Volume XX, Number 25
"The Eyes and Ears o f The Community"
House of UMOJA: “Portland
Is Not Philadelphia”
he Portland Observer is a commu­
nity newspaper that is willing and
committed to fully examine any issue
seen to affect the northeast sector and
its residents. The much heralded ad­
vent of the UMOJA gang intervention
project has become just such an issue,
albeit controversial.
It has been brought to our attention
by businessmen and other property
owners that the plan to locate a residen­
tial facility for “ gang prone” youth in
the heart of the community (S.W. cor­
ner of N.E. 17th and Alberta St.) is not
without some “ very serious defects.”
Two of the area’s most substantial busi­
nessmen and investors have voiced their
extreme displeasure - not only with the
choice of a location in this area which
they have spent large sums to upgrade,
but with what they describe as the
“ dishonest” approach of the sponsors
in order to gain neighborhood (and city)
approval.
Mr. Jeff Parks, manager of the Royal
Esquire Club, and Mr. Joseph Ben­
jamin, operator of Joe’s Place have
taken the lead in articulating the con­
cerns of those less than enthralled with
having the “ UMOJA social adventure”
on their doorstep (The respective busi­
nesses and additional residential prop­
erties developed are all within a block
of the contemplated gang facility). As
Mr. Parks put it to us, “ surely the city
wouldn’t have granted a conditional
use permit for the project had it been
competently advised of, or was suffi­
ciently interested in the neighborhood
impact considerations as required by
law -- the fallout has already begun.”
In his recitation of the event lead­
ing to a tentative neighborhood ap­
proval of the project, Mr. Parks says he
and others were initially assured that
only six youths were to be processed at
a time, and that on the basis of this
statement he advanced their project by
assuring them of four parking spaces
for their supervisory personnel. But, he
says, subsequent descriptions of the
operation to prospective grantors, the
state and the media have greatly ex­
ceeded the original ante in terms of
bodies and properties to be involved -
exceeded to such an extent that the
contemplated level of activity is in­
completely incompatible with a com­
fortable and safe environment for the
neighborhood. This is the “ dishonest”
approach I spoke of, Mr. Parks said.
“ A house next door to the original site
has been added to the project - its
hooked to a septic tank, not on city
sewers.”
Both Mr. Benjamin and Mr. Parks
cited a substantial loss of business since
the UMOJA-inspired “ media circus”
began with almost daily and ever-ex-
T
House of UMOJA site (corner) and adjacent Black Education Center
panding descriptions of activities slated
for the project. “ There has been in­
creased gang presence and vandalism
in the neighborhood since the reporting
began” the men said, “ Just the oilier
night rampaging gang youths began
tearing down signs off the front o f our
premises, I ’m facing several hundred
dollars in repairs — a business owner
across the street drove off the half-
naked brats with gun-fire,” continued
Mr. Benjamin. All of this was reported
to the police.
Both men made an interesting ob­
servation. “ At the height of the Rotary
Convention there was a gang shooting
atthecom erofN .E . 16th and Alberta in
broad daylight. Many police, ambu­
lances and fire departments were all
involved in the resolution of the affair,
a substantial bill for the taxpayers.”
The shotgun shooting was only a block
away from the contemplated Umoja
site and it the impression of the resi­
dents in the neighborhood that nothing
was reported in the print media and the
usual spectacular television coverage
was conspicuous by its absence! “ Was
this because of a joint agreement be­
tween the city and the media to ‘pro­
tect’ the peace of mind of the conven­
tioneers, or to avoid any unfavorable
light upon UMOJA’s conditional use
permit application.” Residents on this
area still have this question in their
minds.
Both Mr. Parks and Mr. Benjamin
expressed the opinion that they “ de­
served better.” They stated that they
have worked very hard to upgrade the
area, supporting the neighborhood as­
sociations and its projects, and financ­
ing positive youth activities. Mr. Parks
drew attention to the fact that he has
purchased or gained control of a num-
ber of properties in the area including
an apartment complex a hundred yards
from the UMOJA site - and has evicted
the drug dealers and other undesirables.
At the same time he points out he has
installed additional street lighting and
parking lot illumination, creating an at­
mosphere where citizens felt safe and
comfortable in walking their street at
night - “ Until now!” Mr. Benjamin
expressed concern about the experi­
ence level and qualifications of the
“ supervisory personnel” to be hired.
Neighborhood fears have been raised
by what is seen as an “ increased traffic
of ‘hard-looking’ youngsters who cruise
the area, inspecting the site - undoubt­
edly attracted by all the publicity.”
Our interview of affected residents found
a pervasive theme: “ This project would
not have been approved by either city
officials or by the private and state
sponsors making the support grants HAD
THE PROJECT BEEN LOCATED A
FEW YARDS FROM ‘THEIR’ HOMES
AND INVESTMENTS.” The same
opinion was voiced in respect to the
African American members of the Black
Education Center which is leasing or
selling the property to UMOJA... “ We
wonder what their cut of the pie is? We
feel betrayed.”
Those who are quoted here have
announced that they have engaged le­
gal counsel to intervene in ‘ ‘a process
which has already adversely affected
our economic interests including the
depreciation of property values.”
Apparently, an interesting confronta­
tion is shaping up, and this newspaper
welcomes any further commentary from
those involved. We believe that in this
way the public interest can be best
served.
Democratic National Chairman Claims Bush’s Tax
Proposal Will Hurt Minorities and Seniors Most
on Brown, Chairman of the Na­
tional Democratic Party, claims the
new tax proposal recently announced
by the Bush Administration is tanta-
mont to treachery and deceit.
Speaking in Portland on June 29-
30 before a gathering of State Chairs of
the Democratic Party at the Hilton Ho­
tel in Downtown Portland, Brown said
Bush’s campaign pledge of “ Read my
lips. No new taxes,’ ’ was no more than
a bunch of mistruths, uttered solely for
the purpose of getting elected. “ This
comes at a time when the nation is
being asked to bail out the savings and
loan crisis, the amount of which will
run into billions of dollars and will cost
American taxpayers approximately
$2000.00 each.
O f the proposed new taxes, the real
tragedy will be the effect on seniors and
minorities, as there is most certainly
going to be a battle over cuts in social
security and other social programs.
Brown said some unscrupulous savings
and loan executives took advantage of
loose regulations to put into effect by
Precious Leslie Houston
Les Femmes Club, after 39
years of sponsoring youth groups in the
"C ity of Roses,” presented 14 young
ladies and six young men to an over­
flow audience at the Red Lion Jantzcn
Beach Ballroom on Sunday evening.
I
The young men and women are this
year’s local high school graduates, with
their goals seton becoming future lead­
ers. After a welcome by President
Delores Jeffries and introduction of
members by 1981 debutante Lollita
Foster, the ball began. Using the theme
Lorraine Denise Brown
“ Soaring...with Roots and Wings,”
Marcus Whit - 1983 Cavalier and
Amanda McCall - 1981 Debutante in­
troduced the following Cavaliers and
Debutantes. Ms. Canaan Chatman, Mr.
Larry Dejuan Chesterfield, Mr. Michael
J. Cross, Mr. Anthony Ray Jeffries, Mr.
the Republican Administration un­
der Former President Reagan to
“ steal millions.” At his urging,
the party’s executive committee
unanimously adopted a resolution
challenging the president to tell
the American taxpayers just ex­
actly how much the S&L bailout
will cost and to ensure that the
Justice Department will persecute
the S&L thieves.
Also blasting the Republican
Administration during the Con­
vention was Harry Lonsdale, who
is challenging Republican Senator
Mark O. Hatfield, for his senate
seat and Mike Kopetski, who seeks
to unseat U.S. Rep. Denny Smith.
The two challenges said the
Republican Administration is
squandering the “ peace dividend
Ron Brown
from the end of the cold war.”
Ohio Gov. Dick Celest, said
licans lax management. The two-
his state avoided an unfair and costly
day event was well attended and con­
bailout by closing 70 S&L’s in 1985
cluded with a reception at the rose
and recovering 134 million dollars that
garden in Washington Park.
had been embezzled during the Repub-
LaShanda Evon Hurst
Danielle Simone Crawford
M arlette Marie Hurst
Sheina Karia Pool
July 4,1990
Dana Lynn Thomas
LaKeySHua Washington
Melissa Kanita Coxeff
LaRisha Renee’ Baker
Ronnetta Lajoyce Calhoun
Diedra Lynette Richardson
Angela Yolanda Jefferson
La Von Schnell Price, Mr. Kenneth
Houston, Miss lashonda Evon Hurst,
Washington.
LcRoy Warren, Jr., Miss LaRisha Re­
nee Baker, Miss Lorraine Denise Brown,
Miss Ronnetta LaJoyce Calhoun, Miss
Melissa Kanita Coxeff, Miss Danielle
Simone Crawford, Miss Precious Leslie
Miss Mortella Marie Hurst, Miss Angela
Yolanda Jefferson, Miss Sheina Karin
Pool, Miss Diedra Lynette Richardson,
Miss Dana Lynn Thomas, Miss Alena
NeChelle Vance, and Miss Lakeyshua
The young men and women
danced with their escorts and then with
their parents.
After a musical tribute to ball
and parents, dancing resumed to the
music of “ Velvet.”