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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2000)
J a n u a ry 26 ,2 0 0 0 Page B2 ----------------------------- (Ebe IJortlanb (ßbaeruer o/Business ■■■H ■■■■■■■■H I Microsoft grants aid training for students at Community court to open in SE Portland African-American and Hispanic universities (ON I KlBt I LDS1QWV M ic ro s o ft C o rp , a n n o u n c e d grants to 11 African-A m erican and H ispanic u n iv ersities across the country, the latest in the com pany’s lo n g -sta n d in g effo rt to increase technology access for students o f color. The grants, totaling $440,000 in cash and m ore than $1 million in softw are, will provide more than 150,000 students with benefits such as enhanced information technology c u r r ic u la , d is ta n c e le a rn in g opportunities and improved access to th e I n te rn e t. T h e H isp a n ic A s s o c ia tio n o f C o lle g e s an d U niversities ( H ACU) and the United N egro C ollege Fund (UN CF), in coordination with Microsoft, selected the grant recipients. African Americans and Hispanics co n tin u e to have less access to te c h n o lo g y th a n th e ir A n g lo counterparts, w hich impedes their opportunities for success in the digital econom y. A ccording to a recent U.S. C o m m e rc e D e p a rtm e n t stu d y (“ Falling Through the Net. Defining th e D ig ita l D iv id e ” ), A n g lo households ow n com puters at a rate ro u g h ly tw ic e th a t o f A fric a n - A m erican and Hispanic households. “Technological proficiency is an essential elem ent o f success today,” sa id B ru ce B ro o k s, d ire c to r o f com m unity affairs at M icrosoft. “By c o o rd in a tin g e ffo rts w ith th e se A frican -A m erican and H ispanic- serving institutions, w e can help ensure that students o f color have equal access to the resources they need to accom plish great things in t o d a y ’s s o c ia l a n d e c o n o m ic marketplace.” These Historically BlackColleges and U n iv e rsitie s an d H isp a n ic- serving institutions each will receive $40 ,0 0 0 in cash, in ad d itio n to so ftw are, to b o lster te ch n o lo g y access for students. Form orethan six years, Microsoft Corp, has been com m itted to helping bridge the digital divide and has created and supported a num ber o f efforts designed to provide equal ac cess to technology acro ss the n atio n . In the past th ree years, M icrosoft has given more than $1.73 m illion ($ 19 million in cash and $ 154 million in software) to help thousands o f organizations, including public libraries, colleges and universities, an d co m m u n ity -b ased n o n p ro fit agencies, provide technology access to u n d e rs e rv e d c o m m u n itie s . T hrough these efforts, m illions o f underprivileged individuals across the nation, from children in Boys & G irls clubs to low-income students to N ative A m ericans using technology to preserve their language and culture, now have access to technology and training. BPA offers $10,000 reward for toppled tower information BPA is offering a reward o f up to $ 10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction o f individuals w ho dam aged and disabled one o f its m ain transm ission lines connecting the Pacific N orthw est to the Pacific S outhw est the night before N ew Y ear’s Eve. People w ho have inform ation about the incident are urged to call B PA ’s C rim e W itness Hot Line toll free at I-800-437-2744 orcall one o f the num bers below: FBI Bend (541) 389-1202, D eschutes County S heriff (541)388- 0170, Oregon State Police (503)375- 3555, FBI Portland (503) 552-5346. T he identity o f inform ants will be kept confidential. At 8:53 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, BPA lost electrical services on its Celilo-Sylm ar 1,000,000 volt direct current intertie line. Housing from 1 m oney can buy, by utilizing better insulation and design you can reduce the am ount o f heating that you need to do,” she says. As for W ilcox, he says that, after some time off, he may seek work in the Bureau o f Planning, as a teacher at the U niversity o f O regon, or as a private developer. He adm its that he is leaving in part because he needs m ore money for him self and his family. W hen you w ork for a non-profit agency, he says, “You walk aw ay with nothing but the satisfaction o f having accom plished som ething.” “ I hope he stays active after he leaves Portland Community Design,” Harri son says. “H e's been a key piayer in P o rtla n d p la n n in g and developm ent.” A u to m a tic sy stem p ro te c tio n r e la y s is o la te d th e a f f e c te d transm ission line and re-routed the pow er i nstantaneously to other power 1 ines, so there was no loss o f electrical service. A m aintenance crew - sent to the site to investigate the problem - discovered a transmission tow er lying on its side. The crew repaired the tow er and had the line back in service by 7:32p.m . Dec. 31. The incident occurred near w here the transm ission line crosses US H ighway 20, approxim ately 37 miles southeast o f Bend Ore. A nd 14 m iles no rth east o f B rothers, O re. T he Deschutes County Sheriff, Oregon State Patrol and Federal Bureau o f Investigation all are involved in the investigation. “The tow er sustained m inim al dam age and the line itself was not perm anently dam aged,” said Mike B e rg , BPA se c u rity s p e c ia list. “Nevertheless, signi ficant costs were in c u rre d in re sp o n d in g to th is em ergency. This is the first tim e in over twenty years that som eone has d elib erately disabled one o f our tow ers. It w as obviously an attempt to cause mayhem on the Northwest Pow er system and that is w hy we are taking this criminal act so seriously." SPECIAL PRICES TO OUR NEIGHBORS!!! PAGERS: NEED A CELL PHONE? • Buy, Sell, Trade •Repair, Accessories • No Credit? Bad Credit? NO PROBLEM! PRE PAID CELL PHONES & CARDS SOLD HERE! : SPECIAL * (With this ad) * Pager, Activation & 3 months Airtime: j * $39.95 and up. Z H urry, Limited Supply! Z • We activate your pager the same day Pagers $6.95 per month Voice Mail $3.95 per month Portland 2914 N. Lombard St. 503-797-0000 A neighborhood court o f justice that provides a swift, effective, and com m unity-based w ay to sanction an d s u p p o rt m is d e m e a n o r offenders is com ing to Southeast Portland. The new C om m unity Court will hear its first case in February. M u ltn o m ah C o u n ty ’s g ro w in g Community Court Project strives to reduce quality o f life crim es by sentencing low-level offenders in th e c o m m u n itie s w h e re th e y co m m itted th e ir crim es an d by providing social service assistance when needed. Circuit Court Judge Clifford Freeman w ill p r e s id e at th e S o u th e a s t C om m unity Court on the first and third Thursday o f the m onth at the Brentw ood-D arlington C om m unity C en te ra t7 2 1 1 SE 62nd Ave. T he court w ill h e a r m is d e m e a n o r c a s e s com m itted in the East or Southeast Portland police precincts. At court, each defendant m eet with a social service coordinator before talking to thejudge. After an extended g u ilty p le a , th e d e f e n d a n t is sentenced. The ju d g e may lecture the defendant, seek input from com m unity m em bers, or ask the defendant how she plans to change her behavior in the future. Often the defen d an t is referred to social service providers w ho are on site on court days. “ People involved w ith crim inal activity are often dealing with other problem s in th e ir liv es,” notes R o b y n G re g o ry , th e p ro je c t’s coordinator. “The court offers social service to defendants w ho need help with a w ide range o f issues.” A Ticket A Tasket The place for cards, gifts and baskets Celebrates the special meaning of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Order your loved ones Valentine baskets by Febuary 8 and receive $5.00 off. 1305 NE Fremont Portland, Or. 97212 284-7344 tisketgifts@yahoo.com Tenth Annual Cascade Festival of African Films In celebration of Black History Month Portland Community College Cascade Campus Terrell Hall, Room 122 70S N. Killingsworth Free parking in campus lots February 4~ March 4 (Across from K ienow 's) Mayor Vera Katz and the City Council invite you to join them at: Community Budget Forums for the FY 2000-02 Two Year Budget The Mayor, City Council members and bureau managers will lead discussions on community priorities. Please come share your ideas. J a n . 31 Feb. 5 Feb. 5 Feb. 8 F e b .10 ► I 6-8 PM 10-Noon 2-4 PM 6-8 PM 6-8 PM Buckman Elementary School, 320 SE 16th Multnomah Art Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy. Midland Library, 805 SE 122nd King Facility, 4815 NE 7th Mallory Hotel, 729 SW 15,h For more information, call 823-5288, TTY: 823-6868. Web Site: www.ci.portland.or.us If you have special needs, please call 823-4519 in advance. Thursdays at noon Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Opening Night—Friday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m. Heritage Africa with Director Kwaw P. Ansah from Ghana Music by Obo Addy and Okropong at Jefferson High School Auditorium For more information, call S03-244-6111, ext. 3630 This Portland Community College event is made possible through the generous support o f the Regional Arts and Culture Council, the Oregon Council fo r the Humanities, the Oregon Arts Commission and McMenamins Kennedy School. 4 Portland Community College
