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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 19, 1973)
Thursday. April » , 1975 Th« Editor** Desk Media needs leadership Tw o b o a rd m e m b e rs o f MEDIA, Inc. h ave a n n o u n c e d (th ro u g h th e O re g o n ia n ) th a t th ey h a v e a p p o in te d te m p o ra ry co -d ire c to rs fo r MEDIA, p e n d in g a p p ro v a l o f th e fu ll boa rd . Louis Scherzer, President, a n d Bob Rogers, S ecretary-T reasurer, said th e y h a v e a p p o in te d MEDIA e m p lo y e e s H a rv e y Rice a n d Dr. D o n a ld Jones to be c o -d ire cto rs, a lth o u g h , b ecause o f th e n e e d fo r a s in g lu a r fig u re h e a d , Rice " w i l l p ro b a b ly act as te m p o ra ry e x e c u tiv e d ir e c to r ." Rice a n d Jones w ill re p la c e Joseph Bostic, w h o w as asked by th e b o a rd to resign . ALFRED LEE HENDERSON WE SEE THE WORLD THROUGH BLACK EYES Jungle or fort? W h e n a stran ge r tra ve ls U n io n A v e n u e he m ust th in k he is in a ju n g le or a fo rt. Store w in d o w s a re b o a rd e d o ve r, ra m sh a c k le d b u ild ings lin e the streets, even b u ild in g s in use are in p o o r re p a ir. Yet this is a c o m m u n iy w h e re p e o p le live , shop, w o rk , a n d w o u ld lik e to h ave som e d e g re e o f p rid e in th e ir su rrou nd ing s. M an y residents, th ro u g h M o d e l C ities a nd o th e r pro- gram s, or th ro u g h th e ir o w n hard e ffo rts , have m a n a g e d to re p a ir a n d b e a u tify th e ir hom es a nd gardens. M a n y p e o p le spend hours in th e ir yards, fussing w ith la w n a n d flo w e rs ; but m uch o f the in c e n tiv e m ust be lost w h e n th e y h ave to d riv e past b o a rd e d -u p b u ild in g s a nd tu m b le -d o w n e d shacks to g e t to th e ir h om es; or w h e n th e y see a va ca n t a nd ro ttin g house o u t o f th e ir kitch en w in d o w . A n y m an w h o w ants to d o business in a c o m m u n ity sh o u ld have som e interest a n d co n cern fo r his n eigh bo rs. N o businessm an should o p e ra te in such a w a y th a t he is a d e trim e n t ra th e r th a n an asset. There is no excuse fo r the ru n -d o w n c o n d itio n o f m ost o f th e business b u ild in g s. W h y sh o u ld p e o p le shop in a store th a t looks lik e a fo rt -- th a t says w ith it's e x te rio r th a t it n ot o n ly d o e s n 't care, b u t is a fra id o f it's n eigh bo rs? H o w can a businessm an e xp e ct to o b ta in the business o f th e residents o f A lb in a , let a lo n e e n tic e consum ers fro m o th e r parts o f P ortland into his store, w h e n he im p lie s th a t if is not safe. W e hear th a t m a n y w h ite P ortlanders are a fra id to shop in A lb in a , a lth o u g h th ey w o u ld be sa fer here th a n in n e a rly a n y o th e r a re a o f P ortland. W h o can b la m e th em ? P utting racism asid e, w h o w o u ld w a n t to p ick a m o n g shattered glass a nd ru b b ish to step in to a store th a t looks lik e a d u n g e o n ? The fa c t th a t the o ld b u ild in g s can be re m o d e le d to be p re se n ta b le a nd c o n v e n ie n t is d e m o n stra te d by the o ffic e s o f N ero Industries on U n io n A v e n u e n ea r F rem ont, or by MEDIA'S b u ild in g . The fa c t that J e w e ll Glass a n d the C athay R estaurant, a m o n g others, h ave chosen to re lo ca te in A lb in a ra th e r th a n le a ve th e a re a , should d e m o n s tra te th a t th e y th in k this is a g oo d p la ce to do business. The Lam pus c o m p a n y su re ly m ust be a ttra c tin g m o re consum ers n o w th a t th e p e o p le passing by see the fu rn itu re d is p la y e d b e h in d b e a u tifu l sh ow w in d o w s . W h o can be in sp ire d to g o into a store a nd lo o k a ro u n d if th ey d o n 't see a n y th in g b ut beards. This is th e a g e o f the co nsu m e r a n d o n e o f these days th e p e o p le o f A lb in a w ill sh o w these m erchants h o w th e y fe e l a b o u t those w h o th in k th e y m ust p ro te ct th em selve s a g a in st the p e o p le . The w ill stay a w a y fro m those businesses that w o n 't invest in a can o f p a in t, w h o w o n 't sw eep the s id e w a lk o cca s io n a lly , or w h o fe e l they must p ro tect th e m se lve s fro m th e c o m m u n ity . 4W ______________ MEMBER S S |1|R M lO re9°n N e -v , p ; ip e r Publishers ■ Bissisi I Association EDITOR/PUBL1SHER i NNA Ataodation - Foundad 1B85 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER P O . Box 3 I3 7 P ortland, O re g o n 97208 Please a rra n g e to h a ve the OBSERVER m a ile d to m y h om e „ _ . „ • »5.25 per year in the T ri County area. • $6.00 per year elsewhere. N am e . City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Apt. ( if a n y ) — State & Z ip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ T e le p h o n e Dear Sir: As far as conditions are here in Rocky Butte Jail, we spend 22'/< hours a day in a dormitory. Our activities are domiaoes, cards, chess, books, T .V ., and a radio. W e are not allowed outside activi ties. even though there is a yard with double fences and towers for this purpose. There is no circulation of fresh air, and there is a constant odor of human bodies and jail stink. When one man catches a cold or the flu. rather than remove this man to a hospital room here in the jail, he is left among us and so everyone becomes ill. I f an inmate gets in trou ble, he goes to the hole (isolation) cells for punish ment. Here he may have mace or tear gas thrown on him, or maybe the guy in the next cell has a mental pro blem, and screams all night, while the guards squirt cold water from a hose on him. They say they have hearings here for offenders of the rules, but their hearings are by a sergeant and another guard who very seldom give justice. I fell in the hallway once, injuring my arm. I was taken to the hospital and a cast put on. A few days THE NORTHWEST’S BEST W EEKLY-A BLACK OWNED PUBLICATION Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company at 2201 N .K lllln gsw o rth .P ort- land, Oregon 97217, M ailing address: Box 3137, Portland Oregon 97208. 283-2486 Application to m all at sec ond class postage rates is pending at Portland,Oregon. MEMBER Bostic is th e second d ire c to r fire d in the last y e a r d u e to s ta ff d issa tisfa ctio n . Perhaps the b o a rd sh o u ld lo o k a t its p e rs o n n e l practices, a p p e a l p ro ced ures, a n d a d m in is tra tiv e lines o f c o m m u n ic a tio n -- th e n stick to th e p o lic y . The id e a th a t no o n e o u tsid e the p ro g ra m w o u ld w a n t th e job, a n d the In fe re n c e that p e rh a p s a n e rro r w as m a d e in b rin g in g in so m e o n e fro m C a lifo rn ia , is ty p ic a l o f the O re g o n stig m a a g a in s t "n e w c o m e rs ". O re g o n ia n s , a n d e s p e c ia lly P ortland Blacks, seem to fe a r a n d m istrust a n y o n e w h o w as not raised in O re g o n . The tw o s ta ff m e m b e rs w ill serve as te m p o ra ry co -d ire c to rs fo r 8 m onths, a t w h ic h tim e the M o d e l C ities g ra n t w ill end. As a n in d e p e n d e n t a g e n c y , it is not n ece ssarily tru e th a t MEDIA c a n n o t e xist w ith o u t M o d e l C ities. If the b oa rd b e lie v e s the p ro g ra m is v a lu a b le , th e y m ust h ire a d ire c to r w h o can fin d the necessary m o n e y to c o n tin u e the p ro g ra m . In these tim e s o f c o n flic t, unrest, b u d g e t cuts a n d in d e c is io n , it w o u ld b e h o o v e MEDIA to h ire a p e rm a n e n t d ire c to r w ith the strength to o v e rc o m e the p ro b le m s a n d shape up the p ro g ra m , w h e re e v e r he m ust be fo u n d . H a rv e y Rice a n d Dr. Jones a re p ro b a b ly both q u a lifie d fo r the p o s itio n o f D irector. They sh o u ld b oth be co n sid e re d , a lo n g w ith a n y o th e r a p p lic a n ts w h o a re intereste d , fo r th e p o s itio n o f p e rm a n e n t Executive D irector. CARLOS Body and Fondor Repair 2609 N. Vancouver Ave. 2 8 7 -1 5 2 9 A rra n g e m e n t* E x p e r t ly ... B ecau se the » u u l w ill I :)>•• f a m ilie s we s e iv e IS u u i m u s t v a lu a b le AB||||||||| asset. C. D e n V e n n VANN'S MORTUARY 5211 N .W illia m s A v e n u e 2 8 1 - 2 8 3 6 P o rtla n d .O re g o n SHOP Subscriptions: $5.25 a year in Tri-C ounty area, $6.00 elsewhere. ALFRED L . HENDERSON Address The d e c is io n to re p la c e Bostic w ith tw o e m p lo y e e s w as based on tw o p re m ise s: 1) L ea d e r ship w as p ic k e d fro m the ranks o f the e m p lo y e e s to a v o id le n g t h y o r ie n t a t io n . Scherzer said, " th e re is so m uch unrest in p ro g ra m s lik e this th a t to g o o u t in th e o p e n m a rk e t a n d a ttra c t s o m e o n e n e w w o u ld be ra th e r d if fic u lt." 2) The p ro g ra m is fu n d e d fo r o n ly 8 m onths. W e b e lie v e these su pp osition s to be fa ls e a n d to be a g a in s t th e best interest o f MEDIA. If th e re is a n e e d a nd a purpose fo r MEDIA, th e n it sh o u ld be g iv e n th e strongest possible le a d e r ship. A jo in t d ire c to rs h ip is d iffic u lt to a d m in is te r a n d n e a rly im p o ssib le to d e fin e in term s o f re s p o n s ib ility . If th e re a re p e rs o n n e l p ro b le m s a n d unrest a m o n g th e sta ff, a strong d ire c to r is n ee de d. M o s t re a s o n a b le shop in town Member: NNPA - INPA ONPA NNA ALFRED LEE HENDERSON, Publlsher/Edltor The Observer’ s official po sition is expressed only in its Publisher's Column (The Observation Post) and the E d ito r’s Desk. Any other m aterial throughout the pap e r is the opinion of the In dividual w rite r or submitter and does not necessarily re flect the opinion of the Ob server. Any erroneous reflection up on the characwr, standing or reputation of person, firm o r corporation, which may ap pear in the Portland Obser ver will be cheerfully co r rected upon being brought to the attention of tbs Editor. later the cast became un berable. so I removed it. For this. I was put in the hole. W hile in the hole, I had a first hand view of how the hole was run. In my cell with me was an obviously demented man. I found that he had refused food for five days. I do not know what became of him. but I do know his only crime was a (iften dollar traffic violation. I have seen inmates who were seriously ill and refused medical treatment. W e had a flu epedemic in January, and our only relief was aspirin. And if anyone could not get out of bed to eat, they were thrown in the hole. Drug addicts have been refused medical relief and told to suffer. Our medical care is faulty and incompetent on the whole. I being a reasonably sane man. find this jail to be an insult to humanity and the public it serves. When a man alledgedly is confined for an infraction of the law, he is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. I say this jail is run completely different than that. Here a man is treated as a convicted criminal, deprived of all his rights and forced to suffer indignities unfit for an ani mal and if. as I am doing lEN O W ’S now, he complains, none hear him. I have found all ears closed to the cries of men confined in this jail. I say it is time for change. We the inmates are humans, and we feel we are being treated as less. FOR BRANDS yo u k n o w l V A R IE T IE S y o u lik e SIZE S vo u w a n t Bruce Joe Gisbin C Tank Rocky Butte Jail • vi v h « • Seniors honored Dear Editor: We certainly want to ex press our appreciation to you for giving recognition of our senior citizens in the Port land Observer, on a monthly basis, for the first time in the history of this city. W e believe you should be commended for your efforts in attempting to improve the quality of life for all people in the community. May God continue to bless and strengthen you. Sincerely yours, Marie Smith and Bill Ingram, Advisors, Senior Adult Ser vice Center Call On Us for a good place to do business. L et your fingers do the walking through the Y ellow Pages. With Ron Hendren A YOUNG VIEW OF WASHINGTON THE GREAT MAIL ROBBERY W A S H IN G T O N -A lte r a year and a half of operation, America's latest govern mental Edsal, the Postal Service Corpora tion, is grinding its way toward crisis as mail delivery grinds to a halt Same-day mail service, which at one time was the pnde of the nation, has already become a thing of the past in many parts of the country. The grand scheme of incorporat ing the postal system, operating it as a business, cutting costa and speeding deliv ery, has simultaneously become the butt of a new breed of cruelty jokes. Former Postmaster General Winton Blount, sitting in on one of the early brainstorming sessions on the problems of mail delivery, is reported to have Mid: “ I ’ve been listening patiently now for three hours, and all I want is a simple answer to a simple question: If it is neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night that is holding up the mail, then just what the hell is the trouble?” The trouble is that the postal corpora tion has moved too far too fast in an effort to cut costs at the expense of service. While the mail volume increased by 2.3 billion pieces over the last two and a half years, the number of postal employees decreased by more than 63,000 New machines designed to automate the mail system were installed without proper testing, and the system has been designed around other machines which are still on the drawing boards. The haste has resulted in long hours of mandatory overtime for remaining postal employees, plummeting worker moral to an alFtime low. Only top postal administrators haven't felt the crunch. The old Post Office Department had eight assistant post masters general. The new corporation has 17 assistant postmasters general and a new category of five senior assistant postmasters general - bureaucratise which translates to high Mlaries. Today 20 postal officials are salaried at $42,000 per year or more - as many high-paid executives as are authorized for the entire federal executive branch mmua cabinet members. The new approach calls for centralized automated mailing centers, and even before the first of these new complexes was finished and tested, the corporation committed itself to spending $S billion for additional centers. Meanwhile, neighborhood post offices are being phaaed out and local post ir »steri have not been allowed to fill vacancies. That, coupled with ever- increasing growth in suburban population centers, has pushed local offices to the brink. One California rendent reported it took 14 days to receive a letter mailed from a port office only 25 miles from her home. Members o f Congress have been flooded with similar complaints. Senator Alan Cranston (D -C alif.) told his col leagues that constituent complaints about mail service in the nation's largest state sometimes reach 100 per day in his office. That level of congressional mail flow spells trouble for the fledgling postal service corporation And even the corporation admits it may have goofed. “ We probably did go too far in our effort to uve money,” say, Assistant Postmaster General Murray Comarow. Save money for whom should be the question: An increase in firat daw mail rates from eight to 10 cents per ounce is probably on the way in the near future. Meanwhile the jokes continue to make their rounds (Smash the M afia-m ail it parcel post) and the mad backlog grows. @ Pacific Northwest Bell et« « « « < « < « « « « « « « « 2 R Introducing £ 2 Oregon Wig Imports 2 A a now company at 520 East Burnside Portland, Oregon 234-0959 • Featuring the latest style« aad fibers • All quality merrhaadiae • Priced Iron SI4 96 latyllag laeludedl • (aiming aooa, the new Mila fiber Syndicated 1971 by WASHINGTON WFEKLY. Inc. All right« rewrved s <««««««««««<««<<
