Page A8 March 1, 2000 (Tlje ^Jottlanò ©bseruer jjJortlanì» ii Business NAACP and coalition partners sign diversity agreements with CBS and Fox tOMKlBL ILUilUKl Kweisi Mfume, President & CEO, the N a tio n a l A s s o c ia tio n fo r th e A dvancem ent o f C olored People (N A A C P ), and coalition partners representing Latino, Asian American and N ative A m erican groups, today signed far reaching agreem ents with th eC B S T elev isio n N etw ork and the FO X B ro ad c astin g C om pany to increase opportunities for people o f color in program m ing and in the executive production and talent ranks o f netw ork television. U nder term s o f a “m em orandum o f understanding,” both CBS and FOX w ill am ong others things appoint a vice president who will report directly to the netw ork president, with the au th o rity and re sp o n sib ility for c o o rd in a tin g and im p lem e n tin g im proved diversity program s at the networks. The NAACP signed similar agreem ents with NBC and ABC in January. "These agreements represent real and meaningful change,” said Mfume. "The N A ACP has worked extremely hard w ith its coalition partners over the last several m onths to create greater opportunity or quali fied men and w om en o f color in network t television. W h ile w e d o n ’t e x p e c t to see overnight change, to d ay ’s signings provide a strong fo u ndation for increasing diversity in the executive, production and talent ranks at CBS, N B C ,FO X andA B C foralongtim eto come.” M fume said: “The CBS and FOX executives should be commended for the efforts to create a process fortheir netw orks that reflect the diversity o f America. The NAACP will continue to w ork with them to effect lasting Wilsonville pushes prison project to Tualatin change in the television industry." In the future, M fum e said, "the N A ACP will also continue its efforts to include the major picture studios and other a s p e c ts o f th e e n te r ta in m e n t industry.” The coalition include the N ational Latino Media Coalition, the Asian Pacific American M ediaCoalition and A m e ric a n I n d ia n s in F ilm & Television. Both CBS and FOX have contributed millions ofdollars to the Prism Fund, a minority ownership investment fund to provide financial assistance to m in o ritie s s e e k in g to buy telecom m unications properties. In addition, FOX has made a long-term com m itm ent o f several m illion to be divided betw een the Em m a Bowen Foundation for M inority Interest in M edia and the B enjam in H ooks Scholarships Program at New York University. T he Corps seeks input on the Construction o f W om en Prison. The U.S. Army Corps o f Engineers is evaluating a permit application from the O regon D epartm ent o f Correction to fill 1.45 acres o f w etlands near Tualatin, in W ashington County, Ore. The purpose o f the work is to construct a w om en’s prison and associated infrastructure. The proposed project will be located south ofTualatin, in an area bordered by SW Clay Street, w est SW G raham s Ferry Road and north o f SW Cahalin Road. If the Corps determ ines that m itigation for the loss o f the W etlands is required, the applicant has proposed creation o f 2.07 acres o f forested w etland and also will enhance 0.8 acres o f wetland near the prison site. As part o f its perm it evaluation process, the Corps is requesting com m ent on the proposed project prior to m aking its determ ination on w hether to issue or deny a perm it for the work. For a copy o f the Corps o f Engineers’ Public Notice, which describes the proposed project in detail, please call Jan Stuart at (503) 808-4381, or access the notice on the C o rp s’ Internet site at http:/ www.nw p.usace.arm y.m il/opg/ notices/200000088.pdf. Photocopies o f draw ings supporting the proposed project are included in public notice. W ritten com m ents should reach the Corps by Feb. 28,2000, and should be m ailed to U.S. Army Corps o f Engineers, Attn: CEN W P-OP-GP(Jan Stuart), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, Ore., 97208-2946. Send e-mail comments to: janice.f.Stuart@ usace.arm y.m il. The Corps also is soliciting com m ents from federal, state and local agencies and officials, N ative A merican tribes, and other interested parties. The Corps will issue or deny the perm it under Section 404 o f the C lean W ater A ct. A W ater Q uality Certi fication, as required under Section 401 o f the Clean W ater, will be needed from the state Business Briefs East/Southeast Community Court Project Opens February 17 A new com m unity court will hear its first case in Southeast Portland on Thursday February 17 at 1 p.m. The court is located at the Brentwood- D arlingtonCom m unityCenterat7211 SE 6 2 1"1 A ve. G ra n d o p e n in g c e r e m o n ie s w ith a g e n c y an d com m unity partners will take place from 12 noon to 1p.m. M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty ’s g ro w in g C om m unity Court Project strives to reduce quality o f life crim es by sentencing low-level offenders in their com m unities w here they com m itted their crim es and by providing social a s s is ta n c e w h e n n e e d e d . T h e c o u n ty ’s first co m m u n ity court, serving North and Northeast Portland, opened in 1998. Circuit Court Judge Cli fiord Freeman will preside at the East/Southeast C om m unity Court Project on first and third Thursday o f the month. The court will hear m isdem eanor cases com m itted in the East and Southeast Portland p olice precincts. C om m unity Court Project planners hope to extend the C om m unity Court system to every part o f the city during 2000. The next court planned would serve Central Precinct, W est Portland. Wyden announces C hina approves shipm ent of Northwest wheat W ashington, DC - In a m ajor victory for Oregon Farmers, U.S. Senator Ron W yden announced that, for the first tim e in over 20 years, C hina is ap p ro v in g a shipm ent o f Pacific N orthw est Wheat. “ A fter w orking to break the em bargo for over 20 years, it is extrem ely gratifying that theC hinese are finally approving a shipm ent o f Northwest w heat,” said Wyden. “With w heat prices reaching new lows, this sale will be a shot in the arm for Oregon grow ers N ow , they're going to have the opportunity they should have had a al 1 along to sel 1 O regon’s world- class crops in the w o rld ’s largest market.” U .S. an d C h in e se o ffic ia ls are negotiating a deal to approve the im portation o f 50,000 m etric tons o f N o rth w e s t w h e a t v a lu e d at $6,000,000. O regon growers will contribute 30,000 metric tons o f soft white wheat - estimated at $4,000,000. In a boost to the Oregon economy, the entire shipm ent is to be sent through Portland. For over 20 years, W yden and other re g io n a l le g is la to rs h a v e been pushing fo ra lifting o f the ban, which had been in effect since the early 19 7 0 ’s, but the Chinese continued to insist that the sm all am ounts o f the TCK smut fungus found in Northwest w heat threatened to contam inate Chinese crops. In April o f 1999, after W yden personally presented a letter from th e O reg o n C o n g ressio n al d e le g a tio n to th e C h in e s e Ambassador, urging review o f a study by the U.S. Department o f Agriculture show ing that TC K sm ut does not pose a significant risk, China lifted its ban Trade negotiators have finalized the deal in Portland, and plan to sign an agreem ent with a shipm ent expected later this week. SPECIAL! A N TIFR EEZE CO O LANT GRAND OPINING PRICE PER GAILON...... 4 W I PENÑZOIL O IL FILTERS GRAND OPENING ite/vof/nt Autoitte pehhzoil 3 PENNZOIL AIR FILTERS GRAND OPENING PEPEGLAL! AUTOUTE SPARK PLUGS GRAND OPENING AUTO nilCTFR Standard or Resistor 3 GRAND OPENING] GRAND OPENING W A A L ! pepecial ! SPECIAL EVENTS am. M otorists will need to acquaint them selves with the detours that will be in place during the project. = < = Advertise in jânrtlanù (Observer 9 9»« io / S T A T IO N A P P E A R A N C E • CAR STEREO • SHEEPSKIN SEATCOVERS •S100 SHOPPINC SPREE No Purchase Necessary See Store For Details __________________________ KUFO-FM I J I PEHHZOft NE Sumner AFTER MAIL IN REBATE W ith the $9.6 million Ross Island Bridge project about to m ake its debut next M onday, nearly 90,000 tabloid inserts describing the work are poised to reach com m uters in tom orrow ’s metro editions ofThe Oregonian. The fo u r-p a g e ta b lo id d e sc rib e s the overall scope o f the project, the construction scheduled, bicycle and pedestrian access, traffic management strateg ie s, altern ate ro u te p lans, construction survival tips, hotline n u m b e rs , m a p s, an d w e b s ite addresses. W hile the 16-month long project is underw ay, only tw o o f the bridge’s four lanes wi 11 be open to traffic during the day on weekends. The structure w ill be entirely closed to traffic M onday through Fridays, 8 p.m. to 5 GRAND OPENING GRAND OPENING Coming to a newspaper near you --------------------------------------------------- 7 = V Incredible Values Now Thru Sunday, March 5, 2