(The ÏJortlanb ©hseruer
Kafoury Forms Group To Save, Move Historic
Benson House to PSU Campus
P o rtland city co m m issio n er
J(irctciici) M ille r K afoury has
la n n o u n c e d the fo rm atio n o f a
I new n o n p ro fit group that w ill
Ira ise fu n d i to save and ren o -
|v n te the h is to n e S im o n
| B enson H ouse.
K alo u ry said the w o rk in g
I g ro u p , the F rien d s of Sim on
1 Be ii so n H o u s e , is I a u ii e h i n g a
I m ajo r fu n d ra isin g cam p aig n
Ito ra ise up to SI m illio n to
I help re n o v a te the 98 y ear old
Ih o m e, w hich w ill m ove to the
P o rtla n d S ta te U n iv e r s ity
cam p u s by th is fall and e v e n ­
tu ally beco m e the new hom e
j fo r the PSI O ffic e o f A lum n i
R e la t io n s a n d PSU A l u m n i
I A sso cia tio n .
Iw e n ty -tiv e civic and c o r­
porate leaders will serve on the
board o f the Friends. Board
m em bers include ( het O rloft,
I executiv e d irecto r o f the O r­
egon H istorical S ociety; Bing
I Sheldon, SI RA A rchitects PC
land Jim Kelly, ow ner o f Rcju-
I venation House Parts Co.
T he S im on B enson H ouse,
Jon th e c o rn e r o f SW I I th A v ­
enue and SW ( lay S tre e t, was
b u ilt by o n e o f P o r tla n d 's
m ost p ro m in e n t e a rly c i t i ­
z e n s , p i o n e e r lu m b e r m a n
|Sim on B e n s o n . B e n s o n b u ilt
the Q ueen A nne sty le h o u se
b \
in 1900, and he and his fam ily
lived in it u n til I 9 I 2. B enson
am asse d a fo rtu n e from his
tim b e r o p e ra tio n s in the r e ­
gio n , and later used his w ealth
to b u ild the B enson H otel in
1912 and help c o n s tru c t the
C o lu m b ia G o rg e H ighw ay in
1915.
H e 's also know n for his d o ­
n atio n o f $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 to the C ity
of P o r tla n d fo r 20 b ro n z e
d rin k in g fo u n ta in s , in s ta lle d
on d o w n to w n s tre e t c o rn e rs.
B enson also d o n a te d land for
w hat is now B enson S tate Park
in the C o lu m b ia G o rg e , and
g av e $ 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 to the C ity o f
P o rtlan d to build B enson High
S chool in n o rth e a s t P o rtlan d .
I he h o u se, w h ich is on the
N a tio n al R e g is te r o f H isto ric
P la c e s ,s e rv e d a v arie ty o f uses
a fte r the B enson fam ily m oved
o u t, and was c lo se d in 1991
a fte r fa llin g into d is re p a ir.
P lans call for th e house to
be m oved se v e ra l b lo c k s to its
new lo c a tio n on the so u th w e st
co rn e r of SW Park A venue and
SW M ontgom ery S tre e t, on the
PSU ca m p u s.
P e r s o n s w is h in g to j o i n
F r i e n d s of S im o n B e n s o n
H ouse m ay call M ary C a rro ll
o f C o m m is s io n e r K a fo u ry ’s
o ffic e , at 5 0 3 -8 2 3 -3 0 2 6 .
Student Editorials
Last quarter w e’xe been workmg and calling programs We had to make
ten questions and we had a list of numbers we had to pick one or two of
them, then it we get a response we ask the questions and w rite down the
answers. W e can ask the question or ask for programs or booklets about
the program. What else \x edid in class is learned about maps and xx e looked
at north Portland and other parts of Oregon. We learned about lots of other
places we didn’t know about and we learned that Jantzen Beach was the
only mall in North Portland. I hen we had a test to see if we understand a
map and w e did ok I hen w e took another test and we worked together on
it like a group test. What else we’ve been doing was journal topics
ex eryday to express our minds. W e x e did tree topics or the topic o f our
own. W e x e had our p.a.I.t. testing in class. In class we had to do practice
test to get ready for the Palt. I he reason were taking palls cause they want
to see how were taking palts cause they want to see how were doing
academically so we can work on our poor subject.
By Chris Collins-Portsmouth "th grader
( lass Neighborhood Project
Over the past few weeks my class from Portsmouth Middle School has
been focusing on personal dream neighborhoods. What I mean to say is we
we’ve all been working on maps of what we would add to North Portland
to make it a tun and safe place for kids my age to live in. A few things I
noticed was students wanting a theme park or an amusement park added
more than another swimming pool or fast food restaurant such as Taco Bell
With this said and written I’ve got to tell you I totally agree with this
decision from my classmates. Kids my age need a place to have fun with
triends when there is nothing to do around the house. If there is no where
to go to have a good time they just might look fora good time in the wrong
places such as xx ith teen gang members or a cool group from school xxho
use drugs.
Another big request from my classmates was a Boys and Girls Club. The
reason I think a Boys and Girls ( tub should be added to North Portland is
because kids who don't have money or a lot of time to join basketball,
soccer, and volleyball teams could come and play at theclub with other kids
who like themselves want to have fun. If North Portland had these requests
lul tilled it would make this community much better by having a few places
for kids of all ages to go hang out and stay out of trouble. After two weeks
ot learning about our environments in North Portland my class has
conquered the big picture ot sharing ideas, working together and most
important ot all learning how xxe can help North Portland stand out in a
luminous way.
The Simon Benson House, a downtown Portland historic landmark
that was built in 1900, has been closed for several years but will
get new life after it's moved to the Portland State University
campus by this fall. It is expected to reopen eventually as a new
home for the PSU Alumni Association and PSU Office of Alumni
Relations.
(PSU photo by Brian White)
»1 ritten by a 7th grader from Portsmouth Middle in North Portland
Named Johanna Sing
Is Portland’s Water Supply In
Trouble? II
P r o f . M< K i m fy Bt r i
Last week I cited a relevant
experience as a technician m oni­
toring w ater quality instrum ents
at an alum inum plant a self-con­
tained city. A term indicating
that the plant m aintained its own
u tilities in clu d in g pow er and
water supply. This operation was
at The D alles, O regon in the
1960’s.
A life long interest in science
and sponsorship o f a k id ’s sci­
ence club had led me to sw itch
jo b s from the accounting d ep art­
ment to electronics (after train ­
ing). The m onitoring proeess for
quality control em phasized the
same standards as overseen by
the city o f P o rtla n d 's “ W ater
Q uality A dvisory C o m m ittee’’
during my tenure in the early
1990’s.
A dequate and effective m oni­
toring includes tests for “ the per-
centageof dissolved solids in the
strea m -d isso lv e d m ateria ls in
rain w ater-bacterial count-low
turbidity (the w ater looks clean
and clea r)-ch lo rin atio n and/or
other chem ical treatm en t.” This
is a partial listing.
When it com es to P ortland’s
vaunted "pure w ater" supply, we
find that the principal concerns
of the public and governm ental
agencies alike fall into several
well defined areas. C ertainly,
m aintaining the integrity o f the
Bull Run W atershed is at the top
o f everyone’s list. Last week I
cited my extended relationship
with the U.S. Forest Service since
this powerful federal agency con­
trols the forest location o f Bull
Run Reservoir.
The critica l n atu re o f this
‘stew ardship’ is readily under­
stood when we consider that the
Forest Serv ice controls all activ ­
ity in this Mt. Hood National
Forest. M anagem ent standards
and guidelines cover logging,
recreation, w ildlife, hunting and
fishing, scenic rivers and, o f
co u rse,
w a te rs h e d s
lik e
P ortland’s. No fishing, hiking or
boating allow ed in the reservoir
itself.
It is not surprising, therefore,
that there should be frequent d is­
agreem ents between the U.S. For­
est Service with its far ranging
a u th o r ity and th e C ity o f
P ortland's W ater Bureau with its
clear m andate to ensure the high
quality o f the m etropolitan water
supply. Many o f these disputes
were heard ( not resolved) by our
W aterQ uality Advisory Commit-
tee. Our charge was to listen,
question, evaluate the adversary
positions-then, pass on our op in ­
ions and findings to the W ater
Bureau, proper.
A second m ajor concern is the
re g io n w id e fe a r th a t th e
W illamette river is no longer any­
th in g lik e the “ c lea n w a te r
m iracle” that won form er G over­
nor Tom M cCall critical national
acclaim for his environm ental
leadership. Today, the sugges­
tions that the W illam ette be used
as a prim ary source o f drinking
water raises fear and apprehen­
sion in many minds.
They feel that the pressures o f an
escalating population should not push
the city (or the region) into the hasty
adoption of very expensive and pos­
sibly unsafe ventures into sophisti­
cated water treatment plants for this
heavily polluted river; especially
without a consensus among inter­
ested parties.
Most of us are periodically dis­
turbed by graphic media accounts of
the ugly things that happen to this
stream when there are heavy rains.
Unlike the sewer system, storm drains
don’t feed into water treatment plants,
but into the nearest bodies of w ater.
“People put just about everything in
the water,” says the Department of
U N iO N zAVENUE<
G lÁ sV cG M P A N Y '
All Types ot Auto. Plate and W indow Glass
Environmental Q uality’s Public
Water Division.
Urban ru n o ff from p eo p le’s
yards, such as pesticides and fer­
tilizers (and pet wastes) gets into
the drinking water system by e n ­
tering storm drains or going d i­
rectly into streams. People rou­
tinely dump oil and antifreeze
into storm drains, believing that
it goes into the sewer system ,
which it d o esn ’t. I he ‘Regional
C oalition for Clean Rivers and
S tream s’ advises citizens to co n ­
tact ‘M etro’ for inform ation on
disposal o f paints and solvents.
These facts, of course, bring us to
the perennial question; "Just when is
the City of Portland gong to provide
the metropolitan are with that long
promised comprehensive project to
completely separate the sewer treat­
ment system from the storm drain
system?" We area certain that the
longer the project is put off, the more
expensive it will become. With the
rapid change in the area’s demo­
graphics, should this vast capital ex­
penditure have come ahead of light
rail?
Next week we will talk about
the city 's water supply from wells
and about som e o f the lead o rg a­
nizations involved in the "clean
w ater” controversy.
S to rm D o o rs
4 709 N t Ml K Jr
P u illa n d O ie q o n
H lv d
L O R B A IN t HLAVINKA
Woman Owned
972,1
P h o n e 2 4 9 -5 8 8 6
G r a s sr o o t N e w s T h a n k s o u r S ta ff, T a len t,
C lie n ts, a n d C o m m u n ity for a n o th e r a w a rd
w in n in g yea r!
Dating in the Hood: Domestic Violence-1997 Silver
Medal-Summit Creative Award
1997 Bronze Apple-National Educations! Media
Network Film and Video Competition. Clients:
Portland’s I louse of Umoja, City of Portland Operation
Refocus, Multnomah County Violence Prevention
Program, Department ofCommunity and f amily Services
and the Department of Juvenile Justice.
C lo c k in g D o lla rs: H ow to K eep a J o b
1997 B est o f th e N o r th w est
Client: Albina Youth Opportunity School,and Gift
Family Services
We’re a Winner!
Antar Brame To Participate In The Les Schwab Oregon Bowl
participate in the Adidas Double
Pump. Inc. West Coast All-Star Bas­
ketball Camp forhigh school seniors
and junior college men at Cal State
Dominguez Hills this summer. The
camp is one of the top All-star events
in the West for high school and jun­
ior college prospects.
To keep Oregon healthy.
PHONE DISCONNECTED?
NO PROBLEM AT
SIMPLY CELLULAR £ TELEPHONE
Antar Brame o f Madison high
school has been selected to partici­
pate in the Les Schwab Oregon Boxvl
that has replaced the Shrine Game.
The game will be played at Civic
Stadium on June 27th, and features
the top 4A high school football play­
ers selected by the Oregon High
School Coaches Association. The
event is sponsored by Promax Event
Management Team. Antar will be
playing for the North squad coached
by Beaverton high school head coach
Fausten Riley and his staff o f Port­
land'Metro area coaches. During the
1997 football season Antar was a
first team Portland Interscholastic
I .eague selection on offense as an all­
purpose performer, and he was also a
first team selection as a defensive
back He has also been selected to
CREDIT CHECKS
DEPOSITS
every little
step counts.
TURNDOWNS
REGARDLESS OF YOUR BACK BILL
PHONE SERVICE RESTORED IN 3-5 DAYS
AFFORDABLE RATES • NO HIDDEN FEES
3 9 3 9 NE MLK JR BLVD
280-8000
THIS AD GOOD FOR 1 FREE LONG DISTANCE CALLING CARD
WHEN PHONE SERVICE IS ORDERED
PORTLAND AREA RESIDENTS ONLY
■
-,
It's important to keep our communities clean and livable.
That's why PGE is a major supporter of SOLV (Stop Oregon
Litter and Vandalism). Hundreds of PGE employees and
their families volunteer each year to distribute litter bags
before the PGE/SOLV Starlight Parade and pitch in w ith
the SOLV beach cleanups and SOLV-IT illegal dump site
cleanups. Because when we all work together, even the
smallest steps make a big difference.
C o n n e c t in g
P e o p le ,
P o w er
Portland General Electric
an d
P o s s ib il it ie s