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November 3,1999
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Tri-Met unveils enhanced City launches program for Portland’s low-income,
women and minority entrepreneurs
Max Safety Program
CONTRJ B I TED STORY
CONTRIBUTED STORY
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P ortland O bserver
Tri-Met General Manager Fred Hansen unveiled the agency’s enhanced Max
safety program that includes more safety devices, signage, stepped up
enforcement for trespassing and public education.
“Tri-Met is doing its part to enhance safety by providing more warning devices
and signs, but the public must do its part by being alert around MAX train
tracks,” said Hansen.
A portion o f the three-part safety program includes recommendations from
Korve Engineering, a nationally recognized rail safety consulting firm.
Installation o f new warning devices:
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Pedestrian swing gates at six locations
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Three foot tactile warning strip at four locations in Phase I
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“Look both ways’ signs at all crossings outside central business district
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“Stop here” signs on pavement
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“Do Not Cross Tracks” signs at platforms
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Pedestrian railings
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Pilot project o f a crossing arm, directional audible warning device and
visual warning device at 16lh Avenue in Hillsboro
The warning devices are now being installed and will be completed by the end
ofDecember.
Enhanced public education efforts:
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TV & Radio Public Service announcements and safety messages on traffic
reports
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MAX safety information campaign: distributing flyers at platforms,
crossings and on trains; safety information packets sent to 925 westside
employers
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Program for schools - 12 elementary, junior and high schools near
Westside MAX targeted for safety presentations; flyers sent to all
teachers & students taking field trips on Tri-Met
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Web site safety page targeted specifically to youth
All o f the public education efforts are underway, with school presentations
beginning December 1999 and continuing until April 2000.
Enforcement for trespassing:
Tri-Met will step up its enforcement o f trespassers. Tri-Met police will cite
trespassers, and may prosecute repeat offenders. The Oregon Legislature
recently increased the penalty for trespassing, making it a Class A misdemeanor
with a maximum o f one year injail and a $5,000 fine. The Tri-Met Transit Police
Division will begin targeting trespassers this week.
MAX Safety Report
Some o f Tri-M et’s safety program elements have resulted from the MAX
Safety Report conducted by Korve Engineering. That report, also released.
Concluded, “pedestrians or bicyclists may exhibit risky behavior despite
existing features that are designed to promote safe conduct around trains and
trackways,” To reduce such risky behavior, Tri-Met should implement a
system-wide enhancement program.”
Regarding recent fatalities along the Westside MAX line, the Korve report
says “M AX’s safety record... is comparable to other light rail systems in North
America with similar length, service hours and frequency o f service.”
“Light rail is a relatively new technology, and many o f the warning devices we
are testing have never been used before,” said Hansen. “And at the end o f this
implementation process, Tri-Met will become a national model for light rail
safety.”
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T he P ortland O bserver
Portland Entrepreneur Initiative (PEI), a Program of
Mercy Corps International in partnership with
Cascadia Revolving Fund, Will Offer Credit to
Small Businesses
PortlandCity Commissioner Erik Sten, Mercy Corps
International and Cascadia Revolving Fund
announce the launch o f the Portland Entrepreneur
Initiative (PEI). This economic development
program will help entrepreneurs start and expand
sm all b u sin e sse s in the P o rtla n d area.
Entrepreneurs belonging to ethnic and cultural
minority groups will be a special focus o f the
program.
Mercy Corps will manage the PEI program, which
will target m icrobusinesses that have credit
requirements between $500 and $25,000. Cascadia
will serve in an advisory capacity to Mercy Corps,
and can offer loans o f over $25,000 to appropriate
clients. Eachagency will referclients to each other’s
programs. Together, Mercy Corps and Cascadia
will offer a complete range o f credit to Portland’s
entrepreneurs.
“Portland is a great place to do business and small
businesses are the mainstay o f our economy,” says
Steve Rudman, Director o f the City’s Bureau of
Housing and Community Development, which
provided major funding for the project. “But we
think we can do better, which is why w e’re helping
to start PEI. We want to address one o f the major
obstacles to local economic growth: low-income
and minority access to credit for microenterprise.”
W hile the city has long been interested in
developing a program with PEI’s goals and has
implemented pilot projects, this is the first ongoing
city-wide program in the Portland area.
Through its lending operations, PEI will create
business ownership opportunities and jobs for
low-income residents, as well as helping to generate
overall economic prosperity. Specifically, PEI’s
goals are to:
•
O ffer credit and technical assistance to
individuals with viable business plans who
currently lack access to loans and,
•
Serve as an intermediary that brings together
community organizations, commercial banks,
and private businesses to respond to the
needs ofPortland’ micro and small businesses.
PEI aims to address an unmet need in Portland’s
lending environm ent by servicing qualified
entrepreneurs who are not eligible for financing
elsewhere. It is anticipated that up to 50% o f the
loans will be made to start-up companies.
Implementation o f PEI call upon both partners’
long-time experience managing microenterprise
programs. Cascadia has been providing high-risk
small business loans to low-income innovative
microenterprise mechanisms for financial and
institutional sustainability to countries around the
world as a means to recover from political upheavals
or natural disasters. Mercy Refugee/Immigrant
Self-Employment Project (RISE).
Rentals on the web Metro Council ok’s
interstate max line
CONTRIBUTED S
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P ortland O bserver
Web pages proven successful in opening doors o f opportunity for people
seeking rental housing.
However, those doors are often closed to renters who happen to be o f low
incomes as they search the web for affordable housing.
To address this need, the Housing Authority ofPortland has opened a web
door to one o f its housing options. H AP’s Affordable Housing department
has joined with other private property rental managers in displaying its
properties on a joint web site.
At www.homeathap.com browsers can find rental opportunities in the 30 to
80% range o f median income contained in HAP’s Affordable Housing
department. In Portland’s metro area, HAP joins over207 property management
companies using SpringStreet, a nationwide, online rental magazine.
“We feel that having affordable properties online helps to present a fuller
picture o f housing opportunities,” said Ken Hart, HAP’s Assistant Director
o f housing Operations.
CONTRIBUTED STORY
for T he
P ortland O bserver
The Metro Council helps move the Interstate MAX project further down
the tracks. The Council approved the Land Use Final Order which lays out
the route the light rail train will take as well as the station locations and park-
and-ride lots.
“It has taken us a long time and a lot o f hard work to get to this point. But,
I believe that we now have a project that takes the best o f every option while
providing the citizens with first-class transportation,” said Metro Councilor
Jon Kvistad (District 3). “IMAX will help serve our North and Northeast
Portland communities as well as giving everyone in this region more
options.” Councilor Kvistad is the chair o f M etro’s Transportation
Committee and the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation
(JPACT). JPACT is a group o f local elected officials charged with creating
transportation policy for the region.
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco
sets $125 million
buyback
T he A ssociated P ress __________________________________________
R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Holdings Inc., the No. 2 cigarette maker whose stock
has plummeted in recent weeks, Tuesday authorized a $ 125 million stock
buyback.
R. J . Reynolds, along with other big cigarette companies Philip Morris Cos.
Inc. and Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., are named defendants in a
landmark sick-smokers case in Florida that has reached the penalty phase.
After a six-member jury found that the industry could be held liable on a
class-action basis for potentially billions ofdollars two weeks ago, investors
pushed tobacco stock prices to or near all-time lows.
At its current stock price o f 19-7/8, $125 million would buy back about 5
percent o f RJR’s common stock.
The tobacco company, parent o f the Camel brand, said the repurchase
authorization goes into effect immediately, allowing for shares to be
purchased from time to time in the open market.
“We view this share repurchase as a means o f building shareholder value
over the long term,” Andrew Schindler, chairman and chiefexecutive officer
o f the company, said.
The timing o f repurchases and the number o f shares repurchased will
depend upon market conditions, the company said.
l/Ve Represent Buyers
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