May 08, 2024
Page 7
Creating Action
Around Bringing Peace
to Portland’s Streets
Continued from Front
achievements of those working
to make a difference in their
communities through the promo-
tion of education and the preven-
tion of crime and violence. Each
year, one person or organization
from each of the FBI’s 56 field of-
fices is chosen to receive this pres-
tigious award.
"Our success as both law en-
forcement and an intelligence
agency hinges on our ability
to foster and maintain genuine
partnerships with people in all
communities,” said FBI Director
Christopher Wray. “People like
this year’s Leadership Award re-
cipients not only identify what
others need, but they are willing
to roll up their sleeves and provide
services. They are building bridg-
es and relationships while putting
in the work to have hard conver-
sations and find common purpose.
They do it out of kindness and
compassion with a sincere belief
that justice – in its many forms –
requires all of us to do the right
thing in the right way."
Director Wray hosted the
2023 DCLA winners in a special
ceremony at FBI Headquarters
on April 19th, emphasizing the
importance of community part-
nerships in keeping our shared
communities safe. These part-
nerships – as exemplified by the
breadth of the work by the DCLA
recipients – have led to a host of
crime prevention programs that
protect the most vulnerable in
our communities, educate fami-
lies and businesses about cyber
threats, and work to reduce vio-
lent crime in our neighborhoods.
Learn more about the Director's
Community Leadership Award,
IPAC, and the FBI Portland
Field Office online DCLA 2023
Winners — FBI.
Powerball Jackpot
Winner Announced
Continued from Page 3
when Saephan called her with the
news: “You don’t have to go any-
more,” he said.
Saephan said he was born in
Laos and moved to Thailand in
1987, before immigrating to the
U.S. in 1994. He wore a sash at
the news conference identifying
himself as Iu Mien, a southeast
Asian ethnic group with roots in
southern China. Many Iu Mein
were subsistence farmers and as-
sisted American forces during the
Vietnam war; after the conflict,
thousands of Iu Mien families fled
to Thailand to avoid retribution
and eventually settled in the U.S.
Tens of thousands of Iu Mien
people live along the West Coast,
with a sizeable and active commu-
nity in Portland.
Saephan graduated from high
school in 1996 and has lived
in Portland for 30 years. He
worked as a machinist for an
aerospace company.
In the weeks leading up to the
drawing, he wrote out numbers
for the game on a piece of paper
and slept with it under his pil-
low, he said. He prayed that he
would win, saying, “I need some
help — I don’t want to die yet
unless I have done something for
my family first.”
The winning Powerball ticket
was sold in early April at a Plaid
Pantry convenience store in Port-
land, ending a winless streak that
had stretched more than three
months. The Oregon Lottery said
it had to go through a security and
vetting process before announc-
ing the identity of the person who
came forward to claim the prize.
Under Oregon law, with few
exceptions, lottery players cannot
remain anonymous. Winners have
a year to claim the top prize.
The jackpot had a cash value
of $621 million before taxes if
the winner chose to take a lump
sum rather than an annuity paid
over 30 years, with an immedi-
ate payout followed by 29 an-
nual installments. The prize is
subject to federal taxes and state
taxes in Oregon.
The $1.3 billion prize is the
fourth largest Powerball jackpot
in history, and the eighth largest
among U.S. jackpot games, ac-
cording to the Oregon Lottery.
The biggest U.S. lottery jackpot
won was $2.04 billion in Califor-
nia in 2022.
Advertise with diversity in
The Portland Observer
Call 503-288-0033
or email ads@portlandobserver.com
OBB Football Practice
First Black-Owned Football Team
in the Salem Pavilion Arena
Continued from Page 3
absent from the area since 2019,
with 16 teams announced earli-
er this year, including Oregon
and others like Iowa Rampage,
Wichita Regulators, Salina Lib-
erty, Southwest Kansas Storm,
Rapid City Marshals, Albany
Firebirds, Orlando Predators,
Billings Outlaws, and the West
Texas Desert Hawks.
"We're thrilled to bring Are-
na Football back to the great
state of Oregon and the Salem
community," says Justin But-
ler, FourSight Strategic In-
vestments Partner. "We know
that there has been some time
since the sport has been played
here but we're building a team
based on community involve-
ment, fan engagement and a
family atmosphere."
A portion of pre-season tick-
ets are free in a partnership be-
tween the Black Business As-
sociation of Oregon (BBAO)
and the Blackbears. "A Black-
owned arena football team is
significant for Oregon because
it promotes diversity, represen-
tation, and economic empower-
ment within the sports industry,"
says Lance Randall, Executive
Director of the BBAO. "We see
this partnership as an opportu-
nity to contribute to advancing
underrepresented communities
in the sports industry and pro-
moting positive social change."
The Oregon Blackbears are
thrilled to offer various spon-
sorship opportunities tailored
to fit any brand's objectives
and budget with partnership
packages designed to maximize
brand exposure, connect with
fans in meaningful ways, and
engage with the vibrant com-
munity of Oregon and beyond.
Key opportunities include pre-
mier, in-game, media exposure,
community engagement, and
exclusive hospitality sponsor-
ships. For more information
on sponsorship opportunities,
email
partnerships@drbmn.
com or call (971) 208-5166.