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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2016)
April 20, 2016 The Page 3 INSIDE Week in Review This page Sponsored by: page 2 L OCAL N EWS pages 6-7 O PINION A UTO R EVIEW page 8 Photo by C ervante P oPe /t he P ortland o bserver Mercado Don Pancho, a signature Latino business has closed its doors on Northeast Alberta Street, ending a 16-year relationship with the community as a popular destination for marinated meats, specialty grocery items and home styled prepared meals. Alberta Loses Latino Market page 9 S PORTS Don Pancho closes without notice by C ervante P oPe t he P ortland o bserver One of the biggest and most recognizable buildings on North- east Alberta, the Mercado Don Pancho Taqueria and Market lived in the same spot for as long as most locals can remember. Yet taking a stroll passed the big red and orange building now will illic- it only feelings of confusion and sadness after seeing the barred doors and empty shelves through the windows. Without any warn- ing or really any sort of announce- ment, Mercado Don Pancho has closed its doors. Handwritten in black sharpie on white printer paper, signs hanging on each entrance read “Everything page 11 M ETRO in store is 50% off through April!” with an addendum of “except for piñatas” scribbled along the bot- tom. Neighboring businesses like the punk bar the Know, Brides for a Cause and the Hilt are all at a loss as to why Don Pancho’s is shutting down, what the space will become or what happened to the Ramirez family. For the last 16 years, Glo- ria and Francisco Ramirez owned Mercado Don Panchos, with their daughter Maria running the market and her husband, Alfonzo “Fonzi” Rodriguez running the taqueria. “Although I haven’t lived around Alberta in years, I would always hit them up when I was in the area. The people were al- ways friendly, food was solid, and who doesn’t love those little pony bottles of Paciico? It shall be missed,” says former North- east Alberta local Nora Murphy Hughes. Developer Nate Celko now holds the title to the large building on 2000 N.E. Alberta, along with many other properties across the city. The closure, though surprising, is understandable, coming nearly a year after three people were shot outside the Mercado Don Panchos during an unoficial Last Thursday event. Paramedics found one of the victims inside the market suf- fering from gunshot wounds once they arrived. Neither the Ramirez family or Nate Celko was able to be reached for comment. Doors Open for PCC Job Fair Access to employers, seminars and more pages 10-13 Arts & ENTERTAINMENT C LASSIFIEDS C ALENDAR page 14 page 15 by C ervante P oPe t he P ortland o bserver With job security in Portland growing shakier for many residents, job fairs are becoming more of a welcomed resource. For those that are technologically savvy by means of employment search sites, scouring the internet for classiieds has proved a competitive feat with em- ployers seeing a higher lux of applicants for just one open position. Taking into account the rising boom of the tech industry, those that hold their trades in other markets see opportunities dwindling. Thankfully, Portland Community College is slat- ed to host a free open to the public job fair for those that are in need of employment, yet stunted by a lack of practical resources. The PCC Cascade campus will open its gymnasi- um at 600 N. Killingsworth St. on Tuesday, April 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., for the unemployed, under employed and those in need of guidance. Over 100 employers will be at the fair to attract qualiied students and community members to ill vacant slots. The job fair will also feature a series of seminars to help instruct, educate and aid applicants in gaining the necessary tools and traits needed to successfully seek employment, included free professional proile pictures for the irst 100 attendees. To get ahead of the game, an updated list of the job fair’s employers can be found at pcc.edu/cascadejobfair.