the Greater Portland Police Activities League Program said Tuesday that without additional funding it will be forced to close its centers in Portland and Gresham on Friday, Feb. 15.

Beaverton’s PAL center is expected to stay open for now.

A Tuesday press release said “the ongoing reduction of governmental funding and the economic times have placed the organization in the position to need to make this difficult decision.”

“It is with great sadness that this wonderful program may have to close,” said PAL board member Cliff Madison. “It has made a great impact in the lives of many kids in our community and has taken down many of the walls between Cops, Kids and Community. It will be missed.”

The closure will include both the Bud Monnes PAL Center in Gresham and the PAL Office at the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct.

PAL returned to the Portland area in 1989. The national youth program is a partnership between all of the law enforcement agencies in Multnomah County as well as the Beaverton Police Department.

PAL operated programs from the Gresham Youth Center, overseeing Portland youth football, National Youth Sports Camps at Portland State University, PAL Camp, fishing, archery and art programs.

In 2012, PAL served more than 3,000 children and the Gresham PAL Center daily serves breakfast and lunch to 80 to 100 kids.

As our hair turns gray, so does our understanding of what motivated us to do what we’ve done. Past decisions, once seen in black and white terms, are now understood as made with a sense of ambivalence rather than surety.

So says Jane Fellows, a noted Portland actress who will portray Carrie Watts, the lead character in Horton Foote’s “The Trip to Bountiful,” the latest undertaking of Readers Theatre of Sandy Actors Theatre. Foote also wrote screenplays for “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “Tender Mercies,” and his “Bountiful” also was adapted for the silver screen in 1985.

Fellows, who has played Watts before in a fully staged production, says the late Foote was the kind of playwright who created real-life characters, not cardboard cutouts, particularly women with a sense of ambiguity about their lives.

“I think all of us feel trapped by something, and it’s the courage to take the steps to do what you need to do to maintain your courage and strength,” Fellows says of what she draws from “Bountiful.” “We all have baggage. It’s very interesting to think about a trip and baggage and what happens to everybody.”

Homeward bound

Watts wants to see her childhood home in Bountiful, Texas, and the play revolves around her ongoing attempts to return there. Fellows says she thinks Gresham audiences will enjoy the sparse production, which consists of actors reading from scripts as opposed to being on a stage with props and sets.

“The beautiful thing about this play is it doesn’t seem like a lesson,” Fellows says. “You are so engrossed in pulling for this woman to make it back home and find her strength and find out what’s she’s about.”

Watts discovers, in the ruin and decay of time’s passage, a renewed connection to her past and the realization that your homeland is forever a part of you. Readers Theatre will present the play at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, in Gresham Chapel & Evening Event Center, 257 S.E. Roberts Ave. Tickets are $8 general admission (no reservations).

Fellows says roles for older women like Watts have become more commonplace in the theatrical world over the past decades.

“I think that there are more plays that are being written that do address older folks, and they are not being stereotyped,” she says. “I think we’re getting better at looking at people as people and not as symbols or stereotypes.”

Upcoming work

Fellows is a busy actress who will direct Readers Theatre’s April 15 production of “The Glass Menagerie.” She also will star in Bobby Ryan’s “Anything But Brilliant,” a Lights Up! play, which runs March 29 through April 20 at the Profile Theater, 3430 S.E. Belmont Ave., Portland (lightsupportproductions.com).

Fellows says she enjoys working with her fellow thespians in East County and relishes the chance to bring Watts to life.

“I get to say those words and be involved in the story again,” she says. “Anytime an actor is given an opportunity to take a journey in a role, it is a gift.”

For information on “Bountiful,” call 503-869-6183, or visit sandyactorstheatre.org.

Sweet Cakes backs Oregon law

Sweet Cakes by Melissa serves gays and lesbians and has for years, and will — if the state allows them to — serve them for years to come.

The business does not, however, bake wedding cakes for same-sex couples because it goes against the beliefs of the business owners.

Reminder: A same-sex wedding is not allowed in Oregon, so the marriage itself is not legal. Unions yes, marriage no.

Gary Wilson

Vancouver, Wash.

Discrimination cuts in both directions

After hearing about the controversy concerning Sweet Cakes by Melissa, we decided to try to listen to, and understand, people on both sides of this issue.

We visited the bakery and spent several minutes with the owner. We were pleased with his steady quietness and lack of anger and fear over the reaction to his decision.

The owner never made negative comments about the same-sex couple. He did not give out their names or encourage his supporters to cause trouble for them. This shows consideration for them, not hate. It shows that he is continuing to follow his religious beliefs.

He was quoted in the newspaper as saying their money was not equal and that they were abominations. But he said to us that he did not say those things. Since we didn’t hear him say anything ugly, we believe him.

We followed the news reporting and also went online to see the comments by others. Those who support gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender lifestyles have the mantra, “equality acceptance and tolerance for all.” But they do not show that for anyone who does not agree with their goals and lifestyle. Instead, they resort to name calling.

For example, in the Friday, Feb. 8, edition of The Outlook, the bakery owners were described as “morality police” by the editor. Others in the newspaper described the bakery owners as “disgusting, bigot, homophobic, judgmental, unloving, unaccepting, cruel, callous, insensitive and unkind.” They are none of these hateful labels.

It is fine if others spread the word to boycott this business. But people who oppose the bakery owners have photo-shopped his face to picture him doing vile things and are trying to run them out of business by jamming their phone line so that customers cannot call. All of this is hate.

We looked up the Oregon Equality Act. It looks to us as if the prohibition against discrimination based on religion and sexual orientation are in conflict.

The owner has said he sells to homosexuals all the time. But he is refusing to violate his conscience and religious beliefs by providing a wedding cake, and in that way participate in a same-sex marriage, something that is illegal in Oregon.

We want to ask this question of anyone who opposes the bakery owners: Do you support their constitutional right to the “free exercise” of their religious beliefs, even if you disagree with them? The same-sex couple has already gone to another baker for their cake. So why can’t those who disagree with the baker show tolerance for his religious beliefs, and let us all live in peace with each other?

Ray and Fran Hornback

Gresham

Whose rights take precedence?

The hoopla over Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, and their refusal to sell a wedding cake to a lesbian couple has stirred the secular community in our city with shouts of outrage and emotional indignation.

The question here is, who has the greater right, the business owners or the lesbian couple?

The typical tactic of the gay community is to label anyone who doesn’t support their lifestyle as intolerant bigots, regardless of the sincerity of their beliefs. But when their rights are denied, who is the more intolerant?

I think what frightens and concerns me more is, has government gotten so big that it can tell you what you can and cannot say (regardless of your personal beliefs), who you can and cannot sell to, and if you don’t bow to the demands of big brother, you are immediately threatened with legal action, condemnation and eventually forced to close the business?

I have always believed that if you don’t like a particular place of business, you don’t have to shop there. You have other options.

What are we becoming as a nation? Are we a bunch of robots, which — through harassment and labeling — no longer have the right to speak our beliefs freely or run our business as we want and not feel intimidated by big brother and all these self-righteous demagogues?

Louis H. Bowerman

Portland

The Beans of Damascus have been married for almost 64 years and still love every minute of being together

We’ve all seen them — those adorable couples whose wrinkles are as deep as their love. Who’ve been married a lifetime and are still crazy about each other.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, The Outlook turned to Jim and Marie Bean of Damascus to find out the secrets of their nearly 64 years of marital bliss.

The couple got married on Sept. 3, 1949, and have four children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

So, how do they do it?

With about half of all marriages in the United States ending in divorce, what’s the secret to a long, happy marriage?

Well, here’s a hint — served up over coffee sipped from the Christmas china in the Bean’s cozy kitchen.

“Every day is Christmas,” says Jim, 90, with Marie, 89, in full agreement.

The gesture is in keeping with one of Marie’s marital tenants: Treat your spouse as good, if not better, than company.

“You shouldn’t be nicer to strangers than you are to your own husband,” she says.

Looking back on how the two met, it’s fitting advice considering Jim was a boarder in Marie’s home.

Following his service in the Navy during World War II, Jim moved to Portland, where he rented a room in a house where his landlady lived with her adult daughter, Marie, and Marie’s two children, Marty, 1, and Donna, 4.

Fresh off the heels of a divorce after five years of marriage, 22-year-old Marie thought it was unlikely that she’d ever remarry. But she held a glimmer of hope, inspired by her parents’ marriage.

Marie’s father, a Navy man like Jim, married her mother, who had four children from a prior marriage. Marie was her father’s only biological child, but he considered all five of the children his.

“If my dad married my mom with four kids, maybe I will find a man who wants to marry me with two,” she thought.

And in walked Jimmy Bean, her mother’s new boarder.

“Gee, he’s cute,” she thought. “But isn’t that a silly name.”

Isn’t life funny?

Not only did she end up with his last name, but they named their first son James Bean Jr. Later, another son, Glenn, came along.

When Jim and Marie met, neither were looking for love. Jim was nursing a bruised heart following a painful breakup with his on-and-off girlfriend. And Marie, well, let’s just say Jim had to earn her trust.

Eventually, the two bonded. Marie’s mother watched love blossom and pulled her daughter aside.

“He’s a good one,” she told her.

Jim possessed a rare understanding that love, not paternity, makes a family.

His mother died two months after giving birth to him. The delivery came with complications that his mother recognized as being fatal. But before she died, she asked her best friend, who helped deliver Jim, to raise the baby.

Jim’s father — overcome with grief and overwhelmed by the prospect of raising a baby in addition to Jim’s brother Claude Ernest Jr., 3 — agreed.

Growing up, Jim worked on ranches in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas with his foster mother, who took on double duty — as a mother who provided for the family, but also doled out the kind of practical advice a father is typically responsible for.

He still gets misty eyed when he thinks of all she did for him.

So, when he fell in love with Marie, he also fell in love with her two little ones. It was a chance to give them the father figure he never had.

Besides, Marie was a cutie and Jim recognized her as the catch that she was.

“I was lonely, and here was a good gal,” Jim recalls.

The secrets to their long lasting marriage are simple and yet profound.

Trust each other.

Always tell the truth.

Don’t nag or cheat on each other.

Protect each other’s hearts from harm.

Marie appreciates her husband’s faithfulness and his happy nature.

“He’s genuine,” she says. “He doesn’t put on airs. What you see is what you get.”

She loves his sense of humor.

“If you’re not laughing, you’re not living,” is Jim’s motto.

Lucky for Jim, Marie has a pretty good sense of humor, too.

One year, he bought her a sexy black nightgown — in a size 18. It hung like a tent on Marie’s tiny frame.

“That was so funny,” she recalls. “That nightgown was big.”

Instead of taking offense, she took it back to the store for a pink one in her size.

Both appreciate that the other has an even disposition and that neither is controlling.

Even when Jim thought money was tighter than usual, he never pressed Marie, who takes care of the finances, for an explanation. Imagine his surprise on Christmas morning when he unwrapped the paid off deed to their house. Over five years, Marie secretly paid off their $60,000 mortgage.

Sure, they have disagreements, as is bound to happen when one spouse is left of center politically and the other falls to the right.

But they don’t take politics personally.

As for Jim, he struggles to attribute their long and happy marriage to any one factor.

“Everything,” he says when asked what he loves about his wife. “I love everything about her.

“If I could pin it down to one thing, when I was through working, here is where I wanted to be — home,” he says. “Not in some damn pub listening to the drunks talk about their problems.

“And she was always happy to see me.”

Even when Jim was late coming home after stopping off for a beer with his coworkers, she never fretted, or even demanded to know where he’d been.

Marie — ever the patient, logical creature — knew he’s always come home to her.

“Eventually, he would get hungry or horny,” she says, soliciting a giggle from Jim.

To that end, they created a “point system” to account for, well, we’ll call them amorous delights.

“Have I got enough points tonight?” Jim would ask.

“Nope,” Marie would reply. “But your credit is good.”

They still can’t keep their hands off each other. Sitting next to each other on the couch in their living room, they hold hands and hug.

“When you love someone and respect them, you want to make them happy,” Jim says. “It’s a natural thing. You don’t have to stretch to make it work.”

Gresham police area asking for the public's help identifying those involved in a fight at a local roller skating rink.

The fight broke out at about 8:30 p.m. Jan. 19, at Gresham Skate World in the 1200 block of Northeast Kelly Avenue, said Lt. Claudio Grandjean, Gresham Police spokesman.

Security guards were trying to break up a small fight or a scuffle, and were trying to calm down those involved. Just when it seems things were starting to settle down, a young man sucker punched one of the guards in the face, Grandjean said. The guard then went after the young man who assaulted him, only to be attacked by three or four other people.

Eventually, the other security guards broke up the attack and the suspects left. The employee was not seriously injured.

The police department has released video surveillance of the fight in the hope the public can help identify those involved, who could face third-degree assault charges.

Anyone with information about the fight is asked to call the Gresham police tip line at 503-618-2719 or 1-888-989-3505. Callers can remain anonymous.

Police discover first instances of drug at Centennial High School and Centennial Learning Center

It’s cheap, easily concealable and students are using it get high — even during class.

Police also fear its sweet taste appeals to children, especially those who are hesitant to smoke the drug.

“Weed candy,” a sugary treat laced with marijuana, is in its infancy of popularity but becoming more readily available in local schools, said Lt. Claudio Grandjean, Gresham Police spokesman.

Within the past month, police have confiscated the candy from three students at Centennial High School and Centennial Learning Center, but Grandjean said this form of marijuana is circulating on other local campuses as well, he said.

“Weed candy” is new to schools in East County, he said, adding that students are attracted to its price and the ability to use it without being noticed.

“I’ve been a police officer 15 years and I’ve never seen it before,” said Rick Blake, school resource officer, who works for the Gresham Police Department. “I’ve been talking to some kids in passing and asking how popular is this stuff, is it really out there? And it is.”

Pieces that are roughly the size of a walnut each sell for about $1 to $1.50, and some students are ingesting it during class in front of teachers who think they’re eating candy.

“And the big thing is it’s odorless,” Blake said. “That’s what all the kids are saying; they can sit and eat it or suck on it during a class period.”

The candy also is easy to make, according to police interviews with students caught possessing the candy.

It takes a few simple household ingredients, such as sugar and corn syrup, as well as adding Kool-Aid or Crystal Light for the color and flavor. The substance is molded by pouring it into a tray. Four pieces confiscated off a student at Centennial Learning Center were shaped like skulls.

And an entire batch can be made in a relatively short amount of time.

Gresham Police are still waiting for lab results to identify the ingredients being used. Authorities also are still trying to identify a dealer who made and supplied the candy to students, Blake said.

One of the reasons police are determined to combat the spread of “weed candy” is because its sweet taste and candy appearance make it more appealing to students, Blake said.

“It’s readily available and very marketable to kids,” he said.

Also, smoking marijuana via traditional measures, such as a bong or a pipe, may seem intimidating, but Blake believes some kids won’t have the same hesitations when it’s presented in the form of candy.

“I think this is going to be a gateway to kids who wanted to try marijuana but maybe thought it was taboo to smoke it,” he said, adding that the candy may encourage children to try smoking marijuana and possibly continue to experiment with other drugs from there.

And while locally this is a new form of the drug, individuals accused of handing out, selling or using “weed candy” will face the same criminal charges as those possessing marijuana plants or buds, Grandjean said.

Gresham Police have sent letters to local high schools telling them to be on the lookout for “weed candy.”

But the first line of defense is still going to be at home, Blake said.

Authorities hope to inform parents about the drug and ensure that it’s not mistaken for store-bought candy.

Blake said that in addition to looking out for bongs, pipes or marijuana leaves, parents should remember that “weed candy” is now available as well. Also, if the pieces are in a plastic sandwich bag, that could be a sign that it’s a drug, not candy.

“If your kid was sucking on a piece right in front of you or had a bag on the counter, if I looked at this, I wouldn’t think anything,” Blake said, gesturing toward the seized weed-candy skulls. “But now that we’re giving the education piece to parents in the community, take a second look at it.”

Blake added that parents should look for the same side effects of marijuana use, such as slow-motor movement, slurred speech, increase in appetite and lack of productivity.

Recently, police also confiscated chocolate truffles laced with weed.

But right now, “weed candy” appears to be the bigger concern, and administrators and authorities are trying to keep its popularity from growing.

“It’s not a problem right now,” Blake said. “But it definitely rises to the level of concern for us, and it’s on our radar.”

Offensive rebounds in the final minute help the Blue Jays to a 48-41 win over SW Christian

PORTLAND — The first team that hit a hot streak was going to win Thursday’s opening-round Valley 10 boys playoff game. The match was struck midway through the second quarter when Portland Lutheran’s Tyler Stanfill scored on three straight possessions.

His eight-point burst was capped with a 3-pointer from several feet beyond the arc, as the Blue Jays saw their slim 9-6 lead expand to 11 points.

Teammate Jonathan Parrish took the reigns in the third quarter, scoring 11 of the team’s 13 points to keep the Blue Jays comfortably in front heading down the stretch.

Portland Lutheran found itself up 10 with 3:30 to play, only to see Southwest Christian cut the gap to 43-41 after Connor Stephenson swiped a ball at halfcourt and got loose for a layup with 0:46 on the clock.

The Blue Jays sealed the 48-41 victory by going 5 for 8 (.625) from the free-throw line. The team rebounded two of their misses, keeping the ball in its half of the court while precious seconds ticked away.

Portland Lutheran plays in the third-place game at 5:30 p.m. Saturday with the winner gaining a spot in the 1A state bracket. The tournament is being played at Multnomah University.

The Portland Lutheran girls dropped a 50-43 decision to Portland Waldorf, in a game that saw 10 second-half lead changes.

A Kaitlin Howard free throw gave the Blue Jays their last lead 42-41 with three minutes left before Waldorf’s Anya Conlon knocked down three late baskets to power the Wolfpack to the win.

Waldorf plays SW Christian in the third-place game at 4 p.m. Saturday, while Damascus Christian faces City Christian in the 7 p.m. title game.

Look for expanded coverage of the Valley 10 playoffs in the Tuesday, Feb. 19, print edition.

View a photo gallery of Portland Lutheran’s first-round games at …

Boys — http://daveball.exposuremanager.com/g/feb14_pls-swc_boys_hoops

Girls — http://daveball.exposuremanager.com/g/feb14_pls-waldorf_girls_hoops

The Cougars tighten up the playoff chase with three games left in the regular season.

OREGON CITY — The Mt. Hood Community College men’s basketball team went cold down the stretch and suffered an 80-72 loss at Clackamas CC on Wednesday night.

Neither team could pull away by more than a few baskets until Clackamas put on a surge down the stretch, dominated by second-chance points. Parkrose High graduate Jordan Mosby-Barber set the stage with putbacks on back-to-back possessions, highlighted when he snatched a missed 3-point try above the rim and put it in off the glass before his feet touched the ground.

“We turned our effort up a notch,” Barber said. “It definitely made a difference. You get those offensive boards and the entire team feeds off that energy.”

The Cougars continued to attack the glass with Kirby Hawkins crashing inside to put a missed 3 over the front of the rim, extending the lead to 69-63 as the clock rolled under two minutes.

Clackamas used the full shot clock on its next trip down court before hoisting a shot that clipped the rim. But once again, it was the Cougars who came down with the ball. This time, Brock Lutes reached over the top of a Mt. Hood player to pull down the board forcing the Saints into fouling with less than a minute on the clock.

The Cougars went 9-for-10 (.900), and grabbed the rebound on their only miss from the line.

The win pulls Clackamas (5-6) into a tie with Mt. Hood for fifth place in the South Region — both trailing Portland CC (6-5) by a single game in the chase for the final playoff berth.

View extended game coverage, including a breakdown of the playoff chase, in the Friday, Feb. 15, print edition.

View a photo gallery from the game at ...

http://daveball.exposuremanager.com/g/feb13_mhcc-ccc_mens_hoops

Woman accuses Gresham officer of violating her rights

A Gresham transit officer who confiscated a woman’s phone after she recorded them making an arrest on Tuesday, Feb. 12, was within his legal rights, said Lt. Claudio Grandjean, Gresham Police spokesman.

Multiple officers in Southeast Portland apprehended a man who faces an accusation of resisting arrest, Grandjean said. During the incident, a Gresham officer, identified as Taylor Letsis, approached bystander Carrie Medina and asked to see the phone she had been using to record video of the arrest.

“Ma’am, do you want to hand me the phone or would you like to show it to me?,” Letsis said on the video.

Medina refused, saying the officer needed a subpoena to seize the phone.

“I don’t want to show you,” she said.

In response, Medina said Letsis grabbed her arm, twisted it and held it until another officer walked over to them.

Letsis watched the video, but there was no evidence of the arrest, so he returned the phone to Medina, Grandjean said.

Medina believes Letsis acted unlawfully when he seized her phone on public property, and on Thursday, Feb. 14, she filed a complaint with the Gresham Police Department.

But the officer complied with procedure, Grandjean said.

Letsis suspected the phone could contain evidence that the man indeed resisted arrested. And if an officer suspects evidence could be destroyed, law enforcement officers are allowed under state law to seize property without a search warrant, Grandjean said.

“It’s reasonable,” he said. “In this situation where we had a person resisting arrest, the person could contend the officer used force for no reason. The proof to disprove his claim could be on the phone.”

But Beth Creighton, a Portland civil rights attorney, said the officer went too far.

“Police officers want to say imminent threat is with us all the time,” she said. “It gives them an excuse to seize evidence without going through the proper channels. There was no reason to do what he did.”

Grandjean said Gresham Police are continuing to investigate the incident, although he added that it appears the officer did nothing wrong.

In an interview with KATU, Medina said she’s recorded more than 10 arrests in an effort to hold police accountable.

— KOIN Local 6 contributed to this news story.

Sweet Cakes by Melissa responds to investigation

The owners of a Gresham bakery, who are accused of violating Oregon’s anti-discrimination law, said it’s their constitutional right to refuse service based on religious beliefs.

In an official response to the Oregon Department of Justice, which is reviewing a complaint filed against Sweet Cakes by Melissa, Aaron and Melissa Klein contend the Oregon Constitution protects their freedom of religion and freedom of religious opinion.

In January, a lesbian couple from Portland asked the bakery to make a cake for their same-sex wedding, but Aaron refused, saying it violated his Christian belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.

In the response, the Klein’s also noted that the Oregon Constitution does not recognize same-sex marriage.

“Put simply, they elected not to participate in an event that is not even officially recognized under Oregon law when doing so would violate their constitutionally-protected conscience and religious beliefs,” wrote the bakery’s attorney, Herbert Grey.

Laurel Bowman filed the complaint Friday, Jan. 18, one day after Aaron refused to make a cake and allegedly called the couple “abominations unto the Lord.”

The Kleins, though, said that comment was “taken completely out of context,” according to the letter.

The Department of Justice will determine if the bakery violated state law, which doesn’t allow places of public accommodation to refuse service based on several classifications, including sexual orientation.

But in the response, the Kleins said they serve homosexual individuals, they just don’t make cakes for same-sex weddings.

“More importantly, Sweet Cakes by Melissa has never declined to serve any of its customers on the basis of sexual orientation or any other basis ...” Grey wrote, adding that the Kleins have served the same-sex couple in the past.

Brent Warstler, accused of killing Gresham woman, posts bond

A man accused of killing a Gresham woman while driving drunk last month has been released from jail after posting a reduced bond Wednesday, Feb. 13.

A Multnomah County judge reduced bail for Brent Warstler, 42, of Cornelius, from $297,000 to $50,000 following 30 minutes of testimony during a hearing Monday, Feb. 11.

Warstler posted the $5,000 bond — all the money he had in savings, his attorney said — and will remain under house arrest, living with family in Gresham until his trial begins Thursday, March 14.

Judge Alicia A. Fuchs ordered Warstler to wear an ankle bracelet that detects even the smallest trace of alcohol, and he will report to a supervisor at the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office pretrial release program.

Warstler also is required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and is prohibited from driving without court permission.

A grand jury indicted him on 19 charges, which included second-degree manslaughter, third-degree assault, reckless driving and a misdemeanor for driving under the influence of intoxicants. Warstler also was charged with eight counts of recklessly endangering another person, six counts of fourth-degree assault and one count of second-degree criminal mischief.

Warstler allegedly ran a red light in Portland’s Old Town area around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20. His 2012 Dodge Ram pickup collided with a taxi and veered onto the sidewalk, striking Rebecca Bray, 20, and Brandi Butner, 21.

Bray died at the scene, while Butner, of Fairview, was transported to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. The two women were downtown celebrating Butner’s 21st birthday.

Butner is in a rehab center after suffering severe pelvic injuries. She has an infant son whom her parents are caring for.

During Monday’s hearing, Deputy District Attorney Susan Howard argued to have Warstler held in jail until his trial. She said he was traveling twice the speed limit in the 20-mph zone and that he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.20 — more than twice the legal limit — one hour after the crash.

Brandi’s father, Bruce Butner, also testified at the hearing.

“What (Warstler) did is inexcusable,” he said.

But the judge still reduced the bail, saying her decision could not be based on emotions, but only legal rights.

Police arrested one of the country's most wanted men during a raid of a home outside Boring on Wednesday, Feb. 13.

Kevin Davis, 37, of Tennessee, fled Sedwick County, Kansas where he's wanted for aggravated indecent liberties with a child, said Lt. James Rhodes, public information officer for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

Clackamas County Interagency Task Force executed a search warrant after receiving an anonymous tip.

Inside the Boring home on Wednesday, they found 84 marijuana plants, drug proceeds, two stolen guns, an undisclosed amount of cash and Davis, who was hiding in a crawlspace, police said.

Investigators also found an elaborate video surveillance system protecting the illegal marijuana growing operation, which had a street value of $250,000, police said.

Davis is being held at Clackamas County Jail on felony drug charges and could be extradited back to Wichita, Kansas to face the previous charges.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about this crime to call their tip line at 503-723-4949.

Christian artist performs Feb. 17

Violin virtuoso Jaime Jorge will play a free Christian concert at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at Heritage Baptist Church, 5527 S.E. Jenne Road, Portland.

The artist, who has played in 40 countries and released 16 albums, will play music ranging from favorite hymns to contemporary praise songs.

Born and raised in Cuba, Jorge left medical school in 1996 to pursue music ministry full time.

For more information, call 503-661-7894.

Israel solidarity event Feb. 26

Christian United for Israel is sponsoring “A Night to Honor Israel” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at New Hope Community Church, 11731 S.E. Stevens Road, Portland.

Middle East expert Yoram Ettinger, a consultant to Israeli Cabinet members, the Knesset Foreign Affair and Defense Committee and United States legislators and staff, will speak on “The U.S./Iran/Israel Triangle and the Boiling Arab Street.”

The event is intended to show solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people and promote understanding between Christians and Jews.

For more information, visit cufi.org under events.

Recent Reynolds grad killed by train

Police have identified the man who was struck and killed by a Union Pacific train as an 18-year-old Fairview man.

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office said Jesse Pham died at 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, on the train tracks near Northeast Fairview Lake Way. Nobody aboard the train was injured.

Pham attended Reynolds High School and graduated in 2012, said Reynolds School District spokeswoman Andrea Watson.

Fairview police have not determined why Pham was on the tracks, and the incident is still under investigation.

Support Gresham Breakfast Lions Club

The Gresham Breakfast Lions Club wil host its second Monte Carlo Casino Night as a fundraiser from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St., Gresham.

The event will support the Lions Club’s main causes: vision and hearing tests; eyeglasses and hearing aids for citizens in need; preventive exams for schoolchildren; support for the Oregon Sight and Hearing Foundation; and scholarships for high school graduates.

Tickets are $50 per person and will include a spaghetti dinner, two drinks and $2,000 in play chips. Professional dealers from

For more information, call Art Abbott at 503-936-0540.

Northwest Flyfishers meet Tuesday

Northwest Flyfishers will meet at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in the Sam Cox building at Glenn Otto Park, Troutdale.

Beginning with a demo until 6:50 p.m., a general meeting with Todd Alsbury from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife District will discuss fishing for bull and native trout, along with the fish and wildlife High Lakes Program.

For more information, email info@nwflyfishers.org.

Ski Patrol seeks volunteers

Mt. Hood Ski Patrol, the largest ski patrol in the nation, is seeking volunteers for its 2013-14 ski patrol.

Tryouts are Sunday, March 3, and include a morning meeting and introduction at patrol headquarters in Government Camp, participation in a personal interview and a ski test at Mt. Hood Skibowl.

Participants who are accepted into the apprentice training program for 2013-2014 will spend the season gaining training to become a full patroller.

There are three opportunities for involvement through these tryouts: hill patrollers, associate patrollers and nordic patrollers.

For more information, visit mthoodskipatrol.org. Pre-registration on the website is required by Sunday, Feb. 24.

A heart affair

Julie Hasson, award-winning restaurateur, cookbook author and chef to the celebrities, will team up with Adventist Health’s Northwest Regional Heart Center to teach people how to cook and eat heart healthy. 

Delicious Fair of the Heart, a free event, takes place from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at the medical center auditorium, 10123 S.E. Market St., Portland.

Hasson and more than a dozen Portland food vendors such as Bob’s Red Mill, Dave’s Killer Bread, Butler Soy Curls and Duck Produce will be at the event, providing free vegetarian food samples, cooking demonstrations and a collection of recipes.

Attendees also will have a chance to take a free heart age appraisal and learn the difference between their biological age and heart age.

Open house for Portland Lutheran

Portland Lutheran School will host an open house from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 740 S.E. 182nd Ave.

Learn about the mission and practices of the school, take a personally guided tour of the campus and classrooms and talk with current students and certified faculty.

Portland Lutheran School is an independent pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school grounded in Lutheran education. 

For more information, visit the PLS website at portland-lutheran.org, or call 503-667-3199, ext. 354.  

Grammy winner started career at Mt. Hood  

Chris Botti won a Grammy award Sunday, Feb. 10, for best pop instrumental album with his “Impressions.”

And the trumpeter began his career at Mt. Hood Community College during the 1980-81 school year.

Besides boasting four previous Grammy nominations, Botti has performed at the White House and shared the stage with Sting and Paul Simon.

Botti’s concert dates this year include stops at Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and venues throughout the U.S. and abroad.

The following students have been named to the first quarter honor roll at Reynolds Middle School:

4.0 — Mardan Aqaei, Josh Blegen, Colin Brummer, Ben Burcham-Howard, Peter Camacho, Alicia Estes, Pancho Gonzalez-Cruz, Veronica Hernandez-Flores, Diana Luis-Contreras, Miriam Martinez, Gabrielle Mengis, Bao Anh Nguyen, Duy Nguyen, Tammi Nguyen, Janey-Mae Dela Pena, Iriabeth Sanchez-Jaime, Eric Sosa-Lesso, Jessica Tran and Vicky Vdovich.

3.75-3.99 — Ricardo Covarrubias, Alexis DeJesus, Alondra Dominguez, Jasmyn Ferguson, Liliya Gorbaenko, Ka Kaw Htoo, Thor Johnson, Raquel Ramos Grano, Patricia Guarneros-Carrasco, Shanea Jorden, Pascual Jose Juan,Ku Moo Ler Paw Shee, Kaitlynn Marlin, Kaylea Marberry, Christopher McMichael, Hannah Meisenhelder, Linda Nguyen, Alyssa Porter, Delanie Rackham, Juan-Pablo Sanchez-Huerta, Mildred Prado-Maldonado, Lilia Serna-Serna, Ryan Spahn, Hannah Spaulding, Nkaoyoua Thao, Yaima Verdecia and Ilannah Vu.

3.5-3.74 — Faiza Abdi, Cynthia Aguilar-Gomez, Mohamed Ahmed, Yousif Al Shammari, Jennifer Alvarado-Rubio, Toni Arrazola Rosa Avalos-Manriquez, Kobie Balfour, Kallen Booth, Lucero Brambila-Guzman, Austin Bui, Yulia Bukmyrza, Mario Calderon, Emma Callaway, Jessica Camarillo, Marissa Carpenter, Jonathan Chanocua, Jonathan Chavez, Chloe Crowder, Ismahan Dahir, Carolina Enriquez, Alyssa Felix, Chasity Felix, Tray Gaines, Elsie Garcia, Joana Garcia, Oliver Girardet, Obse Gitaw, Jennifer Gonzalez-Garcia, Anastasia Higgins, Tere Huerta, Elaine Huynh, Javier Jimenez, Paola Jimenez, Sir Kelley, Brian Kim, Inein Koichy, Ulises Ku-Cejin, Abby Kudrna, Kahlea Lande, Martha Lopez-Custodio, Stephanie Lopez-Medel, Harli MacKinon, Jadon Marquez, Ricardo May Baeza, Blakelee Maria Meisenhelder, Meredith, Isabella McManus Marianna Moncada, Jessica Meeks, Matthias Ngo, Nini Nguyen, Ana Oliveros-Armenta, Hannah Onderdonk, Katelyn Payne, Jonathan Pena-Rosales, Justin Powers, Dmitriy Puzur, Celeste Ramirez-Soto, Ariah Rivers, Morgan Rose, Cameron Salewski, Kaelin Spring, Elton Sumano, Malia Theodore, TJ Thompson, EmiLee Torres, Andy Truong, Emilia Vazquez Sanchez, Francisca Vazquez Sanchez, Roxanne Vazquez, Rosario Villafuerte, Law Wardi, Aundre White, Ashley Yoshida and Mirella Zamora.

Taboo topics come to the fore in this 80s play that won a Pulitzer Prize

In "‘Night, Mother," the Pulitzer Prize-winning play coming this week to the Nutz-n-Boltz Theater stage in Boring, playwright Marsha Norman asks some pointed questions.

What should a mother do when her daughter calmly says she intends to end her life before morning?

This is a parent’s worst nightmare. The damaged relationship between this mother and daughter does not help it come to a positive end.

Life is full of specific reasons to be depressed, but when several come to roost in Jessie’s family, the young woman feels like it is too much to handle.

The dilemma her mother (Thelma Cates) faces is to find a way to convince her daughter that life is worth living — but mom isn’t able to feel her daughter’s pain. The two women represent middle-class America, a place where the topic of suicide is not discussed openly.

The two actors, Kim Berger of West Linn and Kelly Lazenby of Gresham, play the show in real time, with no intermission.

Lazenby says this complex drama, the first show of the 2013 season, explores subjects that are difficult to talk about, such as family dysfunction, mother-daughter relations, illness, depression, suicide and death.

She says these topics are best explored on a stage.

“The reason theater exists (besides entertainment) is to open up discussion and dialogue for the audience,” Lazenby said. “This is one of those plays that is talked about all the way home.”

Lazenby says this play is a “thriller and a cliffhanger to the very end.” The dilemma: In less than two hours, can a mother talk down a seriously depressed daughter who has calmly threatened suicide?

For the first time, Nutz-n-Boltz will hold talk-back discussions with the actors after each Sunday performance.

“Ask what it was like to perform such a complex and layered story,” Lazenby said.

The Nutz-n-Boltz Theater will present '''Night, Mother" at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 22 to March 10, at the historic Boring-Damascus Grange Hall in downtown Boring. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door and at nnbtheater.com.

For more information, call 503-593-1295 or visit the website at nnbtheater.com.

Each year, Metro Family Service’s SUN afterschool program helps more than 100 children and families.

The program also supports the Dexter McCarty SUN Jazz Band.

This year, though, the nonprofit service organization is running out of funds for transporting the jazz band to its many festivals.

In hopes of raising enough money to cover transportation costs, Dexter McCarty SUN Jazz Band will hold a dessert auction and basket raffle 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the middle school, 1400 S.E. Fifth St., Gresham.

Admission is free, but all proceeds from the evening will benefit the Dexter McCarty jazz band. Dessert auction bids start between $5-10, and basket raffle tickets start at $1 each.

Along with free Starbucks coffee, attendees also can enjoy a performance by the band.

Raffle prizes include 30 days of free music, dance, gymnastics and taekwondo lessons; massages; coffee and restaurant certificates; natural foods; bowling and orchestra tickets; farm and garden items; scrapbooking and cardmaking supplies; and children’s books.

Thirty-two Gresham area businesses have made donations for the auctions.

For more information, call Laura Neely, SUN Community School site coordinator, at 503-804-2158 or email lauran@metfamily.

Eileen Jeannette Troxel

Aug. 21, 1938-Feb. 4, 2013

A The Dalles resident, Eileen Jeannette Troxel, a longtime East County resident, died Monday, Feb. 4. She was 74.

A Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at St. Henry Catholic Church, 346 N.W. First St. A rosary will be read at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at St. Henry.

Eileen was born Aug. 21, 1938, in Portland to Julius and Evelyn Lampert. The youngest of seven children, she grew up on a gladiola farm in Corbett. She graduated from St. Mary’s High School.

On Dec. 29, 1958, Eileen married Edward John Troxel. She enjoyed her Bible study, gardening and spending time by the Deschutes River in Maupin.

Eileen was preceded in death by her husband and daughter Jeannette Troxel. She is survived by her children, Benjamin Troxel, Marcia Troxel-Burford and Mark Troxel; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Home in The Dalles is handling arrangements.

Ina E. Bishop

July 23, 1930-Feb. 11, 2013

Gresham resident Ina E. Bishop died Monday, Feb. 11. She was 82.

A private memorial service will be held in Troutdale.

Ina was born July 23, 1930, in Portland to Oscar and Elsa Larson, Swedish immigrants.

She graduated from Franklin High School and worked as a payroll, banking and book keeper until her retirement in 2005.

Ina was a parishioner of St. Anne Catholic Church and a member of Noble Lodge. She competed in bowling, found great relaxation in gardening and loved discussing the day’s events with loved ones over coffee.

A proud single mother, Ina instilled in her three children a love of the Oregon Coast, a place her parents frequently took her to as a child.

She is survived by her children, Donald Bishop, Duane Bishop and Debra Bishop; sisters, Evelyn Gordon and Elvera Nolde; and six grandchildren.

Gresham Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.

Janice “Jan” Louise Wiles

Jan. 12, 1953-Feb. 5, 2013

East County resident Janice “Jan” Louise Wiles died Tuesday Feb. 5, in Portland. She was 60.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at Grace Lutheran Church, 7610 N.E. Fremont St. in Portland.

Jan was born Jan. 12, 1953, in Raymond, Wash., to Robert and Dorothy Wiles. She graduated from high school in Mossyrock, Wash., in 1971.

Jan enjoyed going to the beach, scrapbooking and spending time with her family.

She is survived by her husband, Steve Waller; sons, Jon Wiles and Keith Waller; daughter, Karena Waller; and six grandchildren, Joshua, Noah, Mailyn, Krystopher, Lily and Austin.

Bateman Carroll Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Herbert K. Chin

Feb. 2, 1924-Feb. 6, 2013

Portland resident Herbert K. Chin died Wednesday, Feb. 6. He was 89.

A private memorial service will be held.

Herbert was born Feb. 2, 1924, in Guangzhou Province, China. He graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland and received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Oregon.

On Dec. 29, 1953, Herbert and Frances Chin were married. Herbert was a member of American Institute of Architects Citation, Portland Waterfront Task Force and Downtown Citizens Advisory Committee.

He enjoyed gardening, cooking, tennis and photography.

Herbert is survived by his sons, Loren, Linden and Mark Chin; and five grandchildren.

Riverview Cemetery is handling arrangements.

Darroll Leon Kai

Feb. 25, 1936-Feb. 6, 2013

Portland resident Darroll Leon Kai died Wednesday, Feb. 6. He was 76.

At his request, there will be no service.

Darroll was born Feb. 25, 1936, in Emerson, Neb., to Max and Lana Kai, the youngest of three sons. He grew up in Pender, Neb., where he graduated from Pender High School in 1954.

Darroll married Mary Lou Kai in 1955, and the two moved to Portland in 1959.

Darroll was a lifelong Nebraska Cornhuskers fan and enjoyed watching his two grandchildren play sports.

Darroll is survived by wife of 57 years, Mary Lou; daughter, Tanya Canfield; son, Scott Kai; grandchildren, Cody and Kelsey Kai; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Bob Baxter

Aug. 19, 1943-Feb. 14, 2013

East County resident Bob Baxter died Thursday, Feb. 14. He was 69.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 18, at Gresham Memorial Chapel.

A full obituary will run in a future edition of The Outlook.

Paid obituaries

Maxine E. Manske

Sept 1, 1921 - Feb 9, 2013

Longtime East County resident Maxine Manske died Saturday, February 9, 2013 at her care facility in Gresham. She was 91. Maxine was born on Sept 1, 1921 in Astoria Oregon to Andrew and Lillian (Baker) Simonsen. She grew up in Astoria and graduated from Astoria High School. On October 5, 1941 she married William A. Manske and they lived in various locations during World War II. After the war they settled in the Parkrose area of Portland with their newborn son Robert. In 1947 their next son, Kenneth was born. In 1955 William Manske was awarded a doctorate degree in Chiropractics and he and Maxine started a successful practice in Parkrose. The same year they moved to the Gresham area. Maxine had many hobbies including gardening and crocheting. She was very active in her community as a member of the Eastern Star in Parkrose as well as volunteering years of her time to several community programs including Toy & Joy of East County and the Busy Bee charity. Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William Manske, in 1989, and son, Robert, in 1968. She is survived by son, Kenneth, daughter-in-law Martha, four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A celebration of life reception will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, February 16, in the Gresham Memorial Chapel reception area, 257 SE Roberts Ave. Contributions may be made to Housecall Providers, 5100 SW Macadam Ave. Ste. 200, Portland, OR 97239.

DANIEL CLAY PARKER

Daniel Clay Parker, former East County Resident, died on February 8, 2013 in Vancouver. He was 68 years of age.

Daniel was born on April 28, 1944 in Portland, Oregon and was the son of Chester and Edith (Kindred) Parker. He graduated from Gresham High School in 1962 and later attended college. In 1965, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served during the Vietnam War. He received an honorable discharge in 1970 and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal.

On May 15, 1966, Daniel married Kathleen Linton at the United Methodist Church in Gresham. He started working for GTE (Verizon) in the 1970’s as a Lineman in Gresham and in the 1980’s he accepted a Supervisor position in Aloha. He retired from Verizon in 2002 and moved to LaPine.

He was a member of the American Legion and enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing cards with friends. He also enjoyed telling stories and jokes, playing golf and playing ball with his dog. His greatest love was spending time with his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy of LaPine, children, Tony Parker of Gresham, Michelle (husband, Ken) King of Gresham, Chet (wife, Heather) Parker of Otis and Danelle (husband, Jay) Spencer of Battleground, brother, Bob (wife, Dottie) Parke of Gresham and sisters, Bev Shaffer of St. Helens and Linda Huffer of Estacada along with 9 grandchildren, Megan Parker, John King, Austin Parker, William Parker, Katie King, Michael Parker, Lillian Parker, Kameron Spencer and Daniel Spencer.

A Celebration of Daniel’s life will be on Sunday, February 17, 2013 at 1:00 pm at the Moose Lodge, 16411 NE Halsey Portland, OR 97230. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 14, 2013 from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm at Bateman Carroll. Contributions may be made in memory of Daniel to the Peace Health Southwest Medical Center Foundation, PO Box 1600, Vancouver, WA 98668.

For the third year, Sweetbriar Elementary School students spread Valentine’s Day cheer to seniors at Cherry Park Plaza, delivering handmade cards and a signed banner Thursday.

“You know what you can give away that you’ve still got?” Harold Whitney, a resident, asked the students. “Your smiles!”

About 20 seniors nestled into the lounge of Cherry Park Plaza as four Sweetbriar honor students — fifth-grader Elvis Kunda, third-grader Hillary Saal, second-grader Kaeley Green and first-grader Samuel Moffit — divvied out valentines created by the entire school during the past month.

“I was told the shortest person would do a break dance performance,” Eric Pahlka, Cherry Park Plaza activities coordinator, joked as he introduced the students.

While there was no impromptu dance performance, residents said just chatting with the kids brightened their day.

“Next to cancer, loneliness is the second biggest thing among older people,” said Whitney, who was wearing two of his homemade valentine buttons.

And it wasn’t just the kids who brought the holiday cheer.

Roy Lowe, 96, sported his finest cupid attire for the event — a red shirt, a big red bow tie and a hat adorned with valentine memorabilia.

Sponsored by Troutdale FedEx, the card-making project culminated in an assembly Thursday morning, followed by the valentines’ delivery with Principal Lisa Darnold.

“There’s a cross-generational gap we fill by doing this,” said Tony Gonzalez, human resources generalist of FedEx. “It’s a project super dear to our hearts.”