Volume XXX.
Number 31
See Inside
See Focus
Thomason
has a
one-on-one
MT Hood
Jazz Festival
brings talent
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Wednesday
August 2, 2000
50'
Civic Stadium to be named PGE Park
Arafat Will Declare
Palestinian State
RIY A D H , Saudi A rabia - Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat has reiterated he will
declare a Palestinian state next m onth
despite threats and objections from the
U nited States, according to an interview.
“It will be dec lared on the fixed time which
is Sept. 13, God willing regardless o f those
who agree or disagree,” he said. It was the
first tim e since the failed C am p D avid
sum m m it that he directly answ ered the
question o f a tim etable for declaring a
Palestinian state.
Cigarette Manufacturers
Raise Prices
N EW Y O RK - C igarette m anufacturers
are increasing w holesale cigarette prices
by 6 cents per pack, a m ove analysts say
is in anticipation o f increased settlem ent
paym ents due next year. N ew Y ork-bsed
Philip Morris, which commands more than
h alf o f the U.S. m arket and ow ns the
Marlboro, Benson & Hedges and Virginia
Slims brands, alerted w holesalers o f its
decision to raise prices effective soon.
Consum ers will likely see an increase of7
or 8 cents per pack in the next few weeks.
Peres Defeated in Israel
Presidential Race
JERU SA LEM - In a stunning upset, a
little -k n o w n o p p o s itio n la w m a k e r
defeated form er Prim e M inister Shim on
Peres, a N obel Peace Prize laureate in a
recent presidential race. T he victory o f
M oshe K atsav o f the opposition Likud
Party spelled a hum iliating end to P eres’
half-century political career and dealt
an o th er blow to b e lea g u ered P rim e
M inister Ehud Barak, who was to face a
no-confidence vote in parliam ent.
Chavez Re-elected
President of Venezuela
CA R A C A S, V enezuela - V enezuelans
e n d o rse d P re sid en t H ugo C h a v e z ’s
“social revolution” by electing him to a
fresh six-year term , consolidating Latin
A m erica’s second leftist regim e after
C uba. C havez, w ho has co m p letely
o v erh a u led V e n e z u e la ’s in stitu tio n s
during his short term , had asked voters to
lo o k p ast sharp rises in c rim e and
unem ploym ent by re-electing him and
giving his reform m ovem ent a m ajority in
Congress.
Refurbished Monument
Reopens
W A S H IN G T O N - T he W ash in g to n
M onum ent reopens to the public after a
three-year, $10 m illion renovation. The
115-year-old national icon w as cloaked in
s c a f fo ld in g fo r tw o y e a rs w h ile
s to n e m a s o n s r e p a ir e d 78 s to n e s ,
repointed 11.8 miles ofjoints and cleaned
94,060 square feet o f surface on the 555-
foot obliesk.
Oil Companies
Subpoenaed
T he Federal T rade C om m ission has
subpoenaed at least seven oil com panies
in its investigation o f w hether price fixing
pushed up gas prices in the M idwest.
T w o r o u n d s o f s u b p o e n a s to o il
companies were sent, people familiar with
th e in v e s tig a tio n sa y . S in c e th e
investigation began last m onth. M idw est
prices have dropped from a high o f $2.50
a gallon to an average $ 1.45 a gallon for
regular gas and $ 1.43 for c leaner-burning
reform ulated gas. T he prices are now the
c h e a p e s t in th e U S A , th e E n e rg y
D epartm ent says.
Mark Gardiner, Peggy Fowler and Marshall Gliekman ettyoy die festivities yesterday at the soon to be known as
'PGE Park'.
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Portland G eneral Electric (PGE), O regon’s
largest and one o f the older electric utilities
has entered into a 10-year agreem ent with
Portland Family Entertainment (PFE) to name
P FE ’s renovated stadium PGE Park.
“ PGE has been a part o f this com m unity for
m ore than 100 years and has always been
co m m itted to investing in projects that
im prove the quality o f life in Portland," said
Peggy Fowler, PGE's C EO and president.
“Supporting the renovation o f the stadium is
a perfect fit for us. W e ’re absolutely delighted
to be a partner in preserving one o fP o rtlan d ’s
m ost historic and treasured entertainm ent
v en u es.” .
“ We are oveijoyed," said PFE's CEO Marshall
G liekm an. “O ur num ber one criterian was
alw ays to attract a com pany with deep roots
in our com m unity. W e think the name rolls o ff
the tongue ju st right.”
The stadium was built in 1926 and was known
as M ultnomah Stadium until 1959. Since then,
the stadium has used the generic nam e, Civic
Stadium.
“A nam e ch a n g e is v ery ap p ro p ria te ,”
according to Gliekman. “ M y father m anaged
M ultnom ah Stadium in the late 5 0 ’s so we
have great respect for its heritage. The
renovation o f PGE Park will revive its vintage
character, from its vintage soda fountain to its
authentic peanut roasters to its new green
slatted seats. W e think an ew name will signify
to the co m m u n ity that th is is a m ajo r
renovation-w e’re giving PGE Park a m assive
overhaul.”
Portland M ayor Vera Katz said, “PGE is a
stalw art in our com m unity, supporting a
variety o f programs aimed at helping our
environm ent, our cultural offerings and now,
one o f the C ity ’s m ost prized assets. I really
appreciate that Peggy Fowler had the vision
to m ake this happen.”
N am ing rights have becom e com m onplace
around the county as a critical com ponent o f
financing arenas and stadiums. N am ing rights
agreem ents include S eattle’s Safeco Field
and K ey A rena, Staples C en ter in Los
A ngeles, Coors Field in Denver, BancO ne
Ballpark and America W est Arena in Phoenix,
M iller Park in M ilw aukee, Reley Field, in
Sacramento and Pacific Bell B allpark in San
Francisco.
“W ithout nam ing rights, w e w ould not have
had the resources to m ake such a good deal
for the City,” said PFE CFO M ark Gardiner.
“M arshall and I have a history o f crafting
pvblic/pnvate partnerships that are financially
attractive for the public sector and minimize
taxpayer risk. T h at’s w hat w e did with the
Rose Garden and what I was able to accomplish
in San Francisco with the G iants and Pacific
Bell Ballpark. To m ake that approach work,
you have to create an environm ent that is
attractive to corporate partners who are willing
to make a long-term com m itm ent.”
“There is no q u e stio n - w ithout PGE, it would
have been difficult for us to com plete this
transaction,” added G ardiner.
“ So. I am particularly pleased that w e get
terrific partner and an excellent nam e at the
same tim e.”
G ro u n d b r e a k in g c e r e m o n ie s fo r th e
renovation ofPG E Park took place on Tuesday,
August 1 at 10a.m. The ceremonies will include
com m ents from P G E ’s C E O and president,
Peggy Fowler. PFE intends to issue a notice-
to - p ro c e e d to its c o n tr a c to r , T u rn e r
Construction today.
OLCC oks MLK Food Mart liquor license
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T he O regon Liquor Control Com m ission
(O LC C) issued United Gas and Food Mart,
3435 NE Martin Lutherking Jr. Blvd., Portland,
a package store liquor license July 24 after
reaching a settlem ent agreem ent with United
Energy, Inc., operators o f the property.
The agreem ent with United Energy President
James W. Winters and his attorney Lou Savage
includes license restrictions prohibiting sales
o f fortified w ine (13 percent alcohol), malt
liquor, and single containers (including the
40-ounce size) o f beer. It calls for increased
security m easures at the gasoline station/
convenience store. The restrictions will be in
place for tw o years, and a violation could
result in license cancellation.
“T here have been a num ber o f serious
problem s at the site in the past, but Mr.
W inters has a reputation as a good business
operator and m any positive changes have
already been m ade,” said PamelaS. Erickson,
O LCC adm inistrator, o f the agreement.
The O LCC staff had refused to license the
business in N ovem ber 1998 because o f its
location in a “problem area with a history o f
serious and persistent problem s" and because
the operators were unable to control the
property. C ity o f P ortland officials said
drinking, drug and gang activity was com mon
in the “n u isan ce area" surrounding the
bu sin ess.
A contested case hearing by an adm inistrative
law ju d g e upheld the O LCC staff*s license
denial and a proposed order w as issued
Decem ber 15.1999. United Energy submitted
exceptions to the order and appeared before
the OI ,CC on June 20,2000, w hich paved the
w ay for this w eek's settlement.
United Energy said it had im proved the
facility’s lighting to discourage illegal activity,
removed telephones from the parking lot, and
exclu d ed problem in d iv id u als from the
property as part o f its upgrading security at
the site. U nited Energy said the num ber o f
problem incidents had declined since it began
operating the property in m id -1998.
Security measures in the settlement agreement
call forno loitering, 24-hour video monitoring,
no alcohol sales after midnight, a security
guard on prem ises between 10pm. and2 am.,
and im m ediately rep o rtin g to p olice o f
unlawful activities inside the building or in
the parking lot.
Department releases study on minorities in Oregon’s work force
CQNIR1BL H.DSIORI
ior T iil P ortla . m >Q bsi . r \ er
C om prising only two percent o f O regonians
in 1970, American Indians, blacks, and Asians
now m ake up m ore than six percent o f the
population that according to anew publication
re le a s e d b y th e O re g o n E m p lo y m e n t
D epartm ent. T he publication, A m erican
Indians, Blacks, and Asians in O regon's Work
Force, also show ed that w hile w hites account
fo rm o sto f the growth in population in Oregon,
the m inority population is increasing at a
much greater rate. .And the minority population
is projected to continue to increase at a rate
greater than that for the population as a
whole. This growth has had a m ajor impact on
the econom y. Betw een 1987 and 1992,
minority-ow ned businesses in O regon grew
at a rate o f 64 percent. This sector is believed
to have expanded in a sim ilar fashion during
the years since.
In 1998, the E m p lo y m en t D ep a rtm en t
published Hispanics in O reg o n 's W orkforce,
which exam ined the social and em ploym ent
characteristics o f O reg o n 's fastest-growing
ethnic group. A m erican Indians. Blacks, and
Asians in O regon’s W ork Force is the first
p u b licatio n by the departm ent to bring
together socio-econom ic and labor force
information about O regon’s racial minorities.
Substantial differences exist among the three
racial m inority groups A merican Indians,
Blacks, and Asians in O reo g n 's Work Force
explores these differences with respect to
educational achievem ent, marital status, high
school dropout rates, occupational choice,
average hourly w age, and unem ploym ent
rates.
The report includes profiles o f individual
w orkers and founders o f m inority-ow ned
businesses from these population groups. It
also provides b rief O regon histories o f the
racial m inority groups.
If you would like to receive a copy, please
contact Kathi Riddell at 503/947-1263 or
Kathi.R R id d ells state.or.us.O ryoucan view
this report online at w w w .olm is.org.