Committed to cultural diversity, http://www.portlandobserver.net
Volume X X V II, Number 72
kLhi' ^înrtlanh (Dbserüer
)
o n x m u n ito
a 1 £ tt h a r
SECTION
S o c ia l S e r v i c e p r o v i d e r s w ill
b e a t th e K in g N e i g h b o r h o o d F a
c i l i t y fro m 1 1 to 2 P M . a t th e
K in g N e i g h b o r h o o d F a c i l i t y to
a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s a b o u t, a n d p r o
v id e r e f e r r a l s to p e o p le w h o n e e d
h e lp w ith th in g s lik e lo w in c o m e ,
h e a lth in s u r a n c e , c h ild s u p p o rt
p a y m e n ts , e tc . T h e s e s e r v i c e s a re
p r o v i d e d t h r o u g h th e C o m m u n ity
C o u r t. C a ll 2 4 8 - 3 3 3 7 .
“ D is /P la c e ”
A m i x e d - m e d i a e x h i b i t o n im
a g e s t h a t d e a l w ith th e m i g r a t i o n
o f A f r i c a n A m e r ic a n s to P o r tla n d
d u r in g w o r ld W a r I I , t h e i r i n i t i a l
s e t t l e m e n t in V a n p o r t , a n d t h e i r
r e l o c a t i o n to A l b i n a a f t e r th e
V a n p o r t F lo o d o f 1 9 4 8 . O th e r
d is p la c e m e n t p e rio d s a ffe c tin g
A f r i c a n A m e r i c a n s w ill b e d e
p i c t e d . T h e s h o w in g is b y th e I n
te r s ta te F ire h o u s e C u ltu ra l C e n
t e r G a l l e r y o n J u n e 4 - 2 7 . C a ll
8 2 3 -2 0 0 0 .
E n tre p re n e u r
C o n fe re n c e
T h e O re g o n E n tre p re n e u rs F o
ru m w ill be h o s tin g th e 1998 C o n
fe re n c e on E n tr e p r e n e u rs h ip e n
t i t l e d “ U n i v e r s i t y o f th e E n t r e
p r e n e u r ” . T h is w ill b e h e ld on
T h u r s d a y , M a y 2 1 s t a t th e G r e e n
w o o d In n in B e a v e r to n . T h is h a l f
d a y c o n f e r e n c e w ill f o c u s on e d u
c a tin g e x e c u tiv e s at e m e rg in g
g r o w th c o m p a n i e s a b o u t f i n a n c e ,
m a r k e tin g a n d f a s t - t r a c k m a n a g e
m e n t in o r d e r to h e lp th e ir c o m
p a n ie s s u c c e e d . C a ll 2 3 3 - 1 2 2 4 .
M u ltic u ltu r a l Fair
W e w o u ld li k e to e x te n d a p e r
s o n a l in v i t a t i o n to y o u , y o u r f a m
i l y , a n d f r i e n d s to a t t e n d th e
B o i s e - E l i o t “ M u l t i c u l t u r a l F a ir
C e le b ra tio n o f P e o p le ” on T h u rs
d a y , M a y 2 1 s t , fro m 6 -8 P M . O u r
c e l e b r a t i o n is n o w in its 1 7 th
y e a r, an d w e are e x p e c tin g o v e r
3 ,0 0 0 p e o p l e . C a ll 9 1 6 - 6 1 7 1 .
Youth Gangs
Do you h ave c o n c e rn s ab o u t
g a n g s , d r u g s , a n d v i o l e n c e in
y o u r n e i g h b o r h o o d ? J o in a lo n g
in th e Y o u th G a n g s T a s k f o r c e
m e e t i n g f o r c o m m u n ity c i t i z e n s .
T h e n e x t m e e tin g w ill b e on J u n e
1 7 th a t 6 : 3 0 PM a , t h e K in g
N e ig h b o r h o o d F a c i l i t y o n 4 8 1 5
N E . 7 th .
W h ite C o lla r C rim e
T h e A s s o c ia tio n o f C e rtifie d
F r a u d E x a m in e r s d e t e r m i n e d in a
1 9 9 6 s tu d y t h a t f r a u d is c o s t i n g
o r g a n i z a t i o n s m o r e th a n $ 4 0 0 b i l
lio n p e r y e a r a n d m o r e th a n $ 9 a
d ay p e r e m p lo y e e . F ra u d e x p e rts
w ill d is c u s s f u n d a m e n ta ls o f
f r a u d d e t e c t i o n a n d d e t e r r e n c e on
Ju n e 1 and 2 at T h e G re e n w o o d
In n in B e a v e r t o n . C a l l ( 8 0 0 ) 2 4 5 -
3321.
S h a k e s p e a re
F e s tiv a l
M t. H o o d C o m m u n ity C o l l e g e
w ill a g a in o f f e r a s u m m e r to u r to
th e O r e g o n S h a k e s p e a r e F e s tiv a l
in A s h la n d , O r e g o n o n J u ly 8 - 1 2 .
A ls o a v a i l a b l e a r e a r a f t t r i p on
th e R o g u e R iv e r a n d a b a c k s t a g e
t o u r o f th e f e s t i v a l . T h is o f f e r is
on a s p a c e - a v a i l a b l e b a s i s . E a r ly
r e s e r v a tio n s a re s tro n g ly s u g
g e s t e d . C a ll 6 6 7 - 7 2 6 0 .
A rtfu l G ardens
A r tf u l G a r d e n s , t h i s y e a r 's a n
n u a l s p r i n g g a r d e n w a lk in H i s
t o r i c F o r e s t G r o v e w ill b e h e ld
on S a t u r d a y , J u n e 6 th fro m 10
A M to 3 P M . F o c u s w ill b e on
p la n ts , tre e s and flo w e rs , but
o o k a l s o a t th e m a n y f o r m s o f
a r t th a t w ill b e d i s p l a y e d a m o n g
n a t u r e ’s b e a u t y . C a ll 6 4 8 - 5 8 3 3 .
MH
Five hosts, many topics appear on NE Spectrum TV show
by
N e ii . H eilpern ______________
T he P o r t la n d O bserver S taff
F ree S o c ia l S e rv ic e s
MAY 20, 1998
he Paragon Cable Studio was quiet
and the floor director held up three
fingers, then two and finally one
pointing at Yolanda Russell-Alexander, one
o f the five revolving hosts for Northeast
Spectrum.
Only moments earlier, she was sitting in
a small reception area reviewing topics with
the guests for each segment o f the one hour
talk show.
Aimed primarily at the African American
community, NE Spectrum is aired live each
W ednesday on Paragon channels 38 and 54
and is repeated several times throughout the
week before another live show is produced,
with a new host.
Executive Producer Dave Ashenbrenner
calls it “the only program like it on televi
sion right now that addresses Portland’s
north/northeast African American commu
nity, and we do everything from promoting
upcoming events to local follow ups o f
m ainstream televisions topics such as
ESPN’s recent program on racism in sports.”
What do they talk about? That depends
on the individual host and that person’s
specific background and personal interest.
“The hosts are responsible for their own
topics,” Ashenbrenner told The Portland
Observer. “They have their fingers on the
pulse o f the community and bring in issues
they feel need to be discussed.”
Although some o f Russell- A lexander’s
shows reflect her position as an administra
tor for the Multnomah County Health De
partment, her multi-faceted roles as a long
time community activist reflect a plethera o f
interests.
They might range from elections and
----------— ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- __________
political systems to economic development,
T
leadership empowerment and youth.
On this particular night she interviewed
an activist for the Living Wage Campaign,
members o f Portland’s Northwest African
American Ballet and a local gospel singer.
“ My interest is in communications— pro
fessional and personal— and getting high
quality information out, having people well
Two of NE Spectrum s hosts, Raina Beavers (left) and Yolanda Russell-Alexander
(right), chat during a break between tapings.
(Photo by Neil Heilpern)
informed for decision making.”
Her health shows may range from HIV and
youth, diabetes or sickle cell disease in the
black community or domestic violence.
One o f the more touching programs she
recalled during her eight years on the show
included a six year old boy who came on the
set with his grandmother, to tell what it is like
to not have his deceased mother around any
more.
Ashenbrenner often chooses which pro-
ducer/host will be best fora particular topic.
if someone calls in with a suggestion.
When Russell-Alexander’s show ended
last W ednesday, host Raina Beavers en
tered the studio to tape what the industry
calls a “teaser” and a “before shot" for her
show scheduled to be aired this week.
She chatted with Yolanda for a few min
utes, then brought a young black woman
basketball player from Western Oregon Uni
versity onto the set for the “before" part o f
a cosmetic makeover that will be shown and
discussed.
Beavers also brings in a variety o f topics
and guests for the program, but “ I really get
excited when I can take the show out o f the
studio and visit places like schools to find
out what young people are thinking.”
A former administrative staff member at
S elf Enhancement Inc., she appeared to
have a great time during a recent guest
appearance by cast members from Oregon
Ch i Idren's Theater production o f “The Lion,
the Witch and the W ardrobe."
O ne o f the better known hosts is Dick
Bogle— former city commissioner, Portland
policeman and KATU-TV newscaster (the
first African American to do TV news in the
Northwest).
“ I love doing sports and jazz album re
view s,” he told The Portland Observer.
When Bogleretired from KATU. he wrote
a newspaper story about NE Spectrum ’s
director Aaron W alker who urged him to
apply for a position with the program in
1995.
Bogle particularly enjoyed an interview
with Police C hief Charles Moore. “ I got
into him, allowed him to be him self to a
large audience over a time period o f more
than just a sound bite.” Another o f his
favorites was a taping o f a downtown per
formance o f the Mel Brown jazz sextet.
“ With different hosts, we all reflect our
personal interests, backgrounds and experi
ence,” said Bogle, “so we each bring a
different perspective to the program and
have certain gender things that female hosts
may be more sensitive to than I am as a
male.”
C ontinued T o P age A 6
A Y A, AYA
1998 Say No To Drugs
March-V.I.P. Breakfast
Celebrating Youth Making Healthy Choices!
On Friday, May 15, 1998, Oregon Partnership had their annual Say
No To Drugs March and Breakfast.
The breakfast started at 7:45 am with an introduction o f the major
sponsors and recognition of the contributors that included Adidas
America, U.S. Marine Corporation, ODOT Team Safety and Coffee
People to just to name a few. There was also a presentation o f the
Mulnomah County D rivin g U nder th e In flu en ce o f In to xica n ts
(DUII)Z? o « zy / Awards, that was immediately followed by the recogni
tion of the Portland Fire Bureau.
Beginning at 9 am the participants marched across the Burnside
Bridge in celebration of the healthy life choice they had made.
Sgt. Dave Hadley, Carol Bonnono, and Michael Harper, Rep. From Ron
Wyden's Office ,Sam Bush.
(Pnoto by M. Washington).
Oregon Welfare Reform Is Not Only Saving Tax Dollars. It's Also Helping
Low-Income Families Achieve Self-Sufficiency.
This guest opinion is by Sandie Hoback,
administrator o f the Adult and Family Ser
vices Division in the Oregon Department o f
Human Resources.
B y S andie H oback
Thousands o f words have been written
about O regon's dramatic success in moving
people off the welfare rolls, but here is a
single fact that may be even moresignificant:
Oregon is moving thousands of poor fami
lies toward genuine self-sufficiency, and we’re
doing it without punishing people because
they are poor.
In fact, Oregon is rare in that we have not
forced people off welfare by tightening eligi
bility requirements. We have not imposed a
two-year time limit. And we actively help
»
people even after they leave welfare.
Reducing O regon's welfare caseload from
44,000 households in 1994 to 19,000 today
hasn’t been just about saving money (al
though hundreds ofmillions are being saved).
It is about helping people become perma
nently self-sufficient and respecting the fact
that people want to work, pay taxes and set a
positive example for their children. Con
sider:
* Supports: when an Oregon family moves
from poverty to work, we don't abandon
them. Their eligibility for food stamps usu
ally continues. So does their Oregon Health
Plan coverage, for at least a year.
They can continue receiving help with
child care expenses up to certain income
limits. And the federal Earned Income Tax
Credit for low-income earners acts like a $ 1 -
an-hour wage increase.
These supports help to explain why the
typical family moves from 75 percent o f the
federal poverty level on welfare to 130 per
cent or more when working — even if the job
pays only the $6-an-hour minimum wage. (In
fact, the typical Oregonian hired off welfare
starts at more than $7 an hour.)
W e’re also telling people w ho’ve lefl the
welfare rolls, “ Please call us if your child
care falls through, your car w on’t star, or
you’re having trouble with that first job.”
Ninety percent o f Oregonians who leave
welfare are still off after 18 months It’s an
enviable record we want to improve.
*Eligibility: although many states have
tightened their welfare-eligibility standards,
Oregon has not. In fact, Oregon can boas, the
nation’s greatest caseload reduction among
states that haven’t arbitrari ly squeezed people
off welfare.
* Time limits: although many states in
voked a two-year welfare time limit, Oregon
did not. We believe that if people will work
with us, they can find a job within two years.
O r if a barrier such as alcoholism prevents
them from working, then we will get them the
treatment or other help they need rather than
creating a costlier social problem down the
line.
C ontinhed T o P age A8