Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2015)
Local News Multnomah County Burn Ban and Crackdown on Illegal Fireworks Charges Dropped for Activists Arrested After Last Thursday S By Donovan M. Smith Of Th e Skanner News tarting July 1, Portland Fire and Res- cue has issued a limited burn ban for Multnomah County. No open fi res are permitted, including ceremonial and recreational fi res. Barbecues are allowed in approved devices such as outdoor grills, but not in natural areas . Legal fi reworks are allowed. Portland Fire and Rescue urge people to use caution and follow the following safety rules: • Use only in open areas over non-com- bustible surfaces such as concrete or asphalt • Have water available to extinguish fi re or cool burns • Use a clean metal bucket to place ex- pended fi reworks • And never attempt to re-light a dud The ban covers the entirety of Mult- nomah County which includes areas in Gresham, Corbett and Sauvie Island. High temperatures and dry weather prompted the agency to issue the limited ban. Portland Fire Chief Erin Janssens is asking residents to be on the lookout for illegal fi reworks and to report them to 503-823-BOOM (2666), a new hotline to report illegal fi reworks. If it is an emer- gency, such as a fi re or emergency medical problem, call 9-1-1. Oregon law bans possession, use, or sale of any fi reworks that fl y, explode, travel more than one foot into the air, or more than six feet on the ground. Fireworks pur- chased from another state are likely to be illegal. Law Enforcement Scams Continue T he Washington County Sheriff’s Offi ce and local po- lice agencies have received numerous complaints from the public concerning a warrant or jury duty scam. The person would ask for a payoff to avoid arresting the person that supposedly had a warrant, missed jury duty or had other fi nancial issues. According to the Wash- ington County Sheriff, if a person has a warrant for their arrest, a law enforce- ment offi cer is required to take them into custody and not take any type of payment to clear the war- rant. The Sheriff’s Offi ce is advising anyone who receives a call like this to report it immediately. Other local law enforce- ment agencies have re- ceived reports with similar circumstances. This scam is a variation of other incidents where scammers will call or email with the promise of some- thing in exchange for cash, Green Dot prepaid cards, money wires, or any other form of payment that in- volves urgency. Investigators are seeking the public’s help regarding similar scam cases. If you have any infor- mation, or have recently received a solicitation that seemed suspicious, please call the Washington Coun- ty Sheriff’s Offi ce at (503) 629-0111. We honor the many accomplishments of African Americans. It is our primary goal as a labor union to better the lives of all people working in the building trades through advocacy, civil demonstration, and the long-held belief that work- ers deserve a "family wage" - fair pay for an honest day's work. A family wage, and the benefits that go with it, not only strength- ens families, but also allows our communities to become stronger, more cohesive, and more responsive to their citizens' needs. Our family wage agenda reflects our commitment to people work- ing in the building trades, and to workers everywhere. In this small way, we are doing our part to help people achieve the American Dream. This dream that workers can hold dear regard- less of race, color, national origin, gender, creed, or religious be- liefs. T wo activists arrested after aiding one of the victims of a shooting at the Last Thursday festival in May have had all charges dropped after entering respective “no contest” pleas. Marcus Cooper, 26, and Loren Ware, 23, (a popular Portland rapper who performs as Glenn Waco) each faced two counts of in- terfering with police in addition to a harass- ment and disorderly conduct charges. Cooper told The Skanner that after read- ing the police report from the May 28 inci- dent, he determined that pleading no contest would be better than entering a guilty or not guilty charge for both himself and Ware. “I took the plea, mainly because if I took it to trial I’m not jeopardizing the risk of me having to explain to a [likely] all-white jury why me being Black is valid,” he says. Cooper and Ware have both been involved with the anti-violence group Don’t Shoot PDX nearly since the time of its inception about a year ago. Despite all charges being dropped, the two will have to complete 24 hours of com- munity service to appease the courts. “At the end of the day, small victories like this is what they throw at us to feel like we’ve won everything but in actual reality, I’m still going to wake up tomorrow and be Black in Portland,” Cooper says. Cooper says due to the trauma sustained back in May, and the association of Last Thursday with gentrifi cation, he will avoid the event in the future. The shooting garnered national attention after two 15-year-old Jefferson High School students and a 25-year-old woman were shot at the event, which manages to draw close to 10,000 in the summer months. Another teenager, 16-year-old Turon Lamont Walker, of Vancouver, Wash., stands as the lone accused shooter in the case and three counts each of attempted murder with a fi rearm and unlawful use of a weapon. Attempted murder is a Measure 11 of- fense, which means Walker is being charged as an adult. Walker has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Police dubbed the gunfi re, even with one of the victims being friends that came to the fair together, as “gang-related,” bumping its gang violence response calls up to 64, up more than a dozen from last year at the same time. With the shooting close to a month in hindsight, all victims have survived and are in various stages of recovery. Though happy to have his charges dropped, Cooper says, the problems he and the community are fi ghting exist beyond the legal system and beyond that May evening on Thursday. “I can win my case, Glenn can win his case, we can get dismissed, we can get rich off of this, but we’re not going to be remem- bered for that,” Cooper says. “We’re re- membered due to the gang violence. That’s what we’re going to be remembered as, and that is the issue.” Make The Skanner part of your daily routine for a better day today and tomorrow. Grab the headlines from your mobile device. Tap to view local events and announcements. Get a quick update or enjoy an in-depth read on your desktop. Receive breaking news, you won’t fi nd any- where else, in your inbox. Don’t miss anything! Page through the latest print edition online. The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters Representing more than 5.000 construction workers in Oregon State. Do you want to know more about becoming a Union carpenter? July 1, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 9
