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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 13, 2000)
See Metro See Metro Historic Palmer house for sale Racers to jam Portland streets in Race for the Cure CL h r J j o r t i a n u O ) b Volume XXX. Number 37 THE www.portlandobserver.com Committed to Cultural Diversity Established in 1970 Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID Portland, OR Permit No. 1610 r Wednesday 50e September 13, 2000 Changing Face of North Mississippi in • Tucked Away Neighborhood Sees Rebirth or T he P ortland O bserylr Freed Hostages Say Women Were Raped TRIPO LI, Libya - O ne o f four hostages re le a s e d by M u slim re b e ls in the Philippines said captors raped som e o f the female hostages. A Finnish m an said “a few o f the w om en were treated in an inappropriate m anner” by the Abu S ayyef reb e l g ro u p , w h ich is fig h tin g fo r independence in the southern part o f the Philippines. Upon the hostages released, rebels claim Libyan officials paid them $ 1 m illion. Libya is denying they paid a ransom , but hostages claim ed to see sudden signs o f w ealth in the cam p, with their captors wearing new clothes and gold jew elry. Calif. Creates Largest Scholarship Program SACRAM ENTO California is promising to spend at least $ 1.2 billion each year to c r e a te th e n a tio n s ' b ig g e s t s ta te scholarship program , covering college tuition for all needy students with at least a C average. U nder legislation signed by Gov. G ray Davis, the state will expand its current C al-G rant program starting next year to pay tuition for eligible students at all o f C alifornia’s public and private universities. The historic buildings in her neighborhood inspire entrepreneur and artist Rachel Elizabeth. She's restoring a former Rexall drug store at North Shaver and Mississippi to its original J900 condition. - re Astronaut, Cosmonaut Go for a Spacewalk » SPACE CENTER, H ouston-A n American astro n a u t and a R ussian co sm o n au t drifted out o f space shuttle A tlantis, m aking a clim b up the international space station that was m ore spacehike than s p a c e w a lk . E d w a rd L u a n d Y u ri M alenchenko made the grueling ascent to lay cable and install a boom for a navigation unit on the exterior o f the station. OPEC Output Increase Won’t Lower Prices V IENNA, A ustria - O PEC has agreed to boost its official output by 3% , but a n a ly s ts sa y th e m o v e by th e oil producers’ cartel will not add enough new crude to world m arkets to roll fuel prices backdecisively from 10-year-highs. OPEC mem bers agreed to add 800,000 barrels to their daily production in the face o f m ounting international pressure to pump more crude and cool sizzling prices. They say the im pact on prices will be m e ag e r- particularly for A m ericans who depend on heating oil. Iran Demands Apology; Clinton Meets Castro U N ITED N A TIO N S The M illennium Sum m it had brought the globe together, but had also offered jarring rem inds that political foes remain far apart. For instance, the W hite H ouse - after initial denials - confirm ed a hesitant President Clinton shook hands with Fidel C astro during a chance m eeting, possibly the first such pleasantry betw een the C uban leader and any U.S. president. And Iran’s president m ade c le a r that w o u n d s o v e r U .S. involvement w on’t heal easily as he hinged improved relations to an apology. , ( Please see 'Mississippi' page 5) Anthony Dancer (right) and Natalie Davis (far right) are part o f a new work force in the historic North M ississippi neighborhood, serving as customer service assistants at the new ReBuilding Center. PGE Park promoter Ron Henderson takes hel: I I • Portland Family Entertainment official sees new stadium as venue fo r ‘Everyday Person ’ B i AI iluael L eighties PORILASDÌiBSlftliR An Oregon native and long-tim e Portland resident is building grass-roots support for P ortland’s soon to be renovated PGE Park. Russia’s Military to Make Deep Cuts M OSCOW Russia will slash its forces by nearly one-third over the next 2 years, the defense m inister said, a sign that Russian officials have dec ided they can ’t afford their vast but dilapidated military. The cuts will slash about 350,000 people from the 1.2 million-strong Russian military. Sergeyev said the reduction would be com plete by 2003. o P hotos by M ichael L eighton /T he P ortland O bserver N ew life is showing its face in one o f P ortland’s m ost tucked away neighborhoods. The historic M ississippi District o f inner- n o rth P o rtla n d is s u rg in g w ith new developm ent. And many folks think it’s the tip o f an iceberg o f new development to come. This is a com m unity that doesn’t get much o f a look from most city residents. M any people d o n ’t even know it’s there. Years ago, Portland ’ s freeway system, the construction o f Interstate 5, and to a lessor extent the Freemont Bridge and 1-405, put big road blocks around this part o f town. Looking around, you get the sense that tim e has stood still. Y ou can see the neighborhood’s rich history by the old storefronts, apartm ent buildings, and historic homes that still exist today. M an y o f th ese b u ild in g s have been beautifully restored, including the historic Jo h n P a lm e r h o u se at S k id m o re an d M ississippi. A c o u p le o f b lo c k s s o u th , a n ew rehabilitation project is at the co m er ofN orth M ississippi and Shaver. The former Phipps Rexall drug store is being restored. O w ner Rachel Elizabeth wants to bring the building back to its original 1900 condition. Elizabeth, who moved into the building Ron Henderson is director o f sponsorship sales and marketing fo r Portland Family Entertainment, the group renovating Portland’s Civic Stadium into PGE Park. Ron Henderson said the exciting thing about the renovated stadium will be the creation o f a first-class sports venue for the “everyday person". This will not be the Rose G arden, he said, w here tickets can easily set you back $65. At PGE Park, many tickets will sell in the $5- $6 range. Portland Family Entertainm ent has partnered with Portland G eneral Electric and the city o f Portland to spend $38.5 m illion to renovate the stadium at no cost to the local taxpayer. The project is scheduled for com pletion in M ay 2001, just in time for the réintroduction o f Triple A baseball The Albuquerque Dukes will be renamed, and relocated to Portland for the upcom ing season. PFE has also purchased an A -League soccer franchise through the expansion process. The Portland Timbers will also begin play in PGE Park in 2001. returning professional outdoor soccer to the city after a 20-year absence. PGE Park pledges to continue its history as a valuable community asset, hosting Portland State U niversity football gam es, top-tier concerts, high school athletic events, and other com m unity-oriented events. Henderson began work for PFE in February. H is r e s p o n s ib ilitie s , as d ir e c to r o f sponsorship sales and m arketing, include outreach program s and promotions. H enderson was bom in Klamath Falls. He is a graduate o f Portland State University and spent five years as a media and public relations executive with the former Portland Beavers baseball club. 1... ú Portland's "place to happen” will feature the themed Fred Meyer Family Deck and a “vintage ” manually operated baseball scoreboard that rises nearly seven stories above field level. >
