A4 NEWS The Hillsboro <strong>Tribune</strong> Friday, March 8, 2013St. Patrick’s DayParade & Carnival!Saturday, March 16thSponsored BySign Up Today!Sign Up Today!Join The Parade!Families • Businesses OrganizationsFamilies • Businesses • OrganizationsPARADE PARADE REQUIREMENTSYou You must be be wearing GREEN or haveGREEN somewhere on your entry!There will be a $20 entry feePleasePlease Make checks payable to:to:Hillsboro Boys & Girls ClubDon’t miss theIrish Family Carnivalin Historic Downtownimmediatelyfollowing theParade!Seeonline2ND AVE.Your Wood StoreJoin The Parade!Hillsboro Boys & Girls ClubQuestions??? Call Murphy’s at (503) 640-1124Fresh NewClassifiedsevery day -all day!To BenefitParadeFormation AreaEND GRANT ST. STARTNAME______________________________ORG._______________________________ADD.________________________________CITY__________STATE_____ZIP________PHONE______________________________Type of Entry__________________________MAIN ST.After the ParadeCome to theCORNED BEEF &CABBAGE FEED& IRISH FAMILYFESTIVALat the Hillsboro Civic CenterBetween 1st & 2nd on MainProceeds benefitHillsboroBoys & GirlsClubHosted byStaging Time: 9:00am • Start Time: 11:00amThe Parade will form at the parking lot acrossfrom Hare Field on N.E. Grant St. in HillsboroMail this form with $20, Payable to Hillsboro Boys & Girls Club:St. Patrick’s Day Parade c /o Murphy’s Furniture P.O. Box 508 Cornelius, OR 97113CORNELL RD.Your Neighborhood Marketplace503-620-SELL (7355)www.portlandtribune.comGenerosity boostsstadium sculpture‘Barometer’ willlight up HillsboroHops’ homeBy JIM REDDENThe Hillsboro <strong>Tribune</strong>Hillsboro’s new baseballstadium is getting a muchmore impressive work of publicart than previously expected,thanks to the generosityof the artist and the co-ownersof the Hillsboro Hops.The city has chosen notedNorthwest sculpture Devin LawrenceField to create a 15-foot-tallsculpture called “Barometer.” Ittakes the form of a baseball diamondheld aloft by columns andilluminated with color-changing,sound-activated LED lights.They will respond to various instrumentsaround the sculpturepeople can play during games.Field, who lives near the stadium,is waiving his artist feeand putting the money back intomaterials for the sculpture,which was originally budgetedat $50,000.“I live off Cornelius Pass(Road), so this artwork will be inmy neighborhood,” said Field.“This is a place I would comewith my family, and I want theartwork to be something I feelproud of, not just a job I did tomake money, and I am doing themost I can to make it special.”Team owners Laura and MikeMcMurray were so excited aboutField’s generosity that they do-The “Barometer”sculpture at thenew baseballstadium by DevinLawrence Field isinspired by thegame diamondand will light upas noiseincreases.COURTESY PHOTO:CITY OF HILLSBOROnated $10,000 toward the costs ofthe LED lights, raising the budgetto $60,000. The gift was madeon behalf of the Hillsboro Hops.“We were so impressed byDevin’s donation of his artist feeand also with such a spectaculardesign that we wanted everycomponent he envisioned to beincluded,” said Laura McMurray.The $15.2 million stadium isscheduled to be finished in theGordon Faber RecreationalComplex along the Sunset Highwayin time for the Hops’ firsthome game on June 17.CONGRATULATIONS2013 Regional Spelling BeeChampion Divya Amirtharaj!Divya Amirtharaj, 11, of Meadow Park Middle SchoolBeaverton student Divya Amirtharaj correctly spelled‘rapscallion’ and ‘hegemonic’ to win the ninth annual <strong>Portland</strong><strong>Tribune</strong>/Comcast Regional Spelling Bee Saturday at theHollywood Theatre.Runner-up: Umbre Khan, 9, from the Islamic School ofthe Muslim Education Trust in Tigard.The <strong>Portland</strong> <strong>Tribune</strong> and Comcast wish Divya thebest of luck at the Scripps National Spelling Bee!Thank you to our wonderful sponsors:410684.0307122003.0308131372.103112National Aeronautics and Space Administrationwww.nasa.govNOVEMBER 17, 2012 — MAY 31, 2013Presented By:MediaSponsor:ExhibitSponsors:C.F. PlasticsInc.MentorGraphicsFEI CompanyThe BoeingCompanyTualityHealthcareVernierSoftware&TechnologyU.S. BankWashington County Museumat the Hillsboro Civic Center120 E Main Street, Hillsboro, Oregon503.645.5353 | washingtoncountymuseum.org
The Hillsboro <strong>Tribune</strong> Friday, March 8, 2013NEWS A5GOING COUNTRYFOR THE CANNONSKurt Van Meter sings to aid jailed ex-cop’s Forest Grove familyKurt Van Meter of Tualatinis a Hillsboropolice officer, a singledad, a former rodeobull rider and a rising countrysinger.He’s also a loyal friend tojailed ex-cop Tim Cannon ofForest Grove, who buoyed himthrough some tough times severalyears back.Tonight, March 8, Van Meterwill play a benefit show at aHillsboro Elks lodge to help hisbuddy’s wife and children in thewake of a shootout five weeksago at Cannon’s home in ForestGrove.“Tim has helped me througha lot of personal stuff,” Van Meter,36, said Sunday. “When Iwas going through my struggleswith my ex, battling forcustody rights for my children,we would get our patrol vehiclesdoor-to-door and talk, ortalk when we would clear a call.“I went to Tim because he isa country boy from Montanaand I grew up around thetoughness of the cowboy culture.To me, Tim embodiedtoughness.”‘My heart broke’Lisa and Tim Cannon werethere for Van Meter when heopened for country rocker DavidAllan Coe three years ago inone of his first sold-out shows.“They were in one of the firstrows,” Van Meter recalled ofthat May 2010 performance in<strong>Portland</strong>’s Roseland Theater.Since then, Van Meter hasplayed to crowds of 5,000 atCountryFest in WaterfrontPark and shared the stage withblues singer Ty Curtis andAmerican Idol-bred singersBritnee Kellog and Crystal Bowersox.He hopes to break intothe big-time soon.Now, as Tim Cannon’s criminaltrial for assault and attemptedaggravated murderlooms in Washington CountyCircuit Court, Van Meter iscoming to the aid of his formercolleague and his family.“When I heard about whathappened, my heart broke,”said the divorced father of twoboys. “At the end of the day heis my brother. I choose to loveTim.”It was an easy “yes” for VanMeter when Alana Ambrose ofBeaverton, wife of Hillsboro PoliceOfficer Vin Ambrose, askedhim to play at tonight’s fundraiserdance for Lisa CannonSupporters, a group she createdto help the Cannons, whohave two young children.He accepted the invitationright away.“We want to create enoughcash flow for these guys so thata year or two years down theline, they’ll have something tofall back on,” Van Meter said.“The structure of Lisa’s life hasbeen shattered, so she has torebuild. The most tangible waywe can help is by raising moneyto support Tim’s family.“I believe we can come togetheras a community for thisfamily,” he added, “and there’sa tremendous amount of healingthat comes through music.”Volatile incidentLisa Cannon, a civilian employeeof the Forest Grove PoliceDepartment, called 9-1-1the evening of Jan. 20 to reporta domestic disturbance afterher husband, who she said hadSTORY BYNANCY TOWNSLEYbeen drinking, allegedly pinnedher to the floor inside theirhome on 37th Avenue. Shebroke free and locked herselfand their 6-year-old daughterin an upstairs bathroom whileTim Cannon exchanged gunfirewith officers from three agenciesin one of the most volatileshootouts in the last 20 years.No one was killed, and TimCannon eventually surrenderedto police.Van Meter — who grew up inKlamath Falls, played footballat Oregon State University androde bulls for the Beavers onthe collegiate rodeo circuit —said the incident was a symptomof the enormous amount ofpressure felt by those in lawenforcement.“It’s very stressful. Peopledon’t understand the checksand balances police officershave to go through on a dailybasis,” said Van Meter, whoworked for the Benton CountySheriff’s Office in Corvallis beforejoining the Hillsboro departmentin 2007.“Police work is a risk management-drivenculture now,”Van Meter said. “What we do isdangerous.”Tim Cannon’s commendationfile, released by Hillsboro Policeearlier this month, confirmsthat. It reveals numerousencounters with burglars, carthieves and neighborhoodprowlers. Cannon and anotherofficer won a “life savingaward” last year for an incidentin October 2011 in which theyhelped save the life of an injuredand suicidal man.A high-speed chase in Hillsboroand Cornelius on Nov. 21,2009, which ended with policekilling 28-year-old gunmanShawn Schumacher of Hillsboro,sorely tested Van Meter’sprofessional mettle — and sethim on a road to fulfilling a lifelongdream.“I remember seeing the barrelof his 50-caliber Desert Eagleand the muzzle flash (thevisible light of a firearmblast),” said Van Meter. “Hemissed me, obviously. But thatwas really the impetus for meto go do this music thing — lifeis short.”That close call, coupled withTim Cannon’s aberrant behaviorand subsequent arrest, havedeeply affected Van Meter andother officers.“Warriors have wounds,” hesaid. “We have psychologicaland physical wounds ... it’s justthe nature of our business.“I pray that the officers whoresponded to (the Cannon) callwill heal mentally and physicallyfrom what they wentthrough.”Dabbled in musicA country music fan since hewas a boy, Van Meter wouldsometimes sing as he walkedthrough the hallways at theHillsboro Police Department’sWest Precinct. “The guys wouldjoke, ‘Hey, don’t quit your dayjob,’” Van Meter said with alaugh. “But I still kind of dabbledin it.”Soon he was doing jam sessionsat Duke’s Country Barand Grill in Southeast <strong>Portland</strong>and joining a group of aspiringElks danceLisa Cannon and her twochildren moved back intotheir home on 37th Avenuenear Forest Grove HighSchool Feb. 16, after volunteersrepaired bullet-damagedwalls. But the familystill needs help.So the Hillsboro ElksLodge, 21865 N.W. QuatamaRoad, is holding a benefitdance for the family from 7to 11 p.m. tonight, Friday,March 8.Tickets are $10 and mustbe purchased prior to theevent from CynthiaO’Donnell, 503-640-0409, orBonnie Hadley, 503-702-4004.musicians at the Rock CreekTavern on Old Cornelius PassRoad.“They had a guy with a bluegrassband, and each personthere would take turns gettingup and singing something,” VanMeter said. “It dawned on methat maybe I could do this.”In the last three years VanMeter has opened for nationallyknown artists Chris Young,Josh Thompson, MontgomeryGentry, Craig Morgan and Coe.The fact he’s been asked to joinsuch stellar company still boggleshis mind.“I feel like I’ve gained a followingby standing on theshoulders of giants,” the soloartist said. Van Meter’s originalsong, “That’s Life,” a tribute toa wounded Afghan War veteran,has sold more than 300 copiesand has 2,788 hits on You-Tube. He released a gospel rocksong, “Jesus Loves the Hell Outof Me,” in 2012.Van Meter’s journey toward amusic career started with a guitar,a failed marriage and thetime he had on his hands duringthe week when he’d comehome from work to a too-emptyhouse.“My boys are my breath,”said Van Meter, whose custodyarrangement with his ex-wifebrings Cody, 11, and Tanner, 8,to his house every weekend. Hehated taking them back to theirmom each Sunday night andgoing home alone.“Sometimes the silence wasso loud.” said Van Meter, who’dstart strumming and foolingaround with lyrics, filling thehole in his heart with music.The boys painted “We loveyou, Dad” on his black guitarcase so Van Meter can “takethem with me wherever I go,”he said.“There are two times I havepeace: when I’m at home withmy boys, making dinner andjust being Daddy — and whenI’m on stage,” said Van Meter.“That’s when nothing can touchme; when I feel most alive.”Hug him, slap himThe evening of Jan. 20, VanMeter had gotten off duty 30minutes before the emergencycall from the Cannon housewent out over the radio. He wasattending a memorial concertfor a musician friend and didnot respond to the escalatingsituation.He felt a range of emotions— from sorrow to anger to empathy— in the aftermath of the80-minute episode, duringwhich multiple shots were firedand after which Cannon was accusedof trying to kill fellow officers.“I felt bad for Tim because Ifeel like I should have seen hewas struggling,” Van Meternoted. “Then I got pissed at himfor shooting at my fellow officersand putting his wife andchild through what they wentthrough.“I wanted to hug him andthen slap him.”A sheriff’s deputy and Cannonwere injured in the incident,and Forest Grove PoliceChief Janie Schutz has sincesaid it was a miracle no onedied that night, including thesuspect.“We’re all trained that wemight have to shoot a bad guy,”noted Van Meter, “but neveronce have we ever thought weInfo on theWebTo learn moreabout Kurt VanMeter’s musicand his upcomingperformances,go to facebook.com/kurt.Above left: KurtVan Meter, aHillsboro policeofficer, writesand singscountry music inhis off-hours.He’s performingat a benefitdance for LisaCannon and herchildren onMarch 8.Left: By day KurtVan Meter, 36, isa patrol officerwith theHillsboro PoliceDepartment. Bynight he singsand playscountry music atvarious<strong>Portland</strong>-areavenues.PHOTOS COURTESY OFKURT VAN METERmight have totry to kill oneof our own.That’s tough.”After RainierPolice ChiefRalph Painterwas shot andkilled in theline of duty inearly 2011,Van Meterperformed at a memorial concertat Duke’s in <strong>Portland</strong>. InDecember, he played and sangwith Bowersox, Kellogg andCurtis during a benefit concertfor the families of the ClackamasTown Center shooting victims.He won’t do any less for aman he still cares about, behindbars or not.“I’m honored to do this benefit.I love Tim to death, and Iwish there was a way for me totell him,” said Van Meter, whosaid he isn’t allowed to visitCannon in jail as long as hiscourt case is pending.For all the heartache Cannon’ssituation brings him, VanMeter thinks the benefit concertwill be fun. “A lot of goodcan happen when you pay it forward.”Open EnrollmentMarch 1-30, 2013Don’t missthis opportunity 2004.022713420978.030813
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