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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 1996)
«Ji • . 22 cVr^Ä».'. .-' . O • K0& Volume X X V I, Num ber 47 . F r a n c e s S c h o e n News v e r s i t v o f O re q o n L it C om m itted to cultural diversi The Miracle Theater Grand Reopening of New E & M The Miracle Theater performs “Regreso a Mis Suenos in bilingual format. See The Observador. ember 20, 1996 • W<a w v r c o debut Local community and business leaders on hand for the E & M Community Market Ribbon Cutting See Metro, page B5. Check out the Captain s top whatever on KMHD See Entertainment, page B7. ^¡.lortlanò (©bsertiec,, Avis accused of discrimination he owner of six Avis Rent-A-Car ination. Avis spokesmen and lawyers have franchises told employees to declined to comment. make it difficult for black cus "N o one w ill ever know how it feels unless tomers to rent cars, a former franchise you have to go through this experience," said manager said last Week. would-be car renter Vietta Rati if f o f Cheraw, Five o f those Avis franchises in the Caro- linas have repeatedly denied rentals to blacks over the past few years, a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court charges. “ Ify o u were black, you weren’t getting a car i f there was any way out o f it,” former manager Kenneth Jessup, who is white, said at a news conference today. He used to man age the A v is o ffic e at the a irp o rt in W ilm ington, N.C. The lawsuit names Avis and franchise owner John Dalton o f Wilmington S.C., who says she was turned down at an Avis office in Florence, S.C. The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for C ivil Rights and Urban Affairs which filed the lawsuit, is trying to force Avis to release records o f similar race-based complaints to customer service telephone operators. John Reiman, a committee attorney, said the lawsuit also blames Avis corporate exec utives for not disciplining Dalton. "A s we know from the Texaco case, it is not enough for a corporation to say there was news conference. " They are responsible.” A race discrimination lawsuit filed against Texaco alleges a pattern o f discrimination in hiring and promotions. Reiman said his organization believes “ these complaints have been received for years and that Avis should take responsibil ity. "A re we dealing with a corporate struc ture that allows indifference to racism'.’ That just allows racism to flourish." Dalton earlier ridiculed the charges. "W e rent to every nationality, every color, every creed under the sun." he said " I f I was a bad guy, don’t you think something would have surfaced before now?” Montgomery Carter, a former manager at Dalton s Greenville and New Bern franchis Dalton has denied allegations o f discrim a loose cannon out there,” Reiman said at the es, said Dalton told his workers to deny T Ex-Texaco executive charged A former Texaco execut i ve was charged by federal authorities this week with ob- structingjustice in connection with a racial discrimination lawsuit against the oil com pany. The criminal action against Richard Lundwall is the latest blow against the embattled o il company, which faces a na tionwide boycott due to allegations it dis criminated against black and other m inor ity employees. The charge arose from a lawsuit brought against Texaco by a group o f black employees accusing the oil com pany o f system atically discrim inating against blacks and denying them promo tions. Lundwall allegedly shredded or purged documents critical to the lawsuit. rentals to black customers who want to drive long distances in short times. "Dalton has told me that, ‘ I f a nigger is driving that distance in a short amount o f time, he must be dealing drugs,” ’ Carter told USA today in today’s editions. I he suit was filed on behalfofthree named plaintiffs plus an undetermined number o f black customers at the five franchises. It seeks unspecified damages. Dalton owns North Carolina franchises in Wilmington, Greenville, New Beni, Kinston and Jacksonville and another in Florence, S.C. Linda Pugh said she had arranged by tele phone to rent four minivans at the W ilmington Avis franchise in July 1995, according to court documents When she went to pick up the cars, she was told she could not rent them Boycott! Ecumenical Ministries Votes for farm workers ValuJet families see fire video he Board of Directors of the Ecumenical M inistries of Or egon has voted to endorse the economic boycott of Kraemer Farms and NORPAC Foods, calling upon “all people of fa ith ” to stand with the farm workers. Relatives o f ValuJet Flight 592 crash victims recentely viewed dramatic video tape o f a roaring fire staged to help inves tigators learn how a blaze started in the cargo compartment o f the doomed DC-9 jet. The video o f the test fire was played in the darkened M¡ami hall where the Nation al Transportation Safety Board is holding public hearings on the May 11 crash. T Clinton backs Asia-Pacific President Clinton, on his first overseas trip since his reelection, met Australian leaders and reaffirmed Washington’s com mitment to the Asia-Pacific region. He is later to address a jo in t session o f both houses o f parliament and tell them the United States has to look East "no less than it looks to the West.” (ato offers new Testimony Brian “ Kato” Kaelin, O.J. Simpson’s one-time house guest, offered new evi dence in the former football star’s c ivil trial today. Kaelin described the thumps he heard on the night o f June 12, 1994, when S im p s o n ’ s e x -w ife , N ic o le B ro w n Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman were murdered, as being “ like someone falling back behind my bedroom w all.’ Portland immigrant students Leng Bouasykeo (left) and Cecilia Giron (second from left) marched in Washington D.C. for Coordinadora '96. See Observador inside for their reports. Oregon’s Population Growth Trend continues NEW POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR THE STATE OF OREGON & ITS COUNTIES The Center for Population Research and Census (CPRC) at Portland State University has released its July I, 1996 preliminary population estimates for the State o f Oregon and its counties. During the period July 1, 1995 to July I, 1996, the statewide population increased from 3 ,132,OOOto 3 ,18 1.000. This increaseof49,000 people represents the 34,000 more people who moved to Oregon than moved from Oregon (net migration), and the approximately 15,000 more births than deaths. “ The population change in Oregon appears US to focus on aid for refugees The United States w ill not be sending combat troops to Zaire after all. Instead, fewer than 1,000 logistical personnel w ill be going to Rwanda to help returning ref ugees. Defense Secretary W illiam Perry made the announcement, adding that the United States still was ready to send secu rity troops i f the situation deteriorates. Perry said the change in plans was brought on by the recent return o f 500,000 refugees from Zaire to Rwanda Shuttle begins 16-day mission The space shuttle Columbia roared o f! from its Cape Canaveral launch pad Tues day, taking a 6 1-year-old astronaut on a record-setting trip. to have stabilized at about 48,000 per year," says Howard Wineberg, estimates program manager and assistant directorofCPRC, citing increases are substantially less than the first three years o f the 1990s when Oregon’s popu lation increased by about 60,000 per year.” Oregon’s rate ofgrow th in 1995-96(1.6%) is still greater than the U.S. average ( I 1%), making this the tenth consecutive year that Oregon’s population has grown at a rate faster than the national average. In the six year period between 1990 and 1996 Oregon gained about 338,700 people (an increase o f 11.9 percent). This represents 130,000 more people than the state gained during the 1980s. Approximately 45 percent o f Oregon’s net migration this past year is due to Californians moving to Oregon. This is down from las, year’ s figure o f 55 percent and is the lowest percentage in the 1990s. Approxim ately 15,500 more people moved from California to Oregon than vice versa this year. “ Oregon continues to benefit from an ex tremely strong economy and a high livabil ity ’ rating,” says Wineberg. “ However, Cal ifornia’s economy continues to improve while the net migration from California declines. For Oregon’ s population to continue to in crease by about 48,000 per year it may need to gain more migrants from states other than California. “ It should be noted that Oregon’ s ne, migration may drop precipitously i f its econ omy turns sour or i f C alifornia’s economy out-performs it," says Wineberg. “ The stable growth rate (and the smaller increase in population) in the Portland area since 1993 suggests that the Portland (tri- county) area may increase its population by about 20,000 per year for the next 5 to 15 years," says Wineberg. “ A substantially small er increase w ill occur i f there is a recession. In any case, the number o f new residents w ill probably be lower than metro’s projects would suggest.” Minimum wage jumps to Wyden announces 1-stop Career Center funds $5.50 on January 1 Castro invites Pope to Cuba Pope John Paul and Cuban President Fidel Castro met for the first time Tuesday at the Vatican. Castro invited the p o n tiff to visit the communist-ruled island next year and the pope accepted. A papal spokesman said most o f the 35-minute meeting dealt with the role o f the Roman Catholic Church in Cuba, where relations with the state have been sometimes frosty. Brands subject to the boycott include Flav- R-Pac frozen vegetables and fruits and Santiain canned vegetables. The EM O resolution was brought about by the growers' refusal to allow farm workers to negotiate for better living and working conditions, and for the reprisals inflicted upon workers w ho complained or organized. EMO studied the issue for three years, witnessing “ living and working conditions o f many Oregon farm workers which are sub standard and an affront to basic human digni ty." The resolution calls upon "all people o f faith" to jo in in the effort on behalf o f w ork ers' right to organize and jo in in collective bargaining for improved benefits and w ork ing conditions. More on this story in next week’s Portland Observer. tarting January 1, Oregon work geous to employees. As long as the state ers who now earn the minimum requires a higher minimum wage, all Oregon wage will get a $ .7 5 an hour employers must comply and pay the new raise-the first of three increases rate. ap proved by voters in the recent election. New minimum wage compliance posters S Ballot Measure 36 increase the minimum wage to $5.50 an hour January I, 1997. In 1998. the rate jumps to $6.00 an hour and then climbs to $6 50 an hour beginning Jan uary I, 1999. Most Oregon employers are subject to both state and federal minimum wage laws. When covered by both laws, employers must comply with the regulations most advanta w ill be available to employers at no cos, beginning December 16. Employers can order the new poster by calling the bureau’s Technical Assistance for Employers Program (TA ), 503-731-4073, ext. 3 in Portland, or employers can pick up a poster in the Nature o f Oregon Store in the Portland State Office Building, 800 NE O r egon Street .S. Senator Ron Wyden has adults from welfare into workforce, I be stated that Oregon will receive lie ve these funds wi 11 be a strong boos, to the funding in 1997 to help devel Oregon Option and our Jobs Plus programs. op develop a “One-Stop Career Center" By making it more convenient for our c iti approach to provide useful and conve zens to get support as they seek employ nient career services to the state's ment, we can move more quickly toward our workers and businesses. goal o f eliminating welfare as a way o f life.” U The funding, which w ill come from the U.S Department o f Labor, is based on a competitive procurement process. Oregon is expected to receive a total o f between $2.5 and $5 m illion on July I, 1997. Wyden said, “ As a long-time advocate for the ‘One-Stop’ approach to moving able In the past two years, the Labor Depart ment has awarded One-Stop grants to 16 states, funding 125 One-Stop Career Cen ters. A, the centers, employment, education and training services are gathered into a single delivery system for workers and busi nesses. ■■■■■■■■■■■ •■■■■■■■■■■■I EDITORIAL FAMILY OBSERVADOR RELIGION METRO COMICS ARTS & ENT. A2 A3 CLASSIFIEDS BI B4 B5 B6 B7 B8
