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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2020)
Page 4 July 8, 2020 No More Library Late Fees c ontinued froM P age 3 Martin Cleaning Service MCS Residential & Commercial Business Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning• Minimum Service CHG. $50.00 (A small distance/travel charge may be applied) Ask about all our other special services available CARPET • UPHOLSTERY • AREA/ORIENTAL RUG • VEHICLES AUTO/BOAT/RV ODOR TREATMENT• SPOT & STAIN REMOVAL Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 pay the fines and they fear hav- ing a conversation about debt. Everyone in our community benefits when people can access the materials and resources they need to learn, grow, be creative, and make their lives better for themselves and their families,” said Oehlke. “Ending fines is one way the library is taking immediate action and creating a positive change for our commu- nity.” Library materials will still have due dates and patrons are encouraged to return their library materials within the checkout pe- riod. Items will automatically re- new if there are no holds on the item. For items that are not auto- matically renewed, if materials are not returned 49 days after the due date, patrons will be charged replacement costs. Those fees are cleared if the items are returned. After building closures due to COVID-19, the library is now offering holds pickup service at every library location (except Sellwood-Moreland and Albina libraries). The library doesn’t currently have an estimated date for when it will be able to offer in-person services beyond holds pickup. Library services updates will be posted at multcolib.org/ covid19. On the Front Lines for Change c ontinued froM f ront Portland and across the nation de- manding action on racial justice. Keller said because of the fi- nancial support, the march is go- ing to include individuals from several Portland families that “know the pain” of what it is like when a son or daughter is mur- dered at the hands of police, like when his son “Deontae J. Keller was shot in the back, handcuffed and left to die by then Portland Police Officer Terry Kruger 24 years ago. Other individuals planning on attending, Keller says, rep- resent mostly other members of the Black community in Portland who had loved ones killed at the hands of police, including Ken- dra James, James Jahar Perez, Aaron Campbell, Byron Hamick, Rickey Johnson, Quanice Hayes, Keaton Otis, Jason Washington and Carlos Hunter. Keller said that while the ulti- mate goal is to change the hearts of Americans when it comes to taking action to stop racial injus- tice, participating in the march is expected to be part of the healing process for family members still struggling over the loss of their loved ones. Donations are still being ac- cepted to help make the visit to Washington, D.C. a reality for the Portland families who wish to attend. You can give financial support by visiting the Go Fund Me site http://gf.me/u/x7ywtj. So far, a generous contribu- tion of $5,000 from Don’t Shoot Portland, the organization led by Teressa Raiford, is the largest and only donation received from orga- nizations representing the black community thus far, Keller said. Raiford, who just finished an un- successful campaign for Mayor in the May Primary, also gave an ad- ditional individual contribution of $500. Former Portland City Com- missioner Randy Leonard donated $100. Damages Assailed as Setback c ontinued froM f ront case, calling for the officer who shot him in the back to be charged with murder, even after 24 years, Keller isn’t against all cops. “I’m not against police overall. We have bad cops and good cops,” he told the Portland Observer. “We need police to respond if there is a break-in to your home. We need police in so many ways.” Keller’s 20 year-old son Deon- tae Keller was killed after being pulled over by Portland police while driving a car suspected of gang activity. He was shot in the back when he jumped out of the car and ran. Keller said progress against unjust police shootings will be measured by changing the hearts of people who are resistance to changes in policing, and the vio- lence and hate that has been erupt- ing, in isolated cases, mostly late at night after peaceful protests, only reinforces a frame of mind that has stalled previous efforts to old police accountable. Newly appointed Police Chief Chuck Lovell, who is black, said when rioters barricaded the doors of the North Precinct last week and started fires outside they en- dangered people inside and were harming the community. Several businesses on North- east Martin Luther King were vandalized for at least the second time last week. It came during the predawn hours, four hours after a peaceful protest that started at Peninsula Park, moved to a police union office on Lombard Street, and descended into four violent confrontations between protesters and police in riot gear. Long time leader Ron Hern- don of Portland’s African Amer- ican community, said the vio- lence committed during protests have nothing to do with helping Black people, saying it need- lessly scares neighbors and their children. Portland Police Union Presi- dent Daryl Turner, who is black, said police “have show amazing restraint as violent criminal act have gone on for almost 40 days nonstop.” The protests began in Portland and nationally after the Memo- rial Day police custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a black man whose neck was pinned to ground and died in a struggle to breathe. “As riots continue, it is obvious to everyone that this is no longer about George Floyd, social justice or police reform,” Turner said. “This is about a group of indi- viduals’ intent on causing injury, chaos and destruction by rioting, looting, starting fires and towing rocks, bottles, mortars, urine, and feces at peaceful protestors as well as the police.” The city’s elected officials “should not allow a meaningful dialogue and protests about racial and social equity to be drowned out by the sound of rioting and vi- olence,” Turner said.
