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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 7, 1997)
2.;«4 ¿a i$ 5 & ¿íteü ¿¿tíX ¡» S • z-i4-i » $ 3 i •;> ¿ L u .» sj ¿ a :¿ í $ /" ? .? < á í^ w ? ií* « j jb-A lK F w « K t ‘'-- I I tu»,’- f . ¿V?7^T- ivT E ù * w » te i T *-« Z ?■<' z z 5< t ® v ¿? f « fc. ' « ’•À .» . May 7, 1997 Committed to cultural diversity. Mothers Day spotlight Robert Cray As on his previous nine recordings, Robert Cray brings a real love and passion to creating music. Reading and determination are key for raising a mom out o f poverty. See Art & Entertainment, page B3. 071>e ^loriktnb c- AJ^Ï-S c Schools fail too many kids Community leaders call for improvements under boycott threat tn G regory B enton Base closings proposed Defense Secretary William Cohen will seek the closing of additional military bases in the United States in a major defense strategy review to be sent to Congress this month, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Such closings are a problem for many commu nities, which depend on military payrolls and purchasing power. Sergeant gets 25 years Army Staff Sgt. Delmar Simpson, the key figure in one o f the worst U.S. military sex scandals, was sentenced to 25 years in prison today for raping six female trainees at Mary land’s Aberdeen Proving Ground. He will be eligible for parole after serving eight years and four months. Defense at torney Frank Spinner maintained Simpson didn’t rape anyone and that the sex was consensual. McVeigh sister testifies The sister o f accused Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh testified Tues day her brother wrote her before the bomb ing that “something big is going to hap pen” and she burned the letter on his instructions. Jennifer McVeigh, 23, broke down in tears when describing how the FBI threatened to charge her with treason unless she cooperated. She testified under a grant of immunity from prosecution. Separatist search scaled Police scaled back the search for a fugi tive militiaman Tuesday who fled into the Texas mountains as the separatist group prepared to surrender. A fixed-wing air plane made a final sweep with heat-sens ing equipment but bloodhounds and troop ers on horseback were kept out o f the rugged Davis Mountains because o f safety concerns. Meantime, police opened a rou tine investigation into M onday’s fatal shooting o f another fugitive. CIA nominee testifies President Clinton’s choice to lead the CIA into the 21st century voiced concern that the United States may have shifted too much o f its espionage effort away from Russia. Testifying during his U.S. Senate confirmation hearing, George Tenet did not immediately spell out why he thought that Russia might bear closer watching. hy hasn't Portland public schools been able to consis tently educate children of color and poor whites as well as they educate the children of the affluent? W A group of inner-city community leaders says it reflects the dismal record of the Portland School District its superintendent Jack Bierwirth. “This will no longer be tolerated,” the community representatives said. At issue is the district’s failure to provide all children with the academic tools they need for success in today’s world. Fox example, recent reading scores show that 56 percent of third graders and 75 percent of fifth graders at Boise Eliot El ementary in inner-north Portland do not meet standard reading levels. , The results are even worse at inner-north Portland’s Humboldt Elementary, where 80 percent of third grades and 82 percent of fifth graders do not meet reading standards. A plan and schedule to boycott schools if learning doesn’t improve was released by the group, called the Community Monitor ing and Advisory Committee, was sched uled to be released during a news conference Wednesday at the King Facility in northeast Portland. The demands were written up and en dorsed by the Coadtion of Black Men, Edu cation Committee o f the N AACP, the Parent Student Alliance, Native American Parents, American Indian Association of Portland. Vietnamese Parents Association of Oregon and the Black United Front Earlier, Lew Freddrick, public informa tion officer for Portland’s public schools, pointed to some success within the district, when asked about the poor performance levels. For example, at inner-northeast Portland’s Woodlawn Elementary, 82 percent of fifth Albina Bank H istorical Clock Putting the pressure on Portland schools to improve the education o f inner-city kids is Ron Herndon (above from left) o f the Black United Front and 4. Halim Rahsaan o f the Coalition o f Black Men. Richard Luccetti (right) o f Hispanic Parents for Portland Public Schools cites the school district for failing to provide children with the academic tools they need for su ccess. graders meet or exceed math score stan dards. Freddrick explained how Woodlawn could obtain such high scores and other inner-city schools fail so pitifully. Freddrick says it takes a team approach to teaching that includes ,*rybody from teach ers, to parents, to community groups like Self Enhancement. Inc. A critical pillar to the coali,ion;s de mands is that pay raises be tied to perfor mance; from Superintendent Bierwirth’s $132,000 a year salary, to building princi pals and front-line teachers. “Those who teach will be rewarded, and those who don’t, will find other employ ment,” said A. Halim Rahsaan, co-chairman of the Coalition of Black Men. “We Have lost several generations to drugs and gangs,” Rahsaan said. “And we’re not going to tolerate it any longer." Delegates carry message Murder suspect charged A man suspected of murdering a tourist and raping two women near the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, Fla., was in custody today after a high-speed chase through Daytona Beach. “I don’t know why I do the things I do,” James Sears Hartsock told reporters after his arrest last night. Hartsock, 25, was charged with raping a tourist and murdering her male companion. Lawrence Dark rban League Of Portland Presi education and development of children in dent Lawrence Dark was one of the inner city. three African Americans from Priorities are set to enable families to Portland who attended the President’s become economically self-sufficient and Summit for America's Future last week achieve racial inclusion in the mainstream in Philadelphia. economy. U Other delegates from Portland included Tony Hopson of Self Enchancement, Inc., and Lolenzo Poe. The summit's goals echo several national Urban League objectives, which include the EDITORIAL.................... A2 HOUSING.......................A5 EDUCATION...................A6 METRO........................... B I ARTS & ENT.................. B3 MOTHERS DAY............ B5 CLASSIFIEDS................B6 For example, since 1995, the national Urban League has been involved in the Our Children, Our Destiny effort, a series of programs designed to educate, counsel and prepare urban youth for the future. Lolenzo Poe In Portland, the Urban League has devel oped a number of programs including the Male/Female Responsibility Program de signed to discourage teenage pregnancy and promote positive alternatives for personal development. Through its Youth Employment Program, the Portland Urban League office offers job training and placement for young people, including forestry programs with the U.S. Fores, Service. Neil Kelly memorial carried HEALTH.......................... A4 FAMILY............................A7 Tony Hopson A contribution to architectural heritage is added to northeast Portland with a clock tower once again high above Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. The clock com pletes the new Albina Community Bank corner project. Bank president Leon Smith said the clock tower is rem iniscent to a building that was on the property in the 1 9 20s. (Photo by Mark Washington) ne of north and northeast community a better place in which to Portland's great civic leaders live." Carter said “ We mourn his passing and business owners is being but we celebrate the lifetime o f sharing honored in a memorial by the Oregon and compassion that he brought to Port Legislature. land.” O State Rep Margaret Carter, D-Portland, will carry House Joint Memorial 5 on the tloor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the date Gov. John Kitzhaber has declared Neil Kelly Day. “Neil Kelly was a shining example of a man who cared enough to make his Kelly died June 22, 1996 in Portland at the age of 80. The memorial praises him for “his generosity and the spirit of sharing and compassion he left us.” Some excerpts from the memorial: “He left behind a vivid legacy that contin ues to shape Portland as a great city and as the father o f one of Portland’s most civic- minded families, he established organiza tions and funds to help families in need and instilled his untiring optimism in his fam ily and friends. “The story of Neil Kelly unfolded like the American dream when, in the early 1950s. he bought a home remodeling busi ness for $100 and over the next several years built the business into one o f the largest remodeling companies in the United States." /
