,
Volume XXVI, Number 13
March 27, 1996
See Metro, inside.
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Group Sets
Agenda
Bus Driver
Assaulted
A Tri-Met bus driver was beaten and
smashed in the face with a beer bottle last
Thursday night after ordering three teen­
aged passengers o f the No. 4 bus at North
Killingsworth and Albina. Police later ar­
rested a female in connection with the
I crime.
Vote Due In
Congress Race
Democrat and Republican ballots in the
primary race to succeed Ron Wyden in
Congress have been sent to voters. Wyden
| was recently elected to the U.S. Senate,
leaving his Third District Congressional
seat open. The vote-by-mail ballots must
be received by county elections officials
| by 8 p.m. April 2.
Menendez
Brothers Guilty
In a decisive rejection o f the abuse
I defense that nearly succeeded the first J
| time, Erik and Lyle Menendez were con­
victed o f first-degree murder in Los Ange­
les last week in the shotgun slaying o f their
millionaire parents and could be sentenced
I to death.
Warner
to film
Steve
runner
Land Use Laws
Supported
Land use planning laws in the metropol
itan area needs fine tuning according to a
report by the City Club o f Portland. The
organization says more needs to be done to
give residents auto travel options, plus the
area needs more affordable housing to
| accommodate a wide range o f incomes.
t I v
T
Mandela Marriage Ends In Divorce
elson and Winnie Mandela end­
apartheid.
ed their 38-year marriage last
When Mandela was released from prison
week after divorce proceedings
in 1990 after 27 years, it appeared that they
that were as complex as their lives.
would re-adjust and go on together. Howev­
The 77-year-old South African president
er, by the 1994 all-race elections that ended
accused his wife o f infidelities, while Winnie
white minority rule, there was open conflict
Mandela countered that it was a pro-apart­
between them.
heid plot to disrupt the marriage
They separated and Winnie ran for elec­
The proceedings saw Nelson Mandela on
tion to parliament on a platform that opposed
the witness stand - the first time since 1964
Nelson's policies. She criticized his plan to
when he received a life sentence for opposing
reform the South African government and
N
P A C R A A 13 G L O N
House Republicans, keeping a promise
that House Speaker Newt Gingrich made
to the National Rifle Association more
than a year ago, voted Friday to repeal the
1994 ban on 19 semiautomatic assault-
style weapons. President Clinton says he
will veto the action if the Senate also
I passes the bill.
People on food stamps and welfare will
soon be getting plastic debit cards instead
o f paper stamps and checks for buying
food and paying bills. It’s due to happen in
the Eugene area late this summer and then
go statewide sometime next year.
New $100 Bill
Debuts
The Federal Reserve has released a new
S I00 bill with an off-center likeness o f
Benjamin Franklin. The bills are techno­
logically advanced to combat increasingly
sophisticated counterfeiters.
charged him with acting too slowly to rectify
the massive poverty that is the legacy o f
apartheid.
In spite o f the apparent collapse o f their
marriage, Winnie tried to postpone the di­
vorce hearings. She recalled her suffering
during Nelson’ s imprisonment - arrests, in­
ternal exile, and the struggle to raise their two
daughters.
The president agreed that she had endured
much, but said many South African women
suffered under apartheid and her ordeal was
not uncommon.
Towards the end o f the hearing. Judge
Fakker E lo ff asked for a direct answer to the
allegations o f infidelity.
Without a word to the court. Winnie fired
her lawyer on the spot.
The judge called the maneuver a ploy and
closed the case dissolving the union that once
symbolized the struggle forequality in South
Africa.
Portland Observer
Family Thanks You
GOP Vote Out
Gun Ban
Debit Card
Replaces Food
Stamps
250
he Oregon Assembly For Black
Affairs is In full stride, planning
the 1996 Oregon Black Politi­
cal Convention in preparation for the
upcoming elections and the 1997 Ore­
gon Legislature.
Planners said it is very important that com­
munity members are prepared to be role play­
ers in these most important events.
I he theme for the 1996 Convention is “ Lib­
eral, Conservation, Independent, The Black
Vote Is Not Monolithic.”
“Our vote cannot be taken for granted by any
political party." said Henry Miggins, assembly
official.
“ We do have a voice and that voice must be
heard and heeded. We, blacks in Oregon, must
take responsibility for our political welfare by
being involved in the political process and
holding all elected officials accountable,”
Miggins said.
The convention will be he'd on April 27 and
28 at the Quality Inn in Salem. The meeting is
hosted by the assembly through its political
action committee,
The event is nonpartisan. It is held during the
spring o f election years. The purpose to serve
as a forum for delegates to discuss issues and to
establish a position for the black community.
Delegates will also endorse candidates run­
ning for public office based on their sensitivity
Portland Teachers Get A New Contract: Portland school teachers were not happy when picketing a recent school
and responses to the issues and conditions of
board meeting. But by Monday, a tentative settlement was announced on a new labor contract. A strike was averted
blacks in Oregon. The Convention’s focus is
however,
the school district still faces funding problems.
(Photo by Michae, G Halle)
statewide and it is open to the public.
Prefontaine Film
Coming
The University o f Oregon and
Brothers have signed a contract
p o rtio n s o f a m ovie about
Prefontaine, a UO world-record
who died in a car crash in 1975.
x
Job seekers visit one of the many booths at Career Connections 96, a job fair
held Saturday at Memorial Coliseum. Sponsored by the Urban League of Portland,
the focus oi the event was on employment recruiting for minorities and women,
but was open to all.
The Washington fam ily and the sta ff o f the Portland Observer would
like to take this opportunity to thank everyone fo r the outpouring o f
sympathy at the death o f Joyce Washington
There were so many cards, letters and phone calls. Your warm and
overwhelming response reminded us o f how significant her contributions
were, said Chuck Washington, Joyce s son and Observer publisher.
"She was a beacon; not only to her family, but to the community. Even
though we would like to, the fam ily is not able to personally acknowledge
every one.
We will all miss her and the Observer is committed to maintaining her
dedication to this city. A great lady is gone, but her spirit will always be
with us, " Washington said.
Saudi Prince, Jackson Open Joint Venture
inger M ichael Jackson and
The two, in their Paris press conference
Prince al-Waleed bin Talal, of
March 19, refused to say how much the newly
Saudi Arabia said they will join
formed company, Kingdom Entertainment,
forces to build theme parks and hotels
will investor what their first projects will be.
and produce movies, CD-ROMS and
They only stressed a commitment to “peace
music.
and love” and “ finding solutions to the world’s
“ The Prince and myself w ill combine hu­
problems.”
man and financial resources to be successful
Although the prince w ill sponsor and man­
in all phases o f the multimedia revolution.”
age Jackson’s worldwide “ History Tour",
Jackson said.
there w ill be no albums recorded with the
S
new company while Jackson is under con­
tract with Sony.
Questions were raised about the effect o f
Jackson's tarnished reputation on the launch
ofthe business. Analysts ask will they be able
to compete with companies like Disney and
M CA who plan major international expan­
sions
Jackson is reportedly strapped for cash
and agreed last Novem ber to sell his
s&
SE C T IO N
publish in g rights to 250 Beatles songs
to Sony C orp as part o f a $500 m illio n
venture In return, Sony agreed to com ­
bine its music publishing d iv isio n with
Jackson s A I V music catalog and pay
the singer more than $90 m illio n .
Grandson o f the founder o f Saudi Arabia
and nephew o f King lahd. al-Waleed is a key
invertor in Euro Disney and Citicorp with
holdings estimated at $10 billion