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Portland, Oregon
ERVER
PORTL
VOLUME XIX NUMBER 32
25C
AUGUST 17, 1989
FRED PRINCE GIVES TOUGH LOVE TO THE EARN
AND LEARN SUMMER STUDENTS
Mrs. Freddye Petett resigns from AFS
Yunker report vindicates her of any wrong doing but she feels Oregon not ready for
the type of vision she has for disadvantaged people. Governor praises her work
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By Stephen E. McPherson,
Special Correspondent
By Jim i Johnson
Anticipating a long hot summer,
Governor Neil Goldschmidt asked
that something be done in the North/
Northeast community for “ gang af­
fected” and “ gang associated” youth.
As a result, the Earn and Lear : pro­
gram was bom with the assistance of
Portland Public Schools, Privaie In­
dustry Council, and Portland Com­
munity College (Cascade Campus).
The program is geared to urban
youth in North/Northeast Portland
ages 14 through 21. The focus is on
self-esteem, education, and employ­
ment readiness.
Students who attend the program
are paid a stipend of $100 a week,
and are given classes in computer
training as well as the basic skills in
education. Students are penalized for
uncxcused absences, disrespectful be­
havior and wasting time, by having
their pay deducted in a specific amount
of dollars.
According to Mr. Prince, the at­
tendance rate is “ approximately 90%,
and for the population of students (40
out of 45 slots were filled) that’s re­
ally great” .
Prince a “ street wise” former gang
counselor with the Urban League of
Portland says, “ I came to know and
love these students, and I can’t think
of anything better to do with my life
than working with inner city youth” .
• ‘ Mr. Prince has been kind of like
a dad to me, he really trys to help, and
he really cares about you” , stated
CASCADE BUSINESS CENTER HAS
WORKING CAPITAL
The Cascade Business Center Cor­
poration and the Oregon Resources
Technology Development Corpora­
tion announce the creation of a loan
fund designed to assist the growing
businesses in N.E. Portland. The loan
fund is financed by ORTDC with an
initial principal investment of $40,000.
It is hoped that other organizations
with an interest in economic growth
at the small business incubator will
add to the revolving loan fund.
“ It’s a unique partnership between
the two organizations and a needed
special approach to financing for
emerging businesses in Cascade,”
said John Beaulieu, ORTDC presi­
dent.
The Cascade Business Center Cor­
poration operates two business incu­
bators in Northeast Portland, located
at the PCC Cascade Campus and on
North Vancouver Avenue with a to­
tal square footage of 36,121. The
Center creates an environment in
which new and existing businesses
develop. Services provided include
leased space, administrative services,
and most important, managementas-
sistancc.
After two years in operation, CBCC
now includes 15 member businesses,
four of which have joined CBCC this
year. Currently , six businesses are
applying for the . cmaining space and
services.
“ The prog am will allow CBCC
member busit esses to act quickly on
market opportunities and gain finance
experience,” said Tom Hampson,
Cascade Executive Director. Accord­
ing to Hampson, financing is critical
to small business success, yet the
risks inherent during the early years
of growth in new businesses make
conventional financing difficult to
obtain. “ Cascade has added the loan
fund to assist businesses with se­
lected types of financing to support
sales until conventional financing can
be obtained,” he said.
An additional presenter to the Cas­
cade project is Northwest Capital
Network, a non-profit business/in-
vestor referral service that brings
together entrepreneurs requiring capi­
tal with investors seeking specific
venture opportunities. Through a
computerized system, NCN system­
atically matches capital-needy busi­
nesses with appropriate investors.
NCN makes the vital link quickly
and efficiently while protecting the
identities of all parties.
Six scholarships (free 12 months
entrepreneur NCN subscriptions)
given to the Cascade Business Cen­
ter are sponsored by Pacific Power &
Light (PP&L), Portland General Elec­
tric (PGE) and tektronix, Inc. These
6 subscriptions arc to be given to
emerging businesses that arc looking
for capital infusion and arc members
of the Cascade family.
Representative Margaret Carter,
Chairperson of the Trade and Eco­
nomic Development Committee, will
be the key presenter for the event.
For inform ation C alL T om
Hampson (503) 284-3830.
MEETING NOTICE
The N orth-N ortheast Economic Development Task Force has sched­
uled a community meeting on August 16, 1989 at the King Neighborhood
Facility, 4815 NE 7th. The purpose of this meeting will be held in the
Cafctorium beginning at 7:00 p.m.
It has been brought to our attention that the Coalition of Black Men,
Oregon Business League, and the Black United Fund of Oregon were
omitted from our list of acknowledgements. We apologize for this oversight
and publicly go on record thanking these groups and their members for their
contributions and efforts. If you arc aware of any omission of a similar
nature, please bring it to our attention at the meeting.
••
Bradley Mercer a summer student.
Besides attending classes, students
frequently visit various work places
such as IBM, Xerox, and many oth­
ers to give them a glimpse of the
“ real world” .
“ I wish this program would never
end” ,stated Nicola Spears a 14 year
old freshman. The Earn and Learn
program will end on August 18th.
T. West, a computer instructor, is
looking at some older students being
placed on jobs, once the the program
is over.
At least for the time being,some
young people in our community re­
ceived a real chance to earn and
learn.
BISHOP ARCHIE
RAY HOPKINS
TO BE
HONORED
by Dee J. W alker
Bishop Archie Ray Hopkins will
be honored by the attendance of the
International Bishop J.O. Patterson
of the Churches of God in Christ at a
banquet this month in Pordand.
Bishop Patterson will be the guest
speaker at the official Inauguration
Banquet, to be held at 7 p.m. Satur­
day, Aug. 19, at the Holiday Inn-Air­
port, 8439 N.E. Columbia Blvd.
Appointed to the position in
November 1988, Bishop Hopkins has
displayed his leadership and concern
for the community. He has worked
to bring about the restoration of a his­
toric landmark in Northeast Portland,
McKenney Temple.
As Bishop of Oregon First Ecclel-
siastical Jurisdiction, Pastor Hopkins
has shown himself to be a man with
a vision by restoring McKinney
Temple to be the state headquarters.
In the aftermath of Mrs. Freddye
Petett’s immolation, a very careful
post-mortem dissection confirms that
her demise was totally unnecessary.
It is very important to know that
the Division of Adult and Family
Services has been on the whipping
rack of both the legislature and vot­
ers for more than two decades. At the
time Neil Goldschmidt became gov­
ernor, the AFS was one of the areas
he targeted for change. Keith Putnam,
a loyal party hack, was replaced with
Mrs. Freddy Petett. That change did
not bode well with the democratic
hierarchy but Neil Goldschmidt was
like the knight on a white stead who
could do no wrong. Whoever were
his political nemeses at the time
acquiesced.
Mrs. Petett made many changes
that modernized the division, reduced
costs and improved services to their
clients. Many of the changes did not
set well with the senior staff who had
allied themselves with Mr. Putnam.
When the legislature reconvened,
an infight already was brewing among
the democratic leadership. Vera Katz,
the powerful president of the senate,
frequently expressed her displeasure
with the lack of direction she had re­
ceived from the governor’s office
with reference to new legislation.
X; It is very significant to record that
she hired Keith Putnam, the deposed
former head of AFS, to advise her on
matters regarding the entire Division
of Human Resources. It was during
this period that Mr. Kevin Concan-
non came under very serious criti­
cism. It is surprising to observe that
he has been able to survive the on­
slaught.
During the interim Beverly Clamo,
the bellicose freshman legislator from
Bend, thrust herself into the confla­
gration. She made no secret of the
fact that she abhorred clients of the
AFS and the process of the welfare
system in particular. She contended
that the state was underwriting
Immorality and also contributing t
the dissolution of the family. She
then set about to prove that moneys
were being wasted in that effort. She
focused her attention on Tom W a­
ters, the administrator from her own
region.
For six months all sorts of accusa­
tions were levied against Adult and
Family Services. Mrs. Freddy Petett
temporarily relinquished her posi­
tion as administrator of the division.
She did so in order to protect her near
$1 billion biennial budget which was
in jeopardy of failure in the state leg­
islature. This selfless act of contri­
tion probably contributed to Mrs.
Petett’s undoing. At the time this
column reluctantly concluded that
when Mrs. Petett stepped aside tem­
porarily from her position as admin­
istrator of the AFS such a move would
be permanent. It is indeed remorse­
ful to acknowledge the accuracy ot
BACK BY POPULAR
DEMAND...ENDANGERED
SPECIES ARE BLACK MALES BE­
COMING EXTINCT?
Cityscope explores this controversial and sensitive issue.
The program will lead off with excerpts trom the community and some
startling facts. Featured guests include. Dr. Darrell M ilner,chairof Portland
State University’s Black Studies Department; PSU students Ron White and
Kenneth Groves;Useni Perkins, executive officer of the Urban League; and
Leon Harris, general manager of the Portland Observer Newspaper. Also,
cameo appearances by the late Malolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King.
Panel guests include Harold Williams, co-chair of the Coalition of Black
Men; Jack Ryan, Franklin High School educator; and Ray Wilson, chair of
the high risk committee for the Multnomah County Juvenile Services
Commission.
Other program repeals arc YOUTH ALTERNATIVES on August
19...SEXUAL ASSAULT on August 26...MIND ABUSE BYCULTS AND
OTHERS on Septem ber... THECLOSE ENCOUNTER EXPERIENCE on
September 9...Fall programming will start September 16, 1989.
Cityscope, KPDX’s all new locally produced public affairs show is co­
hosted by Gayle Rich and Steve Leader. Cityscope can be seen Saturday
mornings at 10:30. IT’S WORTH WAKING UP FOR!
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that prediction.
Governor Neil Goldschmidt ap­
pointed Jon Junker to assume the
temporary leadership of the division.
He was given the responsibility to in­
vestigate its operation and then re­
port his findings to the governor for
further evaluation.
Curiously, jon Yunker also engaged
Keith Putnam, the deposed head of
the division to assist him in his inves­
tigation. Predictably, he made a num­
ber of recommendations which in ef­
fect rescinded the organizational
changes Mrs. Petett had made during
her short tenure in office.
It is interesting to observe that soon
after assuming his new role, Mr.
Yunker became very proactive in the
day to day operation of the division.
He called an early press conference
to announce a number of administra­
tive changes which would go into
effect immediately. He later coupled
that action with a number of person­
nel changes which sent a clear signal
to the public that he would not con­
tent himself solely with an investiga­
tion but also would toy with several
nuances of the basic organizational
structure.
In short, most of the changes that
Mrs.Petett had made reverted back
to the system devised by Mr. Putnam.
At that juncture it did not take a
soothsayer to predict that it would be
impossible for Mrs. Petett to reclaim
her former position.
The press conferences organized
around her resignation were a poorly
contrived orchestration of deceit. Both
Mr. Y unker and the governor praised
Mrs, Petett lor the excellent job she
had done during her two and one halt
year tenure. To be sure, the final
Yunker report clearly vindicated
Mrs.Petett of any wrong doing or in­
competence.
O f the 29 specifications of the
charges examined, none was of a se­
rious nature. Then why should Mrs.
Petett feel compelled to resign the
position in which she had distinguished
herself for the past two years?
Then why should Mrs. Petett have
been subjected to this sacrifice? Per­
haps Governor Goldschmidt offered
the best explanation when he said
that when bad news is generated, we
have a tendency to shoot the messen­
ger. He indirectly implicated his
own lack of leadership when he said
that at one point much of the furor
that arose out of this problem could
have been averted if he had responded
with immediate disciplinary action.
That lack of response gave oppo­
nents a certain advantage which eroded
the public’s perception that then could
be placated only by being handed
somebody’s head
.The second personal sacrifice that
Mrs. Freddy Petett has made to re-es­
tablish the credibility of the present
administration probably will cause
other potential servants of the state
government to reconsider any oppor­
tunities which would avail them of
the chance to make a difference in a
fickle and changing society. Mrs.
Petett’s parting words that “ Oregon
is not ready for my kind of vision,”
might apply to many others who also
would shun government service.
THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
ARE HOLDING TRYOUTS FOR
THE BLAZER DANCE TEAM
8:30 am-4:30 pm
Saturday, August 12
Memorial Coliseum Assembly Hall
Applications available at the Blazer office.
All dancers must be 21 years of age by Nov.3,1989.
First round of competition will be freestyle dance.
Each contestant must be prepared to dance freestyle for one minute to
music provide by the Trail Blazers.Contcstants will be judged in three
categories: dance ability, enthusiasm and appcarancc.Cuts will be made
after each round.
2nd round contestants will be taught a basic dance routine. After the 2nd
round cuts we will break for lunch.
The third and final round will consist of learning a portion of a jazz
routine which will be evaluated that evening. All 2nd round finalists will
return the next day at 8:30am for the last portion of the jazz routine which
will be taught and performed. Approximately 30 dancers will be selected
and asked to attend two weeks of rehearsal. At the end of this two weeks
period, 13 dancers will be selected to represent the 1989-90 Blazer Dance
Team.
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