete. When finished in
2015, the 7.3 mile line will connect
downtown Portland with the South
W aterfront, southeast Portland,
Milwaukie and north Clackamas
County.
A first-of-its-kind new bridge will
also carry light rail, buses, bikes and
pedestrians, and a future Portland
S tre e tc a r e x te n sio n o v e r the
Willamette River.
“W e’re thrilled that the planning
and construction of the region’s
sixth light rail project is providing
job opportunities for local workers
and firms,” said TriMet Capital
Projects Executive Director Dan
Blocher. “This project is making a
real difference to our local economy,
while we expand and improve our
transit system.”
The record amount of contracts
awarded to firms owned by people
continued
on page 4
Sheriff Reverses Stance on Holds
Multnomah County Sheriff Dan low -level crim es like non-violent
Staton has drafted a resolution to m isdem eanors.
begin releasing undocum ented
The decision to change Immi-
im m igrants brought to his jails for gration and Customs Enforcement
(IC E ) h o ld s is a re v e rsa l o f
S taton’s previous support o f a
continued
on page 4