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Volume X X IX , N um ber 4b
C om m itted.to C u ltu ral l)iversit\
w \> u .portlandobserver.net
®t|e Jarliani» ©bseruer
n nt in u n i t y
a I c n b a r
(C
Native American Day
Jo in W isd o m o f the E ld e rs as w e
h o n o r o u r eld e rs an d a c k n o w le d g e the
ro le o u r y o u th an d v eteran s p lay in
p re se rv in g N a tiv e A m eric an cu ltu re.
A ll c u ltu re s w e lc o m e to atten d . “ N a­
tive A m eric an D a y ” w ill be o n S unday,
O c to b e r 10 fro m N o o n to 5 PM at the
S m ith M em o rial B a llro o m at P o rtlan d
S tate U n iv e rsity . C all 5 0 3 /7 7 5 -4 0 1 4 .
Adventures in the City
A d v e n tu re s in th e C ity in v ites kids
to b ec o m e C ity K id s and d isc o v e r the
e x c ite m e n t an d su rp rise s o f d o w n to w n
P o rtlan d . T his free, h a n d s-o n c e le b ra ­
tio n o f art, e n te rta in m e n t and d o w n ­
to w n ta k es p la c e F rid ay , O c to b e r 15
an d S a tu rd a y , O c to b e r 16 at P io n ee r
C o u rth o u se S q u are from 10 A M to 4
PM .
The Wellness Village
T he A fric a n A m eric an H ea lth C o a li­
tio n n e e d v o lu n te e rs to s ta f f the 4 th
A n n ual W e lln e ss V illag e, sc h ed u le d for
O c to b e r 2 3 rd at th e C e n te r o f S e lf E n ­
h an c em en t. T h e W e lln e ss V illa g e is a
one d ay e v e n t d raw in g p e o p le from the
c o m m u n ity fo r in te ra c tiv e a c tiv itie s
su ch as h e a lth sc re e n in g s , p h y sic a l fit­
n ess, h e a lth y c o o k in g d em o n stratio n s,
d y n a m ic s p e a k e rs , h e a lth e d u c a tio n
w o rk sh o p s a n d c h ild r e n ’s a c tiv itie s.
I C a ll 5 0 3 /4 1 3 -1 8 5 0 .
I Believe I Can Fly
I
T he A fric a n A m eric an C h a m b e r o f
C o m m erce an d T he W a lk er In stitu te
w ill p re se n t th e seco n d in a se ries o f
c o m m u n ity re c o g n itio n an d com m u-
nity p rid e e v e n ts. “ I B E L IE V E I C A N
FLY - T he S e q u e l” w ill be h eld on
S atu rd ay n ig h t, O c to b e r 23 at D ouble
T ree Ja n tz e n B each. T he ev e n t w ill re c ­
o g n iz e m in o rity m en, b u sin e sse s, p ro ­
fe ssio n als an d c o rp o ra te p a rtn e rs. C all
5 0 3 /2 4 4 -5 7 9 4 , ext. 45.
Bowl for Breath
F o r H a llo w e e n th is y ear, you can
help m ake a d iffe re n c e in cy stic fib ro ­
sis re s e a rc h b y p a rtic ip a tin g in the
C y stic F ib ro s is F o u n d a tio n ’s ann u al
B o w l fo r B re a th at S u n se t B ow l in
B e av erto n . B o w l fo r B rea th includes
b o th a C O S M IC B O W L o n F rid a y , O c­
to b e r 29 fro m M id n ig h t to 2 A M , and a
fu n -fille d B O W L -A -T H O N d ay on S at­
u rd ay fo r th e w h o le fam ily. T o sig n up,
p le a se c a ll 5 0 3 /2 2 6 -3 4 3 5 .
Annual Arty Party
Y o u n g A u d ie n c e s ’ an n u a l c e le b ra ­
tio n to su p p o rt arts p ro g ra m m in g in
O re g o n a n d S o u th w e s t W a sh in g to n
sc h o o ls w ill b e h e ld at the O re g o n
C o lle g e o f A rt & C r a f t, 8245 SW
B arn es R o ad , P o rtlan d , on S atu rd ay ,
O c to b e r 16 at 7 PM . G u ests w ill p a r­
tic ip a te in h a n d s -o n -a rt d em o n stratio n s
by Y A a rtists, b u d on en tic in g au ctio n
item s, and e n jo y m u sic, g o u rm et food
and n o rth w est b e v e rag es. C all 503/225-
5 9 0 0 o r 3 6 0 /6 9 3 -1 8 2 9 .
Japanese Pioneers
T h e O re g o n N ik k ei L eg acy C e n te r
(O N L C ) in v ite s the c o m m u n ity to the
o p en in g re c e p tio n on O c to b e r 10, at 2
PM fo r “ D e te rm in e d to S u c c e e d -
O re g o n ’s Is s e i,” an ex h ib it ca p tu rin g
the s p irit o f first g e n e ra tio n Ja p an ese
im m ig ran ts in o u r state. T h e rec ep tio n
w ill be h o ste d b y th e O N L C lo cated at
117 N W 2nd A v en u e in P o rtlan d .
Law Class for Bicyclists
O n T h u rsd a y , O c to b e r 2 8, from 5:30
PM to 7 P M , T he M u ltn o m ah B ar A s­
so c ia tio n is h o stin g a c la ss on O re g o n ’s
v eh icle law s from a b ic y c lis t’s p e r­
sp e c tiv e w ith B ike L aw y e r R ay T h o ­
m as. T he e v e n t w ill be at th e B icy cle
T ra n s p o r ta tio n A llia n c e , 1117 SW
W ash in g to n in d o w n to w n P ortland. T he
, co st is free. C a ll K ristin K idd at 503/
2 2 8 -5 2 2 2 to p re -re g iste r.
October 6, 1999
SECTION
Portland Urban League president
resigns
P O R T L A N D , O r e .- T h e p re s id e n t
a n d c h i e f o p e r a t i n g o f f i c e r o f th e
U r b a n L e a g u e o f P o r tl a n d w ill r e ­
s ig n a m id a l l e g a t i o n s th a t th e a g e n c y
m is m a n a g e d p u b lic m o n e y u n d e r h is
le a d e rs h ip .
L a w r e n c e D a r k w i l l v a c a t e h is
$ 9 5 , 0 0 0 - a - y e a r j o b o n F r id a y , m o r e
th a n f iv e y e a r s a f t e r ta k in g o v e r a t
th e U r b a n L e a g u e , o n e o f O r e g o n ’s
m o s t p r o m in e n t s o c ia l s e r v ic e a g e n ­
c i e s th a t s e r v e b la c k s , s e n io r c i t i ­
zens,
y o u th s
and
lo w -in c o m e
f a m i l i e s . I n a p r e p a r e d s t a t e m e n t “,
D a rk s a id , “ It is c l e a r to m e th a t m y
c o n t in u e d s e r v ic e to th e le a g u e w ill
s e r v e o n ly to fu e l th e e x i s tin g c o n ­
tr o v e r s y s u r r o u n d in g M u ltn o m a h
C o u n t y ’s r e c e n t r e v ie w o f th e
l e a g u e ’ s f in a n c e s , a n d w ill th r e a te n
to d e s tr o y th e e x c e l le n t r e p u ta tio n
th e le a g u e h a s e a r n e d o v e r th e p a s t
5 4 y e a r s o f s e r v i c e to P o r t l a n d ’s
A f r ic a n A m e r ic a n c o m m u n ity u n le s s
a c h a n g e in le a d e r s h i p o c c u r s .
" T h e U rb a n L e a g u e o f P o r tl a n d as
an i n s t itu ti o n is m u c h m o re im p o r ­
ta n t th a n a n y o n e in d iv id u a l in c lu d in g
m e .”
D a r k , 4 6 , is le a v in g b e c a u s e h e
“ c a r e s v e r y m u c h a b o u t th e U rb a n
L e a g u e ’ s r e p u t a t i o n , ” h is l a w y e r ,
T h a n e T ie n s o n , to ld T h e Observer.
” I t ’s m y b e l i e f a n d u n d e r s ta n d in g
th a t t h e r e h a s b e e n a b s o l u t e l y n o
w r o n g d o i n g o n h is p a r t , ” T ie n s o n
a d d e d . “ H e ’s an h o n e s t, h o n o ra b le a n d
d e c e n t p e r s o n , a n d h e c a re s a b o u t th e
a g e n c y ’s r e p u t a t i o n , as w e ll as h is
o w n . H is m a in c o n c e r n is th e s u r ­
v iv a l o f th e i n s t i t u t i o n . ”
A r e c e n t r e v i e w b y M u lt n o m a h
C o u n t o f f i c i a l s r e v e a le d 7 0 f i n a n ­
c ia l i r r e g u l a r i t i e s a t th e a g e n c y , in ­
c lu d in g s e v e r a l q u e s tio n a b le e x p e n ­
d itu r e s a n d a la c k o f o v e r s ig h t b y its
b o a r d o f d i r e c to r s .
T ie n s o n s a id h is c lie n t h a d b e e n
“ lu lle d in to a s e n s e o f s e c u r ity ” a b o u t
th e le a g u e ’s fin a n c ia l sta tu s.
” I t ’s p r o b a b ly a fa ir c h a rg e th a t th e re
w as a le v e l o f m is m a n a g e m e n t,” h e said .
Thirteen Portland-area residents were
presented to the world as better people
In a Septem ber 30 cerem ony before a
large and enthusiastic audience at Lutheran
Inner City M inistries, the 13 former offend­
ers graduated from the 12-step behavioral
therapy program offered by Better People, a
privately-funded nonprofit which also offers
job-placem ent to those with criminal records.
The therapy, known as M oral Recognition
Therapy, stresses responsibility and the con­
sequences o f on e’s decisions. Eight o f the
graduates stood before the crowd and told
their stories o f release from depression,
crime, drugs, and hopelessness.
The crowd o f m ore than a hundred friends
and family, including M etro Com m issioner
David Bragdon, gave the graduates repeated
applause and encouragement.
Better People, w hich opened in June 1998,
has placed m ore then 40 former offenders in
jobs which average alm ost $9 per hour plus
health benefits. Its funding is strictly private,
with initial funds com ing from the Black
united Fund o f Oregon and individual citizens
and recent grants from the M urdock Trust and
the M eyer Trust.
For more inform ation about Better People,
call 281-2663 or visit
http://betterpeoDle.org on the internet.
photo by M. Washington
Freigh tliner Seeks Enterprise Zone
Contract
B y D arryl S wan
Freightliner Inc., a Portland-based heavy-
duty truck manufacturer, has entered a new
phase o f negotiations with city and neighbor­
hood agencies to expand its Swan Island opera­
tions further into the North and Northeast
neighborhoods.Freightliner is seeking the city’s
approval to begin the expansion under the North/
Northeast Enterprise Zone designation, which
would exempt the corporation from new prop­
erty taxes for up to five years. The exemption is
only applied to new buildings and equipment,
and does not affect property currently on the tax
roles. The tax abatement would total $6.6 mil­
lion over the five-year period. However, be­
cause companies receive credit against income
taxes based on the amount o f property taxes
they pay, Freightliner’s state and federal in­
come taxes would increase during the five-year
period.The five-year tax abatement is generally
viewed as a financial trade-off between the city
and Freightliner to spur economic growth in the
North/Northeast neighborhood
“ Freightliner has done what they need to do
to go ahead and start construction,’’ said Bob
Alexander, a program coordinator for the Port­
land DevelopmentCommission. However, even
should construction begin immediately, the
corporation could still be denied the tax abate­
ment if contract negotiations unravel.
“If for some reason the contract’s not ap­
proved. they just don't get the tax exemption,"
Alexander said.
Additionally, benefits from the expansion to
North/Northeast residents and businesses could
be hamstrung without employee hiring obliga­
tions o u tlin e d by th e E n te rp rise Z o n e
contract-So far, Freightliners’ expansion within
the North/Northeast Enterprise Zone has passed
a PDC vote last August and has gained the
Portland City Council’s approval.
“The lease has been basically agreed to," said
Freightliner spokesperson Debra Nicholson,
who sounded optimistic the expansion plan
would move forward. The North/Northeast Eco­
nomic Development Alliance will now analyze
the expansion’s effect on the local community,
and then forward its findings and suggestions
back to the PCC for a final review.
Sam Brooks, Alliance vice-president antici­
pates releasing the analysis in around 60 days.
Though the Alliance admits it has no author­
ity to dictate city negotiations, it does serve as
a w atchdog o rg an izatio n to en su re that
Freightliner upholds its end o f the agreement.
“Sometimes, in the p ast Enterprise Zone
recipients have stumbled," Brooks said.
Freightliner's employee recruitment efforts
will operate m part with the Urban I eague and
WorkSystems, Inc. as per terms o f the agree­
ment, and business located within the Enter­
prise Zone should get a first crack at supply and
contract services.
“We will try to be the com m unity’s con­
science, to m ake sure that w hat they say they
will do, they do,” Brooks saidofF reightliner’s
commitment to the community. The Alliance
will not only look at the economic advantages
o f Freightliner's expansion, but would also
keep a trained eye on environmental, u orkforce.
housing and land use concerns, among others.
“We will try to keep their feet to the fire,"
Brooks said.
Enterprise Zones, first established in 1986,
are geographic regions designated by local
government for areas with high unemploy­
ment and low-income residents. In 1990, per
capita income in inner North Northeast Port­
land was 32 percent below the regional aver­
age.
Freightliner’s expansion plans include the
construction o f a new 315.000 square foot
corporate headquarters facility in the Humbolt
area: moving Research and Development op­
erations into the old headquarters building; the
purchase and renovation o f the former Boise
Cascade Research and D evelopm ent facil­
ity to house Trucks Business U nits; and the
investm ent in new products and m achinery.
It is anticipated that 1,100 new positions
w ill be filled at Freightliner o ver the five-
year period.
A dditionally, other em ployee ben efits
would include financial support for public
transportation and childcare to low -incom e
families.
In 1996, the Portland C ity Council reaf­
firmed the N orth N ortheast Enterprise Zone
for another decade. Since its inception, die
N orth/Northeast zone has seen the place­
ment o f 750 inner North/N ortheast residents
in Enterprise Zone jobs, filling 41 percent o f
the 1,833 jobs for w hich it recruited.