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C ommitted to C ultural Diversity w w w .portla ndobserver.net
N umber 42
Vol unie XXIX.
October 20, 1999
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Museum After Hours
On Wednesday, October 27, Museum
After Hours, the popular after-hours
music series at the Portland Art Museum,
will celebrate the release o f its first CD
recording, the new “Best o f Museum
After Hours” with a special CD Release
Party. The new recording features
contributions from some o f Museum
After Hours’s most popular performers
over the years, including Pink Martini,
Paul deLay, Craig Carothers and others.
The Wellness Village
The African American Health Coalition
need volunteers to staff the 4,h Annual
Wellness Village, scheduled for October
23rd at the Center o f Self Enhancement.
The Wellness Village is a one day event
drawing people from the community for
interactive activities such as health
screenings, physical fitness, healthy
co o k in g d em o n stratio n s, dynam ic
speakers, health education workshops
and children’s activities. Call 503/413-
1850.
Bowl for Breath
For Halloween this year, you can help
make a difference in cystic fibrosis
research by participating in the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation’s annual Bowl for
Breath at Sunset Bowl in Beaverton.
Bowl for Breath includes both a COSMIC
BOWL on Friday, October 29 from
Midnight to 2 AM, and a fun-filled BOWL-
A-THON day on Saturday for the whole
family. To sign up, please call 503/226-
3435.
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SECTION
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Raise the Roof Da
CONTRIBUTED S I ROV________________________________
of T he
P ortland O bserver
About 50 volunteers in Portland participated
in the Raise the RoofDay - an unprecedented
nationwide volunteer effort to rehabilitate
and build housing for families in need,
organized by the U.S. Department ofHousing
and Urban Development.
More than 7,000 volunteers took part in Raise
the R oofD ay in more than 150 cities across
the country to expand the supply o f affordable
rental housing and increase homeownership
for low-and moderate-income families.
The event, which is the first national housing
day, created a partnership between HUD,
local governments, non-profit groups and
businesses to organize volunteers to repair
deteriorated and often vacant housing and to
build new housing. The groups will continue
working together to make more housing
available to families in need.
About 1,800 houses and apartments in bad
c o n d itio n w ere b e in g re p a ire d and
transformed into safe and decent housing in
participating cities during Raise the Roof
Day. “Raise the Roof Day isn’t about big
government, it’s about people with big hearts
helping their less fortunate neighbors get
desperately needed housing,” HUD Secreatry
Andrew Cuomo said. “The labor o f these
d ed icated vo lu n teers is a trem endous
resource that will transform homes, transform
neighborhoods and transform lives. These
volunteers will also focus attention on the
need to provide affordable housing for more
families across our nation and increase
homeownership.”
(above) Eric Sfen, C/fy of Portland Commissioner (left) partnered with Maggie Gibson
(right).
Law Class for Bicyclists
On Thursday, October 28, from 5:30
PM to 7 PM, The M ultnomah Bar
A sso ciatio n is hosting a class on
Oregon’s vehicle laws from a bicyclist’s
perspective w ith Bike Law yer Ray
Thomas. The event will be at the Bicycle
T ransportation A lliance, 1117 SW
Washington in downtown Portland. The
cost is free. Call Kristin Kidd at 503/228-
5222 to pre-register.
for
Interfaith Spiritual Center
I Believe I Can Fly
Seed the Future
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Friends o f Trees will launch Year 4 o f
Seed the Future, a five year tree planting
campaign on Saturday, November 13.
Secretary o f State Phil Keisling will join
Friends o f Trees along with Portland
General Electric and other supporters at
a planting in Brooklyn Neighborhood.
Volunteers and supporters are invited to
join Friends o f Trees’ Seed the Future
campaign by attending the kick o ff
planting, helping to plant trees or
becoming a member o f Friends o f T rees.
Call 503/284-TREE (8733).
The Community Alliance of Tenants
3
The Community Alliance o f Tenants, a
non-profit tenants rights organization, is
requesting donations o f new or reusable
household items to continue our mission
to promote safe, stable, and affordable
housing in Oregon. To schedule pick­
up, delivery, or for more information,
please call 503/460-9702.
C r im e
Victim s for
Justice
CONTRIBUTED STORY_______________________
Free classes on spiritual practices from
the world’s religions are offered at the
Interfaith Spiritual Center, located at
3910 SE l l ,h in Portland. The classes
will be held on first Wednesdays from
6PM - 7:30PM. For a brochure on these
or other programs, call the Interfaith
Spiritual Center at 503/233-2026.
The African A m erican Cham ber o f
C om m erce along with The W alker
Institute will present a special event on
October 23rd entitled “I BELIEVE I CAN
FLY”, a salute and recognition to some
o f Oregon’s African American men for
their outstanding business, community
and civic achievements. The event will
be held at Double Tree Hotel at Jantzen
Beach starting at 7PM. Advance tickets
are available for only $20. ($35 at the
door). Tickets are available by calling
503/244-5794, Ext. 22. Special grants
are available for certain non-profit and
youth organizations.
B
Oregon Association o f Minority Entrepreneurs members showed up to network and join along in the festivities. (From left to right)
Katrinka Rau, Freddie J. Westbrooks, Connie S. Clark, and Nichole Williams.
Leaving A Fulfilling Career
By Tony Washington
ofThe Portland Observer
Lyle Olson had a desire to work with youths,
influenc ing those having a tough time making
a decision about what they want to do with
their life. For the past 17 '/j years, he had
served as a military recruiter since 1982. His
passion has been to share with others "the
wonderful opportunities I had discovered
in the Air Force and Air National Guard,”
explained Olsen.
Lyle’s military career began with the Navy
and later joined the Oregon Air Guard in
1979. In addition, he did a tour o f duty in
flight medicine for fouryears. Traveling half
way around the world and almost every
state o f the union has been for him, a golden
opportunity that went with the job.
Within the military community, Lyle noticed
that there were so few people o f color like
himself in his field. He was intent on bnnging
in more minorities who want to serve their
country, travel and receive good technical
skills. After many years ofduty, Lyle is now
ready to retire and let Tony Smith “take the
reigns.” Smith, an African American, has
gladly embraced the responsibility o f also
making a difference in young people’s lives.
photo by M. Washington
Oregon Air Guard recruiters, Lyle Olsen (left) with Tony Smith (right). Tony was
recently asked to attend a national seminar on policy making and received a
decoration from an African American General Officer in the US Air Force for his
contributions to Affirmative Action.
Together, their intent has always been to
recruit more minorities who can make personal
and professional gains in their lives through
the military as they have.
T he P ortland O bserver
This November, voters will be asked to vote
on seven c o n stitu tio n a l am en d m en ts
seriously altering Oregon’s Bill o f Rights.
This package, referred to voters by the 1999
Oregon Legislature, are being characterized
by supporters as “V ictim s’ Rights.” In
addition, voters are being told that these
changes to our Bill o f Rights are simply a
restatem ent o f som ething they already
approved in 1996 as Measure 40, which was
later found to be unconstitutional. Both of
these characterizations are false.
No on #69 - Amends Constitution: Grants
victims constitutional rights in criminal
prosecutions.
Reality: Victims already have these rights
under Oregon law. Prosecutor will get to pick
up who the victim is. Victims have no right to
enforce this “constitutional” right.
NO on #70 - Amends Constitution: Gives
public, through prosecutor, right to demand
jury trial in criminal cases.
Reality: Prosecutor can ignore victim (as well
as defendant and judge) who does not want
to have jury trial (example, sex crime).
NO on #71 - Amends Constitution: Limits
pretrial release o f accused persons.
Reality: Current law provides protection
against release o f persons accused o f violent
crimes. Assumes person is guilty if arrested.
Costs taxpayers millions for jail space that
does not currently exist.
NO on #72 - Amends Constitution: Limits
immunity from criminal prosecution ofpersons
ordered to testify about conduct.
Reality: Gives state and local prosecutors
same kind o f unbridled power that special
prosecutor Ken StarT used against Susan
McDougal. Erodes constitutional protection
against self-incrimination.
NO on #74 - Amends Constitution: Requires
terms o f imprisonment announced in court to
be fully served, with exceptions.
Reality: Takes away power from the people
and the legislature to change bad sentencing
laws. Prohibits release o f prisoner if gravely
ill even if victim agrees to release.
NO on #75 - Amends Constitution: Persons
convicted o f certain crimes cannot serve on
grandjuries, criminal trial juries.
Reality: Bars persons convicted o f felony
within last 15 years or “dishonest" or “violent"
misdemeanor within last 5 years from serving
on criminal juries. Requires state to do
background check on everyone called to jury
duty or requires persons to self-report.
For more information on the following
measures, contact the Rural Organizing Project
at5O3/543-84!7.
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