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Volume XXVII, Number 54
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Committed to cultural diversity.
Herb Ritts Exibit
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Herb Ritts will exhibit his
photographs at the Gallery
o f Conterporary Arts.
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JAN. 14, 1998
Northwest Passage
Oregon Group fin d thier
own passage to the future.
Special Edition
See Entertainment, page R3.
See inside, Section C.
See Entertainment, page B2.
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Convention Ctr.
Rose Q u a rte r
Cowboys Coach Stepping
Down
Barry Switzer, who took the majority
of the blame forthe Dallas Cow boys’ 6-10
season and failure to reach the playoffs for
the first time since 19X9, has reached an
agreement with owner Jerry Jones to step
down as coach, a source has told The
Associated Press The Cowboys are ex
pected to hold a news conference later this
week to discuss the decision that Jones
and Switzer reached.
Winter Paralyzes the
Metro Area with a
strong arctic blast
from the North.
Portland road crew's
do their best to keep
travelers moving.
Warmer weather is in
the forecast.
U.S Sends Officials to
Indonesia
The Clinton administration and the In
ternational Monetary Fund, responding
Thursday night to a worsening economic
crisis, dispatched top officials to Indone
sia to discuss salvaging a faltering bailout
effort. President Clinton called Indone
sian President Suharto from Air Force
One to discuss the economic situation
after the Indonesian currency sank to an
all-time low Thursday, losing a quarter of
its value m a single day.
(Photo by M.
Washington)
Clinton Continues
Unveiling Agenda
President Clinton is continuing to pro
mote a grand agenda covering new initia
tives from Social Security toglobal warm
ing. Installment of the piece-by-piece un
veiling of that master plan, adding $70
million to the federal work-study program
tor college students. In speeches at two
Texas tiigh schools and a pair of political
fund-raisers Clinton will primarily seek to
resuscitate his campaign for national edu
cation standards and testing. At the same
time, Clinton is arguing for everything
from pollution controls and child care
subsidies to making overdue payments Io
the United Nations.
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Kaczynski on Suicide
Watch
U n ab o m b d e fe n d a n t T h e o d o re
Kaczynski’s mental health is at center
stage, aday after authorities say he tried to
hang himself with his underwear, recently,
he also sought permission to defend him
self at the murder trial. Prosecutors and
defense attorneys are to confer with psy
chiatrists who will examine Kaczynski.
They must report to the court on whether
he is competent to stand trial at all and
whether he can represent himself The
apparent suicide attempt will be an issue
in Kaczynski’s competency examination,
psychologist Paul Mattiuizzi said.
Tax Cut Not Americans’
First Choice
More Americans would prefer using a
federal budget surplus for health, educa
tion and Social Security spending over tax
cuts, a poll finds The USA Today-CNN-
Gallup Poll shows that 43 percent of those
surveyed favored using extra money for
Social Security, Medicare and education.
Thirty percent supported reducing the $5.4
trillion federal debt The nationwide poll
found only 22 percent of the people backed
tax cuts. The telephone poll of 1,015
Americans was conducted last Tuesday
and Wednesday. It has a margin of plus or
minus 3 percentage points.
Balloonists Prepare for
Flight
Two pilots hope fly to their balloon
today in their bid to make aviation history
by circling the globe without stopping.
Weather conditions forced Dick Rutan
and Dave Melton delay their flight last
Tuesday The $ I million assault on one of
aviation's last frontiers is the third such
attempt by a balloon team since Dec. 3 1
Two balloonists in Switzerland also plan
to launch soon.
Neighbors Of Abused Kids to Become Activists
Bv N eil H eilpern
here is our rage about abuse of
innocent children who can’t
fight back?" the state’s top so
cial worker wants to know.
Kay D. Toran, director of the State Office
for Services toChildren and Families, visited
the Portland Observer last week, urging
people to be more involved helping neigh
borhood children and asking decision mak
ers at all levels to "refocus the dollars so kids
have a fair chance at becoming healthy, pro
ductive adults."
When people notice abusive situations in
their neighborhood, she noted, there is noth
ing wrong with a friendly message like, "I
heard a loud argument at your house last
night. It sounded pretty scary and I recog
nized domestic violence in your home. How
can I help?”
Toran envisioned a return to values that
required neighbors to help neighbors, noting
that approach is better than removing a child
from mom and dad.
Applauding efforts of several programs -
public and private -- that provide educational
opportunities to diminish abuse, Toran said
she wants more coordination between vari
ous programs to make those efforts more
effective. Greater networking would provide
a "better map of community resources for
children and connect people to those re
sources", she said.
Toran applauded effective grass roots pub
lic education campaigns, such as Mothers
Against Drunk I hiving (M ADD) w Inch popu
larized the phrase "designated driver" and
raised the awareness of drunk driving trag
edies.
“When the Never Shake a Baby campaign
started four years ago, we discovered many
W
parents who just didn’t know that shaking
causes a baby's young brain to rattle within
the skull, causing major injury or death, she
said. "Some people knew it but couldn't
control their anger in certain situations."
Toran cited several fuses that explode into
child abuse, including substance abuse, v io
lence. pressure of having incarcerated par
ents and lack of training
"Unless weelim inateordim inish violence
in the home, these kids become damaged
goods and have less of a chance (in society)."
she said. The bottom line. Toran asserted, is
"never allow the abuse of a child, or abuse in
the home." She expressed hope that would be
the next grass roots education campaign which
local groups could start.
"There are a lot of well-intentioned people
who don’t know how to be a good parent."
she noted. "We spend money teaching chil
dren how to drive safely. so why can't we also
start at a young age to teach children about
parenting?"
Once community awareness increases to
realize need for early family education, the
next step is to pressure the state department
of education and the legislature to provide
the means, she said
Recalling (he rage many people expressed
about the Viet Nam War and racial injustice
- and how they acted on that rage - Toran
asked. "Where is the rage about our children ’
More children died of guns since 1973 than
the sum total of all victims in wars since Viet
Nam.”
“Change the inner rage to outrage and
public action." she said, also complaining
about overwhelming mass media cov erage of
negative aspects of society.
C ontini
id to
P age Aft
Kay D. Toran, director of the State Office for Services to Children and Families.
(Photo By Neil Heil pern)