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June 18, 1997
Committed to cultural diversity.
Volume XXVI.I, Number 25
Wife ^ n rtla n h (©bserüer
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SECTION
B
o nt nt u n i t o
a 1 e n à a r
Fair concerts set
The Oregon State Fair announced three
of the twelve L.B. Day Amphitheater con­
certs to be held during this year’s fair,
Aug. 21-Sept. 1. Concert tickets are now
on sale at Fastixx ticket outlets for Kathy
Mattea Aug. 21; Don Williams, Aug. 24;
and The Righteous Brothers, Aug. 25.
Fountain is dry
Pedestrians on the downtown transmit
mall won’t feel cool spray from the tubu­
lar arches of the “car wash” fountain at
Southwest Fifth and Ankeny until mid-
August. The 20-year-old fountain needs a
new, custom-made motor to drive the
fountain’s pumps which recirculate wa­
ter. Officially the fountain is untitled; the
car wash name refers to its arching jets of
water.
Performers converge
Original and provocative perfor­
mances from the outrageous to the sub­
lime will take place during the 1997
Portland International Perform ance
Festival at various venues throughout
Portland. Ken C am pbell, hailed as
Britain’s comic genius, opens the festi­
val with Jamais Vu, a hilarious and
irreverent guided tour. Japanese dance,
Costa Rican music and a Caribbean
festival are other festival events, all
sponsored by the Portland State Uni­
versity of Extended Studies and School
of Fine & Performing Arts.
Art on display
Art exhibits by bicycle-maker John
Slawta, sculptor Kurt Wold and painter
Scott Greene opens June 26 through Sept.
20 at the Schneider Museum of Art at
Southern Oregon University in Ashland.
A public reception for artists is set for
Thursday, June 26 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Leash law debated
City Commissioner Jim Francesconi
will meet with residents Wednesday, June
25 to talk about the controversial elimina­
tion of the off leash area for dogs at Mt.
Tabor Park. The meeting will be held at
7:30 p.m. at the Montavilla Community
Center, 8219 N.E. Glisan.
Evening of song
JJ
A shining ballroom Invites dancers to practice and perform of the new Alberta S tation. P atrick Goebel (Inset above-right) Is the manager of
Alberta Station, a new center providing studios and a ballroom for music art and dance at 1 8 2 9 N.E. Alberta.
’
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als, theater productions, concerts, special
film screenings and other special events.
ortheast Alberta Street. The im
Permanent tenants could be artists, dancers,
ages are of empty storefronts.
musicians, office uses or retailers. Most of
Bad bars. Gangs. Drugs. Drive-
the space is still available, although he has
by shootings. Portland's center of mod­
had several inquiries.
ern and ethnic dance...
Already, however, it has led to the rein­
Say what?
carnation
of Dancer’s Workshop. For 15
Yes, dance is coming to the street in a big
years seven prominent dancers taught and
way thanks to the street’s newest addition,
performed their specialties, and held gala
Alberta Station at 1829, and its newest ten­
dance events, at 107 N.W. Fifth Ave., above
ant, the resurrected Dancer’s Workshop.
Cisco and Poncho’s restaurant in Old Town.
Built in 1925, the 20,000 square foot
It was done in by all artists’ least favorite
former Odd Fellows Hall has at times been
four-letter word - RENT - as monthly pay­
an athletic club and church. It is being
ments increased by $1500 a month The
renovated by investor Greg McCarty, and
dancers scattered.
should be ready for occupancy in six to eight
Some left town. Some set up independent
weeks. It contains two storefronts and sev­
arrangements. Two, Tracey Durbin and Ruby
eral interior office or studio spaces, but its
Burns, remained in touch and looked for a
main attraction is a 4100 square foot high-
place to re-establish the collective. “ We
ceilinged ballroom. Manager Pat Goebel
looked at every available space in the city,"
sees the ballroom being used for dance recit­
by
L ee P eri . man
N
A ctress-vocalist Nichelle Nichols
will present her cabaret show live on­
stage, with accompaniment provided
by the Dick Saunders orchestra at the
Northwest Service Center. 1819 N.W.
Everett St., Saturday, June 21 at 7:30
p.m.. A mini-charity auction to support
the tre a tm e n t an d re se a rc h of
Parkinson’s disease will also be held.
Tickets are available at Fastixx loca­
tions and Music Millennium.
We' II have to work with the parents." On the
other hand, she received encouragement
from friends who visited during the May
Alberta Art Walk. (Another art walk is
scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. June 26.) At worst,
it won’t be the first time Dancer’s Workshop
has been in a “bad" area; when the studio
was in Old Town, a pregnant Durbin was
mugged on the way to her car. “Then, as
soon as they cleaned it up, the rents went sky
high,” she says.
Goebel says that during the time he has
worked at Alberta Station, "We've had no
trouble, never had a break-in, never had our
car broken into.” He says that if you saw
Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard or North­
west 23rd Avenue 15 years ago, "You’d
never have thought it would become like it is
today. As the boards and wrought-iron gates
come off the storefronts here, it will only get
better.”
Bird’s
eye view
Brandon and Derek Corbett
enjoy the view from high above
as the 1997 Rose Festival
Grand Floral Parade makes its
entrance into Memorial
I
Coliseum. The north Portland
kids were among dozens of
families viewing the parade and
afterward the festival fun
center, as guests of Portland
General Electric's Our
Neighborhoods First program.
Zoo calls for help
The Washington Park Zoo is asking for
help to build special zoo events like the
Zoo Boo for Halloween and Zoo Lights for
Christmas. No previous experience is nec­
essary. The technical events staff will
train anyone who is able to donate time on
a regular basis. For more information call
Russell Guinn at 220-2798.
SUBMISSIONS: Community
Culendur inform ation will be given
priori!) if dated two weeks
before the event date.
Photo by Michael Wilhelm
Juneteenth celebrated at capitol
Saturday events expected to draw more than one thousand celebrants
expecting over one thousand community
Juneteenth celebration with en
members.’
tertalnment, food and beverages
Scheduled events include a photographic
will be held Saturday from 11
display of African-American men by pho­
a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Capitol Mall Plaza,
tographer Richard Crawford.
across the street from the Oregon State
The Drum Shop will have a wide vari­
Capitol In Salem.
A
The event, celebrating the date slaves in
the American west learned of their emanci­
pation, is co-sponsored by the Oregon Com­
mission on Black Affairs and the Salem-
Keizer branch of the National Association of
Colored People.
“Last year we drew people form Portland
to Corvallis to our celebration," said com­
missioner A.J Talley “This year we are
Durbin says.
At Alberta Station they, together with
Mary Hunt and visiting dancer Josie Mosely,
now on the Reed College faculty, will offer
classes in modern, lyrical jazz and African
dance and dance-related workouts for adults
and children. They will also perform and
host performances by local and national
guest artists.
Why here? The principals live nearby,
Durbin says. “I live on (Northeast) Graham
near M.L.K. and teach at Irvington School,"
she says. “ Ruby lives on Killingsworth and
teaches at Jefferson. Josie lives at 15th and
Brazee. The owner has been really support­
ive. And look at that space! Isn’t it beauti­
ful?”
But is the street’s bad reputation a prob­
lem? Durbin admits setting up a teaching
space there is “a risk. It’s a stretch for my
students, bu, they follow me wherever 1 go.
ety of percussion instruments, providing
children and adults with opportunities
for playing and listening to the different
tones.
Music will be provided by Chata Adda
and Susuma, an exciting contemporary band,
with its roots in traditional West African
music.
Additional activities for children will be
provided. Food and beverages will be on sale
for those who bring their appetites with
them.
Salem Mayor Mike Swaim and Keizer
Mayor Dennis Koho will kick off the
events after the opening anthem.
Guest speakers will include Marion
County Commissioner Randy Franke and
State Rep. JoAnn Bowman of northeast
Portland.
The keynote speech will be provided by
Linda Hunter, chair of the Oregon Commis­
sion for Black Affairs.
For more information contact A.J. Talley
a, 399-7439, evenings.
J u n e te e n th
A C elebration of Black Freedom
June 19th ■ Sept 22nd, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation
Proclamation. It stated that all slaves were to be freed as o f January 1st, 1863. But in
1863, the Civil War between the states was still raging, with Texas an active participant
for the Confederate side. When the Confederacy finally failed in 1865, General Gordon
Granger, U.S. Army, was placed in command o f the state o f Texas. He landed at
Galveston on June 19th, 1865 and finally put an end to slavery in Texas, 30 months after
the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. On June 13th, 1979 a law was signed that
made Juneteenth (June 19th) an official state holiday in Texas. A unique holiday to be
celebrated in style.
The Portland area Juneteenth Celebration will be held at Peninsula Park, from
10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
History researched and documented by Mr. L.B. Anderson (Pres) and Mr. James
Arnold (Vice Pres).