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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 2021)
February 24, 2021 Page 7 Oregon’s Struggle for Racial Equity C ontinued from P age 5 Before his appointment to the U.S. District Court, he was a judge of the Multnomah County District Court and the Multnomah County Circuit Court. We are Open! Gladys McCoy (1927- 1993) Gladys Sims McCoy was the first person of color elected to public office in Oregon. Whether in her position at Head Start or as a member of the Portland School Board and the Board of County Commissioners, McCoy believed that what people do is “not worth doing” if others are “not better off Gladys McCoy as a result.” Willie Mae Young Hart (1915-2007) As a founding member of the Portland Chapter of Thelma Johnson Streat C ontinued on P age 13 Taking Aim at Gun Law Loophole C ontinued from P age 3 ployees that we have.” Nationwide, gun sales hit a his- toric high in January as violent ri- ots hit the U.S. Capitol and a new president took over, continuing a record-setting surge that began as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in early 2020. Under Oregon law, if state po- lice fail to provide a gun dealer with an approval number or notify that the purchaser is disqualified from obtaining a firearm before the close of the gun dealer’s next business day, the dealer may de- liver the firearm to the purchaser. This bill amends that, saying plainly that the dealer may not transfer a firearm unless the dealer receives a unique approval num- ber from the state police. The bill generated almost 300 pieces of written testimony either praising or denouncing the mea- sure. Michael Smith, chairman of the Gun Owners Caucus of the Dem- ocratic Party of Oregon, said it “opens the door to a de facto ban on firearms purchases.” Witnesses also lined up to testi- fy by video link. Talia Wexler, a sophomore at Grant High School in Portland, named several schools, including several in Oregon, that have been bloodied in mass shootings. “The last thing that people should be afraid of at school is a bullet,” Wexler said. “We do know that there are common-sense mea- sure that the Oregon Legislature can take to prevent gun violence. Closing the Charleston loophole is one of them.” On the national level, Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Illinois, in Decem- ber introduced legislation to close the loophole that allows some gun sales to be completed without the results of an FBI background check. Under current law, federal firearm licensees may automati- cally go forward with the sale of a firearm if an FBI background check is not completed after three business days. In South Carolina, a bill in the statehouse would close the Charleston loophole by prohib- iting a gun transfer until a back- ground check has cleared. Similar bills have been filed ever since the 2015 church shooting, but have not advanced far in the GOP-lean- ing state. --Associated Press For your light bulbs & parts to repair or make fixtures 503.281.0453 • Fax 503.281.3408 3901 N. Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227 Web: www.sunlanlighting.com • E-mail: kay@sunlanlighting.com Providing Insurance and Financial Services Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710 Ernest J. Hill, Jr. Agent 311 NE Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97211 503 286 1103 Fax 503 286 1146 ernie.hill.h5mb@statefarm.com 24 Hour Good Neighbor Service R State Farm R r ib e xPress 625 NE Killingsworth, Portland, OR 97211 Call to Order: 503-919-6921 Rib Express, tasty food and friendly neighborhood atmosphere. Open (hours) Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat and Sun: 1pm- 9pm • Closed Tuesday and Wednesday Avalon Flowers 520 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204 • 503-796-9250 A full service flower experience Cori Stewart-- Owner, Operator • Birthdays • Anniversaries • Funerals • Weddings Open: Mon.-Fri. 7:30am til 5:30pm Saturday 9am til 2pm. Website: avalonflowerspdx.com email: avalonflowers@msn.com We Offer Wire Services