Page A6
March 31, 1999
The JJorUani» (ßbeemr
Neighborhood Enhancement a Health Plan for Oregonians
Grant Funds Announced
The G reen Neighborhood Network
(G N N ) N eighborhood Enhancem ent
Fund is seeking proposals from com ­
m unity groups needing funds for lo­
cal projects with an environm ental
benefit. G NN is a public private part­
nership w ith a goal o f helping H olly­
wood area residents and businesses
reduce operating costs, enhance the
natural environm ent, and m ake the
best use o f natural resources.
The neighborhood Enhancem ent
is designed to support com m unity
based partnerships that prom ote re­
source efficiency or enhances the
natural environm ent. Funds are avail­
able for projects to be im plem ented
w ithin the G N N target area - betw een
NE 33"* and 57"1 A ve, from 1-84 to
Frem ont St.
A p p licatio n s m ust be non-p ro fit
organizations. They can partner with
other school, com m unity, o r busi­
ness groups. C ost m atching w ith
o utside funds o r in-K ind service is
encouraged. M easurable outcom es
are stro n g ly encouraged. T he ben­
efit can b e stated in term s o f re­
sources saved, w aste avoided and/
o r em issio n s reduced. Projects w ith
long-term benefits w ill be given pref­
erence in funding.
T he grant process tim eline for this
round o f aw ards is:
A pplication D ue Dates; A pril 15
G rafts A w arded After: M ay 20
A w ide range o f project types can
qualify for these grant funds. Some
exam ples o f types o f projects that will
be considered are:
• A lte rn a tiv e tr a n s p o r ta tio n
projects - bike racks, bike sharing,
ridesharing, or prom oting use o f
public transportation
• Com m unity planting projects -
street trees, traffic circle planting,
rooftop gardens
• Disconnecting roof drain systems
for the combined sewer system
• Establishing a com munity garde
• Group purchasing projects - re­
sources efficient or recycled con­
tent products
• Installing energy-saving prod­
ucts like setback therm ostats, effi­
cient lighting, etc.
• Starting a com m unity yard debris
and food waste com posting sys­
tem
• Training and education efforts
(focused on homeowners, renters,
students, em ployees, seniors, or
other groups)
• Recycling and waste prevention
p ro jec ts - co llectin g reusable
goods from business for resale
• W ater conservation projects (out­
doors or indoors)
The winning applicants from the
first round o f grants last fall received
$6,000 from the Neighborhood En­
hancem ent Fund. The winners in­
cluded:
Friends o f Trees
Global Action Plan (GAP) Ecoteam
H ollyw ood Boosters
Hollyw ood Farmers Market
O peration G reen Thumb
SOLV (stop Oregon Litterand Van-
any funds. F o r grants o f m o re than recu p erated , you retu rn to y o u r
$1,000 or p ro jects that w ill take h o m e... in N evada.
longer than 8 m onths to co m p lete,
Sounds like a far-fetched story,
funds m ay be p ro v id ed in tw o or
m ore paym ents. A ll grant recipients
w ill be req u ired to p ro v id e a b rie f
final report to the C ity w ithin 45 days
o f p roject com pletion. G ran t recipi-
ents that have co m p leted a p ro ject
but not a final rep o rt w ill n ot be
eligible to receiv e future grants.
Pacific Pow er donated the seed
money to establish this fund. For 1999
a total o f $ 10,000 is available. G rants
are lim ited to $ 1,500 per project. An
independent Advisory Com mittee will
review the grant requested and select
the projects, w hich m ost closely m eet
the funding criteria. Grants will also be
available in the fall o f the year.
A pplications forms w ill be avail-
doesn’t it?
U n f o r tu n a te ly , i t ’s n o t ta r-
fetched... it's a true story,
The O reg o n H ealth P lan has
helped co u n tless O reg o n ian s w ith
their m edical costs, b ut it has also
inadvertently help ed co u n tless out-
o f-state folks w ho have fig u red out
loopholes in the resid en cy req u ire-
m ents. O thers that have a g allblad-
der rem oved and a ski bum living o ff
a fam ily tru st w ho used o u r h ealth
p lan to have knees replaced. This
¡s not the in ten t o f the p ro g ram and
i doubt O regonians w an t to see
their tax d o llars going to su p p o rt
abuses like this rather than ex ten d -
ing co v erag e to as m any u n in su red
able at the H ollyw ood Library, the
Central N orthw est N eighbors office
some H ollyw oodareabusinesses, and
the Portland Energy O ffice. F or an
application form contact the Energy
Office at 823-7222.
Volunteer
Openings
Tri-Met Seeks
Artist for Two
Projects
T ri-M et is seeking proposals from
O regon and W ashington artists to
enhance a transit cen ter p la za in
G resham , and to design a new trash
a n d re c y c lin g c o n ta in e r fo r the
agency’s transit stops.
The plaza at Gresham Central Tran­
sit C enter is about 6,000 square feet in
size and triangular in shape. The tran­
sit center serves patrons using nine
bus lines, M A X light rail and a Park &
Ride garage. Currently landscape with
grasscrete, the plaza has no seating or
landscaping other than a row o f trees.
It is four blocks from dow ntow n
Gresham . T ri-M et will select an artist
team to design seating and visual el­
em ents for the plaza.
T he se co n d p ro jec t is o rg an iz ed
as a d esig n com petitio n . A rtists are
ask ed to su b m it a p ro p o sal for a
^ ^ m a g in e being able to call a friend
in O regon and ask if you can use
dalism)
A their hom e address to help you
All interested parties are encour- take care o f a h ealth problem . Then,
aged to apply. A nyone that is not an you pack your bags for a trip lasting
eligible applicant can apply in part- a few m onths to O regon to take care
nership w ith an organization that is. o f the health problem . A s it turns
I f th e y 're unsure o f w ho their poten- Out, the health problem is a brain
tial partners w ould be (or how their tum or and you need m edical atten-
application may be considered), they tion. T he state o fO reg o n has a great
can attend the p re-application assis- program know n as the O regon Health
tance w orkshop.
Plan and by taking a “short trip to
A ll grant recip ien ts w ill be re- O regon you are able to have your
quired to sign an ag reem en t w ith the tum or rem oved and paid for by the
City o f P ortland p rio r to receiv in g taxpayers o f O regon. O nce y o u 'v e
trash c o n tain e r th at w o u ld b ecom e
T ri-M e t's new sta n d a rd m o d el.
T hey are also ask ed to d esig n a
d etac h ab le recy clin g b in to affix to
new and ex istin g trash co n tain ers.
F unding for b oth p ro jects is linked
to bus stop im p ro v em en ts for new
lo w -flo o r buses. T ri-M et dedicates
1.5% o f appropriate capital im prove­
m ents to art en h an cem en ts.
/ A
\ T rtists
1 1 S I N l in
l l l terested
d C o l V k i in
in
i the
i i v plaza
project must submit qualifications and
„
it
i 'T' ■
exam p leso fp astw o rk b y A p ril2 . Tri
M et’s Public A rt Advisory C om m it­
tee w ill select the artist. To be consid­
ered for the container project, artists
m ust subm it their proposed design by
April 30. Prospectuses for the two
projects are available by calling (503)
2 3 9 -2 2 9 1 , o r v ia e -m a il at:
priester@ trimet.org
a
Want to make a difference in how the
area’s regional government includes citi­
zens? Become a member o f the Metro
CommitteeotCitizEnInvolvement(MCCI).
The com mittee currently has open-
ings for residents throughout the Metro
region o f 24 cities and three counties,
MCCI members develop and maintain
programs and procedures to impact
and monitor M etro’s citizen’s involve­
ment activities. M embers aid com m u­
nication between citizens and M etro's
elected officials, and enhance citizen
participation in metro decision-m ak­
ing. They also advise departments on
implementing
M etro’s Public Involve-
-------- c?
mentPlannmgGuide adopted July 1998
\
» the
Uxa rornnnol
Metro,
regional itnVPTTITYtPnf
government mil
that
serves 1.3 million people who live in
C lac kamas, Multnomah and Washington
counties, provides regional services that
guide growth and help ensure that livable
communities are created for the future.
F or m ore in fo rm atio n , contact
Karen W ithrow, M C CI A dm inistra­
tive A ssistant, 797-1539.
.
•
C ampy lobacter jejuni, Clostridium
botulinum, Clostridium perfringens,
EscherichiacoliO157:H7, Salmonella,
Streptococcus (Group A), Listeria
m onocytogenes, /shigella, are in­
gested on food, they or their toxic
products can cause foodbome illness.
Pathogenic bacteria can grow in just
about any food, but prefer meat, poul­
try, seafood, eggs, and dairy prod­
ucts, as well as vegetables such as
beans and other low acid foods.
To survive and reproduce, bacte­
ria need time and the right conditions:
food, moisture, and and warm tem ­
perature. Most pathogens grow rap­
idly at temperatures above 40 OF The
ideal tem p eratu res for bacterial
growth are between 40 and 140 OF -
w hat FSIS calls the “D anger Zone.”
Some bacteria can double their
numbers every 20 minutes at tem ­
peratures above 40 oF. In 2 hours,
these bacteria can become so great in
num ber that they may cause an ill­
ness or form toxins that cause illness.
Pathogenic bacteria can be found
on raw meat and poultry products. It
these foods are refrigerated, most o f
the pathogens do not reproduce, and
that do, grow slowly. They will be
destroyed when the product is cooked.
If raw products are left out at warmer
temperatures, these pathogens can
Why is Chilling Important?
produce a heat-stable toxin that might
T he reason chilling food is so im­
not be destroyed by cooking.
portant is that cold t tem perature keep
Pathogenic bacteria do not gener­
harmful bacteria from growing. Most
ally
affect the taste, smell, or appear­
bacteria and other pathogens grow
ance
o f food. In other words, one
very slow ly, if at all. at refrigerator
cannot
tell that a food has been m is­
te m p e r a tu r e s .
L is te r ia
handled
or is dangerous to eat. For
m onocytogenes is one exception.
example, food that has been left too
Freezing w ill stop grow th, but does
long on the counter may be danger­
not destroy bacteria.
ensure that low -incom e O regonians
have the health care they need
T o answ er this question, w e need
to look at the plan and see if there
are changes w e can m ake to guaran­
tee that O regonians w ho are in need
are g ettin g the basic h ealth care
that w as in ten d ed w hen w e first
created the plan. W e m ust rid the
system o f abuse like the one I m en ­
tio n ed abo v e becau se those in d i­
v iduals w ho are raid in g the system
are taking benefits from eligible O r­
eg o n ian s w ho are in need.
W e m ust also look at m aking the
system m oreefficient. Can we admin­
ister the plan better ? A re w e paying
plans and providers appropriately?
Does the benefit package truly rec­
ognize priority treatm ents?
T he G overnor is the architect o f
the O regon H ealth Plan and we need
his participation as w e evaluate its
future sustainability. This was an
experim ent. A re w e accom plishing
the original goals?
I look forward to w orking with the
G overnor as the L egislature devel­
ops the budget and hope we can
address som e o f the questions I have
raised above. It is only through
thoughtful evaluation that we can
ensure that we strengthen and stabi­
lize the O regon H ealth Plan for future
generations o f O regonians... not out-
of-state freeloaders.
State Seeking Nominees for Task
Force on Minority-Health Issues
G o v ern o r Jo h n K itz h ab e r an ­
nounced today that the S tate is seek­
ing nom inees for a 21-m em ber task
force on racial and ethnic health that
will be nam ed in early 1999.
N om inees should rep resen t a ra­
cial or ethnic com m unity and have
an interest in health care. P articu ­
larly
will be experience
with
.— valuable
-------------------------
-
any o f these six p rio rity issues:
health-care access, H IV /A ID S, dia-
betes, lead poisoning, and alcohol
and other drug abuse.
Persons wishing to be considered
ous to ____
eat, V..*
but could sm ell iinrl
and look
look
fine. I f a food has been left in the
"D anger Zone” for m ore than 2 hours,
discard it, even though it may look
and sm ell good. N ever taste a food to
for the task force should contact either
Suganya Sockalingam, M ulticultural
H ealth D irector for the State Health
Division, at 800Oregon Capitol Street
N E, Public Service Building 5,h Floor,
Salem 97310. Nominations will be ac­
cepted through April 15.
C reatio n o f the task force w as
p ro m o ted b y finding o f a diverse
w o rk group that co n firm ed that ra­
cial and ethnic m in o rities’ access to
h ealth care is in adequate to ad ­
d ress th eir chronic h ealth issues;
th at people o f co lo r and those w ho
are not E nglish sp eak ers have d iffi­
culty ob tain in g health services; and
that p eo p le o f co lo r freq u en tly re ­
ceiv e h ealth care that is cu ltu rally
in ap p ro p riate or insensitive.
The task force will report annually
to the governor and Legislature on
the perform ance o f state agencies
responsible for addressing racial eth­
nic health. The task force will be
staffed by the State H ealth D ivision
(D epartm ent o f H um an Resources),
and the Office for Oregon Health Plan
Policy and Research.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
IN APPRENTICESHIP
Fighting BAC! By Chilling Out
A fter being out in the chilly winter
w eather, com ing into a warm, cozy
hom e forahotm eal is comforting. But
w arm tem peratures are com fortable
for bacteria as well, and leftovers
should not be left out under condi­
tions w here they can grow and cause
foodbom e illness. The safest place
for leftovers - w inter, spring, sum ­
m er, o r fall - is in the refrigerator
w here they can “ chill out.”
F oodbom e bacteria grow rapidly
w hen food is left out on the counter.
Room tem peratures fall in the “D an­
ger Z one,” betw een 40 and 140 °F,
w here bacteria grow rapidly. It is
estimated that as many as 9,000 deaths
and 6.5 to 33 m illion illnesses yearly
are d irec tly linked to foodbom e
pathogens (bacteria and other m icro­
organism s that cause illness). A nd
m any o f these illnesses are caused by
food that is left out on the counter at
room tem perature.
“CHILL: Refrigerate prom ptly” is
one o f the four principles o f the Fight
BAC! C am paign, a public-private
partnership o f industry, consum er
groups, and governm ent, including
theU .S. D epartm ent o f A griculture's
(U SD A ) F ood Safety and Inspection
Services (FSIS).
O reg o n ian s as possible.
T he idea was that O regon could
only provide services based on the
am ount o f m oney w e had available.
In fact, its m otto was: “rationing care
not people.” By lim iting the health
benefits that state would pay for and
reducing costs by m oving people
into m anaged care, m ore O regonians
w ould have access to health care.
W hen resources becom e scarce, the
benefit package was to be adjusted
w ithout cutting eligibility.
It has been years since the plan was
implemented. M ore Oregonians have
access to health care than in 1990. Our
uninsured rate is 11%. Although that
rate is higher than 3% predicted when
the plan was implemented, it is lower
than the national average. But this has
not com e without a cost.
T he am ount o f m oney the state is
spending on the O regon H ealth Plan
is growing. To fund the plan at its
current level forthe 1999-01 biennium
w ould require a 30% increase in fund­
ing. The governor has proposed a
25% increase in his budget by cutting
the benefit package ten lines and
m aking changes in eligibility.
M edical costs nationw ide are in­
creasing. This year w e have seen
increases in private insurance prem i­
um s o f 10-12%. A s these costs con­
tinue to rise, w ill the state be able to
m aintain the O regon H ealth Plan and
a
see if it is spoiled.
Cold tem peratures (below 40 oF)
can significantly slow dow n bacterial
growth, but only heat (above 140 oF)
Are you interested in a FUTURE in the Piping Trades?
U.A. Local 290 will be accepting applications for
Metal Trade Pipefitters Apprentices
WHEN.
MONDAY, April 19 through FRIDAY, April 30, 1999.
9am - 4pm weekdays
How to Chill Cooked Foods to
Keep Them Safe
WHERE:
D ivide cooked foods into shallow
containers for rapid cooling
Stir soups and stew s to speed the
Apply in person: U.A. Local 290 Training Center, 20220
SW Teton Avenue, Tualatin, Oregon 97062; 691-1997.
AGE:
Must be at least 18 years old (proof required - non-
returnable copy of birth certificate, or current driver’s
license)
can destroy bacteria.
release o f heat.
A large cut o f m eat or w hole p oul­
try should be divided into sm aller
pieces and w rapped separately or
placed in shallow containers before
refrigerating.
Cover containers and refrigerate
w ithin 2 hours.
Store in the refrigerator and use
within 4 days, or freeze and use within
2 to 3 m onths for best flavor and
m oistness.
For additional food safety informa­
tion about meat, poultry, or eggs, call
the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry
Hotline at 1 (800)535-4555;W ashing-
ton, DC area, (202) 720-3333; TTY: 1
(800)256-7072. Home economists reg­
iste re d
d ie titia n s
an d
fo o d
technologist’s weekdays from 10 a.m.
to 4-p.m. Eastern Time staff it, year
round. An extensive selection o f food
safety recordings can be heard 24 hours
a day by using a touch-tone phone.
The m edia m ay call Berry, M an­
ager, USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline,
at(2O2) 720-5604.
REQUIREMENTS: High school graduate with C average or better OR
GED with minimum 255 total score; AND C or better in
one year high school algebra. Official transcripts are
required and must be mailed directly from the
institution to Local 290 Training Center before
May 7, 1999.
NOTICE OF NON-DISCR,MINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS
The United Association Local 290 Apprenticeship and Journeymen Training
Trust Fund admits students of any gender, race, color, national and ethnic
origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or
made available to apprentices at the school. It does not discriminate on the
basis of gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of
its apprenticeship policies, admission policies and other Trust-administered
programs.
Matt Walters, Business Manager