Page 4 The Skanner Portland & Seattle June 5, 2019
News
Events & Announcements
Portland
& Seattle
News
Briefs
Portland Metro
THURSDAY, JUNE 6 – SATURDAY, JUNE 29
‘SMOKE SCREEN’ EXHIBITION: Portland artist Bonnie Halfpenny
created ‘Smoke Screen’ to commemorate the victims of gun vio-
lence in the United States. In total, 283 victims of gun violence
are represented in this mixed media art installation. Free, North
Portland Library, 512 N Killingsworth St. Hours: Monday – Tues-
day: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.,
Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
Mayor Wheeler
Hires New
Deputy Chief of
Staff
Community
Calendar 2019
TUESDAY, JUNE 11
On May 30, the Office
of Mayor Ted Wheeler
announced the hire of
Jamal Fox as the May-
or’s new Deputy Chief of
Portland artist Melanie Stevens talks about her work titled “If You’re Watching This, It’s Too Late”
Staff.
June 2 at the Wa Na Wari House in Seattle’s Central District. The Wa Na Wari House is dedicated to
Fox comes with a back-
presenting the art and culture of Black people. Since its opening twp months ago, it has shown the
ground in local govern-
work of several artists, screened films, held workshops, poetry readings and musical performances.
ment, most recently
Stevens’ work will remain on display through Aug. 1.
serving as the Property
& Business Development
Manager for Portland
have to pay exempt workers approximately $945 a
Parks & Recreation. Fox was elected to the Greens- week, or about $49,000 per year.
boro City Council in North Carolina at the age of 25.
Those amounts would increase yearly based on
He was later re-elected, serving until 2017.
a formula that uses the state’s minimum wage. The
Fox takes over the role left vacant after the Mayor changes could impact more than 250,000 workers by
promoted his then Deputy Chief of Staff, Kristin Den- 2026. At that time, exempt salaried workers would
nis, to Chief of Staff earlier this year.
have to be paid at least 2.5 times minimum wage and
Prior to being elected Greensboro City Council, Fox meet the job- duties test.
worked for the City of Greensboro in the City Manag-
Simplifying test to determine if an employee can be
er’s Office and the Department of Planning and Com-
considered exempt
munity Development and is also a former North Car-
Along with updating the required salary threshold,
olina A&T State University Political Science Adjunct
the proposed rule would change the method used in
Professor.
Washington to determine if an employee is doing
work that allows them to be classified as exempt. The
Proposed Washington State Rule
state currently uses two “duties tests” to make this de-
termination. Under the proposal, they’d be combined
Would Restore Labor Protections
into one test that would align more closely with the
for Thousands of Overtime-Exempt method used at the federal level. The change would
make the process simpler for employers, and increase
Workers
The Washington State Department of Labor & In- the likelihood that workers are correctly classified.
Melanie Stevens Exhibit Wa Na Wari House
dustries (L&I) has formally filed a proposed rule that
would restore overtime protections for thousands of
Washington workers. The proposed changes would
significantly increase the minimum amount employ-
ees must earn before they can be exempt from receiv-
ing overtime pay.
The proposal also updates the test used to deter-
mine who qualifies for the overtime exemption, and
more closely aligns the state rule with federal stan-
dards.
The agency will hold public hearings around the
state throughout the summer and offer other oppor-
tunities for people to provide input.
Washington’s overtime rules, last updated in 1976,
haven’t changed in more than 40 years. During that
time, the percentage of “white collar” workers who
are considered exempt from overtime and other
worker protections has grown substantially. Mean-
while, the minimum amount exempt workers must
earn in the state has remained unchanged. As a re-
sult, some salaried workers can be paid less than
minimum wage, don’t receive overtime, and are not
entitled to paid sick leave.
The formal proposed rule is the next step in a multi-
year process that has involved two pre-draft rules,
multiple public feedback sessions, and several meet-
ings with business, labor, and nonprofit representa-
tives to exchange ideas.
Steady increases proposed to restore eroding work-
er protections
Washington employers are currently using the
federal threshold, which allows salaried workers to
be “exempt” from overtime if they perform certain
types of work and are paid at least $455 per week, or
about $24,000 per year.
The current state threshold, which was last updated
43 years ago, sets a level that’s even lower, at $13,000.
Washington’s proposed rule calls for restoring the
protections by setting higher salary thresholds set as
a percentage of the state minimum wage. Increases
would be phased in over several years depending on
the size of the employer.
To meet the requirements, employers with 50 or
fewer employees would have to pay exempt work-
ers approximately $675 a week, or about $35,000 per
year, beginning July 1, 2020. Larger companies would
EPA Selects Nine Pacific Northwest
and Alaska Projects to Receive $4.59
Million for Cleanup and assessment
This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
cy is announcing that nine Northwest and Alaska
communities have been selected to receive a total of
$4.59 million to assess and clean up contaminated
properties under the agency’s brownfields program.
They include the following sites:
Beaverton, Oregon
Assessment Grant: $200,000 hazardous substances,
$100,000 petroleum
EPA has selected the City of Beaverton for a Brown-
fields Assessment Grant. Community-wide hazardous
substances and petroleum grant funds will be used
to conduct 10 Phase I and five Phase II environmen-
tal site assessments. Grant funds also will be used to
develop a Public Involvement Plan and conduct com-
munity engagement and cleanup planning activities.
The target area for this grant is the Creekside District
located in Beaverton’s downtown.
Prosper Portland, Oregon
Cleanup Grant/OPPORTUNITY ZONE: $500,000 haz-
ardous substances
Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to
clean up the former USPS Portland Processing and
Distribution Center located at 715 NW Hoyt Street in
the City of Portland. The 14-acre site is located in an
area known as the Broadway Corridor, which is near
Portland’s Central Business District. The site is con-
taminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,
ethylbenzene and metals. Grant funds also will be
used to conduct community outreach activities, such
as convening public meetings and developing fact
sheets and webpages.
City of Olympia, Washington
Assessment Grant: $500,000 hazardous substances,
$100,000 petroleum
Community-wide hazardous substances grant
funds will be used to conduct ten Phase I and eight
Phase II environmental site assessments and develop
four cleanup plans. Coalition partners are the Port of
Olympia and the Olympia Metropolitan Park District.
ALZHEIMER’S FOUNDATION OF AMERICA EDUCATIONAL CONFER-
ENCE: (AFA) will host the National Alzheimer’s and Caregiver
Educational Conference in Portland to empower the public
through information, connecting attendees with resources
about Alzheimer’s Disease, neurological health, and caregiving
tips. Attendees will be able to participate in confidential mem-
ory screenings free of charge. Free, 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Oregon
Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), 1945 SE Water Avenue.
PCCEP STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING: Portland Committee on
Community-Engaged Policing for (PCCEP) strives to achieve eq-
uitable policing and community engagement by working with
members of the local community, the Portland Police Bureau,
the Police Commissioner and others. Event organizers will pro-
vide snacks and refreshments. Free, 5:30 p.m. -- 7 p.m., The PC-
CEP Office, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 250.
SATURDAY, JUNE 15
FREE SWIMMING LESSONS REGISTRATION: Portland Parks & Rec-
reation outdoor pools open for the summer on June 18. Walk-
in registration for free swimming lessons will begin June 15 at
neighborhood pools around the city. Contact Portland Parks
via phone at (503)-823-PLAY or online at www.portlandoregon.
gov/parks/78739 for more information. Free, 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.,
Neighborhood Portland Parks & Recreation pools.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19
2019 TALK ‘N TASTE: Speaker Lisa Barnes, Ph.D. a Professor of
Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine will explain African Amer-
ican cognitive aging risk factors and discuss results from the
recent Minority Aging Research Study. Attendees will also learn
helpful exercises and lifestyle habits to promote healthy aging.
Healthy snacks from Joyce Smith-McGee of Pans, Pots & Skillets
Catering will be provided. Free, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., Cerimon House,
5131 NE 23rd Avenue.
OREGON’S ENIGMATIC BLACK HISTORY: The Oregon Historical So-
ciety is hosting this lecture to analyze Oregon’s racial history in-
cluding the pro-Union Civil War era leadership and Oregon’s Con-
stitution originally banning freed African Americans. Portland
Community College history professor James Stanley Harrison
will lead the lecture. Free, 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Oregon Historical
Society, 1200 SW Park Avenue.
SATURDAY, JUNE, 22
‘TOGETHER WE RISE‘ JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: The Vancouver
NAACP is hosting the annual Vancouver and Clark County June-
teenth Celebration. A live panel discussion with Vancouver May-
or, Anne McEnerny, community educators and law enforcement
officials is scheduled for 4 p.m. The event also includes a diversi-
ty career fair and a racial justice awards ceremony. Free, 10 a.m.
– 6 p.m., Clark College, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way in Vancouver.
Seattle Metro
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
‘DAMMED TO EXTINCTION’ FILM SCREENING: ‘Dammed to Extinc-
tion’ focuses on orcas and salmon populations, exploring the
social, political, and ecological conversations surrounding dams
and hydroelectric power in the Pacific Northwest. $10 minimum
donation, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Pre-reception at 5:30 p.m.), The
Mountaineers, 7700 Sand Point Way Northeast.
SATURDAY, JUNE 15
A DAY OF PLAY WITH DAD: The South Bellevue Community
Center is hosting a pancake breakfast and a morning of fami-
ly adventures to celebrate Father’s Day weekend. Indoor and
outdoor entertainment includes a scavenger hunt, disc golf, a
rock-climbing wall and more. $8 per person (Children 3 and un-
der: Free), 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., South Bellevue Community Center,
14509 SE Newport Way.
THURSDAY, JUNE 20
SEATTLE JOB FAIR: Explore career opportunities including sales,
customer service, financial planning, human resources, retail
and more. Interested attendees should dress in business pro-
fessional attire and bring 10 to 15 printed resumes to distribute
to prospective employers. Free, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., SeaTac Airport
Embassy Suites Hotel,15920 W Valley Hwy.