Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 1978)
Displaced homemakers’ aid near By KEVIN HARDEN Of the Emerald Legislation that is long overdue to aid nation-wide displaced homemakers has been intro duced in the Senate, says Hazel Foss, director of Eugene s Center for Displaced Homemakers and Widowed Services. The legislation, which would eventually create 50 multi purpose job centers nationwide for displaced homemakers, was introduced last month by Rep. Yvonne Burke, D-Cal., and Sen. Birch Bayh, D-Ind, and co Thomson Motor’s Specializing in Triumph, Norton, BSA & Honda. 1858 E. 13th 344-1224 Rapid Printing Typing • Theses & Dissertations Editing ® Resumes • Design & Layout • Advertising Cooperative Printing 485-4899 • 762 E. 13th (next to Excelsior) HOURS: 7:30 a.m. ^ p.m. Monday — Friday ^ a.m. 6 P.m. Saturday Open Sunday Noon—5 p.m. Legislation introduced in Senate sponsored by Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore. According to Jennifer Oldfield, a Hatfield aide in charge of similar legislation, the legislation grew out of a "realization that programs like these are valid and could help a lot more people who need help,” she says. The centers that will be created by the legislation may be mod eled after the displaced home maker centers in Eugene, Cal ifornia and Maryland, the only existing centers in the nation, Old field says. The legislation was originally in troduced as a bill to provide direct assistance to organize displaced homemakers centers, Oldfield explains, but was changed to an amendment to the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). Part of the money provided by the amendment will go to assist nearly seven million displaced homemakers around the nation, she says. "This is designed specifically to aid the women that are caught in the economic plight of being widowed, divorced or somehow thrust into the job market without any skills and are ineligible for un employment or social security benefits,” Oldfield says. “There is a real need for this kind of federal legislation,” Foss explains. “Through the displaced homemakers center in Eugene we have demonstrated that there is a need for more centers like this.” The impact of the proposed legislation on Eugene’s center isn’t known as yet, Oldfield says, but it could mean more such cen ters located around the state to aid more than those in the Lane County area. r Women from as far away as Portland and Eastern Oregon have requested help from Eugene’s center, Foss explains. “Ours is a pilot project, and there is a real need for other cen ters throughout the state. We just don’t have the staff or the facilities to handle all the requests we get.” Although no firm location com mitment has been made for any of the 50 proposed centers, more than a dozen states have passed legislation to aid the displaced homemaker, Oldfield says, and Oregon could get more if needed. The Eugene center has aided 200 clients since it opened last July, Foss says, and additional centers are needed in Portland, Southern and Eastern Oregon to Linda Bengtis, New York video artist and sculptress, gave a video presentation and fielded audience questions Tuesday night in the EMU. The first video tape detailed the escapades of ' The Amazing Bow Wow," a dog part human Ipart animat and its'’ owners. Photo by Carolyn Beaver aid more people. Foss explains, “The displaced homemaker often feels that what has happened to them is a per sonal problem, but it’s not. It’s society’s problem and that’s what it should be.” The legislation, Oldfield says, is very long overdue at the federal level. "For so long the displaced homemaker has been viewed by people outside as just a housewife and not a valid part of the labor force,” she explains. The pro posed legislation would change all that. Hearings scheduled on the CETA program budget for the coming year and the proposed amendment are set for early next month, Oldfield says, and there is a good chance the provisions of the bill will be passed before the end of this year. World at a glance From Associated Fuss reports Torrijos’ brother indicted NEW YORK .— A three-court federal indictment accusing the brother of Panamanian leader Gen. Omar Torrijos of smuggling herion into the United States in 1971 was unsealed Tuesday by a federal judge. The indictment against Moises Torrijas Hernandez was unsealed by U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein. In Washington Tuesday, the Senate was told by its intelligence committee that Gen. Torrijos knew officials of his government were engaged in drug trafficking 'and did not take sufficient action” to stop his brother from becoming involved. Committee members added that there is no conclusive evidence” that the Panamanian leader himself was involved. The Panamanian government-controlled press attacked the Senate inquiry, calling it as reasonable as a probe of admitted marijuana use by Pres. Carter’s son Jack. Bring this ad and get 33 Vs % OFF LIST PRICE of any new GUITAR in our store when purchased with its case at the regular price. Limit one coupon per customer. No trades on this offer. Expires February 28 1978 34-5-8289
