Mrs Frances ?choen-':e-.-,--;ap«}r Poea
U n iv e r s it y o f C r-go n L ib r a r y
Displaced families suspect school board, City plot
City Commissioner Francia
Ivancie said of the residential
area currently Ix-ing razed to
provide space for a school
district warehouae, " It ’a got
one of the heat views of
Portland's harbor and the
Fremont Bridge in the city;
better than any south of
Broadway . . topographically
people don't appreciate this
site.”
The area is being acquired
by School District No. 1 for a
central warehouse and main
tenance facility.
The land
has been acquired over a
three-year period.
Some
parcels of land were con
demned when the residents
refused to sell
others
are expected to lie purchased
through condemnation suits.
Many of the property owners,
appreciating both the fart
that they owned their own
homes and the potential value
of the property, did not want
to sell. Many have refused
waling for the courts to
order them out
while hull
dozers destroy the homes
around them.
Ivancie advocates that the
school district sell its land to
developers for a hotel and
convention facilities to augu
ment the Memorial Coliseum
across Broadway. He asked
that the school district find
other spare for its facilities
and consider the “highest
and beat use" for their land.
Ivancie has asked that
Mayor Neil Goldschmidt ap
point a committee to deter
mine the best use of the
property.
PORTLAND &
V d . . . .1. s . . Ü Í
P .,.l..d , . S ^
h ,
P o rtland, Oregon
The school district has
indicated that it would be
willing to »ell the two blocks
next to Mro.nlway.
The sc ho«.; district is some
what concerned about the
ethical and political implies
tion should it sell land that
was acquired from private
owners through condemns
tion.
Condemnation p ro
ceedings are available to
OBSERVER
___________________ .............................................................................................................
AN IO U A I OPPORTUNITY IM P IO Y U
2H j
ONTY
N IW S PA PIR J N ^ T M f
W H O ll
W IO t
W O RtO
public bodies in order to
allow them to obtain property
for the goo«i of the com
munity. The property could
not have been obtained in
this manner by a private
d eve lo p er. C ondem nation
proceedings also allow the
«•ourt to set the selling price,
rather than let the owner
hold out for what he thinks
the property is worth to him
THAT
R tA ttY
CAMS
ABOUT
Ih ^ . s . ^ b . ,» .
IK ,
Thursday, Septem ber 6, 1973
P iO P U
I « , p .r c .
Bk- per copy
Black youth allege police b ru tality
Several Black teenagers
have accused Portland's po
lice officers with brutalizing
them at an incident at the
Imfierial Skating Kink last
Saturday night, September 1.
Bob Redman, new owner
of the rink, told the Observer
that one person had been
asked to leave and that he
saw no force used by the
police.
Vivian and Sherry Jones,
ages 17 and Id years, went
to the skating rink with a 5
year old child They observed
two teenage Blacks who were
sitting on the steps, refusing
to leave the building.
The
young tnen had been told
that new rules prevented
them from wearing hats.
The young men removed
their skates and agreed to
leave, but asked for their
money bark.
The manager
finally called the police to
have the two removed
According to the Jones',
when the police arrived they
talked to the manager, then
ra ile d for m ore o fficers.
They told the two young
men to leave or be arrested
for trespassing, and when
they still refused to leave,
th ey w ere a rre s te d and
beaten with flashlights. The
Jones girls felt unnecessary
force was used and that the
police had not taken the time
to find out what was hap
pening.
In the meantime, those
Blacks who had observed
what was happening look off
skates and went to ask for a
refund. So at the time the
police arrived there were 20
or 30 Black young people in
the hallway.
David Smith, a 17 year old
from the Tim berlake Job
Corps, was at the rink with
his older brother and his
brother's girl friend.
He
took off his skates and went
outside to find his brother so
they could leave. The police
were talking to hia brother,
Glenn, and the girlfriend was
attempting to w rite down
the officers' names. A police
man moved toward the girl,
so David, fearing he was
going to hit her. got between
them. He said one policeman
pushed him and three more
held him.
He was struck
with flashlights and sprayed
with something he thought
was mace. He was then ar
rested and placed in the po
lice car. Glenn Smith, 23. said
he was trying to take to the
police and explain that most
of the people just wanted
to leave when he was grab
bed. his arm twisted, and he
was put in the police car. He
waa later released when Ser
geant Hotter said he knew
Glenn was not doing any
thing wrong.
Vivian Jones said she was
pushed against the wall with
a flashlight under her throat.
Sherry was pushed down by
the police.
Sergeant Potter of Fast
Precinct said that when he
arrived on the scene the two
young men were sitting on
the steps at the skating rink
refusing to leave. The police
were asked by the manage
ment to put them out, and
since the police are responsi
ble to p ro tect p ro p e rty
rights, they asked the youths
to leave.
When they re
fused, they a rre s te d one
without incident. The second
resisted arrest and force had
to lie used to get him into
the car.
Sergeant Potter said he
did not see force used against
anyone else.
He released
Glenn Smith because he knew
he had not done anything,
but did not release David
Smith because he had not
seen him. Potter said he felt
his officers had been pro
voked by pushing and some
of the Black women spitting
at them, but he was sure no
brutality was used. One of
ficer did not have a name
tag, but this was because it
was broken. He thought the
m anagem ent of the rin k
might have been able to
handle the situation in a
better manner, but once the
police were called, they had
(Please turn to pg. 5, col. 51
PDC gets program - with monitor
Member« of the Model
Cities Citizen Planning Board
expressed a concern that the
M«xlel Cities Agency is being
f-ontrolled by C ity H all.
James Ixiving has recom
mended that the board "re
group. g rt strength and con
trol the program." He said
the Board has not carried on
a dynamic post for the past
year and a half, but has
allowed the city administra
lion to take control. Harry
W ard accused board mem
bers of "sitting like bumps
on a log" while the city
makes the decisions.
This followed a heated
discussion of the Portland
Development Comm ission's
management of the Housing
R e h a b ilit a t io n P r o g r a m ,
which is not a Model Cities
program but for which Model
Cities often gets the blame.
PDC also administers the
Model Cities Housing Repair
Program.
Community rest
dents maintain that work
done through the PDC ad
ministered program is poor
in quality and that the home
owner's wishes are often not
considered. Hoard members
Ella Mae Gay and James
Cruzon discussed “shoddy"
work done on their own
homes.
The consensus of
opinion was that PDC has no
adequate quality control and
that no one else has re
UMW, CISCO unite for jobs
The United Minority Work
era and the Chicano Indian
Study (.'enter of Oregon have
joined forces to insure that
minority workers are hired
on federally funded construe
tion jobs in Oregon.
U M W and CISCO are ne
gotiating with the Todd Con
struction Company for em
ployment on the federal build
ing in Eugene.
Todd has
been swarded the contraet
for the project.
U M W and
CISCO alleged that Todd had
included their organizations
in the contract compliance
agreement with the govern
ment to show that they were
seeking minority
workers,
but had not contacted the
Mitchell
resigns
Aaron Mitchell, owner of
Mitchell Plumbing Company,
resigned from his position as
acting president of the Al
bina Contractors Association.
S o m e th in g j y
v o
o u
u c a n c o u n t on
a t th e BÍenj.
Beni. F ra n k lin
ELECTRONIC
CALCULATOI
Fits in pocket or purg
-fo r home, office,
school or shopping
Adds, subtracts, mull
plies, divides Floatin
decimal, constant key
clear entry. Complete w
batteries and case. AC adapt
$4 extra. Offer limited while supply lasts
BIG DISC O U NTS FOR SAVERS
$29.95 with $5,000 deposit
$34.95 with $2,500 deposit
$44.95 with $1,000 deposit
$49.95 with $250 deposit
B enj.® Franklin
Robsil H Haren. Prss . 22 Ollies« • Phone 248 1234
Home O llies Fianklin Bldg , P oilland . Oregon 87204
sponsihility or authority to
withhold funds until the work
is satisfactory.
The Board approved the
Housing Equalization Ixian
P ro g ra m G r a n t ( H E L P
Grant) with PDC as the
operating agency, but with
the program monitored by
the Albina Contractors As
sociation. The program will
be funded at $113,914, with
$3.914 of this for PDC Ad
minislrative costs. No funds
were allotted ACA for moni
toring.
HELP-G rant will provide
grants of up to $1,000 to
persons receiving Public In
terest Lender (P IL ) loans.
In order to qualify for a
g ra n t, the o w n er-res id e n t
must receive a loan of the
same amount as the grant or
more, and the combination of
grant and loan must be
enough to bring the home up
to city code and property
re n e w al standards estab
lished by M odel C ities.
Homeowners who have al
ready had 315 loans, 115
grans, or a Housing Repair
grant will not be eligible lor
H E L P G ran ts.
H o w e v e r,
families whose incomes are
above the eligibility require
ments for other rehabilita
tion programs may be eligi
ble for HELP-G rant.
THOMAS K E N N E D Y
PDC appoints director
The Portland Development
Commission announced re
cently the appointment of
Mr. Thomas Kennedy. 36, as
the Commission’s new D irer
tor of Community Services.
Kennedy's appointment fills
a vacancy crested in April by
th« resignation of Hazel G.
Hays who accepted a position
in private industry.
Prior to his appointment,
K enn ed y was actin g as
Deputy Director for External
Affairs with the Washington
State Human Rights Com
mission in Seattle.
He has
also worked as Affirm ative
A ctio n O ffic e r, M in o rity
Group Specialist and Eastern
Washington Manager with
the Human Rights Commis
sion.
Prior to his employ
ment with the State of
Washington. Kennedy served
as Human Rights Consultant
to the President of W hit
worth College, and for 13
years was employed by the
Boeing Company.
He at
tended the University of
Washington.
Kennedy has been active
in the Seattle Model Cities
Program, having served as
Chairman of the Model Cities
Physical Planning. Environ
m ent and Housing Task
Force and as a member of
the Model Cities Advisory
Council. He is a member of
the N A A C P . and the Prince
Hall Grand Lodge Masons.
Kennedy assumed his posi
tion with the Development
Commission on September 1.
or to the buyer. Because it
was able to acquire the
property through rondemna
tion and the threat of con
demnation, the school district
should he able to sell the
property at considerable pro
fit.
Most of the home itwnrrs
have believed all along that
the school district would
never use the property, but
that they were using it for
sp«-«-ulation. They were told
by school officials that when
they told the Holladay school
building, they were advised
by the City Planning Com
mission to look at this site.
The property owners made
an agreement that no indi
vidual would sell unless the
entire area was purchased.
The school district contacted
the absentee owners and
owners of rental property
first and got them to sell.
Before the resident owners
knew what was happening,
homes were being destroyed
arouno them.
The first parcel of land
was purchased for $ .95 a
square foot, but later the
selling price went up to $1.25
per foot.
Although the
property had been zoned for
light industry, the property
was purchased at residential
property value. Most homes
with 50 x 100 foot lots sold
for $9,000 to $12,000, al
though Beacon had recently
purchased c 50 x 100 lot for
$55,000.
The L aw re n c e A lb e r ti
family is typical of the fami
lies who have been dislo
cated. The Albertis lived in
an older home on Ross
Street, which they purchased
27 years ago. The home was
paid for and was within
walking distance of down
town and Lloyd Center. Lo
cated on a quiet, dead end
street, the Albertis and their
neighbors had w e ll-k e p t
yards, gardens, and they
lived a quiet and happy life.
They learned of the school
district's acquisition when a
bulldozer with the words
“Home W recker” painted on
its side, began destroying
two houses across the street.
The Albertis were active
in the Eliot Association and
sought to stop the property
acquisition by appealing to
the school board, the city
commissioners, and attending
numerous meetings.
Although some neighbors
decided to stay and fight
through the courts, after 3
years of fighting, the A l
bertis finally decided to go.
They were told that the re
(Please turn to pg. 5, col. 4)
Residents, administration talk
two organizations.
C itize n s of the model
Cities board members fear
U M W and CISCO are de
neighborhood met with Com
that when the Model Cities
manding that 2 out of 6
missioner Mildred Schwab
program terminates the em
employees on the federal
and the Bureau of Human
ployees will be left without
building job be minorities.
Resources Director Ira Bla
jobs. Blalock said the depart
Todd has not signed that
lock to express their con
ment has given preference to
agreement, but agreed that
cerns about the relationship
Model Cities staff members,
th e re would be m in o rity
between the Model Cities
but the people demanded
workers on the job.
Agency and the Bureau of
that Model Cities staff be
Russell Rogers, Regional
Human Resources.
able to transfer into city
Director of Civil Rights for
One m atter discussed at
positions without competing
the General Services Ad
some length was the problem
with other applicants. Model
ministration, said he feels i
of hiring for the Human Re
Cities staff are city employ
the 2 out of 6 figure to be
source Bureau arid the ab
ees but are not under civil
fair. It is the policy of GSA
sorption of Model Cities em
service. Ellis Casson pointed
that all contractors have
ployees into city employment.
via"ble com pliance ajjre e
out that government bodies
Many residents and Model
usuallv allow for the transfer
ments that meet the needs of
the minority community. He
said contractors in Oregon
have never really complied
with the intent of the law,
hut have always said that
they were unable to find
minority workers. Now they
are able to go directly to
U M W and CISCO to obtain
workers, so will not have this
excuse. Also, if workers are
not available in a particular
trade, they will be able to
show this. He also expressed
his belief that the reason
minority journeymen are not
available in all construction
trades is discrimination in
the apprenticeship program.
"A t the rate the apprentice
ship program is proceeding
in Oregon, it will lake 550
years to train enough Black
journeymen."
U M W and CISCO said If
Todd does not accept the 2
to 6 ratio and If other con
tractors do not make real
efforts to hire a fair number
of minorities, they w ill seek
Students register at Vocational Village, a are welcome here. Students take career courses
injunctions to stop the build
vocational school that is part of the Portland
ing and will use any .legal
including auto shop, electricity, heating and air
Public Schools.
Students who have been conditioning, clerical, nursing and marketing.
m e an s to e x e r c is e t h e ir
expelled or dropped out of standard high schools
rights.
of employees from one agency
or department to another.
A pile of rubbish is all that is left of this family home in the
district's warehouse site.
school
This home stands alone where a neighborhood once thrived.
Surrounded by empty lots, the owners still hold on to their
property.
Bulldozer waits for its next victim.
Black teacher reaches
5th traasplaat year
On August 24. 1968, Louis
James Ixiving advocated that
Russell underwent the 34th
rather than even wait for
heart-transplant
operation
applications, the Human Re
ever attempted. In the 11th
sources Bureau should be
floor surgical suite of the
drafting Model Cities staff.
Medical College of Virginia,
H arry Ward recalled that
D r. Richard Lower performed
Model Cities gave the city
the surgery which gave Rus
$50.000 to help establish the
sell the heart of a 17 yearold
Bureau and that it has also
boy who had been shot and
kvaned staff. He called this
killed earlier that day.
"insurance for a piece of-the
As Russell approaches the
action."
fifth anniversary of the oper
Blalock and Commissioner
ation. he is not only the
Schwab admitted that trans
world's longest living heart
fer could be a possibility and
transplant patient, but prob
stated that they would give
ably the most active.
the idea consideration. Bla
In the past five years
lock said the department
Russell has returned to his job
now has about 25 employees,
as Industrial Arts teacher at
10 of which are Black.
He
an Indianapolis junior high
did not know how many
school, re roofed his house,
were temporary employees.
completely finished his base
Loving pointed out that
ment, spent some time on the
Model Cities had been co
lecture circuit and helped his
operative in the formation of
wife, Thelma, launch her suc
the Bureau, but has not
cessful dress shop.
received jobs for its staff,
A school dropout at 18,,
where the Portland M etro
Russell served for two years
politan Steering Committee
in World W ar II, later worked
fought the Bureau, yet per
in the foundries of Terre
sons associated with PMSC
Haute, then went back to
have been hired. Erma Hep
school under the G I Bill,
burn of PMSC was appointed
taking a BA and an M A at
assistant to Blalock.
Carl
Indiana State University.
Simington. James Unthank,
In 1984 Russell had the first
and Tom Darby were with
indications of what he thought
the Concentrated Employ
were "stomach pains" and
ment Program, a PM SC pro
"indigestion".
A massive
gram. and Rita Clinton was
heart attack followed and he
on the PMSC board of direc
barely survived. loiter that
tors.
year, as the pain again
Eddie Moss asked if the
became intense, they started
transfer of employees from
thinking about a heart trans
Model Cities could be ac
plant.
com plished under the a f
“We knew that he eould not
firmative action agreement.
live much longer, but we were
Charles Jordan asked for
a bit uncertain about heart
transplants”,
his wife recalls.
(Please turn to page 5 col. 5)
"Many of the patients had
died and we had to face that
possibility." Charles Russell,
oldest of the four children and
a law student at Indiana
University, helped make the
decision to go ahead with the
transplant. “Dad lived from
day to day on hypodermic
needles and while we thought
that he probably would not
survive the heart transplant,
we refused to think about it."
Once the d e c i s i o n was
made, Russell, his wife and
two daughters, left for Rich
mond to wait. Less than a
month after he was checked
into the hospital, the opera
tion was performed.
Now, five years later, Rus
sell is the longest living heart
transplant patient.
Seniors
ride free
Beginning on October 4th.
persons who ar 65 years and
older will be able to ride
T ri Met buses free on week
ends, holidays and from 7:00
n.m. to 5:00 a.m., and during
ther off peak hours they may
ride for 10 cents.
During the hours 5:00 a.m.
to 9.00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to
7:00 p.m. the fare will remain
at 35 cents for a single zone.
To obtain the free rides or
reduced rate, senior citizens
can show t h e i r Tri Met Hon
ored Citizen or Medi Care
cards. The legally blind and
disabled with Social Security
cards also will benefit from
the new fare structure.