I
Committed to cultural diversity, http:/ wwu.portlandobserver.net
The Sounds of Allen
& Allen
VANPORT:
Portland’s History
The Gospel Sound o f Allen
& Allen will truly make
you say "Amen."
A tragic ending to a small
African-American
Dominated town in
Portland.
See Religion, Page B6.
(The
TUEWEEK
i n c IN
REVIEW
See Metro, inside.
See Popeyes
Coupon's
inside!
i¿inb (Obsewer
SEI Instructor tell aerobic students
“Pay yourself first!”
T h e F e d e ra l A v ia tio n A d m in is ­
tr a tio n g r o u n d e d 179 o ld B o e in g
7 3 7 s fo r in s p e c tio n s a f te r lo c a tin g
a fa u lty fu e l-p u m p w irin g in so m e
p la n e s . T h is te c h n ic a l s e tb a c k a f ­
fe c te d tr a v e l a t so m e o f th e n a tio n ’s
a ir p o r ts . A s m a n y a s 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 p a s ­
s e n g e rs a d a y h a d th e ir f lig h ts c a n ­
c e lle d o r d e la y e d .
Jefferson Academy
Plan
Executive Privilege
P r e s id e n t B ill C lin to n d e c lin e d
to sa y w h e th e r he w o u ld a p p e a l a
j u d g e 's d e c is io n to b lo c k p r e s id e n ­
tia l a id e s fro m te s tif y in g b e c a u s e
o f e x e c u tiv e p r iv ile g e . I f C lin to n
g o e s f o rw a rd w ith th e a p p e a l, it
c o u ld b e c o m e th e f ir s t e x e c u tiv e
p r iv ile g e b a ttle to r e a c h th e S u ­
p re m e C o u rt in a q u a r te r c e n tu ry .
Viagra
T h e O re g o n H e a lth P lan w ill p ay
fo r V ia g ra . V ia g ra is a p r e s c r ip tio n
d ru g o f f e r e d to p a tie n ts s u f f e r in g
from im p o te n c e . E ach p ill c o s ts $ 1 (,
e a c h . H e a lth P lan o f f ic ia ls a re t r y ­
in g to d e te r m in e th e n u m b e r o f p ills
a m o n th a llo w e d fo r f e e - f o r - s e r -
v ic e p a tie n ts v e r s u s m a n a g e d c a re
p a tie n ts .
Automobile Merger
G e r m a n y ’s D a im le r - B e n z A G
an d C h r y s le r C o rp . a re e x p e c te d to
a n n o u n c e a m e rg e r. C h r y s le r D i­
r e c to r s ta lk e d a b o u t s e llin g th e
c o m p a n y to D a im le r fo r $55 to $60
p e r s h a r e . T h is d e a l w o u ld be th e
b ig g e s t ta k e o v e r a n d a c q u is itio n
in h is to r y by a f o re ig n b u y e r.
Drunk Driving Limit
S ix te e n s ta te s h a v e tig h te n e d
th e ir s ta n d a r d s fo r d ru n k e n d r iv in g
from a b lo o d a lc o h o l c o n c e n tr a tio n
le v e l o f . 10 p e rc e n t to .08 p e rc e n t.
C o n g r e s s h a s y e t to d e c id e w h e th e r
to m ak e it a n a tio n w id e c o n s id e r ­
a tio n an d law . S u p p o r te r s sa y m a k ­
in g th e c h a n g e c o u ld sa v e as m an y
as 6 0 0 liv e s a y e a r.
i
"Tri-Met
Cleaning Up
N./N.E.
Act”
ri-Met is trying to make its north
and northeast Portland bus routes
as clean and safe as they are
popular.
Since January 7, and through June 30, Tri-
Met is giving special attention to the area
through the Line Four Pilot Project. The #4
Fessenden route along North Williams Av­
enue and Lombard Street was selected for
special treatment, according to Peg Hansen,
Tri-Met manager o f security systems, be­
cause it has one o f the highest riderships rate
ofany bus line and the highest rate o f security
“incidents.” The effort was later extended to
lines six, eight, 72 and 75.
As part o f the pilot project, a team o f
consisting o f police officers, two fare inspec­
tors, a route supervisor and a team o f rider
advocates has been riding the buses from 4
p in. to midnight live days a week. In addi­
tion, Tri-Met dispatchers have been dedi­
cated to responding to problems on the route,
allowing them to “get through to the team
much faster than has historically been the
case," according to Tri-Met police lieutenant
Rosie Sizer. Drivers were given eight hours
o f training for dealing with problems, and on
how to be the “eyes and ears o f the com m u­
n ity ,” according to Hansen. Inspectors
cheeked some 6,000 passengers for proof o f
payment, she says, because “ fare evasion is
the first and lowest level o f criminal activ­
ity "
In addition, there is now a higher level o f
maintenance for bus shelters along the route.
The cleaning schedule has increased from
twice a month to three times a week, and the
shelter at North Lombard and Interstate is
cleaned at least once a day, Hansen says. In
addition, Tri-Met pledges to respond to com ­
plaints about new graffiti in 24 hours, and
complaints about trash in four. They are also
working with the city to improve lighting in
the vicinity o f 72 bus stops.
Then there are the “partnerships" the
agency has adopted with bus stop neighbors.
One is Dan Aslin, ow ner o f Zanzibar Cloth­
ing at 740 N. Killingsworth St. Ilansen says
Tri-Met put up a sign asking riders not to
loiter in A slin’s doorway. True, Aslin says,
and it is a problem (he interrupted an inter­
view with the O bserver to call the police
about three men drinking in the doorway),
but Tri-Met created the problem in the first
place by removing a but shelter on North
Borthwick Avenue. Granted, he says, drug
dealers will “pretend to wait for a bus at one
stop, then pretend to wait at another,” bus still
“ It seems crazy to take out a public conve­
nience because a minority is abusing it.”
More satisfactory is Tri-M et’s response to
reports o f drug dealing in the shelter, he says.
“T hey’ll come out and cite them," he says.
“ It’s just a citation, but it makes them angry
and they don’t come back."
Hansen and Sizer say that there has been a
drop in the level ofgraffiti and fare evasions.
“The total evidence is very favorable,” Sizer
says. “ Riders say they feel safer about riding.
The people who were the cause o f the prob­
lem are ceasing to ride the line.” This is one
reason that the program has been expanded to
other lines.
What will happen when this temporary
program concludes next month? Jill Dinse,
special counsel for operations, says the prompt
response to complaints will continue. “The
way to encourage public participation is re­
sults," she says. “People w on’t continue to
give you information ifyou don’t do anything
with it."
Still. Hansen says, "W e don't have the re­
sources to just come in and solve the problems.
I he sustainable part o f the program will be
long-term partnerships. “ For i nstance, she hopes
to reemit members o f citizen foot patrols to
ride buses in exchange for free passes.
The lines were selected for the experi­
ment, I lansen says, because they have a strong
sense o f community and are well-organized,
with nine active neighborhood associations
and six business groups.
T
Boeing Planes
Grounded
T h e P o r tla n d S c h o o l B o a rd is a l ­
m o st su re th e y h a v e d e te rm in e d th a t
th e n e x t S u p e r in te n d e n t w ill be B en
C a n a d a fro m A tla n ta . B o a rd m e m ­
b e rs a re g a th e r in g m o re in f o r m a ­
tio n on th e ir c h o s e n c a n d id a te w ith
no p la n s o f in tr o d u c in g a s e c o n d
c a n d id a te .
998
vsgszg*,
P r e s id e n t C lin to n s p o k e at th e
d e d ic a tio n o f th e R o n a ld R e a g a n
B u ild in g a n d I n te r n a tio n a l T ra d e
C e n te r in W a s h in g to n D .C . T he new
s tr u c tu r e w as an $ 8 1 8 m illio n e d i ­
fic e th a t is s e c o n d in s iz e o n ly to
th e P e n ta g o n . T h e 3.1 m illio n -
s q u a r e - f o o t c o m p le x w ill h o u s e
7 ,0 0 0 p u b lic an d p r iv a te e m p lo y ­
e e s.
Canada For
Superintendent
13. J
p u u ro ***'
Ronald Reagan
Building
L e la T r ip le tt R o b e r ts , th e c u r ­
re n t p r in c ip a l at B a ll E le m e n ta r y
S c h o o l in N o rth P o r tla n d w ill go
f o r w a r d w ith p l a n s to d i v i d e
J e f f e r s o n H ig h S c h o o l in to a f r e s h ­
m an a c a d e m y an d th r e e s m a ll c a ­
r e e r a c a d e m ie s . T h e re w ill o n ly be
o n e p r in c ip a l w ith th e a s s is ta n c e o f
t h r e e v i c e - p r i n c i p a l s a t th e
Je ffe rso n .
MAY
Ralp Nickerson, left, leads aerobics classes at Self Enhancement Inc.
B y N eil H eilpren
classes:
alph N ickerson’s adult aerobics
"Head to Toe,” which he calls “the foun­
students at Self Enhancement
dation o f what I am doing,” is a coed group
Inc. are so fired up that if he
which experiences high impact stretching,
stops a particular exercise short at the calisthenics
count
and aerobics. “Ladies’ night” is
o f 20, several voices boom back:
identical without being coed.
“W e’re supposed to do 25!”
“ Walkie Talkie,” is a walking class with
The enthusiasm comes from a philoso­
some calisthenics mixed in. The “ five miles
phy in which Nickerson encourages his
o f conversation” takes place outside as the
various classes to “pay yourself first.” He
class walks to different destination in inner
borrow ed the ph rase from B enjam in
North and Northeast Portland.
Franklin, who urged people to add to their
Participants wince, grunt, huff ‘n puff.
own savings before paying bills.
But they keep doing those stomach crunches
“ I made that the theme o f my program,”
and stretches.
Nickerson told The Portland Observer, “be­
Nickerson encourages them to form a cer­
cause exercising is a form o f paying your­
tain amount o f versatility, to fight boredom of
self first.”
repetitive exercises, he includes stretching for
“W hen you start to think o f how much
flexibility; push ups, squats and other resis­
work it is, or how boring it is, you need to
tance exercises to build body strength; and fast
remember you are actually paying yourself
paced motion exercises to increase cardiovas­
by doing this exercise,” he added.
cular rate to help heart and circulation.
The SEI staff m ember leads three fitness
Nickerson wants his students to "gain an
R
(Photo by Neil Heilpern)
appreciation o f fitness, not just to come in to
try something for a few weeks so they can
get into a particular dress or attend a re­
union. T hat’s not as important as a lifetime
commitment to get in the best condition you
can.”
“All classes can be adapted and impro­
vised so you can do w hat you can,” he said.
Nickerson encourages students to “stick
with it. You are going to lose weight if you
burn up more calories than you consume.
But, you don’t get those results overnight if
they are going to last you for a long time.”
Calling aerobics a "kind o f preventative
type o f medicine," he noted that more than a
century ago African Americans got plenty
of exercise slaving away in the cotton fields
from sunrise to sunset. Expensive fees for
health clubs have prevented many blacks
from getting into regular programs, he said,
CONTINUED T O
PAGE B5
Former NAACP leader urges
non-profit groups to “Build bridges”
B y N eil H eilpren
t a time when public funding is
decreasing for numerous social
programs, Myrlie Evers-W ill­
iams last week asked a group o f non profit
organizational representatives to build
bridges and work closer together to help
improve humanity’s lot.
The former chairperson o f the National
Association for the Advancement o f Col­
ored Peoplef N A ACP)— and widow ofcivil
rights activist M edgerEvers was in town
Thursday to deliver the keynote address at
the Northwest Spring Symposium o f Port­
land State University’s Institute for Non­
profit Management.
“As we address health, homelessness,
abuse and other issues," she said, “we need
to realize that federal government subsidies
are dropping off.”
“ I’m concerned with fairness in the dis­
tribution o f those funds," she said. “Who is
responsible?”
Pointing to $61 billion in recent cut­
backs, Evers-Williams urged her audience
to “become as creative as we can,” while
overcoming any “overlapping in purpose
Myrlie Evers-Williams encouraged people attending The Spring Symposium of
and deed.”
Portland
State University's Institute for Nonprofit Management to build bridges
Just as banks merge, she envisioned fu­
for
more
effectiveness. (Photo by Neil Heilpern)
ture mergings o f resources within the non­
profit arena to be more effective. “ We need
calling for more training and group assess­
Recalling her three years with NAACP,
to be the best we can possibly be," she said.
ments.
C ontinued T o P age A3
A