Age Ain’t New Approach a Factor on Drugs Groovin’ Civil rights QR code for High Steppers leaders applaud Portland Observer Online plan soiree call for reforms See story, page 17 See Local News, page 3 Volume XLV www.portlandobserver.com Established in 1970 ‘City of Roses’ Number 40 Wednesday • October 5, 2016 Committed to Cultural Diversity PHOTO BY CERVANTE POPE/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER Portland City Hall is draped in protest banners as activists from Black Lives Matter, Don’t Shoot PDX and other civil rights groups oppose a new collective bargaining agree- ment with the union that represents members of the Portland Police Bureau. BY CERVANTE POPE “Where is the fire?” Portland NAACP President Jo Ann THE PORTLAND OBSERVER Hardesty said, calling the contract Hales submitted as one Advocates for police reforms to empower civil rights that reflects a narrow focus on giving raises and not taking against racial profiling and other unjust police practices in the will or voice of the community. have joined together to stop, at least temporarily, Mayor The proposed labor agreement boasts a nine percent Charlie Hales from getting approval of a new labor con- Pushed raise overall for police officers over the next three years, tract for members of the Portland Police Bureau. a bonus fee for recruiting new officers, a higher starting “You serve the community first, and then you serve pay for new officers, and gives retired officers who come the police second,” activist Jamaal Washington told May- from the back to duty for six years the highest pay grade available. or Hales and members of the Portland City Council last “We’re against this because essentially they’re going week. “We are not subjects, we are citizens and our voices to be paying more for maniac cops to come in and kill are supposed to mean something.” us,” said Danielle James, a local mother who also said Williams is among a large group of protestors, includ- her daughter was assaulted by a Portland Police officer ing members of Black Lives Matter and Don’t Shoot PDX Agenda after being racially profiled. “These cops don’t know our who camped outside of City Hall last week, that pledge to children; they don’t know that this 14-year-old black kid continue to protest at the front doors of city government walking with a hoodie and sweatpants is actually an Ivy over a police contract they say rewards police officers fi- League student that didn’t just rob a store.” nancially without making the streets safer for minority and Mayor’s labor James argued it’s not in the best interest of the com- disadvantaged residents. munity to have more officers on the streets if the police The current Portland Police Association contract that are on duty are not adequately prepared in the way doesn’t expire until June 17, six months after Hales’ term deal with police they deal with members of the black community and other as mayor is over, leaving many to wonder why the rush. minority populations. Some of the activists said the next labor agreement with She called for a contract that expands psychological police officers should be negotiated with incoming Mayor CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Ted Wheeler, who doesn’t take office until January. runs aground Page 2 October 5, 2016 After School Satan Club The in Xerces Society spent years studying yel- News broke last week that Sacramento Ele- Week Review low-faced bees and their findings led to The mentary in Portland will be the first in town U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the spe- Established 1970 USPS 959 680 affects their everyday life, something the Bea- to host an “After School Satan Club” run by cies as endangered on Friday. Scientists say 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., verton School District hopes will get students the Satanic Temple, an organization formed insecticides and pesticides used in farming Portland, OR 97211 to civilly discuss tough topics such as race. to offer a program that teaches critical think- and gardening are the leading cause of in- The Portland Observer welcomes free- ing and scientific perspectives to schools that creased death for the dwindling species. lance submissions. Manuscripts and open their doors to Good News Clubs, which photographs should be clearly labeled Trump Could Be Tax Free actively promote the bible and Christianity. and will be returned if accompanied The New York Times did an extensive look by a self addressed envelope. All creat- ed design display ads become the sole Armed Robberies Suspect into Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s property of the newspaper and cannot Police suspect the same man is responsible tax returns on Saturday, revealing that the be used in other publications or person- for two north Portland robberies at gunpoint businessman turned politician could have al usage without the written consent of been avoiding paying his federal income taxes the general manager, unless the client that occurred between last Wednesday night has purchased the composition of such and Thursday morning . Police are looking for for the last 18 years, due to a shocking $916 million loss he declared in 1995. ad. © 2008 THE PORTLAND OBSERV- a Hispanic or Asian male in his 20’s and just Hurricane Matthew Strikes ER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRO- over 5 feet tall for holding up B-Mart Grocery DUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART Haiti, the Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Re- Shooting Causes Riots on Ivanhoe and Darcy’s Bar on Lombard with WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIB- public and the entire eastern coast of the U.S. On Sunday, the Los Angeles County Cor- a shotgun and getting away with cash. ITED. The Portland Observer--Oregon’s were under emergency declarations Monday oner identified Carnell Snell Jr., 18, as the Oldest Multicultural Publication--is a member of the National Newspaper White Privilege Poll as the 145-mph winds of Hurricane Matthew black man shot and killed by Los Angeles Association--Founded in 1885, and Parents of some Aloha High School seniors tear through the land. The category 4 hurri- police following a Saturday car chase. The The National Advertising Representa- were taken aback Thursday when a white cane has already caused three reported deaths, death sparked another round of protests tive Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New with nearly 40 inches of rain forecast for Haiti. against the police. Snell was a passenger York, NY, and The West Coast Black privilege survey was given to students as in the vehicle during the chase. The driver Publishers Association homework. The survey asks students to an- Bee Species Endangered swer questions regarding how being white managed to escape. PUBLISHER: Mark Washington Sr. The Portland based nature conservation group EDITOR: Michael Leighton EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Rakeem Washington ADVERTISING MANAGER: Leonard Latin Homebound Deliveries Office Manager/Classifieds: shelf-stable meals include apple- Lucinda Baldwin Shelf-stable sauce, fruit bars, fruit juice and two shelf-stable entrées CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Paul Neufeldt meals go out On days when weather is so Reporter/Web Editor: severe that the majority of volun- Cervante Pope for weather teer drivers cannot deliver meals, PUBLIC RELATIONS: Meals on Wheels People staff Mark Washington Jr. emergencies will phone all Meals on Wheels To ensure that all homebound recipients to conduct a wellness elderly have sufficient meals check and to instruct clients to during upcoming inclement consume one of their emergency weather, Meals on Wheels Peo- meals. ple will deliver a two-day supply A cadre of pre-approved emer- of shelf-stable meals next week gency weather drivers will be to more than 3,000 homebound available to bring food to home- CALL 503-288-0033 seniors throughout Multnomah, bound elderly who are complete- FAX 503-288-0015 Washington and Clark counties. ly without food. [email protected] The clients will receive in- Since 1970 Meals on Wheels [email protected] structions to save these meals un- People has provided a nutrition- [email protected] til they receive a call from their al and social lifeline for seniors Postmaster: Send address changes to Meals on Wheels People center through 30 meal sites in the Port- Portland Observer , PO Box 3137 , advising them to use these emer- land area and Meals on Wheels Portland, OR 97208 gency supplies, officials said. The delivery to homebound seniors. October 5, 2016 Page 3 This page INSIDE Sponsored by: The in Week Review page 2 New Approach on Drugs Civil rights pages 6-7 groups applaud call for reforms OPINION BY MICHAEL LEIGHTON PORTLAND OBSERVER Two major civil rights groups are applauding a call by law en- forcement officers in the state to decriminalize drug possession crimes. “We are encouraged that Ore- gon law enforcement recognizes that harsh drug laws have been a failure, wasting taxpayer money page 9 and disproportionately impact- ing communities of color,” said Bobbin Singh David Rogers Kimberly McCullough, legislative holder to craft a more thoughtful housing, employment, education, METRO director at the American Civil Lib- approach to drug possession when and more.” erties Union of Oregon. it is the only crime committed. Singh said the damage caused “Criminalization does not help They called for new laws that by trying to address drug abuse people struggling with addiction make drug possession convictions and addiction through the penal and often exacerbates their prob- misdemeanors, and recommend system rather than through treat- lems,” McCullough said. “There that drug offenders be carefully ment impacts Oregonians’ ability are more effective ways to use assessed and given individualized, to parent their children and partic- Oregon’s limited resources to ad- mandated drug abuse treatment as ipate in their communities.