U. of Oregon to start environmental and racial justice institute
EUGENE, Ore. — The University of Oregon says it will create an institute focusing on environmental and racial justice after receiving a grant of more than $4.5 million, the biggest humanities award in the school’s history.
The Pacific Northwest Just Futures Institute for Racial and Climate Justice will foster collaboration between the university’s College of Arts and Sciences and College of Design in conjunction with the University of Idaho and Whitman College in Washington.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation gave the university the grant, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
“Oregon has a dark history of racial discrimination,” John Arroyo, professor of planning, public policy and management and director of the new institute, said in a statement. “This institute will build a bridge between statements and action toward achieving racial and climate justice on the (university) campus and across the Pacific Northwest, and offer a model for the rest of the country on addressing the most pressing issues of our time.”
Climate change has been shown to have a disproportionate impact on communities of color and people who depend on natural resources for their livelihood. Stephanie LeMenager, an English and environmental studies professor and co-organizer of the institute, said the initiative would focus on those issues.
Eric Holder to review equity issues at Seattle Children’s
SEATTLE — Seattle Children’s hospital is bringing in a big name to review its policies and practices surrounding institutional racism, equity and inclusion: former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
The Seattle Times reported the appointment follows the November resignation of Dr. Ben Danielson, a well-liked pediatrician who cited institutional racism in his departure. Many local leaders and residents called on the hospital to engage in an external investigation.
Holder, a partner at Washington, D.C.-based law firm Covington & Burling, will assess Danielson’s claims and make recommendations to Seattle Children’s. The hospital said the idea is to “accelerate the pace of our existing work to become a truly anti-racist organization.”
Danielson’s concerns included a lack of translation services and a practice of calling security against patients of color. He also contended that staff were afraid of retaliation if they spoke out.
Danielson now works in the pediatrics department at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Holder recently led an investigation into Tyson Foods after a group of managers at an Iowa pork plant were accused of betting on how many workers would contract COVID-19. Holder found sufficient evidence to terminate those involved.
Police ID 37-year-old as suspect in arson at Salem City Hall
SALEM, Ore. — Police say they have identified a 37-year-old man as the culprit who set several fires at Salem City Hall last month.
The fires, set early on Dec. 26, caused about $5,000 in damage. Police said Saturday they had identified the suspect as Scott David Henry, of Salem.
Henry is already in custody on unrelated charges at the Polk County Jail. Police said they expected him to be arraigned on second-degree arson, first-degree criminal mischief and second-degree theft charges related to the fires.
It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
The fires were started in the basement of the parking structure as well as near offices on the second level. Police said several fire extinguishers were stolen and discharged on the outer doors of the second-floor offices.
One of the fires set in the city hall space near Peace Plaza caused $5,000 in damage to an industrial service cable belonging to a construction firm working on renovations at the Salem Public Library.
Bellingham firefighters reportedly assaulted by man they tried to help
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Three firefighters reportedly were assaulted Wednesday in downtown by a man wielding a 4- to 5-foot PVC pipe, but none of them were injured. Bellingham Police booked James Edward Hunt, 54, into Whatcom County Jail early Thursday, on suspicion of three counts of third-degree assault. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $2,000 bail.
Officers were called at 11:47 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, to the 600 block of Cornwall Avenue to assist the firefighters, Lt. Claudia Murphy told the Bellingham Herald in an email. They arrived to find the firefighters holding Hunt on the ground as he reportedly continued to fight.
Hunt continued to fight officers and the firefighters as he was arrested and placed in handcuffs, Murphy reported.
The investigation revealed that the firefighters were called to the area for a medical call for Hunt, who had said he was sick, according to Murphy. When they arrived and tried to help Hunt, he picked up the pipe and began swinging it at the firefighters.
