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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
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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."
/