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
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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.