0 P age A 4 A pril 13, 1994 • T he P ortland O bserver NECA/IBEW Electrical Contractor Helps International Research Team In a project scheduled to be com ­ pleted next month, M cCoy Electric Company, a member o f the National E lectrical Contractors Association (N E C A ),O regon-C olum bia Chapter, and the International B ro the rh o od of Electrical W orkers (1BEW) Local 48, is replac ing the old, troublesome elec - trical system in the Shriners Hospital laboratories w ith three separate new systems w hich w ill ensure that the labs w ill no longer lose critica l data due to what is sometimes known as “ d irty pow er." D irty power is electrical power that spikes, surges, and doesn’ t How sm oothly - and it can spell disaster for today’ s highly sensitive electronic equipment, such as the laboratory research e q u ip m e n t used at the Shriners Hospital fo r Crippled C h il­ dren. Years o f research can be de­ stroyed in an instant i f electrical power is interrupted. In fact, that’ s what had been happening before M cCoy re­ placed the system. The labs had not only lost experiments, they were also regularly having to replace the hard drives in their computers due to surges —an expensive proposition in both dollars and data lost. In order to prevent such losses in the future, the Shriners Hospital called on M cC oy Electric to upgrade the quality o f pow ercom ing into the Lab. A cco rding to M cC o y Project Superintendent Jim H all, the com ­ pany designed and installed three separate systems in five different labs so that the rig h t equipment can now be connected to the right type o f elec­ trical system. “ W ith the new systems, i f the electricity com ing into the hos­ pital goes down, the critica l lab equip­ ment w ill never know it,” said H all. The Norm al Power System was installed fo r non-eritical equipment; equipment that is used occasionally and usually not fo r extended periods o f time. The Emergency System is reserved for equipment that can toler­ ate a tw o or three second interruption until the emergency generators kick in . T he th ir d syste m is the Filing Extensions Offered To Those Who Can’t Pay Oregonians who cannot meet the A p ril 15 federal income tax filin g deadline, need IRS Form 4868, “ A p ­ plication fo r Autom atic Extension o f Tim e to File U.S. Individual Income Tax return.” The IRS now accepts an application fo r an automatic four month extension o f time to file, even i f the taxpayer can’ t pay the total tax owed. Prior to last year, i f a taxpayer filed an extension and d id n ’ t pay the tax w ith the extension, IRS would consider the request inva lid and as­ sess the fa ilu re -to-file penalty on the delinquent return. The fa ilu re -to-file penalty is 5 percent per month on the balance due on the return, not to exceed 25 percent. To get an automatic four month extension o f lim e to file, Oregonians should file Form 4868, and properly estimate their lax lia b ility . Even w ith the extension, there arc interest charges on any taxes paid after A p ril 15. I f payments made by A p ril 15, including amounts paid w ith Form 4868, arc less than 90 percent o f r Both Forms 4868 and 9465 are available in local IRS offices. Also,, some libraries have reproducible cop­ ies o f Form 4868. I f you do not have access to a copy o f Form 4868, you can request an automatic four month extension for filin g your 1993 per­ sonal income tax return by m ailing a letter by A p ril 15, specifying the tax year, type o f return involved, y o u r , social security number, estimated tax, and any balance due. I f a jo in t return, both spouses must sign. The letter must be signed using the fo llo w in g statement: » “ Under penalties o f perjury, 1 declare that I have examined this substitute from , including accompa­ nying schedules and statements, and to the best o f my knowledge and belief, it is due, correct, and com ­ plete. Answers to questions on exten­ sions can be answered through the IRS telephone taxpayer assistance by calling 221-3960 in Portland o r to ll- free elsewhere in Oregon 1-800- TAX(829)-1040. Celebrate Diversi Laboratory technician, Michelle Zelleny-Pooley, works with confidence in the newly re-wired Lab 2 at Shirners Hospital for Crippled Children. search. “ W ith something this com ­ plex, we don’ t need any more prob­ lems. The new electrical work makes i t much easier for us to concentrate on the w ork we want to do rather than w orrying about the equipment.” In addition to the design and installation o f the electrical w ork, the union electrical contractor provides on-call back-up personnel who are available to take care o f any problems that m ight arise. M cC oy has also made other contributions to the ongo­ ing research at the Shriners Hospital fo r C rippled Children. “ In order to keep the hospital from having to go back for more Ombudsman Training Scheduled project is an excellent example o f the k in d o fh i-te c h w o rk N E C A a n d lB E W teams are perform ing now. And this Volunteersare needed to improve particular project is very satisfying the quality o f life o f the elderly liv in g since we know that our work w ill be in long term care facilities. C ertified doing so much good fo r so many Ombudsmen advocate fo r the resi­ people.” dents o f nursing homes adult foster The Oregon-Colum bia Chapter care homes and residential care fa­ o f the National electrical Contractors cilities. W hile the volunteers w ork to Association was established in 1943 improve the quality o f care fo r the and is dedicated to excellence in its citizens liv in g in long term care fa­ industry and com m itted to form ing a cilities, they also promote dignity, cohesive relationship between the autonomy and the rights o f the resi­ professional contractorsof N E C A and dents. Volunteers are currently being the skilled electricians o f IB E W L o ­ recruited for a six-session training pro­ cal 48. M cC oy and other N E C A - gram beginning May 10 in Portland. member conuactor union electricians C ertified Ombudsmen investi­ gate complaints and concerns on be­ h alf o f the residents a n d jh cn w ork w ith the facilities to make qhanges that best serve the residents. The role takes a special kind o f v o lu n te e r- presentations on “ Drug Development In Sickle Cell Disease: In The Search For A Cure” and “ new Technology: Advances In Equipment and Test­ in g .” Rounding out the medical pre­ Volunteers o f America o f O r­ sentation schedule w ill be a presenta­ egon has expanded their V ehicle tion on “ The History o f Sickle Cell Donation Program to the Salem area. W o rk In The United States” and Residents in the area who are inter­ Frempong presenting A ” Sickle Cell ested in donating their auto, boat or Disease: A V ision fo r The Future.” recreational vehicle can call 375- There w ill also be a special cultural 7306. presentation by noted A frica n A m e ri­ The Vehicle Donation Program can Egyptologist, Dr. AsaG. H illia rd , accepts donations o f vehicles and pro­ II specifically aimed at bringing per­ vides free towing. Donations are tax spective to the series o f tours through deductible and enable Volunteers o f the “ Cradle o f C iv iliz a tio n ” that arc Am erica o f Oregon to further provide included in the Symposium package. programs such as adult day care, se­ According to N AS C D Sympo­ n io r medical c lin ic and shelter for sium organizers the tour package, women and children. coordinated by African ExpressTravel Volunteers o f Am erica is a na­ and Tours, includes round trip air tion wide social service organization tran spoliation from New Y o rk or Los w ith branches in over 200 com m uni­ Angeles, six nights in one o f C airo’ s ties through children and fam ily ser­ five star hotels, continental breakfast, vices, senior services and community two lunches,a fashion show and more. corrections programs. F or in fo r m a tio n c a ll 1 -8 0 0 -4 - • ” , ® v ' >• s „ ♦ A F R IK A or N AS C D at 1-800-421- 8453. Program Set For 1st International African Symposium In Cairo, Egypt The N ational Association For Sickle Cell Disease (N A S C D ) has announced program participants and special guests fo r its First Interna­ tional A frican Symposium, June 18- 25, in Cairo, Egypt. In m aking the announcement, N A S C D president, D r. Kw aku Ohene-Frempong, direc­ tor o f the C hildren’ s H o s p ita l o f Philadelphia Comprehensive Sickle C ell Center, said the presenters w ill combine to give a global perspective in the w ar against sickle cell disease and is encouraging those who wan t to attend to beat the rapidly approach­ ing booking deadline. “ the search fo r solutions to the problems o f sickle cell disease is not o n ly being made here in the United States,” Frempong observed. “ It is im portant for us to acknowledge the w ork o f others and to find a way to b ring us all together in a common e ffo rt. In that vain the First Interna­ tional African Symposium is historic,” he said. The conference schedule begins on the fourth day to the eight day educational and cultural tour w hich the total tax, there is also a late pay­ ment penalty o f 1/2 o f one percent o f your unpaid taxes fo r each month or part o f a month that the tax is not paid. To keep these charges as low as pos­ sible, the IRS advises taxpayers to pay as they can as soon as they can. T ax­ payers may even make payments be­ fore they actually file their returns. Any payments made before f i l ­ ing should include inform ation to credit the money properly: social se­ cu rity number (SSN), the tax year and the form number. Joint filers should use the prim ary SSN - that is, the number that w ill appear first on the return. Taxpayers who s till cannot pay the taxes owed by the August 15 extended due date should file their returns and attach Form 9465, “ In ­ stallment Agreement Request.” This form allows taxpayers to request a m onthly payment plan and specify the amounts they are able to pay each month. The late payment penalty and interest continues to be charged on any unpaid tax. also features a welcoming address, by M rs. Hosny Mubarak, the First Lady o f Egypt and a gala awards banquet w ith w orld renown film star Louis Gossett serving as Master o f Ceremo­ nies. Presentations include the fo l­ low ing themes and presenters: “ Sickle C ell Disease: A W orldw ide V iew , Dr. Graham Serjeant, Medical Research C ouncil Laboratories, Kingston, Ja­ maica and “ The Impact O f Sickle C ell In Saudi Arabia” , Drs. A li A1 Jama, Abdul Kareem A1 M om en,and Ahm ed M allouh. “ Sickle Cell disease and The Vital Role o f Nurses” (United Stales Per­ spective), w ill be presented by M e l­ issa Cheek-Luten, B.S.N., R.., presi­ dent, International Association o f Sickle Cell Nurses & Physician A s­ sistants. Cheek-Luten w ill be followed by a team o f experienced Egyptian and Saudi Arabian nurses w ith the A frica n and M iddle East perspective. A dding to the global outreach o f the symposium w illbeG unesT . Yuregir, Chairman o f the Department o f B io ­ chem istry at Qukurova U niversity in Adana, Turkey. There w ill also be Vehicle Donation Program Expands To Salem volunteers must not o nly care about the elderly, but must also have excel­ lent comm unication and problem ­ solving skills. W hile the job is chal­ lenging, the C ertified Ombudsmen fin d their w ork very rewarding. It is an opportunity to make a real d iffe r­ ence in the lives o f the residents w hile developing new skills in communica­ tion, problem-solving and advocacy. C ertified Ombudsmen spend between one and five hours w eekly at their assigned facilities, and a one-year m inim um com m itm ent is required. Interested volunteers should call Kathy W alter at the O ffice o f the Long Term Care Ombudsman, to ll- free at 1-800-522-2602, to receive additional inform ation and an appli­ cation. Worthy Wage Day W orthy Wage Day, A p ril 21, 1994... When c h ild care teachers say, “ W e can no longer subsidize the fu ll cost o f care by our low wages.” And parents say, “ M y c h ild ’s teacher deserves a liv in g wage, but I can’ t afford to pay more.” We say together “ W e want fed­ eral legislation that addresses w orthy w ork, w orthy wages.” Parents, bring your stories as to w hy you support your c h ild ’ s teacher making a w orthy wage. Teachers, bring your pay stubs. Together, we w ill give them to Senator H atfield to support the need fo r federal legisla­ tion such as the c h ild Care and D evel­ opment B lo ck Grant. 12.30 p.m. Senator H a tfie ld ’s O ffice (W o rld Trade Center); comer o f SW Salmon and Front Ave. Violation Of Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act Attorney General Theodore R. Kulongoski filed suit against a Wash­ ington corporation alleging that it misled consumers w hile selling and renewing magazine subscriptions in Oregon. A sim ilar lawsuitc invo lvin g the same company was filed by the Washington Attorney General. Named in the Oregon com plaint isC apitol M arketing, Inc. and its presi­ dent, Kenneth Ecklund o f Seattle. The c o m p la in t alle ge s v io la tio n s o f Oregon’ s U nlaw ful Trade Practices Act. W ashington A ttorney General C hristine Gregoire filed a sim ilar, separate law suit against Capitol M a r­ keting andTxklund. G regoire’ s office also sued C ertified Subscription Ser­ vice, Inc., Consumer Subscription Center, and Seattle residents Carmen Sm ith and Lorna Ecklund. Kenneth Ecklund is believed to be involved in all three operations. Capitol M arketing is alleged to have renewed subscriptions and billed consumers w ithout authorization. The company also is alleged to have ac­ cepted money for subscriptions but did not send it to the magazine pub­ lishers. Consequently, consumers never received magazines they subscribed to through Capitol. Capitol gave refunds to some con­ sumers, but only after being contacted by the Oregon Department o f Justice. The company was asked to enter into an Assurance o f Voluntary co m p li­ ance earlier this month, but never responded to the request. Oregon’ s com plaint seeks to per­ manently prohibit the defendants from operating in Oregon, c iv il penalties o f $25,000 per law violation, restitution to a ll Oregon consumers and attorney fees and investigative costs. CO N VEN TIO N S . CONFERENCES • M EETINGS . SPECIAL EVENTS PORTLAND • OREGON Beautiful People, Beautiful City.., 'or Walk) BEAUTIFUL STATE! to th e nearest p h o n e , yo u can register y o u rs e lf (o r y o u r CALL US FOR ASSISTANCE O N YOUR NEXT C O N VEN TIO N . MEETING OR CONFERENCE com pany, o r y o u r fa m ily, frie n d s etc.) fo r the A m e ric a n C ancer S o c ie ty ’s 1994 R e la y f o r L if e . Jo in o r create a (5 0 3 ) 2 4 4 - 5 7 9 4 2 4 HOUKS A DAY team o f 8 -1 2 people and prepare fo r a Jight against cancer. For 24 hou rs on M a y 13 and 14, R e la y teams send m em bers ru n n in g o r w a lk in g around the Gresham High School track relay- • SITE SELECTIONS . BID PROPOSALS . C O N T A C T REFERRALS style. 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