Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, July 02, 1997, Page 2, Image 2

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Chinook Winds Casino and Convention Center
In 1977 the Siletz Tribe was
restored to federal recognition.
In twenty short years the Tribe
has come full circle, always with
a vision for a better future for
it’s members.
Chinook Winds Casino and
Convention Center, owned and
operated by the Confederated
Tribes o f Siletz Indians of O r­
egon, made possible through the
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act
and the dedication o f Siletz
Tribal leaders, is a benchmark
of progress for the Tribe.
The Indian Gaming Regula­
tory Act (IGRA) requires that:
“net revenues from any tribal
gaming are not to be used for
purposes other than ( I ) to fund
tribal government operations or
programs; (2) to provide for the
general welfare of the Indian
Tribe and it’s members; (3) to
promote tribal economic devel­
opment; (4) to donate to chari­
table organizations; or (5) to
help fund operations o f local
government agencies."
Chinook Winds offers the op­
portunity to build a brighter fu­
ture for generations yet to come,
while at the same time provid­
ing employment for Tribal Mem­
bers and members o f the com­
munity today.
The Portland Police Bureau in
cooperation with Crime Stoppers, is
asking for your help in locating and
apprehending Sergio Lara Martinez.
An arrest warrant is on file charging
Martinez with Rape and sodomy.
Bail on the warrant has been set at
$520,000
The charges stem from an inci­
dent which began in February. 1996.
when Martinez, looking tor work,
contacted a Northeast Portland fam­
ily. Over a period of time. Martinez
not only worked for the family, but
also became a trusted family friend.
But on the afternoon of March 26,
Sergio Lara Martinez
1997, Martinez went to the resi­
dence where he raped a young teen­
age girl who was home alone
Martinez has not been seen since
Sergio Lara Martinez is a 37-
year-old Hispanic, with a date of
birth o f D ecem ber 29, 1958
Martinez is 5’9" tall, weighing 150
pounds with black hair and brown
eyes.
Crime Stoppers is ottering a cash
reward of up to $ 1,000 for informa­
tion which leads to an arrest in this
case or any unsolved felony crime,
and you can remain anonymous. Cal I
Crime Stoppers at (503) 823-HEl.P
Give crime a going away party!
There is no time like the present
to do something about crime in your
community. Why not start by plan­
ning an event in your neighborhood
for this summer’s National Night
Out Against Crime?
Always the first Tuesday in Au­
gust, this year’s National Night Out
celebration is August 5.
On this night, neighborhoods in
Oregon and across the U.S. hold
block parties to boost neighborhood
spirit, learn about crime prevention
and strengthen community/police
partnerships.
People are encouraged to lock
their doors, leave their porch light
on, and spend the night outside get­
ting to know their neighbors. In past
years, parties have included barbe­
cues, games, entertainment, parades,
bike registrations and neighborhood
walks.
As a sponsor of National Night
Out, PGE will once again donate
door prizes to area block parties.
The company’s involvement in NNO
represents its commitment to foster­
ing safe and caring neighborhoods,
the objective of PGE’s “Our Neigh­
borhoods First" program.
This year. Kinder Vision, a child
safety education program sponsored
by KINK and PGE, will bring its
1 99 6 /1 9 9 7 Siletz Royalty (left to right: Honorary Princess Katie
Thompson, Little Miss Siletz Sissie Rilatos, and Junior Miss
Siletz Sash Shoemake.
price of the item far above its true
retail value. A Portland area Rent-
A-Center charged $408 for a 19" 1 V
that retailed for around $200. Used
items are also sold at a much higher
rate A Portland Rentown USA store
charged $419 for a used 27" TV,
hundreds of dollars more than the
market value. When coupled with
the high interest rate, a consumer
could pay a RTO store 3 to 8 times
more than the items retail value.
A Iso in each of the stores OSPIRG
surveyed, the interest rates were
nowhere to be found. When OSPIRG
calculated the Annual Percentage
Rates, it found that the Oregon stores
charges as high as 123% APR. Com­
pare this to credit cards which have
an average of 20% APR. Berndt
advises that consumers are much
better off using even a high interest
credit card than purchasing through
a RTO store. Plus, unlike the retail
market, RTO stores have a very lim­
ited selection of goods, restricting
the consumer's ability to choose and
shop for the best bargain.
The most frightening aspect of
these incredible interest rates is that
the RTO industry admits it targets
consumers who are low income or
who have poor credit histories. The
industry claims it helps these con­
sumers establish credit and pur­
chase items they normally couldn’t.
Counters Bernt, “ The R I O stores
will only help the consumer go
further into d eb t" RTOs generally
don't report anything to credit bu­
reaus, so a purchase through a R TO
store w o u ld n 't im prove a
customer’s rating.
OSPIRG and consumer groups
nationwide are pushing tor federal
legislation that would subject the
RTO industry to the same rules
that apply to all other forms of
credit. OSPIRG advises consum­
ers to:
Buy the item off the retail mar­
ket;
Use one of the wide variety of
purchasing plans stores offer, like I
layaway or instore credit cards;
Use a bank credit card like Visa
or MasterCard.
If a consumer needs financial
planning advice, the Consumer
Credit Counseling Bureau (800-
338-CCCS) is a non-profit agency
which can help those having credit
difficulties.
Until consumers enjoy protec­
tion from the outrageous and mis­
leading practices of the RIO in­
dustry, OSPIRG advises them to
avoid RTO transactions altogether.
safety message to North Portland s
Columbia Villa National Night Out
celebration
In an effort to prevent random
child abduction. Kinder Vision rep­
resentatives will distribute valuable
safety information to families and
will videotape, voice record and fin­
gerprint children for parents’ safe­
keeping.
A National Night Out kick-off
party will precede the main event in
downtown Portland’s Pioneer Court­
house Square on Monday, July 21.
For more information on how to
organize a block party in your neigh­
borhood, call (503) 823-4519.
S tatement B y M ayor V era K atz
R egarding P ortland P olice
B ureau ’ s G ang E nforcement T eam
Mr. Kenneth
Wayne Taylor
arrested for
child abuse
Rent to own stores gouge consumers
Oregon State Public Interest Re­
earch Group(OSPIRG) released a
eport which examined the outra-
;eous interest rates the Rent To
)wn (RTO) industry is charging
is customers, a large majority of
vhoin are low income citizens with
oor credit histories. The report
urveyed 124 RTO stores nation­
wide, including 5 here in Oregon,
nd found that the industry charged
)regon consumers an unbelievable
verage of 115% interest just to buy
household appliance This was
igher than the national average of
05%
The RTO industry in Oregon
nd 45 other states, unlike other
etail and credit businesses, is not
ubject to mandatory interest rate
aps and is not required to disclose
tie sky-high interest rates it is
harging. “The Rent fo Own in-
ustry, through past lobbying, has
ieen able to dodge out from
fregon’s disclosure and consumer
protection laws,” said Matthew
lerndt. an OSPIRG consumer re­
earcher, thus, it can charge con-
umers hundreds, or even thou-
ands of dollars more in interest
In addition to the high interest
harges the R IO stores collect,
bese stores also set the initial cash
Wanted rape subject
I.*
The following statement was re­
leased by Mayor Vera Katz regard­
ing the status of the Portland Police
Bureau’s Gang Enforcement Team
(GET).
My office and I have spoken to
many people regarding their con­
cerns about the proposed cuts to the
Portland Police Bureau's Gang En­
forcement Team I want to assure
everyone I have not only heard
those concerns, but I also share
many of them. Recent events have
been tragic, but our city is generally
safe. However, we all need to make
it safer. Both Chief Moose and I
have said that restoring the Gang
Team alone will never solve our
On June 6, 1997, the Multnomah
County Child Abuse Team received
inform ation that Mr. Kenneth
Wayne Taylor may have engaged in
sexual activity with a male subject
under 14 years of age. The alleged
incident occurred over the last year.
Subsequently, an investigation was
conducted and Mr. Taylor was ar­
rested at his home on June 17, 1997.
Mr. Kenneth Wayne Taylor was
charged with ten (10) counts of Sex
Abuse in the First Degree and was
lodged in the Multnomah County
Detention Center.
Investigators from the M ult­
nomah County Inter-Agency Multi-
Disciplinary Child Abuse Team are
concerned that there is potential that
additional children might have been
abuses. To facilitate an exchange of
information, investigators spoke
with parents of children who may
have been at risk.
The Child Abuse Team asks if
you, or a child, has had direct con­
tact with Kenneth Taylor and sus­
pects that the contact resulted in, or
might have led to, sexual contact of
an unwanted nature, please contact
the Multnomah County Child Abuse
Team at 248-5249.
Call To Advertize With
(Tlje Jilortlanït (lihscruvr
At 503-288-0033
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Neighborhood crime prevention volunteers promoted National Night Out in the
Rose Festival PGE/SOLV Starlight Parade.
Portland General Electric
the U.S Army Infantry from 1969
to 1971
2
Y
On August 5, thousands of
Oregonians will hold block
parties, barbecues, flashlight
walks and bike registrations.
It's National Night Out—
America's annual night out
against crime. You can get
to know your neighbors,
make your neighborhood
safer and have fun!
Patrick
Borunda
land, and Urban Indian Council.
Inc. He also served as a lieutenant in
T
Join a Night Out against crime, August 5.
Borunda joins The Community Advisory
Board of Union Bank of California
Union Bank ofCalifornia, N.A.
JBOC) has announced that Port-
ind resident and Executive Di-
:ctor of the Oregon Native Ameri-
an Business & Entrepreneurial
letwork, Patrick Borunda, has
lined its Community Advisory
ioard(CAB). Borunda, along with
me existing board members, will
dvise the bank's executive man-
gement on the financial needs of
aw income and undeserved com­
munities. He is fulfilling the unex-
ired term of former California
iupreme Court Justice Allen E.
iroussard
Borunda. a Certified Manage-
nent Consultant and MBA gradu-
ite of Wharton, has 17 years of
trategic management consulting
experience in diverse industries.
Mong with his work at the Native
\merican Network, he has worked
vith The Navigator Group. Arthur
Andersen & Co., the City of Port-
problem; we need the involvement
o f community leaders, parents,
teachers, and friends to give these
kids something to do and some­
thing to be proud of, so they don't
have to turn to the streets to boost
their self esteem.
My highest priority has always
been to maximize the number of
officers on the street; moving the
officers from special units back to
the street enabled us to do that.
That said, we have additional re­
sources from Ballot Measure 50
that I am working with the Council
to allocate. It is my hope that a
portion of that will go towards a
public safety package.
«MEiGHBORMOODSa
nanKmaBMMi
PGE proudly sponsors
National Night Out because
we share your concern for
strong, safe neighborhoods.
Plan now—contact your
neighborhood association
or call 823 4519.
sytOWM » ' •