Portland Observer

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Portlanders threaten lawsuit over wireless structure

Unease among Portland residents about the placement of wireless technology has reached a new level, with a group of residents preparing to file a lawsuit seeking to prevent the placement of an antenna in a northeast neighborhood, claiming that City Hall is kowtowing to the wireless industry.

Police union president: We’re still support Chasse cops

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 30 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Daryl Turner, the new president of the police union, has issued a statement in support of the police officers involved in the death of James Chasse, a schizophrenic man who died in police custody.

The remarks, released yesterday in a statement, came a day after City Council approved a record $1.6 million settlement with the Chasse family.

The statement argues that the officers acted according to their training at the time, which has been subsequently...

Cold case solved

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 30 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

The Portland Police Bureau’s Cold Case Division has solved a 26-year-old homicide case.

From PPB:

This morning, Portland Police Cold Case Homicide Detectives arrested 56-year-old Frederick Alvin Richey and charged him with one count of Murder in the 1984 homicide case that took the life of Francis Marie Waites who was 28-years-old at the time of her death. Detectives arrested Richey in Gresham, Oregon and were assisted by the US Marshall’s...

New police union head strikes conciliatory tone

Posted by Jake Thomas On July - 29 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Portland Police Chief (left) and Portland Police Association President Daryl Turner step out of police car in Old Town after doing a patrol. Photo by Jake Thomas.

Portland Police Chief Mike Reese and Portland Police...

Modern day slavery

Posted by Drew Dakessian On July - 27 - 201010 COMMENTS

Sex trafficking in the City of Roses

Sex trafficking survivor Sherry Dooley looks out at Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard where she prostituted herself for years. Photo by Drew Dakessian.

Drew Dakessian

When...

Miss Black Oregon advances

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 27 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Miss Black Oregon 2010 Sable Scott will be heading to Washington, D.C. on Aug. 4 to compete in the Miss Black USA Scholarship Pageant.

For 22 years the Miss Black USA Scholarship pageant has provided educational opportunities to outstanding women of color. The organization believes that education is key to...

Bar shooting cold case

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 27 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Crime Stoppers, in cooperation with the Portland Police Bureau, wants your help solving a homicide that occurred five years ago this week in north Portland.

On July 27, 2005, at about 9:52 p.m., officers discovered the body of 26-year-old Eyo Nyong outside the doorway of what was then J.D. Sports Bar in the 3500 block of N. Vancouver Avenue shortly after hearing shots fired in the area.
Nyong had stepped outside of the bar and was talking with several...

Rock n’ roll legend in town

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 27 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Bona fide rock ’n’ roll legend Levon Helm, best known for his work with the Band, will be in town, Thursday, Aug. 8 as part of the Oregon Zoo’s summer concert series presented by NW Natural.

Helm began performing more than five decades ago, but it was in 1965 when he and the Band — then known as the Hawks —...

Cannabis cafe reopens

Posted by Drew Dakessian On July - 27 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Madeline Martinez at the old location of country’s first cannabis cafe.

Drew Dakessian

The country’s first cannabis cafe will be reopening later this month at a new location.

World Famous Oregon NORML Cannabis Cafe, run by Cannabis Commons and the Oregon chapter of the National Organization...

State senator wants warning labels on cell phones

Posted by Jake Thomas On July - 27 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Jake Thomas
jthomas@portlandobserver.com

Sen. Chip Shields, D-north/northeast Portland, is drafting legislation that will require cell phone retailers to include some sort of a label on their packaging that warns of the potential health effects...

Report warns of ‘Obama Mom’ grants

Posted by Drew Dakessian On July - 26 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Via ProPublica

Drew Dakessian

You’ve probably seen them somewhere on the Internet. An animation of a woman dancing jubilantly on an ad encouraging people to go back to school, courtesy of money made available by President Barack Obama.

However, a recent article by the investigative reporting...

Police give update on plan to address racial profiling

Posted by Jake Thomas On July - 22 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Jake Thomas
jthomas@portlandobserver.com

Portland police gave an update on the plan to address racial profiling before the city’s Community and Police Relations Committee, showing that it had made some progress, but still has work to do.

In 2009, the city released its plan to address racial...

Woman badly burned lighting barbecue

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 21 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

It’s still barbecue season, but be careful when lighting the fire.

From the Portland Police Bureau:

Today at approximately 10:30 am, firefighters Portland Fire & Rescue’s Station 9 were patrolling their response area when they were dispatched to a report of a burn victim a block away at the Indochinese Socialization Center in SE Portland.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a 43-year-old woman with severe burns. The...

Jake Thomas
jthomas@portlandobserver.com

U.S. Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, has secured another $42 million for preliminary work on the Columbia River Crossing, reports the Vancouver Columbian.

The paper reports...

Plastic bag ban drafted

Posted by Drew Dakessian On July - 20 - 20101 COMMENT

Law would target supermarkets

Mason Brock turns into a bag monster during a rally in support a ban on plastic grocery bags in front of City Hall. Photo by Drew Dakessian.

Drew Dakessian

Portland...

Help for the Columbia

Posted by Portland Observer staff On July - 20 - 2010ADD COMMENTS

Restoration Act picks up steam

The Columbia River east of Portland at Bonneville Dam.

Drew Dakessian

The Columbia River, a symbol of the Pacific Northwest, is one of the few rivers in the U.S....