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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2022)
December 21, 2022 Page 3 INSIDE L ocaL N ews Columbia Pool in North Portland to Remain Closed Permanently s ports c Lassified /B ids page 9 pages 10 Established 1970 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 usage 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 PO QR code Publisher: Mark Washington, Sr. Editor: Shawntell Washington Office Mngr/Clasfds : Lucinda Baldwin Admin Coord : Quayuana Washington Creative Director: Kenya Anderson Advertising Mngr: Tony Washington CALL 503-288-0033 • FAX 503-288-0015• news@portlandobserver.com ads@portlandobserver.com• subscription@portlandobserver.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Portland Observer, PO Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208 Follow Us on Social Media Let's Get Connected for Our Latest News & Updates on Twitter @pdxobserver on Facebook @ThePortlandObserver on Instagram @portlandobserver Closure due to life-safety hazards and diminishing structural integrity. After years of deliberation and inspections, Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) has recom- mended Columbia Pool be per- manently closed due to life-safety hazards and diminishing structural integrity. Continuing thorough in- spections first initiated in 2008, an independent structural engineer- ing firm found life-safety hazards in the aging building in 2021 and determined it was unsafe for use. As with other Portland Parks & Recreation public facilities, Co- lumbia Pool had been closed for most of 2020 due to COVID-19; it has not since reopened. Acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, Portland Parks Commissioner Carmen Rubio agreed public safety should be prioritized and accepted PP&R’s recommendation. “Columbia Pool was beloved by generations of swimmers and families,” notes Commissioner Rubio. “We can’t simply shut it Structrual problems at the Columbia Pool raised concerns for public safety, leading to its closure down after 93 years and not put “It’s a gut-wrenching loss,” something in its place. I’ve direct- says Portland Parks & Recreation ed Portland Parks & Recreation to Director Adena Long. “There’s plan a new, full-service aquatics no way around that. But I think center for North Portland, and I something really beautiful can will continue to explore funding come from this. A new, full-ser- options for it in addition to the vice aquatic center will represent more than $31 million in City and the largest investment PP&R has State funds already secured.” ever made in North Portland.” The structural failure of a be- Additionally, thanks to Com- loved recreational asset is not an missioner Rubio’s leadership, City isolated issue. PP&R has identi- Council approved a $1.5 million fied $500 million worth of nec- fund to ensure those impacted essary but unfunded park and by this closure can access other recreation infrastructure repairs, PP&R pools. Commissioner Rubio something the Bureau is attempt- and Director Long will work with ing to address through the Sustain- community members to utilize that able Future Initiative. money effectively and equitably. Former Felon Sentenced to Prison Portland man sentenced for stealing COVID relief funds A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today for fraud- ulently applying for and receiv- ing Covid relief program funds for a fictitious business entity just five months after finishing a 70-month state prison sentence for armed robbery. Dimitrius Nicholai Pryce, 43, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $24,900 in resti- tution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). According to court documents, in February 2020, Pryce was re- leased from state custody after serving a 70-month prison sen- tenced for armed robbery. A few months later, in early July 2020, he submitted a fraudulent Economic Impact Disaster Loan (EIDL) ap- plication, claiming he ran an “en- tertainment venue” that generated $53,000 in revenue in the twelve months prior to the Covid-19 pan- demic. In the application, Pryce also falsely denied having been on “any form of parole or probation” after a felony conviction within the previous five years. Pryce’s false representations caused the SBA to approve and disburse to him nearly $25,000 in EIDL funds. Pryce withdrew $21,000 of the funds in cash the same day he received it and spent the entire sum within three months. In January 2021, Pryce submitted three more fraudulent EIDL applications, pretending to be in the construction trades, but was denied on all three. On February 8, 2022, a feder- al grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Pryce with one count of wire fraud. On Octo- ber 12, 2022, he pleaded guilty to the single charge. This case was investigated by the U.S. Treasury Inspector Gen- eral for Tax Administration (TIG- TA), the SBA Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. It was pros- ecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assis- tant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
