June 27, 2018
The
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INSIDE
Week in Review
C ALENDAR
This page
Sponsored by:
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M ETRO
photo by M ark W ashington /p ortlanD o bserver p ublisher
Rosemary Anderson High School Principal Joe McFerrin (right) presents a proclamation to the family
of Pearl Smothers Mashia, honoring the late and beloved attendance secretary for her 22 years at
the school. Attending the ceremony last Wednesday were (from left) Linda Mashia-Jones, Donna Jean
Harris, Pearl Thomas, Anita Craig, Lucy Mashia and Eric Mashia.
A Role Model’s Impact
Rosemary
Anderson honors
late ‘Grandma
Pearl’
Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
A beloved staff member and
role model for an alternative high
school serving Portland’s black
community, who passed away in
January, has been honored post-
humously for her life’s work and
dedication to students, families,
staff and others.
Pearl Smothers Mashia was
an attendance secretary for 22
years at Rosemary Anderson High
School on North Killingsworth
Street where she got to know stu-
dents and their families and came
to be affectionately known as
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D anny p eterson
t he p ortlanD o bserver
Family members of a Portland
murder victim, Leonard James
“LJ” Irving Jr., whose death re-
mains unsolved seven years after
the fatal shooting, are urging any-
one who may have information
leading to an arrest to speak up.
Last Saturday marked the anniver-
sary of the night of June 23, 2011
when Irving was shot four times
in the back after trying to calm an
by
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“Grandma Pearl.”
“She learned the circumstanc-
es that caused barriers to student
attendance and proactively helped
identify and implement solutions,”
read a resolution from the school
in gratitude to the long time staff
member that was presented last
Wednesday to her surviving fam-
ily members.
Grandma Pearl came to Rose-
mary Anderson High School
Cold Case Turns Seven Years
Family tries to
break silence
on murder
O PINION
C LASSIFIEDS
Pearl Smothers Mashia
through Multnomah County’s
Grandparent Program, but offi-
cials said she became everyone’s
grandma, making the school and
its co-program Portland Oppor-
tunity Industrialization Center a
home for all.
The resolution noted how she
was devoted to welcoming stu-
dents each morning and how her
calm presence changed the atmo-
sphere of the entire building by
cultivating trust and respect.
“Grandma Pearl made Rose-
mary Anderson High School a bet-
ter place by bringing out the best
in people, their best behavior, their
best attendance, their best work,”
said the proclamation signed by
RAHS Board Member Amy Angel
and the school’s principal, pres-
ident and chief executive officer
Joe McFerrin II.
to not be a “snitch.” Irving was 34
when he died and is survived by
three children, his mother, and a
sister.
“It is heart-wrenching for me
and my family,” said Irving’s
mother, Lucy Mashia. “L.J.’s
murder was witnessed by many
people in our community and yet
our community remains silent. My
heart is broken, my grandchildren
have no father. It has been seven
Leonard James “LJ” Irving Jr.
years. Please, if you know some-
argument outside a northeast Port- thing, please come forward.”
Since Irving’s death, Mashia
land bar.
Irving’s family says they know has became an active member
there are witnesses who have more of Enough is Enough Portland, a
information they’re not telling po-
C ontinueD on p age 5
lice, but are keeping silent in order