P age B6 I f í n r t l a n h Û D bseruer 1 9 9 6 Electricians Help St. Helens uild A Brighter Future The town o f St. Helens had a vision. This small rural community wanted to build a strong future for its residents, preserving the lifestyle it values while providing access to the latest information-technology criti­ cal to economic success. The con­ cept included the design and cre­ ation o f a central home for the St. Helens Public Library, a technology trainingcenter, and community meet­ ing rooms. That vision is now becoming re­ ality as the Columbia Center. It will be the hub o f life-long learning, pro­ viding educational resources, tech­ nology training, library services, and access to worldwide communica­ tions. Naturally, it was in the interest of the community to get the most out of the $2 million. And that’s where Don Kallberg, partner and owner of N ECA /IBEW Local 48 member Midway Electric Company stepped in. Through the use o f new technolo­ gy provided by Midway Electric, in the form o f a 13-watt compact fluo­ rescent lighting system, the Colum­ bia Center will get the most efficient use of the energy it consumes-and at a significant savings for the St. Helenscommunity Midway isjoined on the project by subcontractor Lake Electronic Contractors who designed and build Columbia C enter’s state- o f the art tire alarm system. In addi­ tion, Midway Electric Company will also provide the final electrical de­ sign specifications for the Columbia Center, including ensuring that the center is in strict compliance with all energy standards. Custom Cards Philbee, Inc. asmall specialty play­ ing card distribution company basead in Portland, Oregon has reached a production agreement with Hoyle Products o f M inneapol is, the leading U.S. playing card manufacturer, to produce a limited edition deck of Playing Cards based on African his­ torical figures. Philbee, Inc. and Hoyle Products have agreed to pro­ duce only 200,000 decks o f these digitally marked limited edition play­ ing cards under the trade name Sheba The Neca/Ibew contractors’ par­ ticipation is an example o f how NECA Ibew Local 48 members serve lo­ cal communities by providing them with quality and cost-effective ser­ vice. Working in conjunction with Ibew I.ocal 48 and the Oregon-Co­ lumbia Chapter o f Neca, Midway Electric and Lake Electronics offered a highly competitive bid-and allowed St. Helens and the Columbia center Center get the most for their money. Regarding the construction o f the ColumbiaCenter, Kallberg said "This is truly a community event. It reflects a true public and private partnership. I am pleased to be involved with this project.” The Columbia Center is sched­ uled for completion in Spring o f this year. ased On African Characters Playing Cards. The playing cards were reproduced from hand drawings that depict Em­ peror Askia The Great, rebuilder of Timbuktu as the king, Mikeda, Queen o f Sheba, as the queen, and Hannibal Barca, the Carthaginian General, whose crossing o f the Alps remains one o f the greatest feats in military history, as the jack. “The Dakota, a great Native- American people, teach that if the great past cannot visit the present, there is no hope for the future,” said W ayne B ra n c h e . P re sid e n t o f Philbee, Inc. "The time has come for African Americans to celebrate their rich heritage and cultural pride. Sheba Playing Cards celebrate the great­ ness and glory o f African people, and can empower African-Americans to access greatness within themselves as we face the challenges o f the 2 1 st century.” Sheba Playing Cards are the first o f a series o f products that will by Fighting For Worker's Rights Sandy Nelson, an award winning journalist, has taken on the fight for all working people in Washington State in a case that will set precedent for working people all across the country. Now that the Hatch Act has been lifted o ff the back o f postal workers and other government workers, pri­ vate employers want to impose rules on workers regarding what a worker can do politically when they are o ff duty. Sandy Nelson, a beat writer for The Tacoma News Tribune was de­ moted from her high profi le job as an education reporter and placed on the copy desk because o f her work on political campaigns in the Tacoma area for Gay Lesbians civil rights. If an employer can point to the words O BJECTIVITY and PER­ CEPTION when taking workers first amendment rights away, what’s to stop your employer from telling you not to work for your congress person or that you shouldn’t carry that initia­ tive petition, because the company has a different view. We that must work for a living have to let the company know, we wi 11 give an honest day o f work for an honest day o f pay. We will not give up our right to participate in the political process just because we must work, and the company shouldn’t ask us to. Work­ ers cannot stand by and lost their right to campaign for what or whom we believe in. Workers must get involved and let employers know we will band to­ gether to protect our right to partici­ pate in the political process. I believe the media, both print and electronic, should show the viewers and readers that when it comes to the First Amend­ ment o f the Constitution, freedom o f speech is not a theory, its practiced and protected for all by all. Report on the Sandy Nelson case that is now being heard in Olympia, Washington by the Washington State Supreme Court. Portland’s New F.B.I. Supervisor Continued from Metro, page B I ▲ Joyce Adkins-D&n what I would suggest and what I have suggested is to get your degree. Dan B e ll- k n advanced degree. Joyce Adkins-VJe take a Bache­ lors, with 3 years experience and a Masters degree with two years expe­ rience Dan B e ll- work related,...law en­ forcement? Joyce Adkins— I was not in law enforcement. Dan Bell—\ know you had a de­ gree in Business Education. What I'm trying to get is what constitutes work experience Joyce Adkins—They want you to have had a position ofresponsibility. Dan Bell— Supervisory Joyce A d k in s -k position o f re­ sponsibility, Ok if you were in law enforcement o f course that helps, but for us who weren’t, a role o f respon­ sibility. I have been in many supervi­ sory positions, I worked for General Motors as a supervisor. I taught here in the states and overseas Y o u k n o w . anything that will give you a level o f responsibility. Dan Bell— So they are people oriented people, who have held a position o f responsibility. So what about the character issues? What are you looking for in terms o f integrity, police record and other factors. Joyce Adkins— No felons, I mean every one gets a traffick ticket now and then, but they will have to take a polygraph test. Those individuals interested also have to take a written test. Joyce A d kin s-T h ey should be, I would say physically fit. You have to be able to run two miles, there exer­ cises for upper body strength. You also have to be able to shoot a weap­ on, some people need to realize that’s going to be part o f their training. Academic training, physical train­ ing, and fire arms training for 15 weeks in Quantico Virginia. After Quantico then you receive your first assignment. Dan Bell— If I may be candid the F B I. is an American institution and as such has had the racial flaws that affected all other American institu­ tions. How comfortable do you feel in this institution and do you think you have been treated fairly. Joyce Adkins—I feel more com­ fortable now. There was a case (class action) that was brought against the bureau. They’re trying to work it out. ...It was pretty much a m an’s world before, I think that’s changing, with Freh. Dan BeU—YAoyA Freh Joyce Adkins--Louis Freh, our new Director. Dan Bell— So I take it you think things a getting better. Joyce Adkins—\t started with ses­ sions the former Director started. D an fle//—How does it differ now, than when you came in 1983. Joyce Adkins—There were some people who were anti-women, anti­ black but I think there’s more now who you can see the complexion has change. There are more women now and you see them at a higher level. We (FBI) still have to change a little more. I mean there’s more progress to be madv. Guerrilla Marketing Focus Of Belmont Workshops As part o f the Belmont Business District Plan, REACH Community Development has contract with KF Guerrilla Marketing to conduct gue­ rilla marketing workshops exclusive­ ly for Belmont businesses Based on the use o f unique posi­ tioning strategies to increase busi­ ness, the workshop teaches guerrilla techniques for building a loyal cus­ tomer base. “The Belmont street businesses are looking for creative ways to in­ corporate effective, low-cost mar­ keting into their business plans,” said Kerry Fall, owner o f KF Guerrilla Marketing and workshop coordina­ tor. "Guerrilla marketing practices general contractor D.R. Peterson Development, Inc., Connie Wilson Interior Design, and Friberg Electric Company. can be integrated into all aspects o f a business to increase visibility and sales,” The first workshop, held in mid- May, was attended by seven Belmont businesses and generated many ideas and solid marketing tactics for par­ ticipants. Anotherworkshopissched- uled for June. Philbee, Inc. that reflect positively on African-American cultural, his­ torical and social values. The limited edition o f Sheba Playing Cards can be view ed and ordered on the Internet’s world wide web at http:// www.netgraphix.com/sheba/ and at select stores nationwide. The cards are being sold in two deck packages for $ 19.95, o f a case o f 24 for $215 plus shipping and handling. "We are award that many people will want to retain some o f these decks in pristine condition for their value as collectors items, so we have packaged them in double decks," said Branche Philbee, Inc. in a move to invest back into the community, has agreed to donate one dollar from the sale o f each deck purchased from their Internet Web Site to the National Head Start Program for use in pro­ viding Internet access, computer ed­ ucation, and hardware/software ac­ quisition. L COMMUNITY 5 ® I|C p o ttia n i» (O b s e rv e r Call 503-288-0033 DIVERSITY mu CHICKEN & BISCUITS Celebrates Diversity “We believe that helping individuals of diverse backgrounds and cultures helps build a solid community.” Equal Opportunity^ Employer