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Volume XXVI, Number
January 31, 1996
Gospel, Soul Food
At Maranatha
Soloists and a renown gospel choir w ill
perform at a special afternoon singing
celebration o f Black History Month, on
Saturday, Feb. 10 from 1:15 p.m. to 8 :15
p.m. at Maranatha Church in northeast
Portland.
Local Band
Performs
I he band Paulette ‘ n’ Power with Kita
Montgomery performs Feb. 2 and 3 at M
& M Restaurant and Lounge, I37N . Main,
Gresham.
Performers
Wanted
Performers with skills in gymnastics,
dance, movement-theater, improvisation,
contact improvisation, aerial trapeze and
circus skills are wanted for Do Jump!
Movement Theater in the Hawthorn dis­
trict. I f Interested, send resumes to Do
Jump! 15 15 S.E. 37th Ave., Portland, OR
97214.
Vancouver Honors
War Hero
Pearson A ir Museum has unveiled a
new display dedicated to Capt. Harley
Hall o f Vancouver, the last U.S. aviator
shot down in the Vietnam War. I lall grad­
uated from Evergreen High School and
spent two years at Clark College before
join in g the Navy in 1957. The display
reflects on his superb pilot skills as the
leader o f the Blue Angels.
Volunteers Help
Women, Kids
A Volunteers o f America program for
homeless and battered women and chil­
dren has opportunities for volunteers to
assist in all shelter programs, including
working with children, women’s support
services, housing management and office
support. Training is provided, call the
VO A Family Center at 232-6562.
Energy Kits
Available
Low-income households can qualify for
a free kit o f energy conservation materials
worth $ 120 as part o f the Community Ener­
gy Project. Participants are asked to attend
a home weatherization workshop. Call 284-
6827 for information and registration.
Paint, Glaze Days
The Children’s Museum, 3037 S.W.
Second Ave., holds special Paint andGlaze
Days on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 9:45 a.m.
to 11:15 a.m. and Wednesdays, Feb. 14
and 28 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The
museum is open every day,9a.m. to5 p.m.
Felines Converge
On Coliseum
More than 350 pedigreed cats, kittens
and non-pedigreed household pets from
across the United Sates w ill participate in
the Oregon Cat Fanciers show, Saturday
and Sunday at Memorial Coliseum V isi­
tors w ill also find cat items for sale, in­
cluding toys, carriers, scratching posts,
jew elry and crafts.
Evening With
Peter, Paul And
Mary
The Arlene SchnitzerConcert Hall w ill
host an evening with Peter, Paul and Mary
on A p ril 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available
at all Fred Meyer Fastixx locations.
SU B M ISSIO N S: Community
Calendar information will be given
priority if dated two weeks
before the event date.
Wells Fargo
Buys First
Interstate
Northeast Resource For Men
rea residents are finding help
in the fight against drug and
alcohol abuse at the Volun­
teers of America Men’s Residential
Center in northeast Portland.
A
ells Fargo & Co., California’s
V O A Center staff and volunteers work
with a m ulti-cultural and diverse popula­
second-largest bank, has won
tion at its centrally located facility at 2 3 18
its three-month hostile bid to
acquire First Interstate Bancorp N.E.
and M artin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
create the nation’s eighth-largest bank.
As part o f the recovery process, the men
W
The $1 1.6 billion bid - the nation's big­
gest bank takeover - bested a friendly offer
by Minneapolis-based First Bank System
Inc., which was enticed to jo in the fray two
months ago in an effort to block Wells
Fargo’ s advances.
As a result of the W ells Fargo-First Inter­
state combination. 350 bank offices w ill
close in California and as many as 7,000 o f
the banks 47,000 jobs w ill be eliminated,
analysts said.
The banks, declining to specify job losses,
said that figure was too high.
“ Jobs are certainly an issue; I w on’t sug-
arcoat it. Wells Fargo Chairman Paul Hazen
said in a teleconference with reporters.
Hazen said job cuts would be spread
equally between the banks.
San Francisco-based Wells Fargo w ill
trail only BankAmerica Corp, in size.
at the center also give back to the commu­
nity through work on supervised commu­
nity service projects.
The center is a state-licensed program
and most clients are men referred from the
Multnomah County criminal justice system
as non-violent offenders.
O fficials said because most residents at
the center initia lly deny their substance
abuse and criminal past, the treatment pro­
gram involves respectful confrontation o f
these issues.
Treatment services are combined with
required attendance at 12-step recovery
p rogram s to p ro m o te successful
reintegration into society.
During residential treatment clients arc-
in group and individual counseling.
For more information, residents are en­
couraged to call the center at 335-8611.
Essie M. Morphis (upper left) directs step study class at the Volunteers o f
America men's center on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
____________ ___ ______________
(Photo by Michael G. Halle)
Has The New Precinct Made Northeast Portland Safer?
in P romise K ing
V
an Cong Phan stooped and hit
the ground in the balcony of his
store, a smile runs carefully in
his mouth as he demonstrates
used to dodge bullets not too long ago.
Phan, a Vietnam immigrant, is among
business owners and neighborhood residents
who are lauding police efforts at curtailing
crime in the area.
Phan's franchise BP gas station and auto
services on Northeast K illingsw orth and
Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. was once a
battle ground for rival gangs resulting into
gruesome killings.
But after years o f witnessing gory crime
scenes in his domain, he is breathing a sign o f
relief, courtesy o f the northeast police pre­
cinct.
“ Now I feel good and safe. I think it’s
okay, no drugs around my business, no fight­
ing. It ’s good now,” said Phan in heavy
Vietnam accent.
Like many others who are watching the
momentum o f change, Phan is wishing for
more police patrols.
“ Anyhow, this area is better than before,”
he quipped.
H olly Houston o f the Safeway store on
how
he Luther King Jr. Blvd., once dreaded
Martin
the inner northeast area, but now shares Phan’s
optimism.
“ The police are doing an excellent jo b in
keeping this area free from crime,” said Hous­
ton “ But petty shop-lifting is still going on. 1
am sure they think they can get away with it.”
Laverne Hampton q f First Interstate Bank,
another area business, sees a lot o f improve­
ment in the neighborhood, even though her
bank was robbed last year.
“ I feel the precinct has made an enhance­
ment as far as security is concern. There is
certainly a great improvement,” said Hamp­
ton who is also a long-time resident o f the
area.
I f anything, the police are conscious and
calculating in their optimism in their own
assessment o f crime in the area.
“ After 12 months, crime has decline slight­
ly. We would like to work towards bringing
it down further,” confided lieutenant Rod
Beird o f the northeast precinct.
The precinct commander, Alan Orr, who
is saddled with the responsibility o f keeping
the area crime free, said the police with its
Alan Orr is the
commander of
the northeast
precinct.
limited resources does not have the magic
wand to wipe crime away overnight.
Local critics have accused police o f not
coming down hard on crack houses and treat­
ing dope dealers with kid gloves. The police
also receive hard knocks from critics who say
the response to distress calls are still slow in
the area
“ We know what their interest (police) is. I
don’t see a genuine commitment, apart from
harassing young black men,” says a critic,
who wishes to remain anonymous.
Crime problems, especially relating to
drugs, Orr says, have been a concern in the
neighborhood for a long time and it ’s going
to take time to eliminate all the “ crack houses
and save the neighborhood.”
“ People should get busy at work to bring
down crime, call the landlord or call our
officers, we need the community, the police
cannot do it all alone,” pleaded Orr. “ Things
are getting better” he assured.
Orr says the precinct is working with neigh­
borhood groups to create a safer business
environment.
In 1994, the precinct received almost
27,000 calls, compared to 26,000 calls in
1995.
But Orr, like most commanders, wishes he
had more “ troops" to respond to 9 11 calls for
police assistance.
It is not known whether C ity Hall w ill
answer this request.