Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1992)
Page 2...The Portland Observer...Eebruary 5, 1992 Employment in Oregon: December, 1991 p e r s p e c tiv e s I J Oregon unemployment rate: 6.6% unchanged from November (seasonally adjusted) by Professor M cK inle y B u rt National unemployment rate: ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ 7.1% up 0.2 from November (seasonally adjusted) Oregon’s seasonally adjusted un employment rate steadied in December, remaining at the November level of 6.6%. learning caught in the contours of the While the rate is higher than it was one hieroglyphs. Her accompanying notes year ago (6.2%), it remains well below offer valuable insights into culture and the nation’s 7.1%, suggesting that Ore context gon continues to handle this recession Vol. I: The Old and Middle better than the nation as a whole. Kingdoms (#7741,245 pp., paperback, Wage and salary employment ap $11.95). pears somewhat stronger now than it did Vol. II: The New Kingdom (#7742, one month ago, partly because of slight 239 pp., paperback, $11.95) growth in December, and also because Vol. Ill: The Late Kingdom (#7743, the November employment estimates 228 pp., paperback, $11.95). were revised upward. Food processing, Last, but not last, I recommend the retail trade, and services all had a better following book from the same pub November than originally thought. lisher. Those who label themselves The major problem for the Oregon “ historians” know (or should know) economy continues to be the lumber that if an ancient people were indeed as industry, in which major layoffs affected literate or as technologically produc both sawmills and veneer and plywood tive as some have claimed, then, truly, mills in December. With 18,200 work there should be a valid substantiation ers, sawmill employment has fallen by and documentation. More than 10,000 from the levels of the Here we find a wealth of such evidence for an “ African Genesis;” these libraries were described in detail by such scholars as George G. M. James (Stolen Legacy), Anta Cheik Diop Unemployed Oregon workers who (African Origin of Civilization) and have been receiving the federal emer Peter Tompkins (Secrets of the Great gency unemployment benefits that Pyramid), other greats. became available in November will The Vanished Library: A now be eligible for an additional seven Wonder o f the Ancient World, by Lu weeks of benefits. According to stale ciano Canfora. The Ptolemaic kings of Employment Division officials, Ore Egypt-successors of Alexander the gon’s total unemployment rate rose to Great-sought to house under one roof the level necessary to increase the du all books ever written. From its founda ration of benefits from 13 to 20 weeks. tion in the 3rd century BC, their Library Approximately 30,000 Oregonians at Alexandria was a wonder of the ancient who have been or will be receiving world, and since its disappearance federal emergency benefits will be eli (Canfora dates its final destruction af gible to receive the additional seven ter 640 AD) it has haunted our cultural weeks of benefits. Starting this week, memory with its vanished treasure. In a the Employment Division will begin difficult but rewarding essay, Canfora sending written notices to Oregonians combines dramatic sketches, recon who will be affected by the change. structed conversations, and straight The first benefit checks will be mailed history to form an imaginative portrait of the Library and a fascinating exami nation of the historical and literary sources that have informed him. His procedure is labyrinthine, and but Homeless graduates of drug and something about his indirect method alcohol recovery programs will find casts the knowledge he imparts in an new permanent housing at the refur appropriately mysterious glow. (#7715, bished 95-unit Sally McCracken build 205 pp., paperback, $12.95). ing. The new housing is a project of the Downtown Housing Preservation Part nership (DHPP) which celebrated the tax credits are useless to them. building’s opening Tuesday, January Our ‘Environmental President’ did 14 at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony was not even show up for the State of the held in the building lobby located at Union. President Bush didn’t utter a 532 N.W. Everett. word on preserving our country’s envi DHPP was created in 1988 to de ronment. He also neglected to address velop low-income housing in down the pressing issues of America’s farm town Portland. The DHPP partners ers, who greatly contribute to our coun include PDC, Central City Concern try’s economy. Times have changed. (CCC), the Portland Metropolitan The President’s speech aimed at Chamber of Commerce, and the Hous enhancing his ratings in New Hamp ing Authority of Portland (HAP). The shire rather than addressing the needs Partnership’s goal is to develop 800 of all middle class Americans. Ameri new units of low-income central city cans don’t care about the popularity of housing by 1994. The Sal ly McCracken the President, or the Congress for that Building is the fourth project to be matter. They care about having jobs to completed by the Partnership bringing support their families. The President the total number of rehabilitated units simply missed the boat.” to 420. Speakers at the opening ceremony included City Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury, PDC Commissioner Chair man Douglas McGregor, Chamber President Don McClave, HAP Com I Cljc 39crrihmh (Observer ! missioner Howard Shapiro and CCC Executive Director Debbie Wood. The Sally McCracken Building Limited Partnership owns the single room-occupancy (SRO) building-the T he P ortland O bserver first to be designated for graduates of CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO substance abuse recovery programs. Readings for Survival and Self-Image Black History Month has rolled around and it is again lime for me to advise the readers of some easily ac cessible material relevant to both cur rent and past issues that have shaped or thwarted the progress of peoples of African and Asian descent. The first volume cited incorpo rates and expands the commentary that appears in my Portland Observer ar ticle of January 8, 1992, “ The Origin and Spread of AIDS Is Finally Re vealed. * ’ This book, ‘ ‘ Seeds of Change, will have further revelations for you as it moves past the first chapter, “ Qui nine,” with its correlation to malaria and syphilis. An excellent job is done of documenting developments to date, beginning from early European explo ration, slave trading and colonialism in Africa, India and South America. My article quoted this book as I documented that the current deadly epidemic of the HIV Virus (AIDS) is the result of recent medical experi ments related to the Malaria/Syphilis connection. These horror stories in volve the deliberate injection of MON KEY BLOOD into both indigenous Af ricans and U.S. prison inmates; all blithely and boldly cited in the medical literature (remember the “ Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments” ). Further chapters detail how the development and exploitation of the world’s major cash cro p ssu g a i, tea, cotton, potatoes-has in each case in volved the manipulation ind often GENOCIDE of the d around the globe; Africa, India, Bangladesh, China, Indochina, Peru, The West In dies, and other of the Americas (“ The White Man’s Burden” they used to call it).HadtherebeenachapteronRUBBER we would have been given a new in sight into the “ seeds” of the Vietnam War viz-a-viz the desperate attempts of the French government to hold onto its trillion-dollar colonial empire. Not to be omitted is the role of American and European Rubber com panies-or of the American military sucked into the holo- caust at the cost of a hundred thousand lives. The cost of ‘ ‘cash crops’ ’ comes high. “ The sins of Fathers are visited upon the sons.” The following may be ordered at a discount price from “ A Common Reader Publishing Co.” , 141 Tompkins Ave., Pleasantville, NY 10570. Add $4.25 for shipping any quantity of books (all are in stock). Seeds o f Change, by Henry Hob- house. “ Plants are trod upon, eaten, smoked, and worn, but they are rarely recognized as movers and shakers of history. And yet, certain plants have had more to do with shaping our world than many revered statesmen. Pepper, for example, can be seen as the root cause of the discovery of America. This story of five plants that trans formed mankind is history at its best; it changes not only how you see the past, but how you look at the present as well.” (#3562, 252 pp„ Paperback, $11.95). For those readers who are exasper ated at forever hearing that it was the Greeks who gave the world its lyric poetry, and other gems of literature, I recommend the following documenta tion of an African genesis-preserved on papyrus and written in stone; the best written two thousand years before the others left barbarism (note that “ Homer” was illiterate, and that the “ Greek” plays were based upon Afri can religious and agricultural rituals [Encyclopedia Britannica]). The cul ture of the time embraced Egypt, Ethio pia, Sudan, Li a am Arabia. Ancient Egyptta : Literature' '.it tnrec superb volumes, Miriam Lichtheim has gath ered, translated, and annotated a vast array of ancient Egyptian literature; passages are drawn from poems, sto ries, inscriptions, hymns, prayers, songs, theological and didactic treatises. The period covered ranges from the Old Kingdom (c. 2699-2100 BC) through the Late Period (c. 1000-300 BC). Lichtheim’s labors allow ustoexam ine the wonderland of myth, image, and Additional Emergency Unemployment Benefits Available in Oregon to receive a maximum of 26 weeks ot no transition program. Our country desperately needs economic enhancement, but it’s fright ening to hear the President propose a 90-day moratorium on federal regula tions to achieve this goal. Federal regu lations are not always stumbling blocks to economic growth. This moratorium could suspend safety regulations in the workplace, inspection of consumer products and pollution control. Jeop ardizing the lives of American workers is not going to help the economy. The President’s health care pro posal shows he doesn’t understand the needs of the middle class. One-fourth of the people in America without health insurance are unemployed, and senior citizens live on a fixed income. So, his Elje ^ n rtla n h (©ijscriier (USPS 959-680) OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION Established In 1970 Publisher Contributing Writers McKinley Burt Bill Barber Sharon Camarda Mattie Ann Calller-Spears Alfred Henderson Production Staff Operations Manager Dean Babb Sharon Camarda Gary Ann Garnett Jennifer Johnson Joyce Washington Accounting Manager Gary Ann Garnett Public Relations ! I • Deadline for all submitted materials: Articles: Monday, 5:00 pm -Ads: Tuesday, noon »OSTMASTER: Send A ddress C hanges to : Portland O bserver, P.O. Box I I j I I j | YOUR HOME ONLY I ! I I I j Chuck Washington The PORTLAND OBSERVER is published weekly by Exle Publishing Company, Inc. 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Portland, Oregon 97211 503-288-0033 e Fax 288-0015 S ubscribe I I Sales & Promotions Tony Washington $25.00 | PER YEAR. fill out , P lease I [ ENCLOSE CHECK OR , MONEY ORDER, I and M ail to : I j l ’ S ubscriptions » . j T he P ortland O bserver PO Box 3 1 3 7 . , I P ortland , O regon 9 72 08 | 1137, P ortland, OR 97208. Second class postage paid at Portland Oregon. rhe Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and thotographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a « If addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property >f the newspaper and can not be used in other publications or personal usage, vlthout the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has Hjrchased the composition of such ad. © 1991 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. U-L RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT »ERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. Subschptions:$25.00 per year. rhe Portland Observer -Oregon's Oldest African-American Publication-is a member if the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc., New York, NY. beginning next week. Those persons who are currently drawing emergency unemployment benefits will not need to file a new claim or visit their local Employment office in person. They will automati cally be notified of their increased claim. Those persons who have exhausted their emergency benefits will also be noti fied by mail, with the necessary forms benefits. During periods of high unem ployment, federal extended benefits are triggered on for a maximum of 13 weeks and triggered off when the unemploy ment rate drops and stabilizes. With the federal emergency benefits program, Oregonians are now eligible for up to 46 weeks of unemployment. The emergency benefits program is funded by the federal government, and instructions for restarting their while the state’s regular benefit pro claims. gram is funded by Oregon employers. Those who qualify for the benefits The federal program will be in effect will be paid the same weekly benefits through June 13, 1992. amount they received on their original Unemployed workers who need claim. Oregon’s maximum weekly additional information about the fed benefit is $259. eral emergency benefits program should Under normal conditions, unem contact their local Employment Divi ployed workers in Oregon are eligible sion office. Restored Sally McCracken Building Opens with 95 New Single-Occupancy Rooms for Special Needs Citizens Kopetski Faults President’s Speech The following is the statement o f Congressman Mike Kopetski in response to the President's State o f the Union address. “ I was greatly disappointed with the President’s State of the Union ad dress because it had too much politics and not enough leadership. He talked about military savings, enhancing eco nomic growth and implementing a health care proposal. On the surface, this sounds great, but at closer look you’ll find his message lacks substance. Identifying additional military savings, as the President did, is only one-half the job. The other half of the job is redirecting the skilled people and resources in our defense industries to our domestic needs. The President has rebounded in December, continuing to provide much-needed strength to the Oregon economy. After allowing for typical seasonal differences,, construc tion employment is ending 1991 with 900 more jobs than it started with. While this does not match the strong growth of the past few years, it is certainly better than the major cutbacks which might have been expected, given the overall economy. Retail trade provided the most sur prising news in December. In spite of sluggish sales and slow hiring in No vember, retail employment soared in December. General merchandise (or department) stores provided most of the impetus, adding 2,500 jobs. Looking at 1991 as a whole, Ore gon’s unemployment rate has averaged 6.0%, the highest annual rate since 1987, but far below those recorded during the last recession, such as the 11.5% in 1982. All major industry groups except the durable manufacturing sector re corded growth between 1990 and 1991, though generally at a much slower rate than in the prior few years. 1970s. Veneer and plywood mills, which once provided incomes for more than 25,000 workers, now employ only 11,200. Layoffs were also recorded in the log ging sector where the loss of 800 jobs exceeded the typical December drop of 500. In looking at the lumber industry another way: employment was 54,600 last month; 68,800 in December 1988; and 80,100 in December 1978. There fore, industry job losses in the last three years roughly amount to theentire popu lation of a city the size of Wood-bum, Pendleton, or Forest Grove. Going back thirteen years, the job losses approxi mate the populations of Bend and Red mond combined, and approach the population of Albany While lumber layoffs have been going on for some time, the job losses in other manufacturing have increased throughout 1991. In December, primary metals took the largest hit, losing 300 workers. Other industries affected by layoffs included fabricated metals and instruments and related products. After falling in November, season ally adjusted construction employment I Name ___ I I I I------------------------ 1 ¡ Address_____________________ ! i effy, State____________________ a ! zip-code * j ¡ T hank Y ou F or R eading ¡T he P ortland O bserver ] ————————— j Potential residents of the Sally McCracken are identified by social service agencies operating substance abuse treatment programs. Residents of the Sally McCracken were previ ously homeless individuals who util ized local shelter services. Central City concern will manage the building. “ It’s hard to believe this is the old Athens Hotel. It was filthy and people were literally freezing to death here a few years ago,” said Commissioner Kafoury. “ The renovation of this build ing for alcohol and drug-free housing demonstrates the City’s commitment to move people out of shelters and into more permanent housing,” she added. Total project cost for the building was $4 million. Corporate Housing Ini tiatives Limited Partnership (which is affiliated with the National Enterprise Foundation) provided $1.6 million in cash investment in exchange for his toric and low-income housing tax cred its. Security Pacific Bank Oregon pro vided $1.2 million in private financing and PDC provided acquisition and re habilitation loans totalling $1.1 mil lion. The project received a $75,000 weatherization grant from Multnomah County Community Action Program. The Sally McCracken Building has four stories. The ground-level features retail space and the residential lobby. The top three levels arc housing. The residential lobby features group meet ing rooms and a library. Each floor has a community kitchen for use by resi dents. Rents at the McCracken are subsidized through the U.S. Depart ment of Housing and Urban Renewal’s (HUD) Section 8 Moderate Rehabili tation Program. The Sally McCracken Building, originally the New Houston Hotel, was built in 1912. It was designed by H. Hanselmann and built by the Leonard Construction Company. The Sally McCracken Building has recently been listed on the National Register of His toric Places and restoration was sensi tive to the historic features of the build ing. Built during the real estate boom of the early 20th century, the New Houston provided the city with one of its first medium-service hotels offer ing basic workingmen’s accommoda tions, an alternative to downtown’s elegant hotels. It attracted short and long-term tenants including business travelers, tourists and downtown em ployees. The New Houston Hotel was owned by Mrs. Edith Goode, wife of promi nent utility executive Henry Walton Goode. Today, the revitalized building is named in honor of Central City Concern charter board member, Sally McCracken, who has devoted count less hours in support of the project PDC is the City’s agency for urban renewal, housing and economic devel opment. Governor Announces Projects C o n t in u e d f r o m community. Will coordinate and lever age public and private resources to pro vide a continuum of care for families. Lead agency: Portland Impact. Con tact: Marilyn Miller or Mimi Fogarty (233-8491). • Portland: Touchstone, a Family Demonstration Project, will show how to intervene in alcohol- and drub-abuse problems of at least 40 families. Lead agency: Office of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Programs, Oregon Department of Human Resources. Contact: Jeffrey N. Kushner (378-2163). • Grants Pass: Family Resource Center houses private and county sup port services for children and families, focuses on early intervention, child care, pre-school and parent-education activi ties, housing and health needs; partner ships with Oregon Department of Human Resources division. Lead agency: Coa lition for Kids. Contact: Carolyn Kohn (479-1929). • Eugene: Family C entered Dem onstration is a collaboration of Sacred fro n t Heart General Hospital, University of Oregon Center on Human Develop ment, Oregon State University Exten sion, and Birth to Three; Adult & Family Services, Children’s Services and JTPA arc expected to be added. Target group is parents who arc addicted or at high risk of becoming abusers. Lead agency: Birth to Three. Contact: Minalee Saks (484-4401). • Hermiston: West Umatilla County Integrated Services Project seeks to maintain family integrity and promote self-sufficiency among fami lies with at least one child under 18. Program developed by Adult & Fam ily Services, Children’s Services and Employment division of Oregon DHR; program will link to local service agen cies, as well. Lead agency: Adult & Family Services Division of Oregon DHR. Contact Twila Schell (276-1271). • Lincoln County: Combined Case M anagem ent Project will assist fami lies in stress to achieve self-sufficiency. Target group is families with children page up to age 8 that are served by at least two agencies. DHR provides three staff members for the program. Lead agency: Lincoln County. Contact: Dinah Yessne (265-6611). • Jackson County: White City Com m unity Action Project, located in a World War II housing develop ment, intends to provide on-site serv ices to 20 to 30 families with multiple needs. Program supported by Adult & Family Services and Children’s Serv ices divisions of DHR. Lead agency: JacksonCounty.Contact: Hank Collins (776-7354). • Condon: Gilliam County Fam ily Resource Center will integrate serv ices of state agencies in one location. Center hopes to contract with state agencies to provide integrated services rather than having staff come from outside the county for only a few hours a month. Lead agency: Gilliam County Court. Contact: Susan Brewer or Jan Moffitt (763-4235 or 384-2399).
