Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, February 17, 1999, Page 6, Image 6

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F E B . 17, 1999
Page A6
(Dje Portland (Dhseruer
Lack Of Immunizations Could Mean School Exclusion
A higher than norm al num ber o f
children face possible exclusion from
school or child care facilities this
m onth because they have not met
ex p an d ed im m unization req u ire­
ments.
T he final deadline for bringing a
ch ild ’s im m unization records up-to-
date is today, February 17,according
to K arin Rom ey, health educator at
the O regon H ealth Division. O n that
their child. Rom ey said the num ber o f
letters sent this year is a 41 percent
increase over last year. “M uch o f the
increase is attributed to the fact that
this is the first year o f a change in
requirem ents,” she stated.
N ew adm inistrative rules require
that kindergartners receive vaccines
for H epatitis B and a second dose o f
m easles vaccine. T hose rules went
into effect w ith the 1998-99 school
day, children and young people who
do not have required age appropriate
imm unizations will be excluded from
their school or children's facility until
they receive and docum ent adequate
immunization.
Last week, approxim ately 21,162
parents throughout the state received
reminder letters from their local health
department, letting them know which
im m unizations were still required for
year. “These requirem ents protect a
new group o f O re g o n ’s children
against the potentially deadly H epa­
titis B virus and its com plications,”
said Romey. H epatitis B vaccine has
been proven to be highly effective
and safe, and has been a routine
infant im m unization since 1991. The
second m easles containing vaccine
has been a requirem ent since 1990.
‘W e have already had nine con-
Senior Property Tax Deferral Deadline is
April 15
T he O regon D epartm ent o f R ev ­
enue is rem inding taxpayers that
A pril 15 is the dead lin e fo r filing
applications w ith county assesso rs
for the senior pro p erty tax d eferral
program .
“T he senior d eferral p rogram
allow s qualified sen io r citizens to
defer paym ent o f th eir p roperty
taxes o n their ho m e,” “T h e state
pays the taxes to th e co u n ty , m a in ­
ta in s th e ac c o u n t, an d ch a rg es
6 % sim p le in te re st, w h ic h is also
d e f e rr e d .”
Reflections
on Black
History
to p a rtic ip a te .
T a x e s a n d in te re st d o n o t h av e
to b e re p a id u n til th e ta x p a y e r
re c e iv in g th e d e fe rra l d ie s, se lls
th e p ro p e rty , c h a n g e s o w n e rsh ip ,
o r c e a s e s to liv e p e rm a n e n tly on
T o q u a lify fo r th e p ro g ra m ,
se n io r c itiz e n s m u st m e e t th e fo l­
lo w in g c rite ria :
T h e y m u st b e 62 y e a rs o f a g e
o r o ld e r b y A p ril 15 o f th e y e a r
th e y ap p ly ;
T h e y m u st liv e o n th e p r o p ­
e rty , an d h av e a d e e d o r re c o rd e d
sa le s c o n tra c t;
T h e ir h o u se h o ld in c o m e m u st
b e le ss th en $ 2 4 ,5 0 0 fo r th e y e a r
b e fo re th e y ap p ly . O n c e o n th e
p ro g ra m th e y n e e d an a d ju stm e n t
g ro ss in c o m e o f $ 2 9 ,0 0 0 o r le ss
th e p ro p e rty .
A su rv e y sp o u se c a n c o n tin u e
to d e fe r p a st an d fu tu re ta x e s i f
h e / sh e is at le a st 5 9 !4 an d files
a n e w a p p lic a tio n .
A p p lic a tio n s an d in fo rm a tio n
a re a v a ila b le b y c a llin g th e lo c al
c o u n ty a s s e s s o r ’s o ffic e .
F o r a d d itio n a l in fo rm atio n , ta x ­
p a y e rs
m ay
c o n ta c t
th e
d e p a r tm e n t’s T a x H e lp re p re s e n ­
ta tiv e s a t (5 0 3 ) 3 7 8 -4 9 8 8 . F rom
Ja n u a ry th ro u g h A p ril th e to ll-
fre e n u m b e r w ith in O re g o n is 1 -
8 0 0 -3 5 6 -4 2 2 2 . S p a n ish sp e a k ­
e rs m a y c a ll (5 0 3 ) 9 4 5 -8 6 1 7 .
T h e se n u m b e rs w ith in O re g o n is
1 -8 0 0 -8 8 6 -7 2 0 4 . In S alem th e
n u m b e r is (5 0 3 ) 9 4 5 -8 6 1 7 . T h e se
n u m b e rs a re a n s w e re d b y m a ­
c h in e o n ly a n d a re n o t fo r v o ic e
u se .
SOLV Training will Give
Boosts to Volunteer Projects
in Metropolitan Area
B y T homas C. F leming
(N N P A ) - T h e d e c a d e o f th e
1930s w as o n e o f th e m o st m e m o ­
ra b le in m y life . T h e G re a t D e ­
p re s s io n
had
th e
e n tire
in d u stra liz e d w o rld b o g g e d dow n
in a s ta te o n e c o n o m ic d o u b t. It
w as so b a d th a t m a n y q u e s tio n e d
th e fa te o f th e w o r ld ’s fu tu re .
W h e n th e D e p r e s s io n s ta rte d ,
m y m o th e r a n d s is te r w e re liv in g
in a re n te d h o u se in B e rk le y . C a li­
fo rn ia .
T he b o th w o rk e d a fu ll-tim e as
d o m e s tic , b u t I w a s p a y in g m o st
o f th e re n t b e c a u s e m y p o s itio n
as a d in in g c a r c o o k p a id m o re
th a n o f th e ir jo b s . W h e n th e
f r e ig h ts b e g a n c a r r y in g m o re
p e o p le th a n th e p a s s a n g e r tra in s ,
th e r a ilro a d n o lo n g e r h a d a n ee d
fo r m e , so I b r o u g h t n o m o n e y
hom e.
I d id n ’t e v e n tr y to fin d w o rk
a n y p la c e e ls e . I w e n t d o w n to
th e u n e m p lo y m e n t o f f ic e b e ­
c a u se t h a t ’s w h a t e v e ry b o d y d id ,
b u t th e re w e re n o jo b s . W h e n
y o u ’re in th a t k in d o f s itu a tio n ,
y o u r w its s h a rp e n . I f y o u ’re
g o in g to s le e p . In O a k la n d in th e
fa ll o f 1932, th e y w e re p u ttin g in
a n e w s e w a g e s y s te m n e a r th e
A u d ito r iu m . T h e c e m e n t p ip e s
w e re s le e p in g in th e m a t n ig h t.
T h e y w e re s h e lte r s f o r p e o p le
w h o d id n ’t h a v e a n y p la c e e ls e
to s le e p . T h e y c a lle d it P ip e
C ity . T h a t la s te d u n til th e p ip e s
w e re p u t in to th e g ro u n d th e f o l­
lo w in g y e a r. I d o n ’t k n o w w h a t
o th e rs d id , b u t I m a n a g e d to s u r ­
v iv e .
I h a d frie n d s in O a k la n d a n d
B e rk e le y w h o I w o u ld m a n a g e to
v is it an h o u r b e f o r e d in n e rtim e .
A n d , n a tu r a lly w h e n th e y s a t
d o w n to e a t, t h e y ’d a s k m e to
j o i n th e m . I n e v e r r e f u s e d . In
1932, w e g o t o u t o f o u r h o u s e . I
m o v e d in to th e ho m e o f th e B a k er
fa m ily in B e rk le y . I w as a f rie n d
w ith th e th re e s o n s. C h a rle s an d
R o b in s o n a tte n d e d C h ic o S ta te
C o lle g e w ith m e. W e w ere am ong
ju s t th r e e o f f o u r B la c k s tu d e n ts
o u t o f a p o p u la tio n o f a b o u t
1400. M rs. B a k e r h a d a h e a r t as
b ig as th a t h o u se .
S h e w a s a lw a y s i n v i t i n g
p e o p le o v e r to e a t. A s e r ie s o f
g r e a t d r o u g h ts a n d d u s t s to rm s
o c c u r re d in 1934 a n d 3 5 , a n d
people fled and poured into Califor­
nia. So m any o f them headed for Los
Angeles in 1936, that the city ’ s chief o f
police had members o f the Los Ange­
les Police D epartm ent staked out at
the state line. W hen people tried to
enter from Arizona, N evada or O r­
egon, they’d ask them how much
m oney they had. I f they didn’t have
$10or more, the policem an w ould say,
“You can'tcomremtoCalifomia." That
continued for several years until the
governor stopped i t
SO LV Volunteer Action
Training:
O r e g o n C ity , T h u r s d a y ,
F e b r u a r y 18, 1 9 9 9
F o r r e g i s t r a t i o n in f o r m a ti o n
c a ll ( 5 0 3 ) 8 4 4 - 9 5 7 1
V o lu n te e r s in th e P o r tla n d
m e tr o p o lita n r e g io n w ill g e t a
b ig b o o s t on T h u rs d a y , F e b ­
r u a r y 18th, w h e n S O L V , th e
s ta te w i d e O r e g o n n o n - p r o f it,
b r i n g s i t s V o l u n t e e r A c ti o n
T r a in in g to O r e g o n C ity . V o l­
u n te e r A c tio n T r a in in g w ill b e
h e ld a t th e J o h n I n s k e e p E n v i­
r o n m e n t a l L e a r n i n g C e n te r a t
C la c k a m a s C o m m u n ity C o lle g e
o n T h u r s d a y , F e b r u a r y 18.
D u e to lim ite d s p a c e , a d v a n c e
r e g i s t r a t i o n is r e q u ir e d ; c o n ­
ta c t S O L V a t ( 5 0 3 ) 8 4 4 - 9 5 7 1 ,
o r r e g i s t e r v ia t h e i r w e b s i te a t
w w w .s o lv .o ra .
V o lu n te e r A c tio n T r a in in g is
a fre e w o rk s h o p a im e d at
in c re a s in g c o m m u n ity
v o lu n te e ris m
th r o u g h
r e c r u itm e n t,c o o r d in a tio n ,
f u n d r a is in g , a n d e v e n t p la n -
n in g s k i l l s . P a r tic ip a n ts a r e
a ls o e lg ib le fo r m in i-g ra n ts
f ro m S m a ll G r a n ts f o r a C le a n
a n d L iv a b le O r e g o n , P a r t o f
th e s t a t e w i d e S O L V C U P p r o ­
g ram .
In e x c h a n g e f o r t h e f r e e
tr a i n i n g , p a r t i c i p a n t s p r o m is e
to o r g a n iz e a v o lu n te e r e f f o r t
in t h e i r c o m m u n ity , s u c h a s a
l i t e r c l e a n u p , p a r k r e s to r a tio n ,
an u r b a n r e v it a liz a t io n p r o je c t,
or
s tre a m
e n h a n c e m e n t.
“ S in c e 1 9 9 6 , S O L V h a s tr a in e d
o v e r 4 0 0 p e o p l e , in th e 31 o f
O r e g o n ’s 3 6 c o u n tie s , a n d th e ir
w h o le c o m m u n iti e s h a v e b e n ­
e fite d .
I t ’s a g r e a t w a y tp
b u ild a v o lu n te e r e th ic ,” say s
N e il S c h u lm a n , S O L V ’s O u t­
r e a c h C o o r d in a to r . L a s t y e a r ’s
t r a i n i n g r e s u l t e d in s e v e r a l
p r o je c ts , i n c lu d in g c le a n u p s o f
J o h n s o n C r e e k , a n d g r a f f i ti r e ­
m o v a l in s o u th a n d e a s t P o r t ­
la n d .
V o lu n te e r A c tio n T r a in in g is
fu n d e d b y T h e O re g o n C o m ­
m u n it y F o u n d a tio n , R o s e E .
Public Hearing on
North Rivergate
Jail Site
T h e M u ltn o m ah C o u n ty B o ard o f C o m m issio n e rs is h o ld in g a
p u b lic h earin g to a c ce p t p u b lic te stim o n y o n se lectin g th e par­
cel in N o rth R iv erg ate on th e so u th ern en d o f th e L ea d b etter
P e n in su la as th e site fo r the n ew M u ltn o m ah C o u n ty ja il. A 15-
m e m b er citiz en s S itin g A d v iso ry C o m m itte e se lec ted R iv erg ate
as the first altern ativ e lo catio n fo r th e v o te r-ap p ro v ed ja il.
The public hearing is set for:
Monday, February 2 2 ,1 9 9 9
6:00 p*Ri.
Board of County Commissioners Meeting Room
Multnomah County Courthouse, Boardroom 602
1021
SW Fourth
T u c k e r C h a r i t a b l e T r u s t, th e
A u tz e n F o u n d a tio n , a n d C l a r k
F o u n d a tio n . I n - K in d s u p p o r t
is p r o v id e d b y th e J o h n I n k e e p
E n v ir o n m e n t a l L e a r n i n g C e n ­
te r.
S O L V ’s m is s io n is to p r o ­
m o te a c l e a n a n d li v e a b l e O r ­
e g o n th r o u g h v o l u n t e e r c o m ­
m u n ity a c tio n S O L V w as
f o u n d e d in 1 9 6 9 b y G o v e r n o r
T o m M c C a ll.
firm ed cases o f m easles reported in
O regon this year,” stated Romey. “O f
the nine m easles cases, three had
received one dose o f vaccine, three
had received no vaccine, and the
other three w ere unknow n but likely
were not vaccinated. The ages o f the
confirm ed cases ranged from six
m onths 33 years.”
Rom ey em phasized that it is criti­
cal for children and students to re­
ceive recom m ended imm unizations,
particularly because disease is easily
spread in schools and child care cen­
ters.
Parents seeking immunizations for
their children should contact their
private provider, county health clinic
or call O regon SafeNet at 1-800-823-
3638. Those w ho live in the Portland
M etro Area can reach SafeNet at 306-
5858.
Yuck! Infant Spit
Up Is Nasty, But
Natural
C urdled and odious, spit up for­
m ula can ruin clothes and carpets.
Y et despite its aw ful appearance,
spitting up is rarely cause for con­
cern. In fact, m ost infants who spit up
are know n as ‘happy spitters.”
“N early h a lf o f all healthy infants
under 1 year o f age spit up tw o or
m ore tim es p er day,” said Dr. C arlos
Lifschitz, a pediatric gastroenterolo­
gist at the U S D A ’s C h ild ren ’s N utri­
tion R esearch C enter in Houston.
A ccording to L ifschitz, w hile it’s
not uncom m on for parents to think
their in fan t’s form ula is the problem ,
random ly changing form ulas rarely
helps.
T he problem is usually develop­
m ental, Lifschitz said. “The m uscle
th a t clo ses th e feed in g tu b e, or
esophagus, w here it jo in s the stom ­
ach is still developing in infants and
m ay be som ew hat weak. As a result,
even a tiny burp can cause sm all
am ounts o f stom ach contents to com e
back up,” said Lifschitz, an associate
professor o f pediatrics at B aylorC ol-
lege o f M edicine.
R ecognizing the differences b e­
tw een an infant w ho is a ‘happy
sp itter’ and one w ho is vom iting and
excessively irritable or ill is important,
said Lifschitz. An infant w ith diar­
rhea, respiratory problem s, rashes,
vom iting, loss o f appetite, or w eight
loss should be seen by a physician.
On the other hand, ‘happy spitters’
are generally happy, healthy and
gaining weight.
W hile changing formulas may not
be the answ er for a ‘happy spitter,”
Lifschitz said there are some things
that m ight help:
•Hold the baby upright during
feedings and for at least 20 m inutes
afterward. Slumping in ah ig h chair or
laying down for a nap or diaper change
puts pressure on an infant’s stom ­
ach, w hich can m ake the problem
worse.
•Avoid overfeeding form ula-fed
infants. D on’t w orry if your baby
do esn ’t finish every ounce. O nce an
infant’s stom ach is full, extra formula
w ill sim ply com e back up.
K eep a constant flow into the
bottle’s nipple while formula feedings
infants. Ingestion o f excess air dur­
ing feeding can increase burping and
trigger a spitting up incident.
Burp infants regularly dur­
ing feedings to rid their stom achs o f
excess air.
•Ask your physician about m odi­
fying the consistency o f your infant ’ s
formula. Feeding an infant a pre-thick­
ened formula or thickening their nor­
mal form ula w ith a little rice cereal
som etim es helps.
Relax and remember that time is on
your side. Spitting up rarely persists
beyond an infant’s first birthday.
Yes! Its your time! You couldn't
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T ri-M e t: o n P o rtla n d tra n sit m all
Testimony at the hearing will be lim ited to three (3) m inutes per
person. Persons w ishing to subm it written testim ony should
contact the Board Clerk at (503) 248-3277.
Individuals with disabilities may call the Board Clerk at (503) 248-
3277, or M ultnom ah County TDD at (503) 248-5040, for inform a­
tion on available services and accessibility.
For more inform a­
tion on the new
jail, please contact
Lt. Bobbi Luna of
the M ultnomah
County S heriffs
D epartm ent at
(503) 248-3282.
All Your Protection Under One Roof.
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Proposed North
Rivergate Site
I