Page 2—The Portland Observer - December 5, 1990
Low Income Energy Assistance Program
Started December 3,1990
There’s No Place
Like Home
sonal communications and the hallmark
of success is courtesy-courtesy-courtesy;
no matter that the caller or responder is
invisible! Answer in a friendly voice
and PUT A SMILE IN YOUR VOICE.
Always identify yourself immediately.
Don’t keep people on hold any longer
than necessary-get back to them, make
other arrangements if necessary. Fol
low all the other protocols of successful
communications.
Don’t skimp on the essential ref
erence volumes which should be on your
desk. Not only those specific to your
areas of interest or commerce but the
general ones from good dictionaries to
* ‘ Roget’ s Thesaurus ’ ’. If applicable you
should have Postal Guides, a “ U.S.
Government Manual” (at Federal Book
store downtown), “ The Chicago Man
ual of Style” . In all cases you should
have “ The AT&T Catalog: Business
Communications Systems & Equip
ment” ; call 1-800-222-0300 to have
one mailed to you free of charge. An
other very useful AT&T publication is
their “ AT&TToll-Free 800 Directory”
which will allow you to communicate at
no charge with the principal companies
and services around the country (Busi
ness Edition, 1991, $14.95).
Good news! Right after the first
of the year we hope to have Mr. Cleo
Franklin aboard to write a monthly col
umn on these very subjects. He is very
knowledgeable in this field and has
operated his own computer service for
years, servicing home/personal comput
ers, educational institutions and indus
try. A local African American entrepre
neur his service profile reads: Mainte
nance-Local Area-Networking-Repair/
Installation-Interfacing. Another Port
land Observer contribution to the eco
nomic advancement of the community.
...And Justice For All
by Angelique Sanders
Government Secrecy
I have more examples from this
book: “ Since 1981 the already over
loaded classification system has grown
by almost two million new documents
annually...The president [Reagan, at the
time this book was published] has also
taken unprecedented action authorizing
“ reclassification” of publicly released
documents. Government officials have
demanded the return of materials from
individuals, libraries, and other institu
tions around the country...The Reagan
administration’s obsession with secrecy
has also led to mandatory secrecy con
tracts for millions of government em
ployees, many of whom have no access
to classified information. Hundreds of
thousands of others, including Cabinet
officials, arc subject to lifetime censor
ship agreements requiring government
review of any writings or speeches even
after they have stopped working for the
government.” The most terrifying in-
was manipulated by a ‘disinformation’
campaign aimed at derailing Libya’s
continued from last week
stance I found in this book was the
following: “ For three years, OMB [the
White House’s Office of Management
and Budget] delayed plans of the De
partment of Health and Human Services
to place warning labels on aspirin about
the fatal link between aspirin and Reye
Syndrome, a life threatening condition
following influenza and chicken-pox in
children.
Government and private
medical experts concluded that 30 per
cent of 1200 cases of Reye Syndrom
reported annually were fatal. OMB
officials responded instead to aspirin
manufacturers, with whom they had met
privately, who feared commercial loss if
warning labels became required." The
aspirin manufacturers probably lined the
OM B’s pockets as much as unwrapped
gum on a hot day. One more example,
and I’m done: “ In Grenada, the press
was kept off the battlefield, and the
public was forced to rely on official De
fense Department accounts. The public
President Gadhafi.” Later, President
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4
Reagan bombed Gadhafi’s house, kill
ing his child: this is a completely stun
ning act of merciless terrorism, one which
I hope Americans have not forgotten.
Anyone else would have gone to jail for
life, but the public trusted that Reagan
had motives that justified his actions.
Trust, don’t forget, can be
abused. The president is no immortal,
and doubtless gets on his share of “ power
trips” . The only defense we have is
knowledge. Let me recite part of the
War Powers Act, which is the key act in
this whole controversy, and lips us off to
where Bush may have overstepped the
law: “ To fulfill the intent of the framers
of the Constitution of the United Stales
and ensure that the collective judgement
of BOTH CONGRESS AND THE
PRESIDENT will apply to the introduc
tion of U.S. armed forces into hostili
ties, wherein situations where imminent
involvement in hostilities is clearly in
dicated by the circumstances, and the
continued use of such forces in hostili
ties or in such situations.
*****
My item this week is slightly out of the
norm: it is a firm recommendation to
stop by a new gallery, when you're
downtown. Featuring the work of diver
Wyland, "Nautical Tails" focuses on
whales and other underwater themes.
Recognized as America’s leading envi
ronmental artist, Wyland is discussing
with the city the possibility of painting a
building in Portland with an environ
mental theme. The gallery is at 622
S.W. Twelfth Avenue,and is well worth
seeing: Wyland's art exploits the differ
ences between the undersea and above
ground worlds.
Parents Go On
Shopping Spree
The parents of 20 needy children
will buy $2,000 worth of new clothes for
their youngsters at the Hollywood Fred
Meyer, 4161 N.E. Sandy Blvd. on Tues
day, December 11 at 9 a.m.
Parents will select $100 worth of
clothing per child. The clothes will be
paid for with DRESS A CHILD dona
tions.
“ Each parent will personally ‘dress’
their child from socks to warm coats,”
says Mrs. Lt. Colonel Shirley Morclock,
director of women’s services for The
Salvation Army. “ For some children,
these may be the first new items of
clothing they’ve ever had.”
A company or individual may spon
sor one or more children at $ 100 each by
calling The Salvation Army at 234-0825.
LOW-INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
1991 POVERTY GUIDELINES & PAYMENT MATRIX
POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES FOR OREGON
EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 16,1990
SIZE OF FAMILY UNIT
ANNUAL INCOME
MONTHLY INCOME
125%
125%
$
654
$ 7,850
1
877
10,525
2
1,100
13,200
3
1,323
4
15,875
1,546
5
18,550
1,769
21,225
6
1,992
7
23,900
2,215
26,575
8
For each additional number, add $2,675 annually, or $223 monthly.
1991 LIEAP Referral List
Multnomah United Way Energy Hotline 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m.
227-5437.(In operation from December 3, 1990 to January 30,1991).
E. County
Human Solutions, Inc.
2900 SE 122nd (N.Entrance)
Portland, OR 97236
Frank Spellman
761-9234
Terry Porter
222-9362
Gene Turner
286-2165
Louise Burton
284-2776
Mary Marson
228-4337
Kay Mueller
239-4328
Peggy Renz
246-1663
Jess Parker
623-8429
Downtown Portland
Burnside Projects
435 NW Glisan
Portland, OR 97209
North Portland
St. John’s YWCA
8010 N. Charleston
Portland, OR 97203
N. East Portland
Albina Ministerial Alliance
(PP&L Community Room)
3535 N E I 5 th Ave.
Portland, OR 97211
N.W. Portland
Friendly House
1819 NW Everett
Portland, OR 97209
S.E. Portland
Portland Impact
924 SE45lh
Portland, OR 97215
S.W. Portland
Neighborhood House
7780 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, UR 97219
Polk
Dallas Information &
Referral
326 Main Street
Dallas, OR 97338
Emergency Fuel Assistance
A one-stop emergency fuel assis
tance office will open in Pacific Power’s
community room on December 3. It is
one of seven fuel assistance offices sched
uled to open on this day, and is the only
office that will have representatives from
all groups involved in fuel assistance
services at one location. The office will
remain open throughout the winter heat
ing season.
“ The comprehensive staffing is an
effort on the part of Pacific Power to
tailor service to meet customers’ needs,
and a desire on the part of all involved to
assist these people in crisis in finding a
quick resolution to their problems,” said
Carl Talton, Pacific’s Columbia Area
manager.
The Albina Ministerial Alliance, a
non-profit group working under contract
from the Multnomah County Commu
nity Action Agency, will handle requests
for federal and state Low-Income Emer
gency Assistance Program funds and
services, and for GAP, another local fuel
assistance program.
A Pacific Power customer service
representative will be available to proc
ess payments and provide information
on company programs, including weath
erization and equal payment plans.
Beginning January 2, The Salvation
Army will also have a representative at
the site. The Salvation Army is a non
profit group that administers Project HELP
in the Pordand area. Project HELP is an
emergency fuel assistance program spon
sored by Pacific Power and Portland
General Electric customers, employees
and shareholders.
The office is located at 3535 N £ .
15th Ave., and will be open Monday
through Friday from 8:30a.m. until 4:30
p.m.
Each of the seven LIEAP distribu
tion centers serve a given area. Persons
interested in knowing the center serving
their area should call the United Way
fuel assistance hot line.
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
BUSH AND BENNETT: THE WAR ON DRUGS?
DR
BY:BENJAMINF.CHAVIS,JR.
We recall that 15 months ago in
September 1989, President George Bush
declared “ War on Drugs in America.”
Bush made this declaration at his first
prime-time television speech to the people
of the United States. He made banner
headlines on the front page of nearly
every newspaper in the nation.
The ‘ ‘ war strategy ” for the nation ’ s
campaign against drugs was the appoint
ment by Bush of William Bennett as the
nation’s Drug Czar, the chief federal
official to lead and coordinate the U.S.
war on drugs. At the time, there were
many in the African American and His
panic American communities who ques
tioned both Bush’s and Bennett’s level
of commitment and sincerity to respond
effectively to the nation’s drug crisis.
Paul M. Barrett of the Wall Street
Journal wrote a featured article entitled,
“ Moving On: Though the Drug War
Isn’t Over, Spotlight turns to Other Is
sues.” reflecting back to 1989, Barrett
explained, “ The crisis mood in the coun
try was such that some White House
advisors thought the President, to mobi
lize public support, ought to go on na
tional television and declare war.”
No the War on Drugs isn’t over.
From our vantage point, the War on
Drugs never started. Was the President
seeking to increase his public accep
tance by declaring that the campaign
against drugs would be a top priority of
his administration? Was Bush serious
about this issue or was he merely doing
what appeared, at the time to be the
politically expedient and profitable thing
to do? Why was William Bennett or
dained by the Republicans to put a front
on this charade?
Remember that Bennett was the
former Secretary of Education that sought
to dismantle the nation’s system of pub
lic education. He actually proposed a
reduction o f the budget of the U.S.
Department of Education while he was
the Secretary. Last year many of us
questioned Bennett’s qualifications and
commitment in the area of drug preven
tion. From the beginning of Bennett’s
short tenure as Drug Czar he constantly
claimed progress and success when the
statistics and the rising drug epidemic
across the nation indicated that the so-
called war on drugs never got off the
ground, notwithstanding optimistic re
ports from the leader of the war to curb
drug abuse in America.
The homicide rare due to drugs is
expected to hit a new high this year.
When Bennett quit the job of Drug Czai
he stated that the War on Drugs wa
successful and that there had been :
great American change of m ind” con
ccming the use of drugs. The change o
mind, however, appears to be the Ad
ministration’s since the focus now is no
on drugs, but war on Iraq.
It is interesting that Bennett has nov
been named the Chairman of the Repub
lican Party. John H. Sununu, the Whitt
House Chief of Staff, is reported to hav<
stated that the reason Bennett was cho
sen was because he is “ a good attack do{
on the Democrats.”
Well, Bennett certainly did not at
tack the drug problem. The people of the
United States deserve better. Drugs have
become a political issue while million!
of Americans have become devastated
We must demand a change.
I lie drug epidemic is an ongoing
crisis. We demand that Bush and Ben
nett stop the myth-making and focus the
nation’s resources and attention on stop
ping drugs in our communities.
1 he African American community
in particular cannot afford anymore false
promises. The drug crisis in our commu
nities is an isidious act of aggression
sanction''') h\
,!,■> nothing” poli
cies of the Bi :. '
—
Thanks io the readers who sug
gested that we add to the information
placed on the computer disks used in
support of the family reunion network
such items as “ gift suggestions” (sizes/
colors: “ favorite dishes, hobbies, po
litical preferences, etc.” Thanks, but
being more perceptive than the males
who designed the system, the ladies
already have incorporated a number of
these ideas.
Now that we have raised the
comfort level of family interactions, let
us return to a discussion of more of the
“ at home” activities made feasible by
such easily available electronics as per
sonal computers, conference phone lines,
800-numbers and FAX machines. Cer
tainly, in the last few weeks this column
has provided a wealth of information in
this regard. If you missed them please
stop by our offices at 4747 N.E. Martin
Luther King Blvd. and request photo
copies (add VCRs to that list of electron
ics, and Word Processors).
Aside from the business and or
ganizational applications I have cited,
let me state for the unaware that every
day there are new “ educational” appli
cations being developed. What you
have not already seen on television or
read about in your newspaper or maga
zine, you can get up-to-date on by perus
ing related material at the large maga
zine stands-B . Dalton’s, etc. Look for
“ Computer World” for instance, or if
you are really “ off into it” , try “ Byte
Magazine” .
In addition to specific educational
programs and seminars that you can
receive (or interact with) on your equip
ment, there are a number of “ electronic
information services' ’ which enable one
to request or to research vast data bases
of information relative to whatever your
area of interest (CompuServ, Prodigy,
etc.).
Also, you may access the
“ Multnomah County Library Catalog”
from your home computer (DYNA). Call
223-7201 and ask for that department.
Keep in mind that these techniques are
equally applicale to the support of both
business and educational activities--or
to whatever processes an innovative and
inquiring mind can come up with. Don’t
neglect the opportunities provided by
teleconference.
In respect to those “ Business at
Home” citations I’ve given, let me refer
you to some very excellent literature
and videos. If you are serious, certainly
you should get the “ Black Enterprise
Video Guide to Starting Your Own
Business” (VHS,90min., $39.95). Dis
cussed by experts are the principle ele
ments of business planning and opera-
tion-includes five successful black role
models. For credit card purchases call
1-800-423-1600, or mail a check to Black
Enterprise Videos, Box 2123, Knoxville,
Iowa 50198-2123.
Two other publications that I like
are as follows and can be obtained from
your favorite bookstore or they will order
for you (inspect their shelves): “ The
Complete Work at Home Companion
for the Beginner or Home-Office Vet
eran ’ ’, Herman Holtz (Prima Publishing
and Communications) $15.95, (916) 624-
5718. Also, “ Direct Marketing” , Ed
ward L. Nash, McGraw Hill, 1986.
Now, let’s check some general
bases. Above all, adopt the attitude that
what you are really about is interper-
O regon
low -incom e
households who need finan
cial help to pay their winter
heating bills will be able to
apply for energy assistance
during the next 2-4 months at
local helping agencies. House
holds must have demonstrated
energy costs to be eligible for
this one-time only payment.
AppointmenLs arc being
made in every county in Ore
gon by a network of 27 local
Community Action and Sen
ior Agencies. Those agencies
have over 80 offices so that
no one will be far from an
intake office. Priority will be
given to households with eld
erly and handicapped persons.
Outreach is available to home-
bound persons as well as spe
cial services to migrants.
This is the twelfth year
the the Low-Income Home
energy Assistance Program
(LIEAP) has been financed
by the Federal Government.
No state funds are involved.
Oregon will receive $17.6 mil
lion. Of those funds, $11.5
million is available for en
ergy assistance payments,
serving 65,000 households
with an average payment of
$182. There will be $2.2 mil
lion reserved for weatheriza
tion services which will help
more than 900 households
achieve permanent energy sav
ings because of conservation
measures installed in their
homes. Another $1.7 million
will be divided between the
Social Services Block Grant
and the Community Services
Block Grant with the balance
of $1.6 million being used for
local agency program support
and administration.
A household must have a
total gross income at or be
low 125% of the Federal
Poverty Level to receive an
energy assistance payment.
This guideline is established
by the Federal Government
and is based on income and
household size. For example,
a household of one would be
eligible with an annual in
come of $7,850 or less. This
would only be $654 per month.