Search Results

New Veteran Recovery Shelter to Open Do Good Multnomah has purchased the former Kenton Motel, located on North Interstate Avenue, to serve as a shelter for veterans in recovery from substance use disorders. (Photo courtesy of Multnomah County) Do Good Multnomah has purchased a former North Portland hotel with plans to open a 17-bed recovery shelter to better serve veterans experiencing homelessness. With the help of a Multnomah County loan, Do Good Multnomah was able to buy the Kenton Hotel on North Interstate Avenue to serve as a recovery shelter for veterans. The facility, which is planned to open in late 2025, will prioritize creating a supportive space for veterans who are currently in recovery from substance use disorders or are wanting to begin their recovery journey. The program will be called The Thayer Family Foundation Veterans Shelter, named for a local charitable foundation focused on veteran projects who donated funds to support the purchase. The project fills a gap identified by Do Good Multnomah staff and shelter participants, who have expressed a need for a shelter designed to support veterans who are both experiencing homelessness and recovering from substance use disorders. “There isn't anything like this out there right now," said Matthew Harvey, U.S. Navy veteran and a Do Good Multnomah case manager, who has himself previously experienced homelessness in multiple states. "Recovery beds are very few and far between. Having a recovery community, especially one that’s veteran-centered, is something that would have changed everything for me when I was going through my struggles. We’re building a space that's been so needed and the Do Good community has been ready for." “Veterans experiencing homelessness deserve a shelter that meets their needs for support and recovery. We're excited Do Good is making this vision a reality,” Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said. “This place will transform lives — providing a safe place for veterans to find stability and hope, alongside peers who truly understand what they’re going through.” The shelter will be open 24/7 for participants and offer structured, clean and sober programming and support, helping each participant build the skills and community connections needed to succeed in stable housing.  The shelter will be staffed with a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, along with peer wellness specialists and recovery mentors. Do Good Multnomah will provide a range of services directly on-site, including case management to help participants meet their individual goals, such as accessing health care and obtaining necessary documents for housing applications like identification cards, Social Security cards, and birth certificates. The organization will also offer support and expertise to assist participants in working toward permanent housing goals, including help with applications and connections to resources. Additionally, there will be a food pantry, a pet supply pantry, and a clothing closet available to participants, along with daily dinners provided on-site. Free transportation to all external appointments will be available through TriMet or Lyft, ensuring participants can attend necessary meetings and services. Do Good Multnomah will also offer connections to services provided by partner organizations to further support participants on their path to stability and housing. "This project is so much more than putting a Band-Aid on veteran homelessness,’’ said Harvey. “We're creating a place that will change somebody's life immensely.’’

Partnership brings dance to Portland kids Albina Head Start students exploring creative movement on a field trip to OBT Studios (Photo Courtesy of Oregon Ballet Theatre) Oregon Ballet Theatre has introduced classrooms of excited and inquisitive preschool students from Albina Head Start to the world of dance for the past 35 years. This partnership has provided and will continue to provide an invaluable bridge between a diverse group of students and the art form of ballet. Through dance sessions in their classrooms, field trips to the OBT studios, and no-cost tickets to George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, OBT and AHS have been committed to inspiring a love of movement within students for decades.   The initial connection between OBT and AHS was made by Joe Wyatt, former OBT Principal dancer and the first Director of OBT School. He and his late wife Elena Carter came to Portland after dancing with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, a company dedicated to giving Black dancers opportunities to perform. “I always want to find a way to continue the legacy of Dance Theatre of Harlem and develop opportunities for dancers of color. That was when I thought of teaming up with Ron Herndon, head of the Albina Ministerial Alliance, to have preschoolers in their Head Start program exposed to creative movement,” Wyatt said. “With $1,000 from the school budget, the goal was to send teachers from OBT School to one of their centers and introduce preschoolers to dance. With support from OBT’s board and local companies, the program expanded over time. One outstanding teacher, Kasandra Gruener, took over the program and took it to new heights.” Kasandra, who was with OBT from 1992-2020 says “As Oregon Ballet Theatre looks back on 35 years of offering multi-faceted ballet experiences to our broad community both onstage and off, I reflect on the many unique and worthy partnerships that have been forged. There is one partnership that I hold especially dear to my heart, for we have sustained and grown our work together since OBT’s earliest years. That partnership is with Albina Head Start.”   Albina Head Start is dedicated to providing child development and family support services to low-income families. Through their partnership with OBT, Albina has also made arts education accessible, recognizing the importance of movement for young students. It is the hope of both organizations that students may recognize dance as a joyful activity, a means to explore other topics, and as an opportunity for them to continue to pursue in the future, whether as a hobby or a profession.   “OBT is a wonderful partnership for Albina,” shared Ann Obuhoro Site Coordinator and 34-year employee of Albina Head Start. “When we first started the partnership with OBT, Kasandra was one of the first teachers. She brought so much knowledge not only to the children and families, but she also inspired me and other teachers to gain a better understanding of what ballet was all about.” Obuhoro continues, “She encouraged and inspired so many children and staff from Albina over the years. Albina is so fortunate to continue our partnership with OBT.”   “It is hard to describe the awe and impact this program has on the children and their families. Otherwise boisterous, the children sit speechless, raptly watching the rigor, skill and focus of the company dancers at work when they visit OBT. Everyone - kiddos, AHS teachers, family chaperones and OBT dancers are smiling,” said Gruener. “The power of this partnership builds more than a love of ballet. The welcoming nature of it blurs the notion of ballet for an elite group only. It presents a physical example of what can happen when one focuses and perseveres at a very difficult task.”   These field trips leave a lasting impression on young students. Weeks after a studio visit, one child reflected on what they learned during their visit to OBT. She said, “I am a dancer, I saw dancers, and I can be a dancer.”   “And that pretty much sums up everything we’re trying to do!” says current OBT Director of Education and Community Engagement, Robyn Ulibarri.   “I hope that our AHS/OBT partnership continues in the way it always has, with support, respect for what we each do and of course love, shares Sarah Brown, OBT Community Partnership Specialist. “I hope that any AHS student who wants to continue dancing has the support and opportunity, and those students that don’t wish to continue have happy memories of dancing together.”   This program is the product of many teachers, support staff, administrators, and Teaching Artists’ belief in the power of movement. OBT is thrilled to celebrate the 35th anniversary of this partnership with Albina Head Start and is excited about future anniversaries to come.

Sen. Jeff Merkley says he’s running for reelection Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., speaks during a transgender rights rally at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana,File) (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon said Thursday that he will run for reelection next year to seek a fourth term in Congress. In a statement, the 68-year-old denounced the Trump administration and described efforts to stand against growing threats to democracy as “the fight of our lives, and I’m not backing down.” “This is a dark and dangerous time for our democracy, and the only way through it is together,” he said. Merkley is the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Budget Committee. His most recent reelection to the Senate was in 2020, with nearly 57% of the vote. Merkley has served in Congress since 2009. Before that, he served roughly a decade in the Oregon House of Representatives. Oregon’s other Democratic senator, Ron Wyden, isn’t up for reelection until 2028.

Doors Reopen to Updated Space Exterior of Kenton Library; photo courtesy of Multnomah County Library Kenton Library is reopened to the public on July 9, 2025, welcoming patrons into an engaging, updated library space. The work at Kenton is a continuation of the Refresh projects, providing smaller but still important upgrades to 11 libraries. Kenton Library closed to the public on February 21, 2025 to undertake these bond-funded improvements.  Multnomah County Library is building, expanding and renovating library spaces for the public as a result of the voter-approved 2020 Library building bond. This year, the library system is seeing a dramatic reinvention by building and expanding five libraries and a series of Refresh projects to libraries across the system. This includes Albina Library, which is reopened as a larger, transformed space on Saturday, July 19.  New features at Kenton include improved shelf heights to create more space for people and better sight lines, along with an inviting children’s area featuring new, movable furniture such as soft seating and fun animal chairs. The updated teen area offers plush seating, study tables, lounge chairs, and reading chairs with and without arms, while the adult area now includes comfortable reading room chairs and new lounge chairs. A SmartShelf from Lyngsoe, arriving in August 2025, will allow materials to be easily checked in when placed on any shelf. The new Tech Bar provides space for patrons to use the copy machine, scanner, and computers while freeing up other areas for reading, sitting, and charging devices. Additionally, Kenton now features new, lightweight meeting room chairs and tables, along with fresh paint and new carpet to create an updated, inviting experience for all visitors.

Expansion WNBA team brings back the original Portland Fire name WNBA Expansion Portland Basketball AP- Oregon's WNBA team stepped back in time for its new name, reintroducing the Portland Fire. The expansion franchise, which begins play next next season along with the Toronto Tempo, announced its name and branding on Tuesday — reviving the moniker of the city's previous WNBA team that played from 2000 to 2002. “Our feeling is that the fire never died,” interim Fire president Clare Hamill said. “Fans have been waiting for us to come back, and we're back with the Portland Fire.” In addition to the name, the team has a new “Rose on Fire” logo and a color palette of red, brown, blue and pink. Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft who died in 2018, was chairman of the original Fire and the two teams played at the Rose Garden, now the Moda Center. The NBA owned the WNBA teams until 2002, then sold them to affiliated NBA teams or independent owners. Allen declined to buy the Fire and the team folded. Portland was awarded a new WNBA team last September. The team is run by Raj Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who also own the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League. They paid $125 million for the WNBA franchise. The Fire and the Thorns will share a new joint-training facility in the first such partnership between the two women's leagues. The Fire already have sold more than 11,000 season ticket deposits, surpassing the WNBA's previous best. The team will play at the Moda Center, where the original Fire averaged some 8,000 fans a game. But the launch of the team hasn't been smooth. Indications that the team planned to return to the Fire name were previously revealed when a local publication, the Rose Garden Report, published the team's trademark application. The team's president, Inky Son, parted ways with the team late last month after less than three months on the job. Son was announced as the first employee of the team in early April, tasked with leading all aspects of the business, including marketing, ticket and sponsorship sales, and community relations. The Toronto Tempo, meanwhile, are further along in the process, announcing a team name back in December and hiring a general manager earlier this year. Hamill, a former Nike executive, took over for Son until a permanent president can be found. She said the launch of the team’s name and logo is just a slice of what the team is activating in the coming weeks. The Fire's website also went live on Tuesday. We're pointing everybody to the launch and the pace at which we're moving, and just giving everyone confidence that we have our arms around it,” Hamill said. “We're moving fast, and you're going to hear from us a lot." The team celebrated the launch of the name and logo at a community party outside the Moda Center on Tuesday. Several hundred fans, including former WNBA players Olympia Scott and Lindsey Yamasaki, were in attendance. “This is amazing. Look, the city showed up,” said Karina LeBlanc, the Fire's executive vice president of strategic growth development. “This is the global epicenter of women's sports for a reason, because our fan base and our community show up with a fire within them that's different from anywhere else.”

Returning with a 3-year deal worth $42 million reportedly Damian Lillard AP- Lillard signed a three-year deal worth $42 million to return to the Portland Trail Blazers, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been officially announced. ESPN first reported the deal. Lillard, 35, was the sixth pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Trail Blazers and spent 11 seasons with Portland before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks just before the 2023-24 season. However, it might not be Lillard Time in Portland just yet for the player known for pointing at his wrist after sinking key shots. Lillard tore his left  Achilles tendon  during a first-round NBA playoff series against the Indiana Pacers and required surgery, meaning he could miss the entire 2025-26 season. The Bucks had waived him earlier this month and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract over five years. Lillard ranked 10th in the league in scoring (24.9) and assists (7.1) this season while earning his ninth All-Star Game selection. But he played only 58 games because of deep vein thrombosis. Lillard confirmed the deal,  posting a video to his Instagram  of the Trail Blazers’ locker room, ending with a frame of a locker labeled with his name, followed by the words “Together Again.” He wrote ”RipCityyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!” Lillard averaged 32.2 points his final season in Portland. He became just the seventh player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game when he finished with 71 against the Houston Rockets that season. But Portland won only four playoff series during Lillard’s tenure, getting to the Western Conference finals once. Lillard was beloved in Portland and always insisted there are no hard feelings over his separation with the Blazers. He wanted to try and chase a championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, while Portland was focused on developing young talent, like Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Lillard, who has a signature shoe deal with Adidas, hinted during an event at the company’s North American headquarters in 2024 that someday he might be willing to return to the Trail Blazers. Lillard holds Portland records for points (19,376) and 3-pointers (2,387). He’s the only Trail Blazers player to score 70 or more points in a game. He had five games of 60 or more points with Portland. For his career, Lillard averaged 25.1 points and 6.7 assists. He was the 2013 Rookie of the Year and was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team in 2021. He won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Records sealed since 1977 now released by court order The Trump administration has released records of the FBI’s surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr., despite opposition from the slain Nobel laureate’s family and the civil rights group that he led until his 1968 assassination (AP Photo/File) (AP) The Trump administration on Monday released records of the FBI’s surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr., despite opposition from the slain Nobel laureate’s family and the civil rights group that he led until his 1968 assassination. The digital document dump includes more than 240,000 pages of records that had been under a court-imposed seal since 1977, when the FBI first gathered the records and turned them over to the National Archives and Records Administration. In a lengthy statement released Monday, King’s two living children, Martin III, 67, and Bernice, 62, said their father’s killing has been a “captivating public curiosity for decades.” But the pair emphasized the personal nature of the matter and urged that the files “be viewed within their full historical context.” The Kings got advance access to the records and had their own teams reviewing them. Those efforts continued even as the government granted public access. Among the documents are leads the FBI received after King’s assassination and details of the CIA’s fixation on King’s pivot to international anti-war and anti-poverty movements in the years before he was killed. It was not immediately clear whether the documents shed new light on King’s life, the Civil Rights Movement or his murder. “As the children of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, his tragic death has been an intensely personal grief — a devastating loss for his wife, children, and the granddaughter he never met -- an absence our family has endured for over 57 years,” they wrote. “We ask those who engage with the release of these files to do so with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s continuing grief.” They also repeated the family’s long-held contention that James Earl Ray, the man convicted of assassinating King, was not solely responsible, if at all. Bernice King was 5 years old when her father was killed at the age of 39. Martin III was 10. A statement from the office of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called the disclosure “unprecedented” and said many of the records had been digitized for the first time. She praised President Donald Trump for pushing the issue. Trump promised as a candidate to release files related to President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination. When Trump took office in January, he signed an executive order to declassify the JFK records, along with those associated with Robert F. Kennedy’s and MLK’s 1968 assassinations. The government unsealed the JFK records in March and disclosed some RFK files in April. The announcement from Gabbard’s office included a statement from Alveda King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece, who is an outspoken conservative and has broken from King’s children on various topics — including the FBI files. Alveda King said she was “grateful to President Trump” for his “transparency.” Separately, Attorney General Pam Bondi’s social media account featured a picture of the attorney general with Alveda King. Besides fulfilling Trump’s order, the latest release means another alternative headline for the president as he tries to mollify supporters angry over his administration’s handling of records concerning the sex trafficking investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself behind bars while awaiting trial in 2019, during Trump’s first presidency. Trump last Friday ordered the Justice Department to release grand jury testimony but stopped short of unsealing the entire case file. Bernice King and Martin Luther King III did not mention Trump in their statement Monday. But Bernice King later posted on her personal Instagram account a black-and-white photo of her father, looking annoyed, with the caption “Now, do the Epstein files.” And some civil rights activists did not spare the president. “Trump releasing the MLK assassination files is not about transparency or justice,” said the Rev. Al Sharpton. “It’s a desperate attempt to distract people from the firestorm engulfing Trump over the Epstein files and the public unraveling of his credibility among the MAGA base.” The King Center, founded by King’s widow and now led by Bernice King, reacted separately from what Bernice said jointly with her brother. The King Center statement framed the release as a distraction — but from more than short-term political controversy. “It is unfortunate and ill-timed, given the myriad of pressing issues and injustices affecting the United States and the global society,” the King Center, linking those challenges to MLK’s efforts. “This righteous work should be our collective response to renewed attention on the assassination of a great purveyor of true peace.” The King records were initially intended to be sealed until 2027, until Justice Department attorneys asked a federal judge to lift the sealing order early. Scholars, history buffs and journalists have been preparing to study the documents for new information about his assassination on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which King co-founded in 1957 as the Civil Rights Movement blossomed, opposed the release. The group, along with King’s family, argued that the FBI illegally surveilled King and other civil rights figures, hoping to discredit them and their movement. It has long been established that then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was intensely interested if not obsessed with King and others he considered radicals. FBI records released previously show how Hoover’s bureau wiretapped King’s telephone lines, bugged his hotel rooms and used informants to gather information, including evidence of King’s extramarital affairs. “He was relentlessly targeted by an invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing disinformation and surveillance campaign orchestrated by J. Edgar Hoover through the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the King children said in their statement. “The intent ... was not only to monitor, but to discredit, dismantle and destroy Dr. King’s reputation and the broader American Civil Rights Movement,” they continued. “These actions were not only invasions of privacy, but intentional assaults on the truth — undermining the dignity and freedoms of private citizens who fought for justice, designed to neutralize those who dared to challenge the status quo.” The Kings said they “support transparency and historical accountability” but “object to any attacks on our father’s legacy or attempts to weaponize it to spread falsehoods.”died Opposition to King intensified even after the Civil Rights Movement compelled Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson to enact the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After those victories, King turned his attention to economic justice and international peace. He criticized rapacious capitalism and the Vietnam War. King asserted that political rights alone were not enough to ensure a just society. Many establishment figures like Hoover viewed King as a communist threat. King was assassinated as he was aiding striking sanitation workers in Memphis, part of his explicit turn toward economic justice. Ray pleaded guilty to King’s murder. Ray later renounced that plea and maintained his innocence until his death in 1998. King family members and others have long questioned whether Ray acted alone, or if he was even involved. Coretta Scott King asked for the probe to be reopened, and in 1998, then-Attorney General Janet Reno ordered a new look. Reno’s Justice Department said it “found nothing to disturb the 1969 judicial determination that James Earl Ray murdered Dr. King.” In their latest statement, Bernice King and Martin Luther King III repeated their assertions that Ray was set up. They pointed to a 1999 civil case, brought by the King family, in which a Memphis jury concluded that Martin Luther King Jr. had been the target of a conspiracy. “As we review these newly released files,” the Kings said, “we will assess whether they offer additional insights beyond the findings our family has already accepted.”

One person died at the scene and three were rescued from the river Photo provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office shows search and rescue teams on the Deschutes River about 10 minutes from Bend, Oregon. Oregon authorities on Monday confirmed a second death following a  fatal waterfall accident  as search and rescue operations continued for the one person who remains missing. Search and rescue divers found the body of a second victim Monday morning, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The two confirmed deaths are both females, while the person still unaccounted for is male. The accident happened Saturday afternoon when a group was swept over Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River, about 10 miles from Bend. One person died at the scene and three were rescued from the river. Divers, boats, drones and dogs were deployed Monday as part of search operations for the missing on the river, said Jason Carr, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. He noted the unlikelihood of surviving the 15-foot (5-meter) falls and rapids. “The whitewater lasts for a pretty decent stretch. So, this isn’t just like, ‘oh, it’s a quick falls and it’s over,’” Carr said, noting the cold temperature and rocks in the swift water. “It’s a pretty lengthy cascade of rushing water.” Detectives were working to determine how the group was swept over the falls and how those rescued were able to survive. “The presumption is that the three to survive did not go through the falls because the chances of them living through that are almost slim to none,” Carr said. The body located Monday was found below the falls, the sheriff’s office said. The group was floating down the river but the type of flotation devices they were using have not been confirmed, Carr said. People recreating on that area of the river normally exit at the Dillon Falls day use area, as the waterfall is just around the bend, Carr said. Signs along the river warn of the hazardous waterfall ahead. The three people rescued had minor wounds such as scrapes and bruises and were able to get out of the rescue boat on their own and walk. They were transported to a local hospital to ensure they had no other injuries, Carr said. Officials have yet to release the identities of those in the group. The Deschutes River, which runs through Bend, is popular in summer for rafting, inner tube floating, kayaking, paddle boarding and other water activities.

PCC training opens doors to trade jobs Mis Ter Rae Two Crow (Photo Courtesy of Portland Community College) At Portland Community College’s Swan Island Trades Center, the clang and bright sparks of welding tools gave way to a different kind of activity — one of celebration, accomplishment and new beginnings.  The Maritime Welding Program’s recent completion ceremony honored a group of students who didn’t just earn certificates in maritime welding and shipfitting — they forged a path forward in a challenging, high-demand industry, many overcoming personal challenges that once seemed insurmountable. The celebration was more than ceremonial. It marked a transition from training to opportunity where students emerged with the confidence, skill, and direction to transition successfully into the workplace. Through PCC’s Career Pathways initiative and student scholarships provided by WorkSource, the Maritime Welding Program does more than teach a trade. “It dismantles barriers,” said Patty Hawkins, program dean for Electronics, Mechatronics, Advanced Manufacturing and PCC's OMIC Training Center. “The program supports education and training opportunities in maritime welding and the college provides support, including English language acquisition and housing stability. It welcomes adults who have been in custody, individuals in recovery, and those who served our country. Through the training and support, the Maritime Welding Program offers an essential lifeline.” One example is Mis Ter Rae Two Crow, who hails from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in New Town, North Dakota. She said her upbringing was grounded in both community and labor. “I’m Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara on my mother’s side and Anishinaabe on my father’s,” she said.  As a child, while her mother and aunts encouraged time in the kitchen, she gravitated to outdoor work alongside her uncle, who was a carpenter, plumber, electrician and one of her earliest mentors. Her early exposure to carpentry, plumbing and electrical work sparked a passion that simmered under the surface for years. “I always wanted to be outside doing hard manual labor,” Two Crow said with a smile.    That early exposure to the trades planted a seed, even if it did not immediately blossom into a career path. After high school, she enrolled in automotive and wood-shop courses, then began a years-long journey across the country — searching not just for work, but for meaning.  She landed in Los Angeles in 2018, taking on a role as a project coordinator in construction, which offered exposure to a range of trades. Though she loved the experience and soaked up knowledge from seasoned professionals, a sense of incompleteness lingered. Then came the pandemic. With construction halted and bills piling up, Two Crow returned home. She briefly worked in road construction and earned a heavy equipment certification. Yet, once again, she felt the pull toward something else. When a former boss suggested welding, she remembered the spark her aunt — a welder herself — had lit years ago. The idea took root. By 2022, Two Crow was enrolled at Lynne’s Welding School in Fargo, working as a tank welder for True North Steel. Her experience was “insightful and gratifying,” exposing her to the diversity and depth of the welding profession.  “I met people from all different backgrounds and experiences,” she said. “It was at this time in my life where I was finally starting to feel content.” But it was Portland, where she had previously attended PCC, that called her back.  “Portland is my home away from home,” she explained. “My friends are my family, and my peers are my friends.” Two Crow began exploring opportunities that went far beyond her initial dream of underwater welding. The turning point came when she joined PCC’s Maritime Welding Program. Guided by instructor Todd Barnett — whom she credits with breaking down complex skills like blueprint reading into digestible lessons — Two Crow found not only technical mastery but also personal clarity.  “The most challenging part for me was understanding the blueprints but with time and patience my understanding has evolved tremendously, and now I feel more confident than I did at the beginning,” she said. “After being here and learning about all the different opportunities, I feel like my options are endless.” She praises the program not just for its technical rigor, but for its emotional and educational support. Central to her success, she says, has been the guidance of Barnett.  “He’s challenged me mentally in the best way possible,” she said.   Two Crow isn’t content to specialize in one technique or one domain.  “If it’s metal, I want to weld it,” she declares. “GMAW, FCAW, stick, flux, dual shield — on land or at sea.” Two Crow is also a passionate advocate for women in the trades, especially in welding — a field traditionally dominated by men but rapidly diversifying. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of female welders rose by 30%. As of 2025, women now make up more than 6% of the welding workforce — a significant shift that reflects broader societal changes and the efforts of programs like PCC’s. “It’s always growing, and the opportunities are limitless," she said. “This program means a great deal to me and my future. My journey started on a foggy path but coming to the end of this chapter, I’m finally starting to see things clearly. I know that welding is what I want to do.”

Click Here to Read Full Paper

In Loving Memory of Shannon Olive October 28, 1978 – June 26, 2025 Visionary - Community Leader As the Founder, Executive Director, and Board President of WomenFirst Transition and Referral Center, and dedicated Commissioner for Home Forward in Portland, Oregon, Shannon devoted her life to advocating for the empowerment, housing stability, and holistic well-being of women impacted by the justice system.  She created transformative pathways for countless women to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose, and brought compassion, insight, and unwavering commitment to the pursuit of equitable housing for all.  Her loss is profoundly felt across the community she served with passion, courage, and tireless resolve.  Shannon’s legacy will endure in the lives she touched, the voices she uplifted, and the change she inspired. Celebration of Life Emmanuel Church 1033 N. Sumner St., Portland, Oregon 97217 Friday, July 18, 2025 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM Pre-Service Viewing˜™ 11:00 AM Celebration

Community honors Neylands at farewell banquet Dr. Shon Neyland, Senior Pastor of Highland Christian Center and his wife, First Lady, Madeline Neyland (Photo Courtesy of Highland Christian Center) Dr. Shon Neyland, Senior Pastor of Highland Christian Center (HCC), Portland Oregon is transitioning, effective July 2025, after six years and a half at Highland Christian Center.  Dr. Neyland and his wife, First Lady, Madeline Neyland have served HCC and the greater Portland Community with honorable service, dedication, commitment and love. Madeline served as the Women's Director at Highland for nearly two years, providing fellowship, hope and growth for many.  Dr. Neyland and Madeline were celebrated in the community recently with close to 300 attendees at his farewell banquet. As testament to his leadership and impact, many leaders from across the city came to bid farewell to the Neyland’s. Highland is a large, diverse, and growing church with over 825 members on the roll. The sprawling two Acre Campus takes up an entire city block.  Dr. Neyland led the way with his Operations and Renovation Team in renovating the campus with over $750K in upgrades in line with the vision of a 21st Century Ministry of Excellence. Highland is truly a light in the community.  A true visionary, Dr. Neyland garnered over $700K in grants and other monetary incentives to offset the work needed at Highland Christian Center. As the Senior Executive leader of ministries, Dr. Neyland led a vast community ministry which is comprised of 14 paid employees, over sixty-five ministries, an annual budget of $850K, and manages facilities valued over $14M. HCC impacts the church and entire community through a variety of ministry opportunities designed to improve members both spiritually and practically.  Highland feeds over 1,200 monthly through its food bank program and Sunday breakfasts for the houseless. Dr. Neyland led the way at Highland with the church's Motto: "The Right Place, Building Community and Changing Lives."  Changing Lives was a key aspect of Dr. Neyland's ministry with close to 800 new converts to the Christian faith, over 375 baptized, and 450 new members joining the church. He trained, licensed, and ordained over 45 Ministers, Elders, Deacons, and Deaconess during his tenure.  The annual "Thanksgiving Feed" fed over 3,000 with hot meals and the annual Christmas giving touched the lives of 1,000s of families and children who were less fortunate with free gifts and toys. Highland will miss the leadership of Dr. Neyland, no doubt the church's leadership will continue to carry the legacy and is designed to be a light into the community. Dr. Neyland was heavily involved in the community and served on or with committees such the Albina Ministerial Leadership Council, Lines for Life, OHA Black COVID-19 Strategy Working Group, and the Northwest Church Fund Working Gorup to aid churches with grants. Additionally, Dr. Neyland served as the CEO of the Highland Haven for the first four years of his tenure where he obtained over $1.75Mil in grants for the local community and church. He led robust summer camps with over 30 employees and 60 plus youth attending each summer. The Highland Haven also was critical to youth mentorship, leadership development, and countering drug usage and addition. Further, Dr. Neyland leaves his position as Second Vice President of the Coalition of African and African-American Pastors/Imams (CAAAP), which exists to empower our community to achieve positive change through equitable quality of life programs, development, empowerment, and education. Dr. Neyland served as one of the co-founders of the CAAAP organization which now reaches 1,000s in the community annually with healing summits, interfaith breakfasts, soul-to-soul and other community outreaches. Dr. Neyland also leaves behind his leadership role on Council for the Luis Palau Association and his role as a Regional Convener for the greater Portland (Together PDX), promoting community growth through spiritual development and partnerships with over100 churches. Dr. Neyland through CAAAP, founded and led a monthly Care for the Caregiver breakfast for almost six (6) years with 15 to 20 local pastors attending monthly and three annual leadership conferences/retreats. The breakfasts were designed to provide fellowship, care, and growth for those who do so much for the community.  The Care for Caregiver breakfast was also sponsored by the Murdoch Trust Fund and Luis Palou Association. Even through COVID-19, Dr. Neyland played a key role as special advisor to then Governor Kate Brown regarding the reopening of churches across the state and he personally provided a strategy to aid her team in their efforts. Dr. Neyland was instrumental in during COVID-19 with the promotion of vaccination clinics where the first clinic at a house of worship was held at HCC with over 1,000 receiving vaccinations that day.  The Highland Haven, nonprofit community arm of the church and HCC partnered with local officials to provide the opportunity for 1,000s to be vaccinated monthly over a two-year period. HCC was featured in the New York Times, MPR News, and by the state of Oregon for their humanitarian work in saving lives. Dr. Neyland also was a key spokesman for the media during the George Floyd protests and was often featured in the news for his advocacy for unity and peace in the community and respect of all people. He led several marches, rallies, townhalls, and conferences to combat youth violence.  He brokered meetings with local police and youth to form a new path forward to decreasing murder and violence. Along with Apostle Levell Thomas, President of CAAAP, Dr. Neyland created and led the Healing from Trauma Summitt that has become an annual staple in the community, reaching hundreds each year to provide healing and hope. Dr. Neyland was on the CAAAP team that secured close to $1Mil in housing assistance from the state legislators to assist with rental assistance.    Dr. Neyland will be missed by our community and we wish he and his wife well as he moves forward in his new start in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Neyland and Madeline are relocating due to Madeline's medical concerns and a warmer climate was needed to ensure better health. Dr. Neyland and First Lady Madeline will be truly missed as they certainly leave a legacy of Building Community.