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About The Asian reporter. (Portland, Or.) 1991-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2017)
Community January 2, 2017 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11 Lori Stegmann to become Multnomah County’s first Asian-American commissioner Multnomah County will swear in its first Asian-American commis- sioner, Lori Stegmann, on Tuesday, January 3. Stegmann will represent District 4 — which covers parts of east Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, and unincorporated east Multnomah County — in the five-member, all-women county board. Stegmann will replace outgoing commissioner Diane McKeel. “I’ll be the first Asian-American commissioner,” said Stegmann, in a question-and-answer interview with The Oregonian on October 25, 2016. “That’s long, long, long overdue, but what’s more exciting is that we’ll have a majority-minority commis- sion, and that is historical. It is very rare that you’ll find the makeup of a commission that really reflects the community they represent.” Adopted as an infant from Korea, Stegmann grew up in west Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood. She put herself through college, graduating from Mt. Hood Community College with an associate degree and later earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Portland State Univer- sity. She has been a small business owner and insurance agent for more than 20 years, specializing in com- mercial insurance. She chose to live and locate her Farmers Insurance agency in the same neighborhood where she grew up. Stegmann’s interest in public service stems from a desire to help MULTNOMAH COUNTY FIRST. Multnomah County will swear in its first Asian-American commissioner, Lori Stegmann, on Tuesday, January 3. Stegmann will repre- sent District 4 — which covers parts of east Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, and unincorpo- rated east Multnomah County — in the five-member, all-women county board. (Photo courtesy of Lori Stegmann) make sure everyone has the same opportunities in life that she has had, such as a family, quality public education, affordable housing, and a shot at a good-paying job. Lori was elected to the Gresham City Council in 2010, where she served for six years, including as president in 2014. Her duties as councillor involved committee assignments on the Public Safety Committee, Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce, Gresham Sister City Association, Youth Advisory Com- mittee, and the Council Employee Performance Subcommittee. Her previous public service in- cluded participating in the Gresham Planning Commission, Rockwood Stakeholders Group, and the Rockwood Light Rail Station Art Committee, as well as serving as vice chair of the Gresham Redevelopment Commission Advisory Committee and as a board member of the Gresham Area Chamber of Com- merce. In addition, Stegmann co-founded the Rockwood Business Coalition and has served as its vice-chair. She has also chaired a number of Plaza del Sol Community events in Rockwood and her extensive community-service in- volvement includes positions with So- roptimist International of Gresham, as both District 2 secretary and president. Her volunteer activities earned her a Golden Note Award. Lori currently is a member of Metro’s Powell Division Steering Committee and the Multnomah County Citizen Budget Advisory Committee, and she also serves on the board of the Oregon League of Minority Voters (OLMV). Stegmann will be sworn in for her four-year term on Tuesday, January 3 at 10:00am in the boardroom of the Multnomah Building, located at 501 S.E. Hawthorne Boulevard in Port- land. On Wednesday, January 4 at 5:30pm, commissioner Stegmann will perform her in-district swearing in at the Gresham Library, located at 385 N.W. Miller Avenue in Gresham, Oregon. To learn more, visit <www. multco.us/board>. Releasing sky lanterns now illegal in Oregon Sky lanterns, also known as aerial luminaries, Chinese lanterns, mini hot-air balloons, UFO balloons, wish lanterns, etc., are illegal to release into Oregon airspace effective January 1, 2017. A sky lantern is a paper sack suspended over a flame, usually from a small candle or other lit device. The hot air from the flame causes the balloon to rise into the air and be carried off by the wind. Sky lanterns are becoming more prevalent due to links on social media providing details on how to make lanterns at home, while local stores sometimes sell them as well. The new policy is a result of a change in the definition of fireworks as outlined in the Oregon Fire Code. The luminaries are no longer defined as fireworks and there- fore a limited display permit is not availa- ble for them. “Although they are pretty, sky lanterns are uncontrolled, open-flamed devices that pose an extreme fire hazard to people, property, and the environment,” said Mariana Ruiz-Temple, chief deputy state fire marshal in Oregon. “Once released, you have no control over where they may land. They could end up on someone’s rooftop, in a tree, or a pile of debris and cause an unwanted fire.” The glowing, floating lanterns can also generate calls to 911, which can distract first responders from true emergencies. A number of other states, as well as countries such as Germany, Australia, and Brazil, have outlawed their use. Releasing a sky lantern into Oregon airspace after January 1 is a Class A violation subject to a maximum penalty of $2,000. To learn more, call the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal at (503) 373-1540. 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CRC holds appeal hearings of police misconduct investigations; listens to community concerns; periodically serves on the Police Review Board, an advisory body to the Chief of Police that makes recommendations as to findings and discipline of sworn police members; reviews Police Bureau policies; and advises IPR on complaint handling processes. CRC members are appointed by Portland City Council to serve three-year terms. Candidates must be Portland, Oregon, residents or business owners, and be impartial and objective in regards to law enforcement. Applications are available at www.portlandoregon.gov/ipr or the IPR office: City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 140, Portland, OR 97204. Return applications by 5:00pm, Wednesday, February 8, 2017, via fax (503) 823-4571, e-mail crc@portlandoregon.gov, mail, or hand-delivery to IPR. Mark your calendar! The Year of the Rooster begins January 28, 2017. The Asian Reporter’s Lunar New Year special issue in honor of the Year of the Rooster will be available online on Monday, January 16, 2017.
