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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1983)
« • Portland Observer, August 24,1963 Page 3 MHRC support committee disbands METROPOLITAN The Committee for the Restora tion o f the M etropolitan Human Relations Commission has disband ed. The citizen committee formed to organize and coordinate support for full restoration o f M H R C 's bud get, staff and programs following City Council cuts o f nearly 70 percent, as recommended by C om missioner Margaret Strachan. The coalition had grown to more than thirty diverse, citywide organiza tions and hundreds o f individual citizens as a result o f the support committee's activities. Support committee chair, Fred M ilto n , states the committee's position: " W e disagree with the ap proach M H R C has pursued in ac cepting whatever Commissioner Strachan wishes to offer them and on the terms imposed. Since the budget decision, M H R C has seem ingly been unwilling to take an as sertive position and definitive steps in defense o f the integrity o f human and civil rights. "O ur goal has been," says Milton, " to protect (he provision and inte Bureaucratic hoops cloud NE solar by Koben Lothian Jim Cason it a big-hearted guy. He does a lot o f favors for people, but like anyone else, he’d rather avoid getting ripped o ff in the proc ess. In 1980, under his own initiative, Cason applied for, and won, a $24,500 U S . Dept. of Energy grant to install five demonstration solar hot water heating systems for low income and minority residents of North and Northeast Portland. The systems, now a year old, are working well, he said, and are dem onstrating that solar can work for everyone, not just the wealthy. But Cason has some sour feelings about the grant process — all the hoops the DO E made him jum p through. Also, he ended up donating hun dreds o f hours o f his time as a “ freebie," which is nothing new for Cason because he has helped other community projects, including KBOO and Eliot Energy House, with his plumbing skills. O n this one, though, he had expected to make a little bit, yet by the time he was done, the government was ask ing him to pay taxes on the grant. Cason learned about solar heating while working as a plumber on one of the State's largest solar installa tions — Clay Towers in downtown Portland. He eventually formed his own business, CaSUN Solar M e chanical, Inc. He advocated nuclear power for a long time, but was gradually won over to soiar, partially because he saw it as a way for poor people to save on their utility bills and not have to worry about being connect ed into a utility that could cut them o ff should they get a little behind in their payments. Cason felt the one-of-a-kind dem onstration project, encouraged by the Carter administration's interest in solar and other alternative forms of energy, could benefit the Black community in particular. " I felt it was unique to the mino rity comm unity,” he said. " In the minority community, people don’t know about solar; they are always the last ones to find out about new things that will benefit them by keeping the big boys' hands out o f their pockets.” The systems, worth about $4,000 each, were installed with the help of homeowners and neighbors. Port land Sun, a non-profit solar consult ing firm which later became a victim of Reagan budget cuts, provided technical help. Captured by roof-top collector panels, the sun’s heat is transferred to water circulating through a sys tem of pipes and collected in a base ment holding tank. The only cost is that of installation and mainte nance: those w b i heat water by solar can save up to 75% on their gas and electric bills, said Cason. "Solar does work in Portland, and BYE BYE BILLS - Solar panels are inatelled on one of five homes of low-income end minority families in North and Northeast Portland. Heat it does save people money.” he said. Two Black families, two white families and a Native American fam ily received the systems at no obligation other than having at least one open house so that people in their neighborhoods would have a chance to learn about solar, he said. U p to 50 neighbors helped with in stallation at each house, and learned about solar heating, plumbing, sol dering and electric wiring. " I enjoyed the people," but also, he said, " it took its toll on m e." Problems came with the transfer from the Carter to the Reagan ad ministration. Carter would probab ly have expanded the grants pro gram, he said, but as soon as the Reagan people got in, tax incentives and other funds to encourage solar dried up, the emphasis shifted to nuclear, and the people at DO E dragged their feet and created ob stacles, said Cason. " A ll the different avenues just kind of closed.” "F ro m the start up until the end I had to deal with seven or eight d if ferent staff people," each time having to explain his story from the start, said Cason. By the time installation and con sulting fees had been paid, he said, (here was nothing left over for him, and on top o f that, the government made him pay taxes on the grant. " I paid money to get the grant. So they got one hell o f a deal. I really feel like I was taken advantage o f." He approached several unions seeking volunteer help from appren tices, but ran up against people who wanted to protect their craft, he said, and so didn’t get any union help. Also, said Cason, white solar con sultants from Portland Sun had d if ficulty gaining the trust of Black from the sun will supply 60% of the families' hot water needs The roof top panels on this home have proved to be a money saving asset families. " I wasn't able to get as many Black families involved,” he said. " In that respect the system failed because here were white peo ple trying to talk to Black people about solar energy." Some didn't understand solar concepts, and were intimidated by the terminology, he said. Also, according to Cason, some were suspicious, thinking "this is too good to be true." They feared a lien or taxes sometime iater. In spite o f the problems, Cason said he feels satisfied that the sys tems are serving their purpose — demonstrating that solar energy is viable and car save money for low income and minority people. "O verall. I enjoyed making the contacts with the different people It was a nice experience to see a person that didn't really know about solar shut their gas or electricity o ff and watch the temperature gauge on their water storage tank go up to 160 degrees They just can't believe it so I tell them to put their hands under the faucet, and their eyes light up when they finally realize that it's working That's what nice, to make a believer out of someone. "B ut the government hoops you have to jum p through, that wasn't too pleasant ’’ And as for the future of solar energy? " I think the only thing that's going to keep solar alive is the tax credits," he said. "W ith o ut them we’re dead in the w ater." ■I SCISSORS «9*-- M— HAIR DESIG N STUDIO Including Cut and Style Sculptured Nails Reg ’46“ Now *36M i Designer - Joyce Benbo 2733 N.E. Broadway • 288-5438 W ith thia coupon only • Expiration date September 10, 1983 Top to bottom Levi's M .» ^5 OFF A M en's all-cotton heavyweight denims—a blue jeans legend Reg $19 99 14.99 B Men's Saddleman sport shirt Solids, stripes and plaids S-XL Reg $17 11 99 Mens Action Slacks in solid colors and heathers Super comfort' Reg $25 19.99 pr C Mens western cut plaid shir,—a popular casual look S-XL Reg $22 99 18 99 Men's Levi's for men stretch denim jeans of cotton and polyester Reg $30 24 99 D Big boys Saddleman* coordinates Woven polyester and cotton shirts, sizes 8-12 reg $12 99 8 99 Shirt sizes 14-20. reg $13 99 9 99 Cotton or cotton and -olyester denim jeans, sizes 8 14. reg $16 99 12 99 Jeans teen sizes, reg $19 5 15.99 E Little boys' woven plaid shirt,», cot ton and polyester Sizes 4-7, reg $10 99 6 99 Saddleman* cotton and polyester denim jeans, sizes 4-7. reg $12 99 8 99 F Big girls' woven plaid tops, cotton and polyester blend Sizes 7 to 14, reg $18 99 14.99 Cotton denim straight leg jeans, reg and slim sizes 7-14, 16.99 reg $20 99 p.m. at Northeast Ninth Ave. and Church Street, said Craig Lore, a hit-and-run investigator with the Portland Police Bureau. He said the driver o f the car, de scribed as a woman in her '30s, was westbound on Church when she collided with the girl, who was northbound on Ninth Ave. Lore asked that witnesses to the accident contact investigators. Northeast schools Boise split three ways For the next two years, children living in the Boise area in Grades 1-5 will attend school at the former C o lumbia campus, 716 N .E . Marine Drive. Boise's pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students will attend the Eliot program at the former W hita ker campus. Boise's students in Grades 6-8 will join the new W hita ker Middle program during the re modeling period. Eliot School, 2231 N .E . Flint Ave., is being remodeled for the permanent home o f Harriet Tub- man M iddle School — temporarily located in the former Monroe High campus at 2508 N .E . Everett St. Eliot's pre-kindergarten to Fifth- grade students will attend school at the former W hitaker campus, 5135 N .E . Columbia Blvd. The previous Colum bia-W hitaker Middle School, which was located in two separate campuses, has been merged into one W hitaker Middle School located at (he former Adams High School building, 5700 N .E . 39th Ave. W hitaker Middle will continue to serve the Woodlawn, Vernon, Faubion, Meek and Rigler primary schools. The two campuses vacated by C o lumbia-Whitaker w ill be occupied for the next two years by the Boise and Eliot early childhood education programs. Boise School, 620 N .E . Fremont Ave., is to be remodeled into a new early childhood education center serving students now in the Boise and Eliot attendance areas. r Levis L E V I S T R A U S S 8t C O « You may win a dream trip for two to the Los Angeles 1984 O ly m p ic G am es when you help choose the uniform of the U S Olympic team Sears pricing policy It an item is not t ie senoed as reduced or a special purchase it is at its regular price A special purchase though not reduced is an exceptional value Soti»fo<tion g u a r a n te e d or your m o n e y bock » SW ¡* ’ . » • - . » . • .1; . - • » •-. r • . . * . . * . > ' i* ■ 7 v • ■ •¿ V r' a 1 Permanent Waves Rey ’45°” Now ’25°° ! Curls Reg ’50“ Now ’2500 ■ Police seek hit-run driver Portland Police are trying to find the driver of a car who struck an 11- year-old bicyclist in Northeast Port land Saturday afternoon August 13th and failed to return to the scene of the accident after telling the girl she was going for help. l.eanetta Jessie, o f 4726 N .E . 33rd Ave., broke her right leg in two places. The accident occurred about 4:15 grity o f a strong, independent and unified human and civil rights ef fort locally. We believe that human and civil rights policy making and administration mutt transcend the dictates o f any tingle politician and must not be politicized, as is the goal o f Commissioner Strachan." "Because M H R C it not advocat ing in behalf o f its budget, staff, programs and continued indepen dence," states M ilto n , " i t is unwit tingly forfeiting administration and direction o f human and civil rights to a single aspiring politician. That it an extremely dangerous and un settling situation for these times and for a community as diverse as ours. " In spite o f the disbanding o f (he support committee, it still believes, as was unanimously agreed upon by the coalition's organizations attend ing a July 20th meeting," says M ilto n , "th at the only reasonable course o f action to restore integrity to human and civil rights is for the issue to come before the City Coun cil for full public discussion." V .. » • ■ . J ■ * t ■ • t s - . * C, Sale prices throughout this section will be etteclive Wednesday August 24th through Saturday August 27th unless otherwise specified Thia otter good at Sears retail stores Sears Washington State Conirac tor s permit number SEARS-SR 372NT Nominal charge tor home delivery 4 V 'i • i ‘ ♦ .! , ■’ • » - , „1 •. ... 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