FOOTBALL HAZING-AFTERMATH
Small town laments loss of football season due to hazing
PHILOMATH, Ore. (AP) — Hazing inflicted by older players on younger ones at a conditioning camp has led to the cancellation of an Oregon high school’s football season, investigations by authorities, and calls for soul-searching and healing.
Meanwhile, three varsity high school football players in California have been charged in a separate incident.
Studies show more than half of college students in sports teams, clubs and organizations have experienced hazing. Many were hazed in high school.
Breaking the cycle is difficult, but the town of Philomath is tackling the issue head on. School district officials say they’re focusing on students’ mental health and looking for ways to prevent hazing incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, many residents are mourning the loss of the football games that brought the town of 4,500 together.
BLACK LIVES MATTER-CLASSROOM
Medford teacher asked to remove Black Lives Matter poster
(Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/)
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A Medford high school teacher has been asked to remove a Black Lives Matter poster from his classroom following criticism from parents.
The Mail Tribune reports a photo of South Medford High School teacher Paul Cynar standing next to the poster was taken by a student and then circulated by parents and forwarded to the media.
Medford School District spokeswoman Natalie Hurd says Cynar was asked to take the poster down and removed it more than two weeks ago. Hurd says his compliance made it a “nonissue.”
School policy states teachers can express their opinions so long as they indicate their views are theirs alone and are willing to acknowledge other opinions.
Cynar says he wasn’t trying to change anyone’s beliefs, but “to encourage students to grapple with other views.”
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MASTURBATOR SENTENCE
Supreme Court reverses life sentence for public masturbator
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s high court has reversed a life prison sentence for a frequent public masturbator, saying the state’s three-strikes-you’re out law for repeat sex offenders isn’t always constitutional.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday said locking up 39-year-old Dennis Davidson with no possibility of getting out is a disproportionate sentence for his crimes.
He was sentenced to life in prison after he was caught masturbating in front of women in four places over five years until his arrest in 2011.
The court described Davidson as an “incorrigible” offender, but noted that Davidson has never been convicted of raping, sodomizing or sexually touching any victims — like other sex offenders sentenced to life terms.
The case will go back to court where Davidson will be resentenced.
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SON ASSAULTED
Portland man convicted of assault on infant son
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Portland man has been found guilty of assaulting his infant son, who is now blind and nearly brain dead.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that a jury convicted 29-year-old Awes Sheikhuna of first-degree assault and criminal mistreatment in connection with the June 2015 incident.
Prosecutors argued that Sheikhuna was unhappy about having to watch his then-3-month-old son, Anwar, and the boy’s 2-year-old brother while their mother was at work. They say Sheikhuna became angry and shook and hit the baby after he had been crying.
Paramedics responded to the home to find the boy unconscious and took him to the hospital for treatment.
Sheikhuna’s attorney maintained that the baby suffered a blood clot from natural causes that led to his injuries.
Sheikhuna faces at least 7 ½ years in prison.
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GENDER-NEUTRAL RESTROOMS
Portland changes 600 restrooms to gender-neutral
(Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — About 600 city bathrooms will become “all-user” on Friday with signs designating female and male replaced with signs that show a toilet.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the new signs show what’s behind the door and not who should be using the facility, according to city officials.
Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish proposed the change in December 2015 after he says people from across Portland asked for it.
The new signs will make the restrooms accessible to parents with young children, people with personal attendants and transgender people.
The city manages approximately 850 restrooms. Almost 600 are single-user facilities, with roughly half in park facilities spread across the city.
Multnomah County and Portland Public Schools have changed their single-stall facilities to gender-neutral in recent years.
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HOSPITAL SEXUAL ASSAULT
Nursing assistant indicted on 18 charges including rape
(Information from: KATU-TV, http://www.katu.com/)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A former nursing assistant at a Portland hospital has been arraigned on 18 charges including rape and kidnapping.
KATU-TV reports that in court Thursday, Adeladilew Mekonen was arraigned on first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping, four counts of sexual penetration and 12 counts of sex abuse. His bail was set at $1 million.
Investigators said nine people claim they were sexually abused by Mekonen. Two patients, ages 87 and 94, at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center are among them.
Mekonen worked as a caregiver at the West Hills Health & Rehabilitation Center before he was hired at Providence. Detectives say they are concerned there could be more victims.
Anyone with helpful information is asked to call 503-846-2500.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mekonen has an attorney.
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HOMICIDE CONVICTION OVERTURNED
Oregon high court overturns Springfield homicide conviction
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Supreme Court has overturned the murder conviction of a Lane County man, ruling police wrongfully interrogated him after his arrest and those statements shouldn’t have been admissible at trial.
Robert Darnell Boyd was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 after a jury convicted of him fatally beating his girlfriend on a Springfield sidewalk. Witnesses saw Boyd running from the scene and police found him with the woman’s blood on his hands, shoes and pants.
At the police station, he expressed disbelief the woman was dead and asked for a lawyer.
Hours later, a sergeant asked Boyd questions the high court believed shouldn’t have been asked because they were likely to elicit an incriminating response. Boyd became agitated, asked to speak with a detective and acknowledged an altercation.
Chief Lane County Deputy District Attorney Erik Hasselman said he’s disappointed by Thursday’s ruling and hopes the state will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. He says Boyd will be retried, if necessary.
MARIJUANA ZONING
Oregon board sides with county on marijuana zoning
(Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/)
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Oregon state officials have upheld local regulations blocking people from growing medical marijuana on property zoned for rural residential use.
The Mail Tribune reports that the Land Use Board of Appeals sided with Jackson County on the issue, releasing a decision this month that rejected the arguments of Sandra Diesel, president the local group Right to Grow USA.
Diesel said Wednesday she plans to appeal the decision to the Oregon Court of Appeals.
She brought the case to LUBA in April, saying the regulations are unreasonable and will hurt patients and growers.
The county argued that marijuana can still be grown in non-residential zones. Jackson County Counsel Joel Benton says he is pleased with the decision and that it validates months of work spent crafting the new regulations.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
