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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2011)
local news Yashanee Yashanee’s mother, shaquita louis is one of the strongest young people I have ever worked with… “Nothing got in her way.” Jensen noted that the family had been right behind her, coming to the school daily to offer support. Kevina read a poem calling Yashanee her Secret Angel. “I can feel your presence around me,” she read. “I’ll forever hold VIEW continued from page 1 Watch on You Tube: you close to my heart.” Ionka Martin introduced the Yashanee Vaughn Committee, a diverse group of women who had come together to support the fam- ily through their loss. “I want to ask our community not to judge people who don’t live like you, who don’t act like you,” she said to applause. A friend of Yashanee’s brother Damajio spoke for him, apologizing for his absence. Elder Elmer Yarborough drew the celebration to a conclusion by focusing on the young people. He acknowledge that he made serious mistakes in his own early years. And he urged teens to make good choices. He urged young women to avoid giving up their self-respect for their boyfriends. And he urged the young men to learn how to deal with their anger and not take it out on their girlfriends. “I can’t beat you with the same hand I’m supposed to hug you and love you with,” he said. Yarborough urged all teens to pursue educa- tion, get jobs and build careers. After the ceremony, hundreds of people walked across the playing field to see the release of 14 doves – one for every year of Yashanee’s life. Slide show • Celebrating the life of Yashanee Vaughn Videos • Elishua Goldsby sings at Yashanee Vaughns life celebration Videos • Good in the Neighborhood 2011 The Bonnie B Dance expressed the exuberant spirit of Yashanee Vaughn and many more videos. READ Read the articles on theskanner.com March 24 • Family, Friends Searching for 14-year-old Black Female Missing Since March 19 April 1 • Teen Emotions Run High On Social Networking Sites After Police Say Yashawnee Vaughn Murdered and many more stories. Giveaway continued from page 1 ents understand what schools are trying to teach their kids. She thinks having resources outside of the schools are essential to education. “When kids see people in the community that aren’t teachers then they’re not alienat- ed,” says Leonard. “It’s an opportunity for one-on-one teaching.” There were a diverse array of people that placed orders for textbooks including the Muslim Education Trust, Head Start, Trillium Charter School, Ockley Green School, Humboldt School, home school parents and a daycare teacher. A couple of people were even collecting books to go to schools in the Philippines. Passers-by in the neighborhood also stopped by and capitalized on the event. One father was waiting at the barbershop across the street with his two sons, who attend Bethany Elementary School, when he heard about Leonard’s book project. “My boys are five and seven,” he says. “I saw this as an opportunity to keep them busy for the summer.” State officials sanctioned 10 Portland Public Schools last year under No Child Left Behind. While most elementary schools and middle schools have met their targets, there is a significant drop off by high school. Ten out of the 18 designated high schools didn’t meet targets and four of those schools were “repeatedly missed tar- gets” and “must offer transfer or tutoring.” State testing records show that the majority of scores in math and reading are in the high 70s to mid 80s through elementary and mid- dle school and then dip to mid 50s and 60s once in high school. These low test scores are part of what At the book giveaway last weekend, leonard’s goal was to inspire students to apply and create from what they’ve learned. inspired Leonard to do the book giveaway. In the past she has worked with Powell’s and the Urban League, doing book handouts and summer tutoring. She plans to help the Boys and Girls Club run a tutoring program and is going to approach the Park Bureau about math clin- ics. Leonard hopes to help kids meet bench- marks. She wants to get businesses involved to hand out prizes and add further incentive for students. In the meantime she still has books to give away. Leonard will be doing another event in the same location this Saturday, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. She will also be giving away books on Aug. 13 at the Matt Dishman Community Center Block Party. After she’s finished handing out the math books Leonard plans to take inventory and make a run for other subjects, including 6- 8 grade math curriculum and Spanish texts. Her goal is to inspire students to apply and create from what they’ve learned. “Young children don’t have any questions anymore,” says Leonard. “They’re just con- sumers. What will be of the next genera- tion?” Williams continued from page 1 DePass all making it clear that they were not going away and their concerns were something the city had to pay attention to – I was real pleased,” he said. “The main planning for community involvement has gone into a larger community forum and this is what we’re hoping we’ll get a good turn out from the community,” Anderson said. “This is where we want to get as many people out as possible.” He said the project management may postpone the Sept. 6 stake- holder advisory meeting until after the forum so they can process all the expected feedback. Anderson said the city hopes the advisory committee’s final report will be concluded by the end of this fall, but if it takes longer PDOT is willing to extend it. “What’s going on right now on North Williams is that we extended the public involvement because it became clear that it was important to raise the level of inclusiv- ity and respect to make sure the North Williams community was at the table and heard,” Anderson said. He added that the overall project is about road safety for all users – pedestrians, driv- ers, cyclists and bus riders – and that there is expected to be a crosswalk safety enforcement mission on North Williams Frederick said it is a victory that city proj- ect managers stopped and listened to local residents who have gone unheard for gener- ations in the Albina area. “We have seen these things in the past, and if you just expect us to believe that these things have not been decided, we don’t believe you — in the past the decision has been made and then the idea is to go out and get it sold to the community,” he said. “The plans have been challenged, it means that you’re going to have a true public comment on this process,” Frederick says. “That is great.” “I think to some extend this may drive the process in east Portland, where you see a large number of people living there and we see a large number of people seeing bike projects just put through by the planners, and we’ve seen some meetings where Black and Latino people have stood up and said, we will be part of this process,” Frederick says. “I think this sort of actually changes the approach in a way that’s good.” ‘We have seen these things in the past, and if you just expect us to believe that these things have not been decided, we don’t believe you ..’ later this month. “Crosswalk safety, automobile speeds, bus/bike conflicts, and bikeway capacity — we want people to come to meetings, voice their opinions, ask clarification and get involved in the project to make sure it is what they want and what they feel is need- ed.” NORTH WILLIAMS TRAFFIC OPERATIONS SAFETY PROJECT Project Purpose and Objectives The purpose of this project is to make traveling on North Williams Avenue between Weidler and Killingsworth safer and more comfortable for all users. This project has six objectives: To conduct an open planning process through which all voices can be heard by the City. To reduce or manage traffic conflicts between people bicycling, people driv- ing, and buses operating on North Williams. To improve conditions for bicycling on North Williams. To maintain or improve conditions for walking on or across North Williams. To explore innovative solutions and strategies. To create conditions for transit service, traffic flow, parking and active trans- portation that support existing business- es and future business development. august 3, 2011 The Portland Skanner Page 3
