March 25, 1992...The Portland Observer...Page 3
«re
Are Our Government(s) Out of Control?
the president so w ell described his own
mission. The women arc reading the
script and they are reacting. “ No im
provement in high school graduation
rate-one in five children in America
lives in p o v e rty-in fa n t m ortality rate is
g ro w in g -ju v e n ile violent offensives,
deaths and suicides are increasing each
year. The N R A has gone w ild w ith
power in its struggle against gun con-
tro l-a n d the nation’s females are s till
angry over that senate comm ittec’ s treat-
m c n lo f Anita H ill in her sexual harass
m ent confrontation w ith Clarence T ho
mas.”
A t home here in the state o f O r
egon, some o f our duly elected (and
their duly appointed) would seem to be
just as much “ out o f control.” I get
personally terrified when rascals get to
playing around w ith the Public Em
ployees Retirement System money—
that’s my little pension. A principal
cu lp rit has pleaded guilty to racketeer
ing in some m u llim illio n dollar she
nanigans and faces “ three years p ro
bation and up to 90 days in j a il! ” O f
course, his attorney says that “ he has
suffered terribly.” W ell, la-tc-da-da, so
have we pensioners. They give you
more time fo r snatching purses.
And aside from this unsupervised
miscreant who for five years oversaw a
$600 m illio n program that invested our
money in commercial mortgages, how
about our same free-wheeling treasury/
fund investment o u tfit investing m il
lions in London real estate that had
already been declared shaky by London
bankers (who have since forcclosied.
BY PROF. MCKINLEY BURT
It certainly looks that way. But it
also appears that a number o f voters and
taxpayers are fin a lly awakening. We
would ask, though, “ w ill just retiring
incumbent and incompetent politicians
be enough-given it may occur at all
levels o f government?” One percent or
500 m illio n checks bounce each year in
the U.S.-Congress bounces at ten times
»
this rate!
As one news service said, "The
three R ’ s-retirem ents, redistricting and
revenge by the voters—could lead to the
highest turnover in Congress in almost
20 years. Reinforcing this opinion, we
have an African-Am erican female w in
ning the Illin o is Democratic nomina
tion for the Senate, Carol Moseley Braun,
previously the Recorder o f Deeds. The
most exciting development here is that
Braun’ s successful campaign was well
financed through its inclu sio n the
"E M IL Y L IS T .”
The “ Em ily L is t” is the name given
to the roster o f female congressional
candidates who arc financially supported
by a new national women’ s organiza
tion that solicits $100 checks in the
m illion s to aid their choices. It is surely
w orking for “ sack-of-checks” support
enabled the black female to handily
defeat the well-entrenched incumbent,
Democratic Senator Charles Hayes (43
years in public life —never lost an elec
tion).
The ladies mean business, and they
are “ taking no prisoners.” The republic
may yet be reserved from the inept, the
corrupt and those who “ do nothing” as
315=
le e
Il ow
easy
r‘
It
IS
to
AFS Efforts to Combat
Fraud Expand
f l
lo w e r lin e
The reorganization o f the Investi
gations U nit o f A d ult and Fam ily Ser
vices (AFS) is paying o ff in increased
actions taken against people com m it
ting welfare and food stamp fraud.
In July 1991, the 20 AFS fraud
investigators, who previously reported
to the agency’s four region managers,
were centralized under newly appointed
C hie f Investigator A rt Kapteyn. F ig
ures ju s t released by the division show
that during the six months fo llo w in g the
move, enforcement actions against fraud
increased significantly.
“ The centralization teamed the in
vestigators up under a supervisor who
has a background in such things as
crim inal investigation and rules o f e vi
w k en
dence, whereas our region managers
have a wide range o f responsibilities in
fie ld operations and cannot be expected
to know about these topics,” AFS A d
m inistrator Stephen M innich pointed
out. “ We are now benefiting from the
specialized guidance our investigators
'ou re
iru n in i
S
are receiving.”
Between July and December o f
1991, 243 cases o f welfare and food
stamp fraud were submitted to local
district attorneys for legal action. That
was an increase o f 99 from the first six
months o f the year, when 144 cases
were submitted. Conviction for welfare
or food stamp fraud carries a maximum
penalty o f five years in prison and a fine
o f up to S1,000.
In less serious cases o f food stamp
fraud, the agency can choose to take
administrative action rather than turn
cases over to a district attorney. These
administrative actions, known as Inten
tional Program violations, mean the
recipient loses food stamp benefits for
a certain length o f time. In the six
months before centralization, 879 such
violations were imposed; in the last six
months o f the year the numbers grew to
1018.
(Intentional Program Violations for
welfare fraud have not been a option in
the past; however, recent changes in
federal regulations now allow such ac
tions, and the agency w ill begin impos
ing the penalties in A p ril.)
In addition to enforcement actions
against those who have comm itted
fraud, the agency is taking steps to
prevent its occurrence. A new “ fraud
p ro file ,” developed by investigator
David Grenbcmcr o f Grants Pass, w ill
soon be used by AFS staff members to
help spot possible fraudulent applica
leaving Oregonians holding a $30 m il
lion dollar bag. A former student at our
daily here says this is just the “ tip o f the
iceberg.”
Others arc suggesting that we need
to take a detailed look at those depart
ments dealing w ith lands-in-gcncral;
the Economic Development and the
Lottery Commissions, perhaps even that
slow-moving Dcpartm cntof Justice and
the Attorney General’s office (why did
it take so long for that “ D om inion” real
estate o u tfit to be brought to justice?)
W ell, m illions upon m illions have van
ished and more arc in jeopardy and no
one has gone to ja il yet, and probably
never w ill. Whatever happened to our
State Legislature? Have they no over
sight ro le -n o comm itment to structur
ing our administrative functions such
that have fiduciary responsibility?
Returning to the national scene we
see that, in truth, congressmen were not
only failing to balance their own check
books, but were equally delinquent in
guarding the nation’ s purse. The Sena
tor from West V irgin ia proceeds to
move entire government bureaus out o f
Washington to new hundred-m illion
dollar enclaves that w ill be b u ilt in his
state; the Pentagon is b a ilin g out
M cDonnel Douglass Corporation to the
tunc o f hundreds o f m illions (they are
also asking for tens o f m illions to ex
pand their own quarters, w hile a m illio n
or more servicemen w ill be deactivated
and thrown on the job market).
R IS E UP F O L K S -S T O P T H E
W E LF A R E AN D FOOD STAM P
C H IS E LE R S !
Ask the Doctor-W hy
The Fat Comes Back
Those individuals interested in dis
covering why diets fa il can get up to
date information on why the fat comes
back and how to make weight loss
permanent at a free seminar.
The seminars, entitled “ Ask the
D octor-W hy The Fat Comes Back”
address topics such as exercise as a
weight management tool, heredity and
obesity, and the effects o f yo-yo diet
ing.
The seminar w ill be on Thursday,
A p ril 4th, at Eastmorcland Hospital at
7:30 P.M.. in the lower board room.
There w ill be tim e for questions and
answers.
Dr. Nelson is Medical D irector o f the
Medical W eight Management Centers
in Portland, Raleigh H ills, M cM in nville ,
and the North Coast.
MYTHMAKER
Poet/Author Nikki Giovanni
Comes to Portland April 6
In February, N ik k i G iovanni was
sidelined by illness and forced to cancel
her appearance at Portland State U ni
versity. Many people were disappointed.
Therefore, PSU’ s Black C ultural A f
fairs Board is pleased to announce that
N ik k i Giovanni has rescheduled and
w ill present a public lecture Monday,
A p ril 6, at 7 p.m. in the Smith Center
Ballroom (Room 355,1825 S.W. Broad
way). She w ill punctuate her lecture
w ith readings o f selected poems and
short stories. Tickets are available at
the door the night o f the presentation.
They also can be purchased in advance
through the PSU T icket O ffice, comer
o f S.W. 5th & M ill, 725-3307. Cost is
$7 general; $5 Sr. adults, students; $3
PSU students. ( F o llo w in g M s.
Giovanni ’ s lecture a reception and book
signing w ill take place in the Vanport
Room, Room 338 Smith Center.)
Since 1968 N ik k i G iovanni has
published nearly 20 books, made half a
dozen records, had a m ovie made about
her work, and performed w ith an or
chestra. She holds many honorary de
grees and keys to cities all over the
nation; she has been awarded woman o f
the year many times and in many ca
pacities.
In 1968, after the publication o f her
Dad's Oil Service
heating oils
tions.
“ The profile is a checklist for the
intake w orker that points out signs that
can mean a problem,” Kapteyn stated.
“ These applications then can be turned
over to the Investigations U nit for fu r
ther scrutiny before benefits arc ap
proved.”
Best Cash Prices
104 NE Russell
Portland, OR 97212
282-5111
For Best Results
Fri/Sat 8 :0 0 pm
Sun 2 :0 0 pm
youth groups o f
Mallory and Piedmont
Church of Christ
P ro c e e d s go
lo w a rd s y o u th
a tte n d in g reg io n a l
y o u th c o n fe re n ce
presents
1st A n n u a l F a sh io n S h o w F u n d ra is e r
"Fashion Safari"
A n E th n ic E x p e rie n c e
A V isu al T rip T h ro u g h T h e W orld of
lUilUA*
A frican A m e ric an
F a sh io n s
Fbwerhnes
love to hide
'b eh in d tree
limbs. Don’t set
M
fit
yourself up for a
shocking surpnse. If
there are powerlines
near or in your trees,
call 671-1455 for ad
vice before you prune.
Portland
General Electric
Saturday,
April 25th
8PM
W hittaker
M iddle
School
42nd &
K illin gsw orlh
D on atio n: $10.00
Contact: W anda at ¿88-1092
o r D w ayne at 249-0193
P e rfo rm a n c e b y :
T h e A fr ic a n
A m e ric a n B a lle t
R e c e p tio n
to F o llo w
D o o r P riz e s
Speedy
Service
Friendly
Call for Quote!
Interstate Firehouse
Cultural Center
March 20-29,1992
tree?
firs t book o f poetry, B lack Feeling
B lack T a lk , G iovanni was nicknamed
“ The Princess o f Black Poetry,” a title
she proudly retains today. She has been
called a “ revolutionary poet,” fo r her
outspoken advocacy o f c iv il rights and
equality in education. An im portant
and extremely popular literary figure,
her recent focus is on the power and
creativity o f the in d iv id u a l-to make a
difference in ones own life and the lives
o f others.
Giovanni was born in K n oxville,
Tennessee in 1943. Shewas educated at
Fish U niversity in Nashville. Her books
include: B la ck Feeling B la ck T a lk
(1968); B la ck Judgem ent (1969); Re:
C reation (1970); N ig h t Comes Softly
(1970); Poem o f Angela Yvonne Davis
(1970); G e m in i (1971); Spin a Soft
B la ck Song (1971); M y House (1972);
A Dialogue: James Baldw in and N ik k i
Giovanni (1972); Ego T rip p in g and
O th e r Poems fo r Y o un g Readers
(1973); A Poetic E q ua tio n: C o n ve r
sations Between N ik k i G iovanni and
M a r g a r e t W a lk e r (1 9 7 4 ); T h e
W om en and the M en (1975); C otton
C andy On A R ainy Day (1978); V aca
tio n T im e (1979); Those W h o Ride
the N ig h t W in d s (1983); Sacred
Cows...And O th e r Edibles (1988).
A tour de forte solo performance Pr
AfncarvAmencan actor/sinper Jacqui Sutton.
IFCC, 5 3 4 0 N . Interstate.
Tickets $ 1 0 /8 /5 . Call 8 2 3 -2 0 0 0 .
..
■
<■.. • k ¡
’H t A..
Pmrod&iOOC FioóH * pm h» MAC »«I O C
Jefferson Dancers in Concert!
Eugene and Portland Shows
For nearly 300 students, Jefferson
H igh School’ s Dance Program provides
an opportunity to learn, to achieve, to
explore, to perform. Established as a
city-w id e magnet program in 1974, the
dance program’ s growth and develop
ment have established it as one o f the
nation’ s most distinguished.
D iversity and sophistication are the
hallmarks o f Jefferson’ s remarkable
program. Students are enrolled in be
ginning through advanced classes in
tap, jazz, modem, ballet, pointe and
African dance and study in four fu lly -
equipped studios w ith professionally
trained teachers, many o f whom are
w orking choreographers and perform
ers. Joe W yatt and Elena Carter, both
form er principals w ith the Dance The
atre o f Harlem and Pacific Ballet The
atre, teach at Jefferson. Other w ell-
known staff members include M ary
Oslund, founder and director o f Oslund
and Company/Dance, Bruce Sm ith,
founder and director o f Northwest
Afrikan-Am erican Ballet, Julane Stites,
co-director o f the Stites Center, and
Terry Brock, form erly w ith the JazzTap
Ensemble, among others. A fu ll comple
ment o f musical accompanists and tech
nicians round out the quality staff.
The Jefferson Dancers, established
in 1976 under the direction o f Mary
V in ton Folbcrg, and com prising the
Jefferson dance program ’ s most polished
and experienced dancers, perform annu
a lly in a number o f venues throughout
the Northwest, including shows in Port
land, Eugene and Newport, in addition to
an ambitious list o f lecture demonstra
tions at schools in Eugene and Newport.
The versatility and quality o f their train
ing is evident in the varied styles in
which they perform so competently.
N ationally and internationally ac
claimed choreographers who have come
to the Portland high school to work w ith
dance students include Donald McKayle,
Brenda Bufalino, Low ell Smith, Royston
Maldoom, Honi Coles, A lw in Nikolais,
Dennis Spaight, and Paul Russell, to
name a few. A lum ni o f the Jefferson
Dancers who have studied under these
masters are currently performing profes
sionally in many U.S. and foreign cities,
inclu ding New Y o rk , Los Angeles,
Montreal, Denver, K yoto, Japan and
M ilan, Italy.
Directed this year by w ell-know n
Portland choreographer and dance in
structor Julane Stites, this nationally-
recognized student company w ill per
form tw o different programs fo r audi
ences in Eugene’ s H ult Center/Soreng
Theatre at7:30p.m . on A p ril 16and 17,
and at Portland Center for the Perform
ing Arts/Intcrm ediatc Theatre A p ril 28-
May 3 at 8:00 pm.
T h is y e a r’ s re p e rto ire is a
m ulticultural blend o f choreographic
gems including another powerful, live ly
Africannumberby Portland’sown Bruce
Smith and exciting Brazilian m artial
arts/modem dance piece, Roda Da
N oite by Gretchen Kneir. Other pieces
include C rayola, a co lo rful ballet by
Dennis Spaight; Take 8-7-6-Five, a
tap-jazz collaboration by Terry Brock
and Julane Stites; and tw o pieces, R ain
bow R ound M y Shoulder and Games,
by the infamous Donald M cKayle. In
addition, another modem piece. Be
n e a th th e G a th e r in g C lo u d , by
Gretchen Kneir, and a perennial favor
ite, Julane Stites’ L o o kin g Glass, arc
sure to please. You w on’ t want to miss
them!