A pril 30. 2014
ruer
IN S ID E
inis page
Sponsored by
Week Review
Fred Meyer
O pinion
pages 6-7
S ports
photo by D onovan M .S mith TT he P ortland O bserver
Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith (left) and Teressa Raiford, one her election
opponents, address housing issues during a recent candidates forum in north Portland.
Ballots Going Out
Commissioner’s
race highlights
May 20 Primary
Smith who came into her position
three years ago, says she is seeking
re-election against the backdrop of
what she’s accomplished in office
and being a staunch advocate for
senior and housing issues.
by D onovan M , S mith
Her challengers include public
T he P ortland O bserver
access TV show host and a peren
A Multnomah County Commis nial candidate for other elected po
sion race has the only elected offi sitions Bruce Broussard; Concordia
cial from Portland’s African Ameri University master’s student Kevin
can community in a faceoff against Hall, and Portland businesswoman
three other black candidates and and activist Teressa Raiford.
highlights the upcoming May 20
Primary.
Smith calls economic issues and
Ballots in the vote-by-mail elec what being done to combat poverty
tion start going out Wednesday her most important priorities.
and should start arriving in mail
“I stand up for the most vulner
boxes by the weekend, county elec able. When they wanted to take
tion officials said Tuesday.
away tax cuts for our seniors, when
they wanted to take away our bud
get for parks. I’m the one that put in
an amendment to bring full funding
back,” Smith says.
She says more services are
needed in east Portland where
there’s been an influx of people with
lower incomes. The movement of
social needs away from the city core
is reflected in the growing number
of students on free and reduced
lunches in the David Douglas and
Reynolds school districts.
"I think that poverty has extended
itself from central Portland to east
county, so now we must figure out
how to deliver our social services,
our wraparound services," says
Smith a former longtime field repre
sentative for U.S Sen. Ron Wyden,
D-Ore.
continued
yf
on page 14
Championship Coach Remembered
Jack Ramsay led
Blazers to the
only NBA title
fH B
C alendar
C lassifieds
F ood
pages 16
page 12
page 14-15
His colorful coaching style was
matched only by his equally color
ful fashion sense on the sidelines.
But sadly, the most prolific head
coach in Portland Trail Blazers his
tory has died.
Dr. Jack Ramsay, who coached
the franchise to its first and only
NBA Championship in 1977, lost his
battle with cancer M onday in
Naples, Fla. Affectionately called
“Dr. Jack” by Trail Blazers fans and
all around the NBA, Ramsay was 89.
Ramsay coached the Trail Blaz 1977 Trail Blazers head coach
ers from 1976-1986, highlighted by Jack Ramsay
defeating the Philadelphia 76ers for
the 1977 NBA Title. Overall, he ac
cumulated a record of 864 wins and
783 losses in 21 years of coaching
with four NBA franchises - Phila
delphia, Buffalo, Portland and Indi
ana. In 1992, Ramsay was inducted
into the Naismith Memorial Basket
ball Hall of Fame, along with the
Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. The
Number ”77” hangs retired in the
rafters of Moda Center in his honor.
“The Portland Trail Blazers and
indeed the NBA have lost an au
thentic original in Dr. Jack Ramsay.
In leading this franchise to its first
NBA Championship, Dr. Jack set a
standard of excellence for his play
ers, coaches and all who crossed his
path.” said Trail Blazers Owner Paul
Allen.