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MARCH 3, 1999
C om m itted to cultural diversity. http://www.1xirtlandobscrYcr.11et
Volume X X V IIII, Num ber 9
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Guitar Trio
This is for you Lord
Trio creates power o f an
orchestra at unique
Portland concert
Reverend Jackie
McCullough returns to her
Homeland in Jamaica to
lead thousands
See Religion, page B4
See Focus, page B3
(Ebe |Jort lanb
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See Popeye's
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« 5 0 0
T U B WEEK THE PROPOSED NEW NORTHEAST
I lie
IN
REVIEW
Nigeria’s next president
Gen Olusegun Obassanjo; was de­
clared N igeria’s next president, Fi­
nal results in the presidential elec­
tions showed the retired general win­
ning a decisive victory, with 63 per­
cent o f the popular vote. The vote
lolds the prom ise o f dem ocratiza­
tion for the country’s 108 m illion
citizens.
New-car Buyers
For many reasons, the average age
o f new-car buyers is rising faster than
the average age of the overall popula­
tion. Until recently older Americans
lave shown little interest in buying
vehicles tailored to their needs, and
autom akers have paid little attention
to selling such vehicles.
Credit Card Business
M illions o f Am ericans have been
facing the same choice to take new
terms or leave them as the credit card
business gradually consolidates into
fewer and larger hands. But new own­
ers o f credit-card businesses are free
to impose w hatever interest rate the
traffic will bear.
Census Bureau
There are 43.4 million Americans,
at the Census B ureau’s last count,
who do not have health insurance
For more than a decade, an average of
a m illion Am ericans a year have ei­
ther lost their health insurance or
lave failed to obtain insurance for
which they are eligible.
Mexico in Fighting
President Clinton Friday defends
his efforts to cooperate with China
to p ro m o te p o litic a l fre e d o m ,
Mexico in fighting drugs and to bring
peace to Kosovo. C linton’s Adm in­
istration has faced critcism for set­
ting peace between Serbs and A lba­
nian.
The Senate Bill
The Senate approved a military pay
and pension increase that is bigger
than a plan Clinton proposed two
months ago. The bill was approved
91-8, with most dem ocrates support­
ing the m easure. The Senate bill au
thorizes 4.8 percent percent pay raise
next year, that allows bonuses o f up
to 10.3%, compared to 9.9%, and pro­
vides for better pensions.
The Statute
Senate hearings into the statute au-
th o riz in g in d ep en d en t co u n sels,
Among the many proposed revisions
are lim its on who would be covered
so that only the senior government
officials, like the president and vice
president could be investigated. The
Statute requires the Attorney G en­
eral to seek independent counse
when there is substantial and cred­
ible evidence o f a crim e com m itted
by the President, Vice President, or
any government officials in the Cabi­
net or W hite House S taff M embers
Fight against Drugs
The President declared his intent
to certift to Congress that Mexico is
cooperating in the fight against drugs,
despite the widely held view in his
Administration that corruption in the
M exican governm ent has resulted in
less cooperation in the last year.
■ re m
Drug Free Zone Shrinks, Encounters Opposition
seven to five vote. The lrv ington Community
Association voted to ask that the zone not be
extended to its neighborhood except for Irving
Whether it is ever enacted at all depends on
Park, based in part on lack o f a perceiv ed
who shows up at the eventual City Council
problem.
After a long debate, the Sabin Com­
hearing: Those who fear the influence o f street-
munity
Association
put off a vote on the issue
comer drug pushers, or those who fear the
until
its
February
meeting
In early February
Portland police. Both have joined the fight on
the
Concordia
Community
Association
voted
this issue. In late January deputy district attor­
by 22 to five, with five abstentions, to oppose
ney Jim Hayden told the Sabin Community
the zone.The opposing camps, generally, are
Association that the proposed zone’s original
those concerned about the effects o f street
boundaries had been redrawn, reducing the
drug dealing, and those concerned about abuse
area from 4.1 square miles to 3.2. East of
o f civil liberties by the police in pursuing that
Northeast Seventh Avenue, the southern bound­
problem. Where one lines up on the issue
ary had been pulled northward to Prescott
"depends on where your primary concerns
Street, except for Irving Park. The eastern
are.’’ in the words o f Concordia community
boundary, which once extended to Northeast
liaison officer Joe Churella Asked how many
33rd Avenue, would go only as far as 27th
o f those w ho turned out for the February vote
Avenue.and that only betweennortheastWygant
were regular meeting attenders, a C oncordia
and Jarrett streets. The northwest comer o f the
board member replied. "About 25 percent.
old zone, bounded by North and Northeast
Several people at both the Concordia and
Ainsworth and Lombard streets and NorthCon-
Sabin
meetings complained that they, oi their
cord and Northeast Mallory avenues had also
friends,
are stopped more frequently by the
been eliminated, with the exception of Penin­
police
i
fthe
person involved is African-Ameri­
sula Park. The redrawn boundaries eliminate
can
Within
the zone, those recently arrested
all of Irvington and Kenton, most of Sabin and
or
convicted
for drug-related arrests could be
about halfofPiedmont neighborhoods. Hayden
re-arrested
on
sight and people feared this
has since told the Observer that the zone’s area
would intensify the problem.
is being reduced still further
“Are we willing to give up our freedom to
In part, the reduction represent an attempt to
deal
with this threat"’:- •<: imey Chris Larson
draw the zone tightly around the areas with the
asked.
worst statistics for drug-related arrests, thus
"No one is giving up any freedoms for the
making it less vulnerable to legal challenges,
drug
free zone." Churella said. I can 1 stop
deputy district attorney Jim Hayden says. In
you unless 1 know you w ere arrested for crack
part, it is based on the reception the concept
cocaine (sale) and were excluded "
has received.
Others questioned the effectiveness of the
So far the boards or membership o f the
proposed
zone. Would it allow the police to
A lam eda, A rbor L odge, B oise, K ing.
eliminated
suspected drug houses taster.
H um boldt, O v erlo o k , P iedm ont and
"No.
it
wouldn’t,"
Churella stated. "It won't
Woodlawn neighborhood associations have
allow us to kick in a door because we think
endorsed the proposed zone by unanimous or
there are drugs inside But we can do some­
overwhelming votes, as has the Hope and
thing about the people on the streets
Hard Work Committee. So did the Eliot Neigh­
outside."Free Zone is getting smaller
borhood Association, but by a much closer
Bv L ee P erlman
PRESIDENT HONORS THE NAACP AT
9 0 th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
President Clinton recently honored the
National Association for Advancement
o f Colored People (NAACP). the oldest
and largest civil rights organization in
America, during a reception celebrating
the groups 90lh anniversary.
The audience included Secretary of
Labor Alexis Herman. Secretary o f
Transportation Rodney Slater. Secretary
ofVetcrans Affairs Togo West, Jr., Acting
Assistant Attorney General for Civil
Rights Bill Lann Lee, D C. M ayor
Anthony W111 iains, members ofCongress,
members o f the civil rights, business,
legal and academic communities.
The NAACP, was formed in 1909 in
New York City by a group o f black and
white citizens committed to helping to
right soeial injustices. Chief among the
groups founders were W .E.B. Du Bois.
Mary W hite Ovington and Ida Wells-
Barnett. The NAACP has 2,000 branches
throughout the 50 United States, the
District ofColumbia, Japan and Germany,
and boasts a membership of more than
500,000. Prominent members of the civil
rights group include Rosa Parks, Coretta
Scott King. D orothy Height ot the
National Council o f Negro Women, and
members o f the Little Rock Nine, among
many others.
The N A A CP began a year-long
celebration o f its 90,h Anniversary with
the reception and their Annual Board
Meeting in Washington D C. on Saturday,
February 20. 1999.
Left to right: Kwelsl Mfume. President and CEO, NAACP. President Clinton and Julian Bond, Chairman. NAACP