• « 1 ' P age •* W ¿ K ■ * ä ,» • v> ,^4», m ■» ’» ■ ’ *►»- » > • r -. ■/ ' / •• '. •■ ‘ \ A4 . -y- rA / ? - ' ' . : 'V - ’•'.' • O ctober 25, 1995 • T he .<■ • • ” - P ortland O bserver (Oh se ruin y Advice To The Leaf-Lorn Yes. There is hope. There is a I plate for the leaves to go. Those falling leaves are at it I again And they don ’I know when to I stop They’re pesky and they’re ev- I ery where But there are some easy Iw ays to become leal-less in Clark I County ()ne of the most important things I neighbors tan do it keep catch basins I clear of leaves. If you see leaves I covering .1 catch basin, stoop them I away Otherwise, they'll black the I drams and maybe even flood your neighborhood You can be-leaf it. And there’s Kiss Your Leaves Goodbye Days. The county’s Pub- 1 lit Work . Department will dispose I of your leaves free of charge on three Saturdays - October 28, No­ vember 18, and December 16 - from 8 a m. to 2 p.m. Bring all your leaves to Whatley Pit at 11400 N.E. 78th Street. Also, for neighborhood asso­ ciations willing to coordinate the ef­ fort, the county has a limited number o f leaf bins that it can take to neigh­ borhoods for on-site weekend dis­ posal events, through December. And if your debris dilemma is bigger than leaves, Clark County is offering Neighborhood Chipping. It’s free debris chipping by the county for neighborhoods that can provide a site for chipping, a chipping coordi­ nator and places for the chipped de­ bris to go. The Saturday morning chipping events provide for an ideal cycle o f recycling, county public works officials note. Residents look­ ing for good ground cover or mulch material can come to the chipping site and pick up a free load of chips brought in by other residents as unchipped debris. The various leaf and yard de­ bris disposal opportunities are a money saver for residents and coun­ ty government alike -- plus being environment-friendly. Residents save on private disposal costs and they and the county save the tax dollars otherwise needed for fixing leaf-clogged drains and related tlooding problems. In addition, the chipping program helps keep yard debris out of the landfill. To make Clark County leaf- free there are other options, too. There is curbside collection , composting and self-hauling. To find out more, just pick up the phone and call Public Works. Downtown Celebrates Halloween With Costume Contest! People who work, live, or costum es entered as “most play in Downtown V ancouver are creative and a rtis tic ,” “ most invited to enter a lunchtim e H al­ gruesom e,” “sex iest,” or “o v er­ loween costum e contest on Tues- all w orst,” will be judged from day, October 3 I , from 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m .-1:30 p.m. I 30 p.m. Ju d g es in c lu d e Don All disguised dow ntow ners Carbone (Cana R ealty), Dave who want to enter the contest Keudell (David K eudell, CPA ), sh o u ld r e p o rt to R .P. M c- Sherri LaPierre (A rtists G allery I M urphyey’s in the Academ y, at 2 1 ,), Pat M cD onrtell (C lark 400 East Evergreen. County), Kate M adsen (C ity o f | Costum es will be judged by V ancouver N eighborhood M e­ category at the tim es listed be­ diation), Andy Nygard (Edw ard low. D. Jones and Com pany), and Prizes have been provided Lisa Rasmussen (Signal G raph­ by locaT businesses, and lunch ics Printing). w ill be a v a ila b le from R .P. The contest is sponsored by M cM urphey’s menu. the Downtown V ancouver As­ C ostum es entered as “ best sociation. w itch,” “ scariest,” :funniest,” or F or m o re in fo rm a tio n , ‘most effort” will be judged from please call the A ssociation at I 1:30 a m .-12:30 p.m. 360/693-2978. y I I ' Spooky Tales On Officers Row On the night before Hallow­ een, get ready for scary stories, “hor- I ror-able" happenings and maybe a I few missing body parts. Over50ghostly volunteers will I till out the cast for Ghost Stories on I Officers Row Monday evening, Oct. I 30. from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This first-time event, sponsored by fhe city’s heritage program, is I designed to be spooky, fun and ed- I ucational. It is ideal for school-age | children and adults. Authentically costumed volun- I teer castmeinbers will retell tales of I eerie happenings on the Row - in- I eluding the frightful story o f the I governess who hung herself, the dead Army officer whose ghost still roams through Grant House, and the mysterious case o f General O.O. Howard’s “lost” right arm. “These stories are based on local folklore and on the colorful history of Officers Row,” says Jane Morrison, city heritage program coordinator. “The stories are gory, sad, corny and tragic. They’re also a fun way to learn about the history of Officers Row.” Ghost story walking tours will begin at the O.O. Howard House. Tours will include scary stops for costumed story-tel lingat several tum- of-the-century homes along the Row. Participants will enjoy hot cider and snacks at Grant House. Tickets are available for $5, or $ 15 for an entire family. A special group rate of $2 per person is avail­ able for non-profit youth organiza­ tions. Tickets are limited and are available by fax, phone or in person at B agley C enter at 4100 Plomondon and at Marshall Cen­ ter, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd. Registration is strongly encouraged by Friday, Oct. 20. Proceeds sup­ port the heritage education program. Tours willembark at 10-minute intervals. Start times will be printed on admission tickets Tours last about one hour. Participants are encouraged to bring flashlights and dress for the weather. Annual Veterans’ Day Parade To Honor WWII Vets More than 70 units and 1400 I people have signed up so far to take J part in Vancouver’s annual Veter- I ans’ Day Parade, Saturday, Novem- I her I The Vancouver Veterans’ J D.i\ Parade is an official ly-sanc- Itioned Department o f Defense ¡W orld War II commemorative event, and marks the fiftieth anni­ v e r s a ry of the end of WWII The ¡Veterans Day Parade Committee liuges all Vancouver-area WWII I veterans to participate by marching I or attending. Members of the Tuskegee Air- I men Association will be honored parade participants. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-Amer­ ican citizens to become officers with the Army Air Force. The unit escort­ ed bombers in the European Theater during WWII, and boasts an envi­ able record; it never lost a bomber under its escort. The parade will start with an 11:00a.m howitzer salute, followed by flyovers o f both military and an­ tique aircraft. Spectators can explore a display o f military equipment at Vancouver Barracks after the pa­ rade. The Puget Sound Blood Bank’s mobile unit will hold a blood drive at Sophia s Place 521 SW 11th, Suite 102, Portland OR 223-9794 A rt • Gifts • Home Decore Antiques & Collectibles the Barracks following the parade. The parade route begins at Ev­ ergreen and East Reserve, contin­ ues west on Evergreen to “C” Street, up“C” to 13th Street, past City Hall on 13th to Main Street, down Main to Eighth, and across Eighth to Esther Short Park. Seating for hand­ icapped spectators will be avail­ able at the O.O. Howard House, at the traffic circle on Officers’ Row The Veterans Day Parade Committee encourages individuals and organizations to participate. For I information, please call 360/896- 9954 or 360/693-2978 Paul Allen: Don't Stop A t The Garden C ora S mith The Trail Blazers seem to be moving Portland forward in futuris­ tic prospects for city and communi­ ty development. It’s a blend and sense of community that entertains ‘a family that entertains together, stays together.” Future opportunities on the back burner may include a giant roller coaster and mega computer entertainment center that would cost $25 per family member. Portland isan idealcity that has attracted the interest o f dream-mak­ er - Pau IAI len, his Trai 1B lazers and his “sports-forward” Rose Quarter. Allen’s vision makes way for the north/northeast community’s revi­ talizing process - to build bridges, mend patches to mainstream, moti­ vate and create a beautiful environ­ mentally correct atmosphere that brings successful small businesses to the Northwest, Southwest, South­ east and Northeast Broadway areas. The next stop must be the in­ vestment, expanding visions to cre­ ate a viable, healthy and wealthy North/Northeast cultural ly empow- ered-based community. Paul Allen, we can see your vi­ sions, but please see the potential to invest in a conglomerate of minority-owned small business, beautiful build­ ings, condos, engaging business comradery with a success, flair, fun and style. Paul Allen, “move” yourdesign engineers and dream team to enhance the minority business person. Build a plan for a once flourishing business com­ munity, your high rolling, risk taking attitude is what this community needs - a voice, money and follow through. Encourage your fellow mankind, Paul Allen, to be the best “we can be.” Roll out the carpet forthis North/ Northeast community with your blue­ prints o f success - your visions can assist in building self-esteem and uti­ lize talents unseen and of course, build pride, allowing the monies to remain in building an architecturally richer and handsome community. Paul Allen, after seeing the total full picture of the “come alive” Rose Quartercomplex it only builds on my dreams further. Don’t stop the con­ struction, continue to upgrade into the community. Make this city a model by which the nation can visually recognize what team playingand building on talent can indeed, re­ construct, glam orize and produce an eco­ nomically-based sound inner city. Empowering the young, partnershiping with the community, eliminating the “fear of I failure sy n d ro m e,” lending your cooperative corporate winning management skills. Imagine, what the $13.4 mil­ lion you lost to Skypix and Virtual Vision could have done for your extended neighbors by increasing business and housing development which would connect minds, bod­ ies and souls. It shows that Oregon’s devel­ opment dollars are there, and even if “you’ve failed before,” a winning prospective counts. Paul Allen, the community has been in obeyance carefully observ­ ing your actions and progress, as well as the other 9 mystery Paul Allen investors. “United we stand, divided we fall.’ Spike Lee’s Clockcrs Is A Wake- Lip Call To African-Americans A violent homicide occurred late last night in front o f Ahab’s restau­ rant. A 22-year-old black male, Darrel Adams, was shot four times by an unknown assailant who ran from the crime scene. Police say the motive for the murder may involve a battle over drug turf. A variant of the above news Hash appears in newspapers across the country every day. Director Spike Lee built on this phenomena and Richard Price’s book to develop the movie Clockers. To be frank, there are very few new wrinkles in Clock­ ers. The movie contains a plethora of negative, stereotypical, yet real, im­ ages of African-Americans. More­ over, most youths that live in inner- city communities can relate several real-live events that parallel what happens in clockers. What is inter­ esting about the movie, however, is that Spike Lee bares everything in its absurd detail by weaving an intricate story line filled with subtle, yet obvi­ ous, messages. In fact, viewers are likely to conclude from Clockers that there is nothing more absurd than the effects of drugs being imported and traded in African-American commu­ nities. As for the story line, Rodney, a drug operation master in an inner- city housing project, requires that Strike (a.k.a. Ronnie, a drug dealer for Rodney) kill Darrel Adams to facilitate expansion of the drug busi­ ness. Shortly thereafter, Darrel CHOICES Law Offices of Daniel E. Russell, P.C. SPECIALIZING IN YOUR LEGAL NEEDS Real Estate Wills & Trusts Medical Malpractice Accidents-Personal Injuries Divorce & Family Law Landlord/Tenant Small Business Law Product Liability Criminal Defense Collections Call Daniel E. Russell at 282-7999 For your free initial consultation. Sunday Starts Pacific Standard Time Turn Your Clocks Back One Hour! Adams is shot to death. Did Strike commit the murder, or did his all- American brother, Victor, do the shooting? Why would such a hard-work­ ing, highly respected, and loveable character as Victor kill Darrel Adams? Since “ black-on-black crime” is so rampant in African- American communities, why should the police be concerned about who actually killed Darrel Adams? Why should Tyrone Jeter, a 12-year-old product of a female-headed house­ hold, shoot and kill Rodney’s hench­ man to protect Strike? All of these appear as real questions in Clockers, and they serve as Spike Lee’s meth­ od for getting the viewer to see the absurdity of the reality. One “absurd” question is not raised in the movie; probably be­ cause we all know the answer. Who is really responsible for drugs com­ ing into our communities, and why can’t the flow of drugs be stopped? Put simply, why can’t a nation as technically advanced as the United States stop the drug trade? This is an absurd question that even Spike Lee wisely chose not to tackle. What are some of the major messages in Clockers? First, you may be struck by the plac idness with which children play in the backdrop to the drug dealing and violence. Though they are oblivious to the reality in youth, it seeps into their subcon­ scious, and they are doomed to relive it all as adults. Second, you may be amazed by the ingenuity of the young drug dealers in developing their com- munications and transactions sys­ tems. How great it would be if that ingenuity was applied to construc­ tive purposes. Third, you may be appalled by Strike’s failure to see a medical doctor given his stomach problems. However, it is common for African-Americans to adopt a death wish and procrastinate on tak­ ing action on health matters until it is too late. I venture to say that if Spike Lee was given an opportunity to decode his messages in plain and simple language, then he would make the flowing statements: African-Ameri­ cans must stop selling the drugs of death to their own people. They must take on the mission of cleaning up their communities with the same zeal that drug addicts take on the mission o f obtaining drugs for their habits. They must stop the flow of blood from the bodies o f young African- American males. Their blood is the life of the communities, and whether the flow is the result of gun shots or AIDS, the flow must be stopped. There are too few strong men in African- American communities who choose to do the right thing and who seek to impose that rightness. But they cannot reshape the communities alone. They need help. If they do not get that help, A frican-American youths are doomed to a more dreadful reality. Mexico Trade Office To Open In Portland Mayor Vera Katz and Port­ land’s sister city of Guadalajara, Mexico in the state of Jalisco, Mex­ ico, signed an agreement Sunday to create an international trade office in Portland. The office to be called Casa Jalisco or House of Jalisco is expect­ ed to enhance Oregon’s economic and cultural ties to the Mexican state. During her administration, Katz has shifted the focus of sister city relationships from cultural exchang­ es to economic/trade relations, her office said. “This is a wonderful opportu­ nity to see Portland’s international business strategy come to life,” said Katz. “In order to meet our critical challenge of a more prosperous Portland, we need to expand our international trade relations and opening the Casa Jalisco here in Portland with strengthen the econ­ omy of both cities.” Katz and a delegation of over 70 Oregonians attended the signing ceremony in Guadalajara as part of an international cultural and trade mission to Portland’s second oldest sister city. Like Portland, the Mexican port city is also known as the “City of Roses.” Mexico is Oregon’s 14th larg­ est trading partner. The state of Jalisco is similar to Oregon in that its economy depends heavily on agriculture and high technology, city officials said Jalisco supplies about 50 percent of all electronic equip­ ment to Mexico.