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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 2014)
WWW . THESKANNER . COM A UGUST 13, 2014 P ORTLAND AND S EATTLE V OLUME XXXVI, N O . 45 For The Skanner website scan this QR code By Helen Silvis Of The Skanner News M ayors from cities across the United States signed a commitment Mon- day to take action against economic inequality. Almost 40 mayors joined New York’s Bill de Blasio at Gracie Mansion to sign the commitment statement as part of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Cities of Opportunity Task Force. “The whole point...is to lift up city resi- dents and build an economy that works for everyone,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is president of the task force. “We have a pro-growth agenda. We’re talk- ing about infrastructure, sustainability, education, trade, but also this notion of Cities of Opportunities.” Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and Taco- ma Mayor Marilyn Strickland signed the commitment along with Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, Mitchell Landrieu of New Orleans, and many others. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, who has pioneered raising the minimum wage, did not attend, but has also pledged to sign the statement. “I think if we don’t tackle equity —and I think all these mayors feel the same way, then our country is in trouble,” Hales said on a call from Chicago between flights. “We have this massive income inequality where the richest 400 people in the country earn more than the poorest 100 million peo- ple. We are not the America of the American Dream and that’s a scary prospect and dan- gerous inequality, and a cry for action to any of us in a position of leadership.” The mayors say they will act locally to make changes aimed at boosting income and opportunity for more Americans. The strategies they plan to use include: raising the minimum wage, mandating paid sick leave, promoting youth employment oppor- tunities, increasing access to high speed See MAYORS on page 3 INDEX News ..............1,3,9-10 Opinion .....................2 Community................4 Back to School .......5-8 Bids/Classifieds ........11 Pacific NW PLANET FLY Singer Kevin “KJ” Jones and Planet Fly were one of six bands that played Sunday, Aug. 10, at Seattle’s Jefferson Park on Beacon Hill as part of the 34th Annual Peace Concerts Series. Some of the other bands included The 350’s, Contempo, NRG and Funky2Death. The concert series continues through Sunday, Sept. 21, with concerts at Volunteer Park on Aug. 24; Magnuson Park on Sept. 7 and Gas Works Park on Sept. 21. All concerts are on Sunday noon until 6 p.m. and admission is free and open to all ages. PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED National movement emerges to dig into roots of poverty CENTS The Skanner News presents our new regional edition, featuring more news and local information. C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW Mayors Tackle Inequality 25 ‘Enough is Enough’ Campaign Meeting Monday focuses on effort to break through ‘snitch culture’ By Lisa Loving Of The Skanner News T he citywide “Enough is Enough” campaign to reduce youth violence invites interested people to a meeting next Monday to plan out what should happen next. The planning meeting is Mon- day, Aug. 18, 6 p.m. in the community room of the North Precinct, 449 NE Emerson St. The effort, taken from a simi- lar campaign in Detroit, Mich., focuses on persuading commu- nity members to phone in crime tips to police — a controversial issue in situations where “snitching” can trigger even more violence. The City of Portland Office of Youth Violence Prevention says this effort is more than that, tying together resources for community members in a way that puts the community in the forefront of developing policy and services to heal families. “What we hope is to have folks feel safe enough to say: ‘Somebody has information that could help,’” says Youth Vio- lence Prevention Director Antoinette Edwards. “’How can you help me in my healing?’” Organizers kicked off the “Enough is Enough” effort at Peninsula Park in mid-July, where they signed up potential volunteers and floated the idea of a community-led movement to push back against gang vio- lence in the Portland metro area. “A mother said, I don’t go out anymore, I could be talking to the perpetrator — I don’t feel safe,’” Edwards said. “So how do we address those issues in a healing kind of a way, in a community kind of way? What Public Service Announcement could we make? What conversations are we hav- ing with young people about being bullied? “There are a few folks that are bullying and holding this com- See ENOUGH on page 3 Last Member of Washington Airmen Dies Services in Lakewood for Tuskegee pilot Edward P. Drummond, Jr. Special To The Skanner News L t. Colonel Edward P. Drummond, Jr., (USAF Retired) of Lakewood, Wash., died in Seattle on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014, after a long illness. He was the last surviving member of the Tuskegee Airmen that was a member of the Sam Bruce Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., based in Seattle. As a member of Class 46- C, Lt. Col. Drummond was a graduate of the last class of African American pilots trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Ala., during World War II to assist in prosecution of the war effort against the Axis. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, 2 p.m., at Moun- tain View Memorial Park at 4100 Steilacoom Boulevard SW, Lakewood. Pro- ceedings are set for the Aspen Chapel, located within the Celebration of Life Cen- ter. Upon entering the Mountain View Memorial Park grounds, simply follow the blue center line to get to the chapel. A recep- tion will follow immediately in the Willow Room at the same facility. Members of the public are invited. Edward Powell Drummond, Jr, was born on Aug. 28, 1926, in Philadelphia, Penn. The early part of his life was spent on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where he attend- ed schools in the Pocomoke City area, and was class valedictorian at Stephen Long Ele- mentary School in 1939. Known as “Pal” to See TUSKEGEE on page 3
