Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2015)
Page 2 March 18, 2015 Shields Pulls Bill for Judge Rules for Teen in Arrest Reason of Ethics M ichael L eighton T he P ortland O bserver An ethical dilemma has pushed a Portland lawmaker to back down from legislation that could benefit him personally. State Sen. Chip Shields, who represents north and northeast Portland, has been known more for his support of social justice issues during his 10 years in the Legislature than on promoting new regulations on the construc- tion industry. But last week, his support for proposed legislation to require biodegradable lubricants in pub- licly funded construction and maintenance projects evaporated when the Willamette Week re- ported Shields’ family ties and employment with Schaeffer Spe- cialty Lubricants, a multimillion dollar company based in St. Louis that makes the product. Shields responded by saying by he made a mistake to promote the bill, not based on the environmen- tal merits of the legislation but in hindsight for the possible conflict of interest it posed with him per- sonally. He asked another north and northeast Portland lawmaker, fellow Democrat Lew Frederick, to drop efforts to carry the bill on his behalf. The public revelation that Shields works as a sales executive for Schaeffer, where his father, brother and cousin are all top ex- ecutives, may also be a surprise to many of his constituents. Before starting his political ca- reer, Shields honed his credentials in the African American commu- nity by overseeing Better People, a social services non-profit that helped give former inmates a sec- ond chance at employment. He list- ed his work as manger of his wife’s medical clinic, Hands on Medicine, when he last ran for office in 2012. A Roosevelt High School stu- dent has won his case in court after being arrested by Portland Police during a disturbance last summer in the St. Johns commu- nity of north Portland. Thai Gurule, held his moth- er tightly as Judge Diana Stuart A school disciple program at Cesar Chavez Elementa- ry School in north Portland has been suspended pending a school district investigation because of complaints by some parents. The program punished stu- dents who ran into trouble by im- posing manual labor, including cleaning up after other students Week in Review The Zchon R. Jones, DC 333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212 (503) 284-7838 Truly making a difference in the lives of Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years. If you or someone you know has been in an accident, call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838 We are located on the corner of MLK and Russell Street, on the second floor above the coffee shop. Established 1970 Mark Washington, Sr. E ditor : Michael Leighton E xecutive D irector : Rakeem Washington Office Manager/Classifieds: Lucinda Baldwin C reative D irector : Paul Neufeldt A dvertising M anager : Leonard Latin R eporter /P hotographer : Olivia Olivia by bystanders. The case was watched closely by Portland’s African-American community, which involved three Portland officers wrestling the young Gurule to the ground before punching, kicking, and eventually using a Taser on the high-schooler. Disciple Program Upsets Parents Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC P ublisher : acquitted the 16-year-old boy of resisting arrest last week. Instead, Stuart came down on the officers, rejecting their claims that the teen- ager strangled and assaulted them. She said police were “senseless and aggressive” on the night of the arrest which was recorded on video and picking up trash during lunch or recess breaks. Christine Miles, a Portland Public Schools spokeswoman, said the program was intended to be “restorative,” providing the school an alternative to suspen- sions and expulsions, which Su- perintendent Carole Smith has mandated local schools try to curb to keep students learning in the classroom. Some parents and community members are concerned that the discipline imposed by school au- thorities at Cesar Chavez seems unfair and carries racist under- tones, especially since Afri- can-American and Latino students have historically been over-repre- sented in school punishment ac- tions. Advocate Remembered an in downtown Portland Monday morning when it tried to make a turn while a man crossed the street on a walk signal, police said. The pedestrian lost one of his legs and was hospitalized in critical condition. Former Portland City Commission- er and Oregon leg- islator Gretchen Kafoury died Fri- day at the age of 72. Kafoury was known for her ad- vocacy of housing issues. She was also a professor at Portland State University until 2008. She died peacefully of natural causes in her downtown home, family members said. Teen Charged in Shooting A 16-year-old boy was ar- raigned Monday afternoon on an allegation of attempted murder stemming from a shooting Satur- day night in front of the Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct. A bullet struck the precinct, but no one was injured. Police are accus- UW Fraternity Accused Another fraternity is making head- ing the boy of having shot at some lines for its anti black discrimina- rival gang members after a sweet tion. University of Washington 16 party that night. fraternity chapter of Sigma Al- Winds Cause Damages pha Epsilon faces allegations that Heavy rains and strong winds some of its members used racial combined to create problems in slurs against black demonstrators. the Portland area on Sunday. Res- The Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter idents reported trees down, along at the University of Oklahoma was with some dozens of broken pow- recently shut down after a video er lines. Portland General Electric showed members singing white reported 45,000 customers with- supremacist lyrics went viral. out power on Sunday, without about 7,000 people still without PSU Approves Tuition Hike Portland State University last power Monday morning. week approved a 4.2 percent tui- Massive Tire Slashing tion increase for Oregon students A northeast Portland transporta- starting this fall, citing a lack of tion company was targeted over state financial support. The in- the weekend when someone crease combined with a proposed slashed 72 tires on 26 different ve- $4.7 million cut in Portland State’s hicles, nearly wiping out its entire spending next academic year is fleet. SAFE Transportation, off necessary to balance the budget, 102nd and Northeast Halsey, is a officials stated. family-owned company provid- ing specialized transportation to Garbage Truck Hits Man A garbage truck struck a pedestri- school and medical appointments. ---------------------- USPS 959 680 ------------------ 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal us- age without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 2008 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer--Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication--is a member of the National Newspaper Association--Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association CALL 503-288-0033 news@portlandobserver.com FAX 503-288-0015 ads@portlandobserver.com subscription@portlandobserver.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Portland Observer , PO Box 3137 , Portland, OR 97208
