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V olunrcX X V tt Number 32
Committed to cultural diversity.
Aug. 6,
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Meet for neworking
You can get tips on networking and
international trade during a meeting spoil
sored by Tom orrow ’s Leaders, Inc., a
non-profit economic development group
Thursday, Aug. 7 at 8 a m. at Reflections
Coffee and Books, located at W alnut Park
Center at the corner o f M artin Luther King
Jr. Blvd. and Killingsworth.
Adidas opens northeast store
Celebrating another
milestone In the
revitalization of Inner city
Safari at Newport
Sea Safari fun is waiting for kids during
day camps, Aug. 12 and 14 at the Oregon
Coast Aquarium in Newport. These are
two and a half hour sessions for 6 and 7
year olds to explore the adaptations o f
fascinating ocean creatures w ithout get
ting their feet wet. For more information,
call (541) 867-3474, extension 5221.
Fair celebrities diversity
Entertainment, food booths and com
munity interaction highlight Portland’ s
central northeast neighborhoods annual
multicultural fair. The annual event w ill be
held Sunday, Aug. 10 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
in the Southeast Asian Vicariate, 5404
N.E. Alameda Dr., which is just o ff Sandy
Boulevard.
Work at home tips
Mt. Hood Community College is offer
ing a class that teaches people the ins and
outs o f working from home. Find out about
zoning and special use permit issues, com
puter solutions and special home office
tax deductions and how to keep on the
good side o f the Internal Revenue Ser
vice. The cost o f the workshop is $35 and
which w ill be held Aug. 19 and 20, from 6
p.m. to 9 p.m. in Room 1773 on the main
college campus.
Potluck and games
Every Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. the H o lly
wood SeniorCenter, 182ON.E. 40th, hosts
a potluck followed by bunco games and
other entertainment. You're invited to
bring a dish or make a suggested $2 dona
tion.
ayor Vera Katz and others are
celebrating another m ile
stone in the continuing re
vitalization o f north and north-
ast Portland.
Katz, and other dignitaries Saturday wel-
omed Adidas America and its Adidas, The
Store on M L K retail outlet in the new Harry
lackson Plaza.
The building is located at the corner o f
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Alberta
Street.
Police C hief Charles Moose and Adidas
merican President and C hief Executive Of-
fice Steve Wynne also at
tended the grand opening.
“ This is an especially re
warding occasion, because it represents the
kind o f team work I hope to see more often, ”
said Katz. “ It’ s a strong example o f how
several agencies and businesses can come
together for the good o f the local neighbor
hood and the entire c ity.”
Adidas’ establishment in the northeast
Portland corridor is the result o f cooperation
between the city and the private sector. The
Portland Development commission and the
Police Bureau played key roles in fostering
Mayor Vera Katz welcomes Adidas to the new Harry Jackson Plaza in northeast
Portland with the building's namesake, Portland Police Officer Harry Jackson (seated)
and his wife, Mary and his son Jakhary (left) looking on. (Photos by M. Washington)
the project, along with northeast property
owner Jack Chung and Adidas executive Ray
Leary.
The plaza is named for Portland Police
Bureau Officer Harry Jackson, who has
Eye on clustered housing
“ C o-housing: N eighborhoods fo r
People,” w ill be shown Thursday, Aug. 7
and Monday Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. at 2901
S.E. Steele. A presentation about co-hous
ing, in which neighborhoods are devel
oped with individual residences that are
clustered, leaving more green spaces, w ill
follow the free video. In co-housing com
munities, connection between neighbors
is encouraged by providing amenities
such as shared meals, children's play
spaces, shared workshop spaces and
more. For more information call 650-7169.
- TW*.
Jackson is also credited with Ids work to
reduce prostitution on Martin Luther King
Jr. Boulevard.
Review
finds
better
figures
on Ilmoja
Johnny Gage, House o f Umoja
Tanya Tucker in concert
Re-arrests for gang prevention participants
at 33 percent, preliminary rates were wrong
Chinook Winds Casino and Conven
tion Center in Lincoln C ity presents Tanya
Tucker, Aug. 15 and 16. Concert times are
8 p.m. Tickets are available by calling I -
888-624-6228.
he Portland House o f Umoja joined with the Multnomah County Juvenile justice
Division to release findings from a review o f their gang-intervention
programs which show that Umoja has a low 33 percent rearrest rate among its
participants. Umoja provides residential and family-based services to help gang-al lecledyouth
become productive members o f their community.
“It is vital that the community has the right information on how our kids are doing and
how we can do even better to help gang-affected youth become responsible members o f our
community," said Johnnie A. Gage, Executive Director o f the Portland House o f Umoja.
I he Multnomah C ounty Juvenile Justice D ivision earlier released incomplete preliminary
information on the recidivism ratcofthe participants in the House o fU m o ja ’s residential facility
between Oct. 1 ,1996 and A p ril 30, 1997. Those figures showed a recidivism rate o f 62 percent
lor I Jmoja participants. By comparison, figures from the Gang Transition Service Network show
an area rearrest rate for participants in the House of Umoja residential program was only 33
percent. Over two thirds o f Umoja participant did not experience any rearrest.
I hese ligures clearly demonstrate that Umoja is having a positive impact on the lives o f
the youth that we touch,” Gage said.
Normally, the ( ounty valuation process is a two-part process I he County prepares a
preliminary report based on raw information and records. I bis information is then given to the
agency, which has a chance to respond and correct any information before the review is
considered final. In Umoja s case, the prelim inary information was released to the media,
causing inaccurate information to be shared w ith the public.
The House o f Umoja believes agency evaluations are vital, both because they serve as a
tool to tell what is working, and because they tell the comm unity what other services are needed
to affect change.
“ Reducing gang-related crime and giving gang-affected youth the tools to become contrib
uting members o f our community is a community wide problem and one that we must all work
on together." Gage said.
So tar in 1997, Umoja has served 200youths through its outreach program, helped two kids
graduate with high school diplomas through its on-site school, held weekly parent support
groups, and offered programs lo r younger kids in effort to prevent gang involvement.
®
African violet beauty
Standard, miniature and trailing A fr i
can violets, begonias, orchids and many
other unusual house plants w ill be fea
tured during a special sale Friday, Aug.. 15
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Water Tower
Mall in Johns Landing, 5331 S.W. M ac
adam. The event is sponsored by the
Heart o f the Valley African Violet Society.
Shakespeare for AIDS
help
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival in
Ashland presents the Daedalus Project,
Monday, Aug. 18, aday-long event culm i
nating in an 8 p.m. performance in the
Elizabethan Theatre. The event benefits
the Alan F. Collins Memorial Foundation,
a program o f On Track, Inc. and other
innovative AIDS programs. T oordertick-
etscall (541)482-4331.
SI EM IS SIO N S : ( '(immunity
Calendar inforinalion « ill he given
prinrih if dated t«o weeks
before the event date.
worked tirelessly to help rid the area of
crime.
Buddy Guy strums out the Mt. Hood Festival o f Jazz as it held it's 16th annual evt
this weekend. See additional photos, page B3.
(Photo By Yvonne Lerc