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ÿortlanh (Dbseruer
Harris
Photography Studio
Located at
4545 NE M LK (Blue & W hite Building)
June 5, 2013
L aw
Record Minority Hiring for Light Rail
TriMet sets record
with $110 million in
construction contracts
Call for appointm ent today
503-730-1156
Studio is also ready for Pet Portraits!
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503 515 4377
BUSINESS
HEALTH
SR22
Fax 503 445 4591 Office 503 445 4595
3202 SE 82nd Ave Portland, OR 97266
An independent agent serving Oregon & Washington
When it opens in 2015, the Portland-Milwaukie
Light Rail Transit Project will improve transit and
connections throughout the region. But the ben­
efits of the construction project are already being
felt in the community.
TriM et General M anager Neil M cFarlane an­
nounced that for the first time more than $110
m illion in contracts have been awarded to firms
owned by people o f color and women. These 108
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise firms have
reached a new record o f contracting for any
regional project.
“This is an amazing milestone that was achieved
because of our commitment to inclusion, diversity
and creating opportunities for these emerging small
businesses,” said McFarlane.
TriM et’s DBE program promotes a level playing
field, removes barriers and increases contracting
opportunities for people of color and women in both
the professional and construction fields.
The light rail project is also bringing family-wage
jobs to more of the region’s residents at a time when
they’re needed most. Nearly 24 percent of the con­
struction jobs are held by people of color and about
16 percent by apprentices.
With this influx of new labor, the DBE program is
not only providing jobs now, but creating the
workforce of the future.
TriMet created its innovative award-winning DBE
program back in 2000 when it was getting ready to
Jorge Garcia of Stacy & Witbeck working on
Tri M et’s Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit
Project.
build the Interstate MAX Yellow Line project. The com­
munity had concerns that past projects didn’t provide
enough local opportunities.
TriMet delivered $36 million in contracts for that project;
$62 million for the MAX Green Line, and now topping $ 110
million for the Portland-Milwaukie project. These suc­
cesses have made TriM et’s DBE program a model for the
nation.
Black History Author Featured
African American historian Hari
Jones, an assistant director and cura-
torofthe African American Civil War
Freedom Foundation and Museum
in Washington, D.C., will give a free
lecture at the I Ini versity of Portland
on Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m.
The event is sponsored by Wells
Fargo
to help educate
students and the public about the
history of African Americans in the
United States.
Hari Jones
Jones will speak about the Eman-
c ip a tio n
P ro c lam atio n
and
Juneteenth. The event in Buckley
Auditorium, 5000 N. Willamette
Blvd., is open to the public. To re-
serve a seat, contact Lisa Smalley of
Wells Fargo at 503-614-5995 by 5
p .m . Monday, June 10.
Jones
nationally recognized
researcher, analyst and former intel-
ligence and artillery officer in the
U.S. Marine Corps.
Neighbor Struck by Bullet
A 17-year-old girl has been treated
and released from a Portland area
hospital after being accidentally shot
Sweet Street BBQ Cart
on the comer of MLK and Lombard
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Speci
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Wednesday Special: 3 Wings $2.00
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«.
by a neighbor’s rifle. The man who
fired the gun was identified by police
as 52-year-old Christopher Morris.
While cleaning his gun in his
apartment on May 29 in the 1200
block of Southeast 130th Avenue, a
bullet was d ischarged ripping
"l through the neighboring wall strik­
ing the girl once in her leg.
Attn: Subscriptions, The |
$45.00 for 3 months • $80.00 for 6 mo. • $ 125.00
Morris immediately phoned 911.
Portland Observer, PO Box j
for 1 year (please include check with fo rm )
Police detained him at the scene and
3137, Portland OR 97208.
seized his rifle as evidence. Au­
N ame : ____________
thorities said he was cooperative
with the investigation and has yet
T elephone :
to be charged with a crime.
A ddress : _
The case will be forwarded to
M u ltn o m ah C o u n ty D istric t
Attorney’s Office for consideration
' o r email subscriptions@ portlandobserver.com
of criminal charges.
S u b s c rib e
503-288-0033
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