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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 1992)
»< è « » i Ir v > ♦ ♦’*'/%*<%*¥■'' November 2 5 ,1992...The Portland Observer...Page 3 Ceremony Marks Dedication Of Final Segment Of 4.3 Mile N.E. Airport Way Paving The Way For Major New Jobs Center A parade of vehicles, from a Silver Eagle 18-wheeler and a fire truck to an airport limo, representing businesses in the Airport Way urban Renewal Area rolled through a ceremonial rib bon today officially dedicating the 4.3 mile length of N.E. Airport Way. The event marked completion of the second and final section of the five- lane roadway. Completion of Airport Way establishes a strategic link be tween 1-84, 1-205 and the Portland International Airport that opens the way for development of a major new employment center on the south shore of the Columbia River. An estimated 20,000 jobs would be created in the 2,880-acre Airport Way area in the next 20 years if its full economic potential were realized, mak ing it potentially the biggest new em ployment center in the region. Future development of the area is in jeopardy, however, due to a recent decision by the Oregon Supreme Court effectively ending tax increment financing as a tool for funding urban renewal. Speaking at the opening ceremony were City Commissioner Earl Blu menauer, President of the Columbia Corridor Association Craig Honeyman, and Chairman of the Portland Devel opment Commission (PDC) Douglas McGregor. C o m m issio n er B lum enauer thanked area property owners and busi nesses, the neighborhood and the Cor ridor Association for their support in completing Airport Way-anothcr piece of a master transportation plan for the region. “Northeast Airport Way will help business and the community by facilitating the movement of goods within the region and overseas,” said Blumenauer,. “It will also promote other forms of transportation. A bike lane and sidewalk in both directions encourage biking, walking and run ning.” Public improvements in the Air port Way Area have generally focused on infrastructure that will benefit the entire Area. More than $23 million in federal and local funds were allocated to widen Airport Way to five lanes between 1-205 and 18th (Phase One), and extend it an additional three miles to 181st at Sandy Boulevard (Phase Two). Water, sewer, electricity, cable and telephone lines were installed with the roadway. The City’s Bureau of Transportation designed and con structed the roadway. Under a unique agreement with adjacent property owners, PDC pro vided landscaping in the medians and along the street and property owners have agreed to maintain it. The road way features development standards such as high-quality landscaping, lim ited signage and limited outdoor stor age adjacent to Airport Way to help promote more attractive, higher value land uses. PDC, the City’s agency for urban renewal, housing and economic devel opment, used tax increment funds to purchase the land required to build N.E. Airport Way. The Airport Way Urban Renewal Area was established by City Council in 1986. The Supreme Court decision al ready has had an impact on Airport Way. PDC Commissioners voted on November 10th to suspend activities within the Holman Redevelopment Area, a 95-acre development parcel at the west end of the Airport Way Urban Renewal Area. PDC will commit re maining resources instead to continu ing infrastructure improvements and technical assistance to property owners in order to derive the fullest benefit possible from the $30 million in public investment already made in Airport Way. Development of the urban re newal area will make available sites for existing Portland businesses to expand their operations. It will keep vital Port land businesses and jobs within the city, and it will keep jobs close to workers. Concentrating development within the Airport Way Urban Renewal Area will also keep development from spread ing to outlying forest and farm lands. The Tenth Time Through Join in and“Sing-Your-Own Mes siah” with the Portland Youth Philhar m onic, co nducted by Jacob Avshalomov.on December6at4 PM at the Benson High School auditorium. The Portland Youth Philharmonic is offering this exuberant event, spon sored by PACC Health Plans, as its gift to Portland for the tenth time. The program will feature four soloists: Danita Banko, Soprano; Barbara Irvin, Alto; David Maier, Tenor; Dennis L. Montgomery, B ass-s well as three guest conductors. Free brush-up sessions are sched uled to bring audience-participants up to snuff. Vocal scores will be available for your use at brush-up sessions and the December 6 event. They will also be available for purchase, or you might even bring your own. Tickets areavailable for $7.50 from the Portland Youth Philharmonic of fice, 1119 SW Park Ave., 223-5939, or at Benson High School Auditorium on December 6. Seating is general admis sion, and participants are encouraged to sit in their voice section. The Coalition Of Black Men Over the past few days we have held several discussions with the corpo rate presidentof Act III and have reached an acceptable accord with Act III on items of concern around future prac tices and communication with the Afri can-American Community. Today we are announcing that we are calling for the end to the boycott of all Act HI theaters. While we understand the commu nity perception of Act Ill’s booking policies and not booking Malcolm X in the Northeast community are consid ered to be racially motivated, we have not found it to be the case in our dealing with Act III, particularly Act HI Presi dent Hal Gaba. Both sides would agree that a greater level of sensitivity could have been used, which would produce much different results. Act III agreed to the following commitments: Portland Lawyer Team To Aid Haitian Refugees Invoking a tradition that dates back to the civil rights struggles of the 1960’s in the deep south, a contingent of port- land lawyers has gone to Miami to provide legal assistance to Haitian refu gees who seek asylum in the United States. “These refugees are people who are clearly under threat of imprison ment, torture or death if they are forced to return to Haiti,” said Portland attor ney Ray Thomas, coordinator of the project. “Oregon attorneys are lending their time and talents to this very impor tant work and providing leadership in this very critical area of law.” The National Lawyers Guild, with Sponsors Organized to Assist Refu gees, (SOAR) are co-sponsoring the project. SOAR is a program of Ecu menical Ministries of Oregon. A contingent of six Portland-area attorneys and law students are making Portland Saturday Market Presents Fallen Angel Choir And Sponsors Food Drive For Salvation Army Coming soon to Saturday Market- -The Fallen Angel Choir! On Saturday, December 5, at 12:00 noon, you can enjoy Portland’s favorite “angels with an attitude” and give to a good cause at the same time. In conjunction with the acapella holiday harmonies of The Fallen Angel Choir, Portland Saturday Market will hold a food drive that day for its neigh bor, the Salvation Army. So bring a non-perishable food item and enjoy a rare treat yourself-as you listen to the outrageous comedy of The Fallen Angel Choir at Portland Satur day Market. H B ecause O nly B y A P P Y ■ THANKSGIVING C elebrating culture C an W e h ope to in spir e a rt . Whether made with words, images or music, art resonates through African-American life. Recording our experience, revealing our humanity, depicting our soul. It can soothe or excite, enlighten or entertain, constantly compelling us to look and listen. At Kraft General Foods, we're proud to help bring the visions and sounds of ethnic culture to the community. Not only helping people to Establish a community advisory committee, which will consult with ACT III to ensure adherence to policy and to serve as a sounding board regarding sensitive movies and where they will be played. Increase or hire African-Ameri cans in all levels of ACT III operation, particularly in its management and de cision making structures, and agree to access community employment agen cies when announcing positions. Review corporate charitable giv ing to ensure that the corporation is giving to African American groups in N/NE. Ensure African American vendors/ contractors are being used in ACT III theaters and include their input in fu ture planning of vendor/contract usage. Management, from the top down, participate in diversity training to en sure a sensitivity level to all clients. the trip to Miami. At present, there is a backlog of several thousand Haitian refugees in the Miami area, all needing legal help with their applications for asylum in this country. Many were literally forced to flee in the m iddle of the night to avoid capture or torture by a military that overthrew Haiti’s first democratically elected president. If their asylum re quest is not granted, they may be forced to return to Haiti. Upon their return on November 25, the group has scheduled a news confer ence at Portland International Airport, starting at 1pm., location TBA. “This Miami project is a wonderful Thanksgiving story of our legal com munity extending a helping hand to those who have fled extreme violence in their homeland, “said Gary Gamer, director of SOAR. Seniors’ Free Friday Month Accents National Geographic Exhibit Seniors age 62 and older will be admitted free to the World Forestry Center’s newest exhibit, “The National Geographic Society: 100 years of Ad venture and Discovery” on every Fri day during the month of December. The exhibit, which continues through January 1993, is a stunning photopanel display recounting the Society ’ s first ccntuiy of exploring “the world and all that is within it.” Some 160 wall-size photos depict the devastating forces of nature, the search for human origins, and explora tions beneath the seas and into space. Free Seniors’ Friday in December is sponsored by Camera World and KOIN-TV Channel 6. The World Forestry Center is lo cated five minutes from downtown Portland, west on Highway 26. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., seven days weekly. For more information call the World Forestry Center at (503) 228- 1367. McMurphy's Appliance Center Washer fit Dryer *199°° Refrigerators From 5129°° Ranges From $129°° experience the art of others, but inspiring the artists themselves. Because only through the celebration of art can we begin to under Open Mon. - Fri. 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm stand what makes us human. 0^ Sunday Closed KRAFT GENERAL FOODS Velveeta. K W H S M ira c le W hip. ■ «It - — ; GOURMET j,.» * ^ * • • * * • * • ». * •V ¡ , ' T ■' T; . . i » ' . • * * ► • » 4011 NG MIK 288-3235 Solos «.Service • Parts ' % *» -*