WWW . THEskANNER . COM
A uGusT 3, 2011
P ORTlANd , O REGON
V OluME XXXIII, N O . 40
25
CENTs
I NSIDE
‘Furs Thursday’
page 2
Family Fun Events
page 2
Issa and Akon
page 5
C hallenging P eoPle to S haPe a B etter F uture n ow
Williams
Avenue
Plan
Celebrate life
City adjusts public
input process around
concerns on racism
lisa loving
Of The Skanner News
See wIllIamS on page 3
INDEX
PhOTO BY JulIE kEEfE
A
weeks-long dust up over the process
of deciding the future of traffic on
North Williams Avenue has brought
a widened citizens’ advisory committee and
a public forum on the issue.
The North Williams Traffic Operations
and Safety Project Stakeholder Advisory
Committee last month became a lightning
rod for debate over bicycling safety and
gentrification when a group of local resi-
dents brought the issue of race to the table.
Now
Portland
Department
of
Transportation officials are planning a pub-
lic forum in September on what the traffic
on North Williams Avenue is expected to
look like in the future and how the road
should be developed to prepare for it.
The bureau is accepting public input on
“topics, speakers, format and/or desirable
outcomes,” according to the project website.
Send your input to project manager Ellen
Vanderslice at ellen.vanderslice@port-
landoregon.gov or call her at 503-823-4638.
“It’s in progress and it’s reacting to how
things shape up as far as community
involvement,” Dan Anderson.
State Rep. Lew Frederick, D-Portland,
attended one of the meetings in which a
group of local residents – mostly women –
advocated for tackling the thorny local his-
tory of racism in North Williams Avenue
development projects, ultimately changing
the path of the project’s public input
process.
“What was great was the stories that were
brought forth about the history, the cultural
issues, about the way that the city had pre-
sented the concerns – you had the biking
community and other experts that were
there, but now they were hearing from peo-
ple who had real knowledge of the commu-
nity,” said Frederick.
“When you see Donna Maxey and Avel
Gordley and Faye Burch and Michelle
Hundreds of people came to City Bible church on Rocky Butte to celebrate the life of Yashanee Vaughn. Family and
friends said she was an exceptional girl, with a strong will and an expressive personality. They say she will always
remain in their hearts.
Hundreds Attend Yashanee’s Funeral
Family requests bright colors at the murdered teen’s service
By helen Silvis
Of The Skanner News
F
riends and family of Yashanee
Vaughn gathered Saturday July 30
at City Bible Church on Rocky
Butte. Hundreds came to celebrate the
teen's short life and to lay her remains to
rest, packing the church with supporters.
Her mother, Shaquita Louis had request-
ed that instead of black, mourners should
wear bright colors. The family wore
bright red along with black and white to
honor her love of color.
Pastor J.W. Friday of Bright Star
See YaShaNEE on page 3
Thousands of dollars of her own money went into local project
Bruce Poinsette
Of The Skanner News
Opinion ..................4,6
arolyn Leonard has spent
over $2400 on a book
giveaway for families in
the Portland area but she sees it
as a necessary expense.
“Compared to what can hap-
pen to our kids it’s worth it,” she
says.
Bids/Classifieds ..........7
bring you this far to leave you now.”
Community members, friends and fam-
ily spoke at the three-hour celebration.
Elishua Goldsby, just one of many
dancers, singers and poets who paid trib-
ute to the teen, sang “You were always on
my mind.”
Elizabeth Jensen, principal of Open
Meadow school, where Yashanee spent
her 7th Grade year, said Yashanee had a
powerful spirit.
“She burst into our building with that
enormous smile and her joy and presence
– and she rattled our staff,” she said. “She
Educator Gives Away Math Books
News ......................2,3
A & E .........................5
Ministries hosted the service in City
Bible church. His upbeat presentation fit-
ted the personality of a girl, described by
family and friends as loving, expressive,
outgoing and strong-willed.
“I have seen God move on behalf of
this family in such a great way,” Pastor
Friday said. “It is in the midst of the pain
that God works it all out.”
Friday praised the family for their
tenacity, hard work and compassion.
And he said that the loss of Yashanee
had affected people across the city, pro-
pelling them to help other teens. To
Yashanee’s mother he said, “God didn’t
C
On Saturday, July 30,
Leonard, who is a Compliance
Officer and has worked in
Portland Public Schools (PPS)
for 41 years, held the first give-
away of 26 palettes of K-5 math
curriculum books. The event
was held on Jessup Street
between MLK and Garfield.
Neighbors pitched in with
lemonade and donuts while
children danced to classic soul
music as their parents combed
through textbooks.
Last year Leonard reached an
agreement with PPS to take all
the materials that would be
recycled under a new book
adoption cycle. The only
requirement was that she give
them away for free.
Leonard spent hours going
through the PPS warehouse col-
lecting texts and shrink wrap-
ping them to give away. It cost
her $400 a month for storage,
not including the cost of trucks
to move them.
The collection of texts includ-
ed student and teacher’s edi-
tions, which she says help par-
See GIvEawaY on page 3