4-25-2007

If you happen to be near the Rose Quarter and head towards the center of town on Broadway, a few blocks before the bridge, to your right, you will see Flint Ave. Turning right from Flint to Broadway has cost some local bike riders close to $250.00. A piece.

A posting on Craigslist.com first tipped us off about the issue. Cyclists are required to come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign going from Flint to Broadway before turning right. (as is the case with ANY stop sign) However, the number of cyclists who burn through the stop without . . stopping . . . is so high, cops have started staking out the location.

The Bike Transportation Alliance has kind of a cloudy stance on the issue. They say they are in favor of enforcing the rules . . . but are LESS in favor of enforcing things like stopping at the stop sign. The rep we spoke with said that the fines are high and, most of the time, stop signs are not in high traffic areas. He also wondered how often accidents in the area are caused by cars, not bikes, and whether cops were also pulling over those cars. (That information was not available to KXL news . . . all we were told from the Portland Police was that there was a concern about the number of wrecks in the area and general bike safety)

As an experiment, I stood at the corner of Flint and Broadway for twenty minutes today. 11 bike riders went by me. 10 breezed through the stop sign without a pause. The one who DID stop told me she was PLANNING to buzz through until she saw me standing there.

I talked with some riders passing through and the message seemed to be the same. Blowing through stop signs is commonplace among the bike riding community. Generally, they say they can see whether traffic is coming and keep on pedaling if there's no cars around. They tell me stopping and starting on a bike is tough because you have to hault or recreate momentum (especially difficult on a slope).

Reps from the Transportation Alliance and riders I spoke with in person all agree the enforcement is a good thing in GENERAL because it helps keep riders paying attention to the road.

4-24-2007

I went to an arraignment today that lasted over an hour (normally they're 15 minutes TOPS), included seven defendants and opened with a private meeting.

During the court hearing, a woman stood before the judge and said: I'm NOT guilty of this crime, but I'll go ahead and PLEAD guilty to make it all just go away.

The seven defendants were part of a brand new program launched throughout the city. All seven defendants were PARENTS of children who were caught out after the city-wide curfew over spring break and, as part of the new system, were cited for failing to supervise a minor.

Leading up to Spring Break, local cops introduced the policy that if kids were out too late, moms and dads would get the citation. The idea is that crimes like theft and vandalism jump when kids are out of school. The cops say they need help from parents in keeping an eye on kids when school is out to keep crime down.

The program didn't go over very well with the folks in court. That first mother I mentioned stood before the judge and said in a tone of exasperation that her teen-age son was staying with relatives at the time while she worked Monday-Saturday from 10PM-7AM. She had NO IDEA he was even out and could not have controlled him even if she did.

Toinette Foster, another mom facing the court, spoke with me after the proceedings and said her 13-year-old son was busted on his first nighttime outing flying solo (without an adult). He was celebrating his birthday when several cops boarded a MAX train on which he was riding. She says he's a good kid, has never been in trouble and thinks the court proceedings were a bit unnecessary for her situation . . . particularly because she didn't receive notice of the curfew until AFTER her son was busted (she points out that some families really do need help with parenting and the program could be an asset for them). When I spoke with her son about whether he felt bad that his mom had to go to court on his behalf . . . he said no.

The parents and kids met with a rep from the DA's office and some parenting class reps before the hearing. That meeting was closed to the press but, from what I could gather, officials discussed the various parenting program options available to the parents and explained the importance of obeying curfew laws.

None of the people cited faced actual jail time (citations only carry fines). All seven were referred to a free parenting program. A second citation carries a seven hundred and twenty dollar fine plus MANDATORY parenting classes.

4-23-2007

**Note: my apologies for the delayed post . . . computer problems**

CR

*********************************************

In an effort to raise awareness about hunger, Governor Ted Kulongoski will be limiting his own food budget to $21.00 for a week and he's challenging average citizens to do the same. The idea is that the average person on food stamps is given 3 dollars a day to feed him or herself and setting a similar budget can help increase one's understanding of what it's like living in poverty.

But do the numbers add up? Based on the 21 dollar figure, the Governor and First Lady would split about 170 bucks for the month. In contrast, we spoke with one man who says he and his wife split well over 200 a month and he recalls friends who have seen over a hundred dollars for themselves in a given month.

I took those questions to Rachel Bristol with the Oregon Food Bank and she says the food stamp program is a supplement based on one's individual financial situation. IT IS NOT designed to be a families' ENTIRE food budget (she adds that stamps have not increased at the rate of inflation so families' get comparatively less help than they used to).

First, the government examines all of your assets (down to the perceived value of your car and any potential stocks or investments). Then, a household is granted a certain level of assistance. For some it may be only $10.00 a week, for others much more. It all depends.

The recipients we spoke with say you have to get creative but you can make it stretch by buying in bulk, preparing meals from scratch and skipping luxuries like prepared meals.

So what will that money actually BUY? On a recent trip to a local Fred Meyer, I was able to put in my cart:

A couple pounds of dry Rice
A couple pounds of dry Beans
Five pounds of Potatoes
A couple pounds of raw Carrots
A couple pounds of Apples
A large canister of Oatmeal (at least a months supply for me personally)
A gallon of Milk
A dozen Eggs
A couple pounds of Ground beef

(** "A couple" meaning at least two pounds, depending on your preferences you could sub in more of one or another)

Some of the items you CANNOT buy on food stamps include booze, tobacco and toiletries.

During this story, the answer to one question in particular caught my attention, though. Throughout the food stamp debate, some people have argued that there should be tighter limits on what you can buy (e.g., Twinkies and potato chips). When I asked about that, Rachel Bristol with the Food Bank said that they've asked that too and recipients have said:

I had to say no to the skateboard. I had to say no to the nice shoes. One thing I CAN say yes to is taking my kids on a picnic with a bag of potato chips.

*****************
As always, if you've got questions about a story or have a tip you'd like me to check out shoot me an e-mail . . . subject: "BLOG"

colby.reade@kxl.com

4-19-2007

I arrived on the scene of a quiet Canby neighborhood today and it looked like a scene out of Die Hard. This average suburban home was COMPLETELY destroyed. Now, in the case of a fire, it's normal to see a broken window or a heavily damaged structure. This was totally different.

The garage was gone, just levelled. The second story had collapsed in most sections. Windows were blown out. The front door was ripped out of it's frame and crumbled on the ground.

This is the scene of an explosion.

About 11:20, Northwest Natural Gas crews were working and called 9-1-1 when they noticed a dangerous level of gas in the home. The fire department arrived to inspect when, about 11:40, the place exploded. One firefighter was literally thrown outside. One was caught inside and suffered some burns. Fire officials told me he was able to walk out under his own power (they took him to the hospital but he should be fine).

Meanwhile, neighbors were, understandably, terrified. One woman who lives three blocks away said she heard a loud bang and felt her house shake . . . she thought it might have been a traffic accident or an earthquake. Then she saw the plume of smoke down the street and ran to offer whatever help she could.

Crews had to evacuate multiple homes in the area to be sure natural gas pockets had cleared. Reportedly no one was seriously hurt but the home is considered a total loss.

4-17-2007

After the shooting at Virginia Tech, I spent some time talking with people on the campus of Portland State about safety policies. One specific rule drew significant attention. Public Safety Officers said that guns are NOT allowed on campus except when carried by law enforcement or the military in commission of their duties. They've even arrested students for carrying weapons or having guns in their dorms.

Here's where the conflict comes up. The law says that aside from private property ( e.g., if I don't want you to have a gun in my business I can forbid you from doing so) individual entities cannot ban firearms. If that's the case, why then can public universities ban guns on campus?

The answer I found is as follows:

The law DOES say it's up to the legislature to ban firearms outside of private property . . . HOWEVER, Oregon has what are called Administrative Rules. OARs are kind of the details behind the laws according to Stephanie Soden with the Department of Justice (incidentally, the Attorney General Hardy Myers cannot comment on this SPECIFIC case because it has not been challenged in court and he has not issued an official opinion). Soden says the legislature can pass a general policy (like an environmental plan) and then leave it up to State agencies to fill in the specifics. Those specifics are the OARs. OARs are not passed unilaterally, they have to be presented publicly and accept comment from the community.

There is an OAR that allows the Oregon University System to prohibit firearms on campus except when carried by law enforcement or the military in the commission of their duties.

But what happens if you ARE caught carrying a gun on campus? Even though the rule says guns are not allowed, Schools STILL have to publicly display that or warn people carrying firearms. Once someone has been formally warned of the prohibition, if they continue to posses a gun on school grounds, then they can be sited for criminal trespass which is a Class A misdemeanor (according to reps with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office).

4-13-2007

Talk about a neighborhood watch. Some passersby helped bring down an armed robber today in North Portland.

About 10:30 this morning we got word of a potential armed robbery at north Killingsworth and Montana (right off of I-5). When I got there, the police had sealed off a 3 block by 3 block perimeter and were actively searching for a potentially armed suspect in the area.

I had a chance to speak with the victim himself, Mr Polo Hernandez. He runs a store on Killingsworth and told me that three masked men burst into his shop that morning waving guns. They robbed him and then took off on foot .... Hernandez says this isn't the FIRST time he's been robbed but this time was particularly terrifying because his family (including young children) were in the building at the time.

As soon as the three thieves ran off, Hernandez chased after them with a club. THIS is where the neighborhood watch comes in. According to police reports . . . Some passers by noticed a man chasing three masked people down the street waving a club ... and they thought it looked SUSPICIOUS. They helped tackle and detain one suspect until cops could arrive.

The other two fled into the nearby neighborhood. Cops grabbed suspect number two shortly after the initial robbery (he was sitting in a vehicle). Suspect number three was a bit more difficult to find.

As I mentioned, I was originally staged at Killingsowrth and Montana but was told there would be a media update at North Jarret and Interstate (two blocks over and two blocks down).

When I got there, Sgt Brian Schmautz updated the situation . . . that they had set up a three block perimeter and were currently going through with K-9 units.

This is where things started to get tense. Officers started converging around this one house on the corner. Dog teams would go in the backyard, then come back out. Officers patrolled with machine guns and rifles at the ready. It was almost eerie the way they focused on that ONE house.

About 12:20 (two hours after this whole thing started), all of a sudden I see two young women walking out of the front door of the house. At FIRST, I didn't think much of it . . . whenever they have a stand off or perimeter search officers tend to evacuate certain residents (especially if there's a chance a suspect could run into their home).

That impression lasted, maybe 30 seconds. Immediately behind these two women walked a young man (late teens or early twenties) . . . with his hands up. Cops surrounded him as soon as he got outside, searched him, cuffed him and pulled him to a squad car.

Suspect number three ... taken into custody without incident (never did find out who the two girls were or IF that was his house or if they knew each other) ... you can see footage of his arrest on KXL.com

4-12-2007

If you were driving between Portland and Vancouver (or vice versa) today between 11 AM and 1 PM, you probably noticed some activity in the water. Thanks to a plug about the size of a large gumball (the kind you buy from a quarter machine at the entrance to a grocery store), a husband and wife almost SANK into the Columbia.

Mike Hryciw (pronounced Hi-ri-shew) and Jean Healy just had their 24-foot Bayliner Classic boat winterized and were taking it out for a quick spin on the water. At the section of river near the I-5 bridge, the engine died.

Then, the boat started taking on water.

Then, it started sinking.

The couple hurriedly called for help, pulled on their life jackets and moved to the front of the ship to balance out the weight. Under the grey skies, they sat on their slowly sinking vessel as it drifted downstream, almost stopping directly under the bridge.

Multnomah County Sheriff's rescue teams were able to catch up to the couple and pull them to safety before pumping the water out of their ship and towing it to shore.

So how did this whole mess happen?

It turns out, a small drainage plug was not replaced after the couple finished their winterizing. That plug allowed a steady flow of water into the engine killing it. Then, more water poured in flooding the motor compartment.

I had the chance to speak with the twosome after they reached the dock. They admit the day was pretty creepy and not what they were hoping for, but everyones fine ... they're extremely grateful to the Multnomah County Sheriff's office. No word on damage to the boat.

4-12-2007

I had an experience today that was kind of like one of those sitcom episodes where they bring back a bunch of old characters for one big extravaganza.

There's a press event scheduled for 3 PM at the Federal Courthouse . . . and as I'm sitting there waiting, I see Bob Jordan and Beth Anne Steele with the FBI . . .

Then I see Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer, Sgt Brian Schmautz and Cathe Kent walk in . . .

Then Gresham Chief Carla Piluso . . .

Vancouver's new Chief Clifford Cook . . .

Sgt Paul Wandell with Beaverton police . . .

Lt. Jason Gates with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office . . .

I mean, it's typical to see one or two of these guys at the same event but we are talking major players from almost EVERY division of law enforcement within a 20 mile radius. It was like an All Star game for cops. A CLEAR sign that this was more than your typical announcement.

It turns out an anonymous tip led to a year and half long investigation ... and produced NINE indictments today in a gang-related drug-ring that crossed into EVERY nook and cranny of Portland. The suspects:

Reveriano Morales Mendoza AKA "Vato Loco"
Ivan Hernandez Perez
Diangelo Dupre Harris AKA "D"
John Frederick Edwards Jr AKA "Bookman"
Theron Daron Miller AKA "Ghost"
Patricia Ann Anderson AKA "Trish"
William Louis Taylor AKA "Uncle Will"
Johnny Ray Brown AKA "Booya"
Tyron Walker James AKA "Ty"

Harris ALONE is believed to have moved 2 Kilos of Cocaine a month (street value of$5-600 an ounce . . . HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars a month). Mendoza and Perez are Mexican nationals believed to be here illegally. Also, Harris, Miller and Brown are believed to be gang associates.

All those listed are facing AT LEAST five years behind bars ... some are facing ADDITIONAL charges for possessing weapons.

The officials are keeping things pretty quiet in terms of specifics about the investigation and don't know WHERE the drugs came from.

During the event, Chief Sizer said this ring isn't completely broken up, but it's severely disrupted. Gresham Chief Carla Piluso says they can't be sure, but there is a significant likelihood that this bust ties into the bust announced earlier this week (check my archive for more).

4-10-2007

It's not every day you see a few dozen balloons of Heroin and $20,000 cash in small bills.

I did today.

Gresham's had a rising drug problem in recent years but officers feel they put a dent in it with a big bust. It started a few weeks back when an officer executing a traffic stop discovered balloons of heroin in the car. Investigators followed the trail to 26 year old Jaime Venezuela-Pena, the man believed to be at the top of a drug ring.

As the search continued, Venezuela-Pena's cell phone was seized and officers used it to intercept five MORE people in the process of buying drugs. In total, three men on Immigrations and Customs Enforcement holds are facing charges, five are waiting to hear back from a grand jury in terms of potential charges.

Mean time, Police Chief Carla Piluso says they believe this operation is responsible for 14,000 balloons of Heroin a week (the average addict requires 1-2 a day at $15-20 a piece). The results of the seizure were put on display at Police Headquarters (you can see video on KXL.com)

More arrests could be on the way.

4-10-2007

Sit and wait. That's all Kristen Thorsen could do for almost three hours this evening. Heather Stevens was in the same boat. Both are parents of young children at Cedar Hogan's Elementary and were stuck waiting and feeling border-line helpless as their kids' school stayed in lock down until almost 5 PM.

Midway through the afternoon (around 2 or 2:30), a 15-year-old male shot out one of the windows in Springwater Trail High School next door ... then took off, leaving his weapon behind.

Shannon Roland, a freshman in class next door to the room that was shot at, described it as a loud boom . . . she thought it was one of the science experiments down the hall. (Later a friend showed her the softball sized hole in the window from the gun shot).

No one was SERIOUSLY hurt in the shooting, but a few students had cuts from the broken glass.

After ditching his weapon, the shooter then, reportedly, went to his parents before coming forward. He was taken into custody for questioning.

Now, NORMALLY getting a suspect means the end of lock down. But because this guy dropped his weapon in a sizable field near the two schools, police in HEAVY uniform had to search every inch of the field to find the weapon and make sure no accomplices were in the area.

While the search persisted into the 4 PM range, the crowds of parents hoping to pick up their kids grew. Some broke down in tears, terrified that something like this could happen in their town or that their child might be in danger.

Others became agitated as mixed messages and rumors began to swirl (one woman loudly proclaimed her student had called on her cell phone saying there had been a bomb threat ... Sgt Teddi Anderson with Gresham Police was able to quickly reassure everyone that no such threat had ever been received).

Finally, just before 5 PM, small groups of students were escorted out by the police. Mothers and fathers greeted kids with giant hugs as they walked across the street, grateful that everyone was OK. Kids nervously laughed with their parents, many of them visibly shaking after the events of the day.

At this point there's no word on what consequences the shooter faces.

4-9-2007

Willamina High School is hoping to cash in on the recent poker craze. Some senior year students are organizing a no limit Texas Hold Em tournament as a fundraiser. For a 25 dollar entry fee, students (18 years and older) get a chance to walk away with a brand new X-Box video game system.

But not everybody is thrilled with the idea. Local community member Robert Browning saw some of the fliers for the event. We chatted about them and he says the whole idea is a bit disconcerting for him. Specifically he worries about whether the school is condoning or encouraging gambling ... particularly when you realize that the Spirit Mountain Casino is only 12 minutes away (thank you map quest).

So, I took those concerns to the source. School Principal Tim France was not interested in doing a taped interview with me, but over the phone he did address some of Browning's concerns. According to France, the school is rigorously following regulations set forth by the Department of Justice. Additionally, France says this is an opportunity for students to gain experience planning large scale events.

After chatting with the Principal I checked in with the Department of Justice. Victoria Cox with the DOJ says they do approve permits for charitable groups to run "Monte Carlo Nights" but she doesn't believe there's a correlation to gambling. She points to the plethora of gaming opportunities in Oregon (casinos and the lottery). She says if people want to gamble, they'll gamble but they come to these events to support a cause.

She adds that some charitable groups CAN get in trouble for running a Monte Carlo night without permission from the DOJ or having the proper permits. France insists his students are following DOJ requirements to the letter.

WHS' tournament is scheduled for next week.

4-9-2007

A few weeks back, I reported on a case of Tuberculosis at Stream.com ... a Beaverton computer company (check my archives for March and the piece titled "TB Hits Beaverton").

I've been in contact with Dr. Gary Oxman (county health officer) and he is now able to confirm that 12 MORE cases of TB infection have been found at Stream (69 total tests were administered).

TB Disease and TB Infection are two very different animals. You get the infection first and 90% of people never even show symptoms. Oxman says they would NOT know they were infected had they not been tested. You also CANNOT SPREAD TB if you are merely infected, it has to be the full blown disease in order to spread.

When the infection changes to the disease, it is not fatal (you have symptoms like a bad cough for an extended period of time) and can be treated.

Dr. Oxman says the health department is providing 9-month anti biotic treatment to everyone infected. He says those treatments drop the likelihood of developing TB Disease to 2%. And, if you DO contract the disease, it can be treated successfully (Oxman says it is incredibly rare for someone to die from TB in the United States).

In the mean time, more tests will be administered at Stream to determine if there are other cases of infection.

Oxman also stresses that the people at Stream have been very co-operative throughout the process. We should know in May if additional cases are developing or if the spread has been stopped.

4-6-2007

Hunting for Easter Eggs is a major tradition for many families ... but what if someone in your family is visually impaired and struggles to see the pastel prizes?

Qwest and Bell System have the solution. In what may be one of the coolest ideas this reporter has seen in a LONG time, volunteers from the two companies are holding an Easter Egg Hunt for the visually impaired featuring ... BEEPING eggs.

The plastic eggs act just like a pager ... bright blue or bright pink eggs (about the size of a softball) that BEEP loudly. They're even as FRAGILE as real eggs (6 of the 50 eggs were damaged in shipping).

Volunteers place the eggs in a field surrounded by toys, candy and stuffed animals (the goodies make up the nest and the egg is in the center of said nest). Kids are divided up by age and partnered with one of their brothers or sisters or friends. The beepers are turned on and each kid gets to seek out his or her pile of treats.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Rita Dagget who helped organize the whole thing. She's spent DAYS shopping for mountains of prizes and stuffing smaller plastic eggs with goodies (she's also been dying HUNDREDS of real eggs . . . the event includes a hunt for all the brothers and sisters there to help out). Her garage is literally overflowing with Eastery stuff.

For her, all the work is worth it in order to make sure these kids, who face special obstacles everyday, get to have the same holiday joys as everyone else.

This year's hunt is at the Da Vinci Art school on North East Everett.

4-6-2007

In the past few days, I've received several posts on this blog regarding the recent TB scare at Stream.com and the likelihood that many more employees have tested positive.

I am continuing to pursue this story and would very much like to speak with anyone working for that company who can provide updated information.

PLEASE e-mail me at: colby.reade@kxl.com or call our news tip line 888-750-NEWS (888-750-6397) if you have ANY information on this. If you wish to remain anonymous, that's OK.

The Sheriff in Washington County is standing by his deputies in a shooting back in September. Reports are, 18-year-old Lukus Glenn (a student at Tigard High) was drunk and violent when officers arrived on the scene. He had broken in windows and a door and was wielding a knife. His parents (reportedly) felt safe as long as Glenn was NOT in the house.

Officers tried to talk to Glenn and fired six bean bag rounds (hitting him five times) trying to subdue him. Glenn did NOT stop and instead ran for the door to his parents house.

At that point, deputies fired, killing him.

The Sheriff's report backs up findings already released by the District Attorney that says Deputies did everything in their power to end the situation peacefully including opening a dialogue, demanding 50+ times that Glenn drop the weapon and accessing less-lethal munitions.

The Glenn family disagrees with the findings. Their attorney says facts have changed through the investigation including the location of deputies. They may file a law suit over the incident.

**Note: Deputies tell me that the typical reaction to being hit once with a bean bag is collapse. The only time an individual is known to continue after being struck is if he or she can completely block out the intense pain (often aided by substances like alcohol or narcotics). Not to imply that such was the case here, simply passing on what deputies said.

4-5-2007

Can the city of Portland save 10-15 MILLION dollars a year, just by making things run more efficiently. Depends on who you ask.

At a luncheon Thursday, I talked with Portland Mayor Tom Potter about a report that was released in February of 2006 by the Hackett group. In that report, SEVERAL inefficiencies are identified (things like one department using multiple computer systems to do the same job or multiple bureaus having separate employees to do the same job).

Mayor Potter says we can streamline all of those inefficiencies by moving the city through Charter Reform, pushing Portland to a "Strong Mayor" format as opposed to a "Commissioner Based" structure. (Side Note: The Mayor has been pushing for Charter Reform for a while).

None of the City Commissioners returned my requests for comment on the issue, however I did get a chance to speak with Chris Smith. He co-Chairs the Committee for Accountable City Government and says The Mayor may be right in SOME sense, but not overall. According to Smith, moving to the Strong Mayor format may save money in some ways, but will introduce NEW costs making the whole thing, basically a wash. (Smith cites other cities that have made the switch having costs in the seven-figure range).

The Voters will get the final say on this debate. Four Ballot Measures are up for the May Election in Portland (measure 89-92). You can get more information on the following links:

www.reformcityhall.com
http://www.toomuchpower.org/

**NOTE** I am sure there are more links on this issue (for both sides) . . . those are the only two I have right now . . . if you have more PLEASE e-mail them to me and I'll post ( colby.reade@kxl.com)

4-4-2007

Members of Law Enforcement protect lives everyday. They subdue the violent, they detain the thief and they disarm the armed. But one deputy out of Clackamas County did more this week than merely "protect and serve" . . . he saved a life.

40-year-old Joel Manley donated one of his fully-functional kidneys to his older brother, 41-year-old Jeff Manley.

About six months ago, both of Jeff's kidneys gave out. The 8-year veteran as a deputy with a focus in the corrections field had to go on dialysis or face death.

Manley says his younger brother took the blow, not as a medical issue facing one person, but as an obstacle for the entire family to address. After doctors determined that Joel's kidney was a perfect match for his brother, a transplant was planned.

From his hospital bed, Jeff says he spoke several times with his brother about the procedure and that he didn't want him to feel obligated to undergo the potential risks of the surgery.

Joel replied it was an honor to do this.

The surgery took place Monday and both brothers are doing fine . . . they should be released in a few days. Jeff should be fully recovered in three months and plans to RETURN to his job in the corrections department. Joel's recovery should only take six weeks.

4-3-2007

Visualize with me for a second. Think back to eight days ago. What were you doing? On your way to work? Making dinner? Imagine if you were standing on the battlefield over seas. According to representatives with the Oregon National Guard, soldiers returning from battle are granted eight days of demobilization training before returning to civilian life.

When a soldier first signs up, he or she is given 120 days of training before heading out onto the battlefield.

At a meeting today, Senator Ron Wyden put it bluntly: Our soldiers go from holding a gun to holding their children in eight days. It's a switch that can be jarring to say the least. Wyden met with Governor Ted Kulongoski and several local families of National Guard soldiers to talk about the transition from Civilian to Soldier and back . . . what hardships they face emotionally, physically and economically ... and what the government can do to help them ease the shift.

Family members talked about struggles finding health care and coping with the intense emotions that come with sending a loved one off. The two elected leaders (Wyden fresh off of a day of traveling around the state and Kulongoski back from a trip to the Gulf Coast) sat engaged with the families for quite a while, taking in their feedback and kicking around ideas to better serve our soldiers.

4-3-2007

Over the weekend, a little girl was riding her bike in Vancouver. She was hit by a vehicle and killed. She was not wearing a helmet.

The city of Vancouver does NOT have a bike helmet law on the books.

I had the opportunity to chat with Mayor Royce Pollard about the subject and why it is that a city as large as Vancouver doesn't have such a rule in place.

While he is fuzzy on the details, (and currently reviewing records from the time to refresh the city council's memory) Pollard tells me the city DID try to pass an ordinance about ten years ago but it ran into opposition from adults. According to his recollection, the original ordinance called for EVERYONE to wear helmets (adults and kids) and some adults were not in favor of being required to wear them. As a result, when the city turned to the county for input, the proposition failed.

Following this weekend's incident (and an incident in July where a seven-year-old boy was hit on his bike without a helmet) Pollard is pushing the city council to pass SOME law requiring helmets. Specifically, he wants to see kids required to wear helmets, musing that "if adults want to be stupid that's their choice" but kids need protection.

At this point, there's no time line for a law. Pollard asked the council to review records from the ORIGINAL proposal ten years ago and figure out WHAT worked and what didn't. They'll then turn to the community and find out what type of law the citizens would feel comfortable with. Then, talks start with the county (Pollard points out that on some streets in Vancouver, one sidewalk is city property and one side is county so co-operation is key). It could be months before a resolution is reached.

In the meantime, Pollard points out that, law or no law, Vancouver HAS been promoting bike safety for years, handing out free helmets and helmet-sizings. And, if a child wishes to participate in the "Ride with the Mayor" bike ride, they HAVE to be wearing a helmet.

** Side note: KXL Fire and Safety expert Karen Eubanks says bike helmets are so effective because head injuries that come from cycling accidents are actually BRAIN injuries. The helmet acts as a protective layer for your brain. Wearing a helmet reduces your chance of a brain injury by as much as 88%.

3-30-2007

By now I'm willing to bet you are familiar with the case of Chester Yeom. A few weeks ago, Yeom offered to help out a church friend by covering for a few hours at the Belmont Market. During those few hours, someone burst into the store, robbed the place and then shot Yeom. The bullet lodged in his spinal column leaving him paralyzed and unable to speak audibly.

Since then, officers arrested James Kashi in the crime ... he appeared, briefly, in court on Friday facing several charges including robbery and attempted murder. Kashi pleaded not guilty and will now face a courtroom once more in late April for a formal trial.

After the proceedings were concluded, I spent some time visiting with members of the community who have been helping the family.

In the US Bankcorp Tower (where the Yeom family restaurant "Plaza Teriyaki" resides on the ground floor) fellow store owners feel like a permanent cloud has moved into the area. They say the building is like a big family and the tragic incident has touched every one there.

Meanwhile, in the Belmont neighborhood, people are trying to move forward in a positive way. Most store counters have identical white boxes featuring a picture of Yeom before the shooting and request any financial help one can offer. Clerks are not concerned of another shooting, claiming the incident in early March that paralyzed Yeom was random and insist they live in a safe, friendly neighborhood.

Finally, the Yeom family does their best to cope with the circumstances. I had a chance to talk with Tiffany Yeom (Chester Yeom's wife) as well as Dave Kim (his close friend for decades). While Yeom struggles to speak, Kim says his buddy continues to fight thanks to his religious beliefs and his faith (actually going so far as to shoo visiting family members away when it is time for church).

Tiffany Yeom's biggest concern is making sure this type of violence never happens to anyone again. Even with word that police have a suspect in custody, she says she has no anger.

Kim says the families medical bills are skyrocketing every day. Yeom remains in ICU though they hope to move him to a general hospital room soon. After that, he will have to live in a special care facility (most likely for the rest of his life). While no dollar figure has been confirmed, Kim expects his friends medical expenses to easily exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Donations to the family can be made through any US Bank.

3-31-2007

Call it "Back to the Future" meets "Toy Story" .... the latest offering by Disney and Pixar is pretty impressive.

The 90-minute animated film follows the adventures of Lewis, a young orphan, who must travel to the future in order to . . . . well I will just stop there lest I spoil the plot. What I CAN tell you, is this is one of those films that successfully blends humor geared towards adults and children making it an enjoyable choice for families. It has it's moments when it gets a little TOO silly (there's a ten-minute section in the middle where they almost lost me . . . trust me, when you see the film you'll know to what I refer) but the ending makes it all worth it.

As an added bonus, the film OPENS with one of the Disney classic cartoons starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy that ties into the message of the film at the end (it's kind of heavy on the symbolism side . . . shoot me an e-mail at colby.reade@kxl.com if you miss it). But even outside the symbolism, the humorous blast from the past adds an extra spice to the movie.

Definitely worth the ticket price to go see in theatres (especially if you have kids between 5-12 . . . the message behind the plot is one every child should hear loud and clear every day of the week).