Volume X X V I, Number 26
Committed to cultural diversity.
College Students
Going To Ghana
It's “Good In
The Hood”
These students will work for
three months os interns at
Cape Coast University' in
Ghana.
Family and friends o f all
ages gather every year at
"Good In The Hood"
c ugene,
E
97403
0 , r e a ,-,n u r P Q o n
| ne
L ib r
26, 1996
b riC K d e r i i i u n ,
Insomia
77»« project was put together
hv Erick s long desire to own
a record label in the
recording industry.
See Education, page A4.
See Metro, page BI.
See Entertainment, page B3.
^ o rtla n h (Observer
Burning Puts Portland On Racist Map
m P romise K im ,
REVIEW
Carter’s Name
On Witness List
Former President Jimmy Carter may be
called to testify against the tobacco indus­
try. Documents show Carter may make an
appearance in court when M ississippi’s
lawsuit against cigarette makers reaches
trial. Carter’s name appears on a list o f
possible witnesses. The list also includes
scientists and industry employees. The state
o f Mississippi is suing major cigarette
makers to recoup Medicaid funds spent to
treat people suffering from tobacco-relat­
ed illnesses. Other states have also launched
similar legal action.
Fires Blacken
Thousands Of Acres
Wildfires have ravaged thousands o f
acres o f desert land in Arizona and N eva­
da. In western Nevada. a4,000-acre fire is
threatening the community o f Genoa near
Lake Tahoe. So far several hundred resi­
dents have been forced from their homes.
In eastern Arizona, a 2,000-acre fire is
bearing down on the town o f Pinedale,
forcing more than 200 people to flee their
homes. Drought conditions have created
tinder-box conditions throughout the West,
raising fears that year’s fire season could
be one o f the worst on record.
Mrs. Clinton
Responds To Book
First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is on
the defensive over a new book that reveals
she had imaginary conversations with
form er first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. In a
statement today, she acknowledged hold
¡ng the conversations but said it was an
intellectual exercise, not a spiritual event.
In the book, “The C h o ice,” by Bob
Woodward o f The Washington Post, Mrs.
Clinton was also depicted having an imag
¡nary dialogue with the late Indian leader
Mahatma Gandhi. But she declined an
invitation to commune with Jesus Christ
Another
Suspicious
Fire In South
There has been another suspicious
church-related fire in the South. A building
that apparently was to have served as a
sanctuary in a predominantly black neigh
borhood in Shreveport, La., was heavily
damaged by fire this morning. More than
30 fires have been reported at black and
other churches throughout the South since
January 1995. Investigators have deter­
mined some to be arson and have labeled
others as suspicious. This weekend. Pres­
ident Clinton urged the U.S. Conference o f
Mayors to denounce racially motivated
church burnings.
GOP Fights
Seperate Jails For
Juveniles
Republicans in congress are moving
to overturn what has been a funda­
mental principle o f the American justice
system for more that 150 years. The strict
separation o f youth offenders from hard­
ened adult criminals. Rep Bill McCollum,
R Fla., the chairm an o f the H ouse
Judiciary Sub Committee on crime, has
introduced a bill that would mostly end
federal mandates requiring states to seg­
regate juvenile from adults in jails and
prisons.
FRONT
S E C T IO N
EDITORIAL
A2
ortland couldn't escape the in­
explicable arson that has bla­
zoned many black churches
around the nation.
Last week thursday’s fire that sent torrents
through the inner hall o f Free Methodist
Church denotes strong signals that the city is
not immune from racial-driven arson.
Local residents are still reeling over the
incident many described as tragic. This re­
cent church fire has ignited concerns in O re­
gon over racial divisions, judging from the
national coverage it received. Though at press
time, authorities are yet to say categorically,
whether or not race has anything to do with
the burnings.
“Yes, I am surprised for this is Oregon,
and not surprised, for ifthis is hate crime, we
learn once again, evil has no boundaries,”
laments Margaret Cater who represents Dis­
trict 18.
“This act cuts at the core o f the African-
American community, at our values o f first,
family, community and spirituality, all are
intertwined into one, part o f our corrective­
ness”.
The incident also saddened the urban
▼
Continued to page A3
“Over the past 15 years a good bit of racism has migrated
to our part of the country, ”
P
-Steven Gadner of the Coalition for Human Dignity
Black Church Arsons
Since 1995
»
* s
*
*
“When a group burns a church in one
part of the country, that gives others
the courage to go and do this here,"
“I felt such pain in my gut
about the fact that it’s here too,"
-Human Rights advocate, Helen Cheek
-Portland Mayor Vera Katz.
Congress Takes Action Against Church Arsons
ongress is acting to put an end
to the rash of church burnings
and bring the criminals respon­
sible to justice.
The House Judiciary committee passed
the “Church Arson Prevention Act o f 1996”
by voice vote. The act was introduced last
month by U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde (6th D is t­
ili.) and would make destruction or desecra­
tion o f religious property a federally prose­
cutable hate crime. The legislation also would
eliminate the damage threshold that must be
C
met before such crimes can be federally
prosecuted. Under current law, the destruc­
tion must reach a value o f more than $ 10,000.
“ I have become convinced that a mini­
mum dollar amount is not necessary to ju s­
tify federal involvement in these types o f
cases,” Hyde said. “They are clearly hate
crimes and implicitly interfere with the First
Amendment rights or civil rights o f the vic­
tims. Spray painted swastikas on synagogues
or gunshots fired through church windows
may not reflect large dollar losses, but they
are nevertheless assaults on religious free­
dom.”
U.S Rep. Jim Lightfoot (3rd Dist.-lowa)
also announced today he will introduce leg­
islation that gives the federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) $ 12
million in additional resources to be used
specifically to investigate and stop church
arsons
The ATF has jurisdiction over federal
arson investigations. Lightfoot chairs the
subcommittee responsible for appropriating
funds for the ATF.
“We will not tolerate these crimes and
will do everything in our power to stop
them,” Lightfoot said. “ We will begin by
making sure that the agents in the field have
enough money to do their jo b .”
The new money would give ATF more
resources, such as overtime, equipment and
reward money, to help ATF agents in the
field investigate and solve these crimes.
1 he funds would be available immediate­
ly upon passage and signing o f the bill.
Computer Illiteracy
azel Dukes, President, New York
face-to-face contact in some educational and
State Conference of NAACP
medical settings.
Branches, told delegates to the
“We cannot afford to raise a generation o f
National Association of Market Devel­
children who have neither access to nor an
opers 44th Annual conference that
appreciation o f computers and advanced com­
Blacks and Latinos must take pains not
munications devices,” warned Dukes. “No,
to be left behind on the “information
only is it unfair and immoral, it is simply not
superhighway.”
good business.”
“ We must recognize the economic, social
One onlooker who was impressed by Ms.
and educational implication o f current and
Dukes’ message was Mark Montevrdi, Man­
future advancements in technology,” said
ager, Public Programs, Philip Morris Com­
Dukes. “ Reports tell us that approximately
panies Inc., a representative o f one o f the
70 percent o f all futurejobs will be computer-
conference’s principal sponsors.
related, and those who remain computer illit­
Monteverdi said: “ Ms. Dukes’ warning is
erate will earn one-quarter less income than
both timely and on point in today’s increasingly
others.”
computer-oriented world. We applauded her
C iting a one-tim e publication called
for addressing an issue that too many others
B.E.S.T(Blacks in Engineering, Science And
have ignored, and for sounding an important
Technology), published by the Washington,
warning to an organization whose membership
D.C.- based magazine, “American Visions,”
is in a position to help expand computer I iteracy
Dukes said that many poor B lacks and Latinos
in the minority community.”
have been unable to take full advantage o f the
Bom in Montgomery, Alabama, Dukes
advances in computer technology in recent
has long been an active force in the realms of
years. She called for those who are involved
civil rights and political justice. She is a
in providing Internet access to consider ways
former president o f both the National Board
to redress the situation.
o f Directors o f The NAACP and the New
Additionally, she noted that computers are
York City Off-Track Betting Corporation.
now commonly used to manage subways,
Today she serves on a number o f boards and
assist in banking and supermarket transac­
commissions and in a variety o f professional
tions, and virtually eliminate the need for
organizations.
H
$900 Million in Minority Business! - Fred Canady, second from right, Director,
Minority Business Enterprise Development, Pepsi-Coal Company, accepts the
NAACP's Corporate Award for his company's commitment to minority business
purchasing. Joining him at the NAACP's Fair Share Awards Luncheon in New
York City were, from left: Leonard F. Springs II, Chairman, Special
Contributions Fund, NAACP; Kweisi Mfume, President and CEO, NAACP, and
Hazel Dukes, President, New York State Conference of NAACP Branches. Since
1982, Pepsi Cola has spent more than $900 million on goods and services
from minority-owned companies. The NAACP Operation Fair Share Program,
initiated in 1981, seeks to establish business linkages between Corporate
America and minority Entrepreneurs.
Heery International To Manage Public School Programs
c c i'y l i i t e i i i d l i u i i c i l lid s b e e n s e ­
Our selection o f Heery International was
lected by the Portland Public
based upon not only their strong track-record
Schools to manage its building
in Portland, but also their national reputation
program, announced Hal Bahls, manag­
for excellence in managing school building
er of the firm’s Portland office.
programs,” commented Reg Martinson, Di­
The building program is a result of the
rector o f Physical Plant for the Portland
$197 million bond referendum. Starting in
Public Schools.
1996, the building program is scheduled for
“We are excited about working with the
completion by the end o f 2002.
Portland Public Schools and their fine facil-
H
EDUCATION
HOUSING
A4
Â7
METRO
S E C T IO N
METRO
BI
ity staff to deliver quality schools to the
citizens o f Portland,” Bahls commented.
With the average o f Portland schools at 60
years old, the majority o f construction will
entail remodeling and renovation work with
the exception of a new elementary schools, a
storage facility and small additions to a select
number o f schools.
Overall, the work will range in scope from
SPORTS
B2
major seismic upgrades to code compliance
issues such as ADA, fire and life safety modi­
fications to improved water and indoor air
quality issues to deferred maintenance takes.
Heery International is a 750-person de­
sign and construction management firm with
more than 30 offices throughout the United
States and Canada including the Portland
office which employs 14 professionals.
ARTS & ENT.
RELIGION
B3
B4
CLASSIFIEDS
B5