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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 2012)
Obituaries/News Paul Anthony West: Actor, Writer, Artist 19 Master’s student in Education 70 was a very at PSU. He also was self good year. On employed as a photographer Aug. 27, Paul and videographer through his Anthony West was born to Event Capture imprint. the union of Norman and In addition to “The Pews,” LaVerne (Nickerson) West. his literary works include They later divorced in 1972. “Mucho Dinero,” “The Paul attended Vernon Ele- Necessity Room” and “The mentary, Harriet Tubman Underhood” (collaboration Middle School and U.S. with Von Porter). Grant High School. He Outgoing, gregarious, with obtained his Bachelor of Arts Paul Anthony West an eternal smile, Paul had a in Theater in 1995, from diverse and bountiful array of friends, some Portland State University. His early career included employment at friendships spanning more than three Multnomah County, TriMet and the Stoel decades. On Wednesday, Aug. 23, Paul ascended to Rives law firm. But Paul was at his best when his creative side was engaged. Highly Heaven. Cherishing his memory forever : intelligent, gifted and talented, Paul was a His mother LaVerne Thompson, stepfa- musician, actor, author and playwright. His play, “The Pews,” was produced in 2005 ther Sam Thompson, Sisters: Veronica and enjoyed a successful run at the IFCC. (John), Carliss, Brother: Lonzo, Uncles: His acting resume included memorable Robert (Linda), Ralph (Kawana), Ronald, roles in “Purlie Victorious,” “The Crucible” Aunts: Paula, Doris (Carl), Nephews: Johnason and John Alexander, a host of and “The Meeting.” At the time of his passing, Paul was a cousins, relatives and wonderful friends. Robert Julius Brooks Sr. 1928 —2012 R working man that val- obert Julius ued his family and Brooks Sr. was enjoyed life. born in Mark, Eleven of Robert’s Texas on March 15, siblings preceded him 1928 to Stewart Sr. and in death. He leaves Annie Brooks. He behind one sister, India graduated from Jack McKinney of Houston, Yates High school in Texas. He also leaves 1948. He later served behind his four chil- in the Korean War and dren: Cassandra Renee was honorably dis- Showcraft, Robert charged from the army Brooks Jr., Indrig on Feb. 9, 1953. He Joyce Elam and Har- then pursued a life in vey Brooks, grandchil- Stockton, Ca., with his dren Antonio, Robert family. Down the line, III, Indrig, Harry Jr., he relocated his family Monique, Joyce, to Portland, Or., where Domonique, Torianna he later retired from Robert Julius Brooks Sr. and Journey, great John Deere. He was grandchildren, nieces, fortunate enough to be retired longer than he worked. nephews, cousins and friends. Throughout his life Robert was a hard- A Paint-by-Numbers Portrait of a Changing Nation By Calvin Woodward and Christopher S. Rugaber The Associated Press Specializing in *short sales * bank owned properties * first time home buyers * investment properties * residential & commercial Torrey Nelson C: 503-381-2107 W: 503-208-3797 F: 503-536-6523 E: mrtnel@gmail.com www.dwellrealtypdx.com 5625 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR 97211 WASHINGTON (AP) — We’re heavier in pounds and hotter by degrees than Americans of old. We’re starting to snub our noses at distant suburbs after genera- tions of burbs in our blood. Our roads and bridges are kind of a mess. There are many more poor, and that’s almost sure to get worse. The oddly American obsession with picking up and moving on — ``this spectacle of so many lucky men restless in the midst of abundance,’’ as Alexis de Tocqueville noted nearly 200 years ago — has given way to the un-American activity of going nowhere. But check back tomorrow. Such swirling changes are not fodder for a State of the Union speech, but they are Page 6 The Portland Skanner August 29, 2012 part of the state of the union nonetheless, as the Republi- can National Convention convenes and the Democrat- ic convention follows it a week later. The country that President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are vying to lead for the next four years is not quite the same as the one four years ago, not nearly the same as the one further back in time. WHERE WE LIVE Like much else, where we live is shaped by how — or whether — we make a liv- ing. But la rger forces than that seem to be at work in determining Americans’ chosen places. U.S. cities and closely surrounding areas are expe- riencing more growth than farther-off suburbs for the first time in at least 20 years. The cost and bother of commuting are part of the reason. The average commuter spends over 30 hours stuck in traffic per year, says the Texas Trans- portation Institute, up from 14 hours in 1982. That’s the time spent going nowhere or at a crawl. As well, city life is becoming the choice of more young and old people, as the attractions and con- venience rival the long-held American dream of afford- able home ownership, which usually means farther out. Meantime, the historic migration of Southern blacks to the North has reversed, with black popula- tions rising in Southern cities and suburbs, especial- ly among the more affluent. But the overarching recent development in where we live is that we aren’t moving much at all. Mobility is the lowest it’s been in the 60 years it has been tracked by the Census Bureau, with only 11.6 per- cent of the nation’s popula- tion moving in the past year. That’s just over half the level in 1951, the biggest year for Americans on the move, 21.2 percent. More adult children are living with parents because of eco- nomic hardship, fewer older people are able to retire to sunny climes and the hous- ing bust further contributed to locking the restless in place. Average home size
