Portland Observar February 12, 1981 Paga Dick Bogle Sometime around A p ril 1st, the end o f an action packed chapter in the history o f P ortland night life w ill be written when host supreme Paul Knauls calls it a night for the last time. Paul has perhaps been the c ity ’ s most steadfast host for the past 17 years offering a handshake and a wide flashing grin to his male customers and a kiss on the cheek to the ladies as they enter his establishment. The sale o f Genevas, named after his glamorous wife, has been in the works fo r some time and Paul ex­ pects to be able to step down around the first o f April. Paul's fascination with the night club business began many years ago in Spokane, Washington where he was the wine steward at the Daven­ port Hotel, at that time the class o f Spokane hotels. Paul says he was always intrigued by people of means who would fight over the dinner cheque and that built up a desire in him to be able to pick up expensive tabs and smile while he paid. He knew however it would take a lot o f hard work and for 12 years he worked two jobs. He continued as wine steward at night, and during he day, he repaired typewriters for the Royal Company. During those 12 years he never had two days o ff in a row. But he saved his money and bought his first night club, the Cot­ ton C lub, on N orth Vancouver Avenue. The Cotton Club meant a lot o f things to a lot o f people. To drummer Mel Brown, it was a place to work nights perfecting the skills which would eventually lead him to the top while going to school at night. To a somewhat younger d rum ­ mer, Ron Steen, it was a place to sit outside and listen to Mel while im­ patiently waiting to turn 21 so he could go inside and sit in with the big guys. To dancer La Wanda Page it was a place where she did her fire dance while dreaming o f hitting it big as she eventually did as Aunt Esther on Sanford and Son. And to its many many customers, the Cotton Club was a place where one could relax and know the drinks were going to be alright and the en­ tertainment superb. Paul decided to expand and for awhile owned arid operated three night clubs: The Cotton club, Pauls, on North Russell between Williams and Vancouver, and Genevas. Finally Geneva’s became his only endeavor and d iffe re d from the Cotton Club in that Sunday was the only night featuring live music. But the main ingredient was there, the Paul Knauls charm and warmth and o f course the big grin. And he prospered. Weekends would see the place jammed with only the jukebox providing the music for the dancers crammed together on the floor. Paul has his fond memories too and most o f them have to do with his customers and friends. One such memory is the annual Paul Knauls birthday party where he gets to see old friends, some o f whom he perhaps hasn’ t seen since his last birthday party. Paul also recalls New Years Eve, ‘ ‘ I ’ ve been in business for 17 years in Portland and 1 have some people who have spent each o f the past 17 New Years Eves with me.” Paul thus finds his kind o f dedication returned to him, as one PUBLIC NOTICE O F FILING O F OREGO N ELECTRIC RATE INCREASE APPLICATION On January 29, 19 8 1 Pacific Power & Light Company filed with the Public Utility Com ­ missioner of Oregon an application to in­ crease electric service rates in Oregon For the average residential electric cus­ tomer using about 1100 KWH monthly, this will result in an increase in the monthly electric bill of 5 1 98 or an additional 6.6C per day. This application for a 6.2 percent rate increase in Oregon will produce an an­ nual increase in revenues of approximately Sl9.870.000 Why Have We Had To Ask For An Increase In Electric Rates? Paul and Geneva Knaula For O ther Information considers that some recent New Years Eves have been icy with very little movement on city streets. On the bar business and the economy, Paul says, “ When times get tough, usually the bars do bet­ ter, you never see bars going broke when other businesses are going un­ der.” When I asked Paul what his plans are after the sale, at first he jokingly replied he was going to be a house- husband, but anyone who knows Paul knows he w ouldn’ t be happy staying home day after day. And he w on’ t. Paul sees a new career looming for him in either real estate or insurance. The same qualities which made him a success in the nightclub business; hard work, dedication and a special way with people w ill push him over the top no m atter what field he chooses. Fort Apache: A film review By A rt Alexander For the past year I've heard rum­ blings in various film and television trade magazines about Fort Apache. These rum blings were made by several ad hoc m in o rity film and video groups concerning several film s due to appear as part o f the 80-81 season. Most frequently men­ tioned were Beulah Land, F o rt Apache, and a new C harlie Chan movie. The gist o f the complaints lay in the gross insensitivity and racism o f Hollywood producers. F ort Apache was described as a horribly racist film which depicts all Black and Pureto Rican people o f the South Bronx as animals, no more than a teeming mass o f junkies, hookers, pimps, thieves and murderers. It was claimed that the whites in the film were portrayed as beleaguered bastions o f decency and tolerance, try in g to keep the brutish ghetto dwellers from turning the South Bronx into an anarchist state. 1 have to say that 1 did not get quite the same impression from the film . It should however be noted that the current box office version is missing scenes that were taken out in an effort to placate those groups protesting the release o f the film . 1 must also note that the film is racist. A fter all, this is a Euro-American gj country. It is known fo r its m ur­ dering o f m illions o f Africans and Native Americans to steal this land, and the industry isn’ t about to do anything to suggest that white America has any ongoing respon­ sibility for the current situations o f racial minorities. The film is racist, but it is not a bit more racist than Barretta, Starsky and H utch, Kojack, Police Woman or Police Story. A ll o f these cop shows frequently depict white America (w ith the help o f some trusted m in o rity aide), trying to preserve law and order in the face o f streets supposedly fille d w ith Black and Brown criminals. In the case o f " F o r t A p a c h e " perhaps the most significant failing is that almost none o f the non­ crim in a l racial m inorities have speaking parts. There are Black and H ispanic doctors, nurses, store owners, cops, etc., but they appear as part o f the background on which the story plays out. In some respects i t ’ s jio t s u rp ris in g ...it’ s a cop movie...cops fight “ bad” guys. The cops w ith all the ‘ ‘ good” lines in " F o r t A p a c h e " are white and therefore the viewer is left with the Euro-centric impression that whites care more about conditions in the ghetto than the co m m u n ity’ s The plot o f Fort Apache is sim- INTERESTING FACTS Brought To You Every Week By AMERICANSTA TE BANK The song “ Dixie” was written by a northerner, Dan Emmett, who lived in Ohio. More U.S. Presidents were born in Virginia than any other state. Heaviest of all U.S. Presidents was W illiam Howard Taft who weighed over 300 pounds. American State Bank AN INDEPENDENT BANK Head Office 2 7 3 7 N. E. Union Portland, Oregon 9 7 2 1 2 The Company faces a continuing re­ quirement to provide electric service to in­ creasing numbers of customers. The re­ quested increase will recover part of the in­ creased costs facing the Company in many areas, including the cost of utility plant additions, generation expense increases and depreciation expense increases. Copies of the proposed rate schedules, testimony and exhibits are available for in­ spection at the offices listed below where a representative of the Company will answer any questions that you may have Please feel free to contact our offices by phone at the numbers indicated. Also, copies of the Company's proposed rate schedules, tes­ timony and exhibits are available for inspec­ tion at its main office located at 920 S.W Sixth Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204 If you wish to receive other information or notice of the time of any public hearing, if scheduled, a special toll free number, I- (800)452-7813 has been established by tfie Public Utility Commissioner of Oregon. When your call is answered ask to speak to the Consumer Assistance Division of the Office of the Public Utility Commissioner Also, you may write to the Public Utility Commissioner of Oregon at 300 Labor & Industries Building. Salem. Oregon 97310. While the purpose o f this notice is to pro­ vide you with general information as to Pacific's proposed rate increase, you should be aware that the proposals, calculations and statements contained in this notice are not binding on the Public Utility Com m is­ sioner of Oregon, and he may issue an order effecting rates from those proposed by the Company. 988 Commerc ial Street Astoria. Oregon 97103 325 5121 317 Second St Independence. Oregon 97351 838 1313 910 Broadway Seaside. Oregon 97138 738 8353 615 Holly Street Junction City, Oregon 97448 998 3321 705 S First St Hermiston. Oregon 97838 567 8331 Arlington Mall Arlington. Oregon 97812 454 2663 416 N E Highway 101 I incoln City. Oregon 97367 994 2144 75 S 5th St Cottage Grove. Oregon 97424 942 3363 111 W North St Enterprise. Oregon 97828 426-3158 100 W Anderson Avenue Coos Bay. Oregon 97420 267-2167 818 N W Wall St. Bend. Oregon 97701 382 1011 301 N.E 6th St Grants Pass. Oregon 97526 479-3381 325 N Adams Street Coquille, Oregon 97423 396-2126 350 N Court St. Prineville, Oregon 97754 447-6241 210 W Lister Cave Junction. Oregon 97523 592 2340 200 Ferry St Albany Oregon 97321 928-3311 235 S 6th St Redmond. Oregon 97756 548-5175 216 W Mam St Medfoid. Oregon 97501 772 6171 914 S Second Street Lebanon. Oregon 97355 258 3188 284 E Water Street Stayton. Oregon 97383 769-2166 158N 5th St. Madras. Oregon 97741 475 2503 1035 S.E. Oak Ave Roseburg. Oregon 97470 672-2625 700 N F Multnomah Portland. Oregon 97232 238 2811 I2 3 E 1st St Myrtle Creek. Oregon 97457 863 3121 4th and Oak Sts Hood River. Oregon 97031 386-1711 500 Mam St Klamath Falls Oregon 97601 882 3411 116 S.E Donon St. Pendleton. Oregon 97801 276-1411 215 N. G’ St. Lakeview. Oregon 97630 947 3331 27 N 2nd St Walla Wfalla. Wash 99362 525 2340 1200— 1 Oth Avenue Sweet Home. Oregon 97386 367 2174 207 S W 6th St. Corvalbs. Oregon 97330 752 5131 583 S.E Jefferson St. Dallas. Oregon 97338 623 2267 pie. There’ s an easy going veteran cop played by Paul Newman, who is only concerned w ith crimes that have victims (purse snatching, mur­ der, armed robbery, assault, and serious drugs). A long w ith his rookie partner and the other charac­ ters that work for the police depart­ ment, Newman goes through a series o f episodes that evidently are “ norm alcy” for the South Bronx. Those episodes include a cop­ killing, a riot, the murder o f an in­ nocent Puerto Rican youth, falling in love with a nurse and shooting it out with gunmen who are holding hostage in a hospital. As the veteran cop, Newman is pleasant enough. He's not a do- gooder, he doesn’ t try to be "Barretta hip,” he has a good grasp o f why things are so bad in the South Bronx, but he doesn’ t have any cures. His young partner played by Ken Wahl is also easy going and also unconcerned w ith victimless crimes. O ff setting the Newman and Wahl, is Ed Asner as the new “ by the b o o k” precinct captain. The new captain, in an effort to solve the cop killings and break up a hospital based drug ring, orders a crackdown on any and all street crime (over the objections o f his men who know that it won’ t be worth the trouble.) The ca ptain’ s e ffo rts produce dubious results, a m inor “ r io t.” The " R io t” is one o f those less ob­ vious racist turns in the p lo t. It suggests that the Black community is incapable o f dealing w ith the police on a legalistic level. On the other hand communities sometimes do explode in the face o f some gross injustices. In this case the police are arresting people indiscriminately in an effort to raise a lead on the cop killers. In the course o f the “ riots” a cop kills a citizen. Newman w it­ nesses it and has to struggle with his conscience over “ ratting o u ,” on another cop or seeing that “ justice is done” for a Puerto Rican kid that can’ t be brought back to life anyway.” The movie was made for the pur­ pose o f making money. It was not intended as a docum entary or a vehicle for social uplift. Perhaps the tragedy o f F o rt Apache is this: There is no jo y to counterbalance the pain. There arc no block parties, no playgrounds, no schools, no c o m m u n ity im p r o v e m e n t associations, none o f the indications that there are human beings struggling to make their community safe and decent. " F o r t A p a c h e " dehumanizes us and dehumaniza­ tion is the first thing you do to any­ one you wish to eliminate with im­ punity. PACIFIC POWER & LIGHT THIS SALE IS WHITE HOT. It's all these phones, all in white, all at savings up to 23%during our White Sale, nowtill Feb 28 Come get 'em while they're hot