Salem-News.com Youth articles Page 40

Crowd documented at more than 5,000 in noon-time Rally at State Capitol

They call on the Legislature to invest wisely, tap reserves, and raise revenue to protect kids & education with the federal economic stimulus package providing a smaller-than-hoped for investment in Oregon schools.

(SALEM, Ore.) - More than 5,000 citizens spent their President's Day holiday traveling by busload and carpool to Salem with a simple message for the Legislature: Protect kids and schools.

“With an $800 million shortfall in the current budget and a $2.2 billion gap in the next biennium, we know there are no easy answers,” said Holly Pruett, Stand for Children’s Oregon Executive Director.

Five Individuals Recognized for Efforts to Combat Child Abuse

Participants at this year's conference included law enforcement officers, employees from Department of Human Services, medical professionals, attorneys from the Oregon Department of Justice, and prosecutors from agencies across the state.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Five individuals from Salem, Hillsboro, Portland, and Columbia and Deschutes County were recognized Thursday for their work in support of combating child abuse at the 3rd Annual Child Abuse Conference in Salem.

On February 12th, 2009, the Child Abuse Training Committee of the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training presented awards at the 3rd Annual Child Abuse Conference.

17-Year-Old in Columbia County‏ Arrested for Manslaugher

An six month investigation led to the charges against the juvenile male suspect who they say was responsible for a crash that killed a 17-year old girl.

(SCAPOOSE, Ore.) - Police say that nearly seven months after the car he had been driving crashed and killed a teenaged passenger, a 17-year-old Saint Helens youth turned himself in to deputies who were looking for him, bearing a warrant for the juvenile suspect's arrest.

The boy was charged with one count of first-degree Manslaughter, one count of Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver, one count of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants, and one count of Reckless Driving.

Oregon Double Murder Suspect Arrested in Mexico

This arrest potentially clears the only open City of Independence homicide case in 22 years.

(INDEPENDENCE, Ore.) - Police in Independence have experienced a significant victory in a Double Homicide investigation dating back to 1995, thanks to the help of a retired sheriff and police in Mexico.

Chief Vernon Wells with Independence Police, says the recent arrest of 38-year old Antonio Carrillo-Vera, brings to a close the only unresolved homicide in the City of Independence since 1986.

Obama`s First Foreign Policy Challenge:
Create New International Standards
to Resolve The Israeli-Palestinian Dispute

For where no law is, there is no transgression. - Romans 4. 15

(LOS ANGELES) - President Obama’s most immediate foreign policy challenge is to determine how to deal with the recent Israeli action in Gaza, and with the broader conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Israel’s partial-withdrawal from Gaza appears to have been timed to coincide with President Obama’s inauguration, rather than to answer any of Israel’s security concerns. Clear international standards for resolving intra-state group conflicts are required if the longest-standing problem in the Middle East is ever to be resolved.

UN to Embark on Humanitarian Assessment in Post-Conflict Gaza

In an attempt to get schools up and running again as soon as possible, UNICEF is working to repair windows, desks and chairs at schools, as well as to provide clean sanitation facilities for girls.

(JERUSALEM) - The top United Nations humanitarian official arrived in Jerusalem yesterday to begin an assessment of the needs on the ground in the Gaza Strip following the three-week Israeli military offensive that came to a halt just a few days ago.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and John Holmes will lead a humanitarian needs assessment team into Gaza tomorrow, together with the UN’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry.

Yes We Can Dare to Hope ... But We`ll Need to Work Hard to Bring Real Change

Obama has the ability to do a lot of good as long as we reject the temptation of feeling hopeless and cynical.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - On Tuesday, I dared to hope.

I even felt a little patriotic.

I was among the 2 million people who assembled on the Washington Mall to witness the moment. I was willing to come all the way from California, pay the airfare -- and leave the carbon footprint -- in order to join my daughter, Kalila, in watching history being made.

Hillsboro Police Officer Credited with Saving Infant`s Life‏

Hillsboro Police Officer Jesus Rios had been a medic in the military prior to his employment as a police officer.

(HILLSBORO, Ore.) - Hillsboro Police officers Jesus Rios and Kevin Harrison were flagged down by a motorist on SW Cornelius Pass Road at the Brown Middle School parking lot yesterday, due to a medical emergency.

Lt. Michael Rouches with Hillsboro Police says the couple in the vehicle had called 9-1-1 while at their home nearby on 211th Avenue because their 16-day old infant boy had stopped breathing.

"While waiting for help to arrive they grew frantic and decided to drive the baby to a hospital themselves. While en route they discovered the Hillsboro Officers at the school doing a security check and they flagged down the officers for help," Rouches said.

Kids Will `Shop With a Cop` in Mid-Valley Cities

The "Shop with a Cop" events are a great opportunity for police officers to interact with children that may only have had a negative experience with law enforcement.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The need is greater this year as state troopers, county deputies, and city police officers reach out to help over 600 kids shop for special gifts this holiday season at three locations in Linn, Benton and Marion counties. It is part of their area annual "Shop with a Cop" event.

For the 14th year, Corvallis and Albany-area police officers will help local disadvantaged and foster children shop for Christmas gifts as part of the local "Shop with a Cop" program. Last year, 181 children left with smiles on their faces after purchasing videos, clothing, toys, and other special gifts while shopping with state, county, and city police officers.

"We all are experiencing in some way the impact of the economy and most of these children would receive very little even in the best of times," said long-time "Shop with a Cop" organizer, Ms. Reita Wyatt.

Hands Off Our School Children`s Recession Cookie Jar

Oregon's legislature should repeal the earmarks that rob the Education Stability Fund of money that the Constitution and voters say must be saved for Oregon's school children.

(SILVERTON, Ore.) - There's little doubt that Oregon's economy is sliding and that state revenues will not be adequate to meet this and the next budget cycle's demands for public services. When the last recession struck, Oregon had no rainy day fund, forcing schools and programs to shut down. Our woes became a joke in the comic strip Doonesbury and fodder for the front page of The New York Times.

In response, the legislature sought and obtained voter approval to create an Education Stability Fund. But shortly thereafter, a hard-up-for-cash legislature drained the meager savings in the fund to partially meet the needs of Oregon's school children.

You'd think coming up short in a recession and becoming the laughingstock of the nation would have led to prudent fiscal management of the new Education Stability Fund. It didn't.