Volume XXXII Number 18 www.portlandobserver.com Wednesday Committed to Cultural Diversity Established in 1970 May 08,2002 Church Touts Changing Demographics Multicultural ‘Ainsworth in the City’ events celebrate diversity Memo Implicates Enron W ASHINGTON — A confidential Enron document released by federal energy regulators shows how Enron traders drove up power prices during California’s energy crisis. The memo­ randum outlined practices similar to those described by California officials, who allege the energy trading com­ pany created phantom congestion to increase electricity prices. Worker Productivity Surprisingly Strong W ASHINGTON— Worker productiv­ ity, a key ingredient to the econom y’s long-term vitality, shot up at an annual rate of 8.6% in the first quarter, the best performance in nearly 19 years. The jum p in productivity followed a strong 5.5% rate of increase in the final three months o f 2001, the Labor Department reported. AINSWORTH CHURCH OF CHRIST Promoting a m ulticultural celebration at the Ainsworth United Church o f Christ are Andrea Cano (from left), Helena Ellison, Ashley Cooper and her father, also Ashley Cooper. ‘THE GOSPEL £ ACCORDING TP£ photo by D avid G iezyng / T he P ortland O bserver Pipe Bomb Found In Texas OMAHA — A pipe bomb similar to 17 others found in four other states was discovered in a rural mailbox in Texas, the FBI said. The bomb was found near Amarillo, Texas. “It’s another pipe , bomb. It looks sim ilarto the others,” an FBI agent said. Sharon Brings Peace Plan to U.S. JERUSALEM— Israeli Prime Minister • Ariel Sharon was due to arrive in W ash­ ington, bringing with him a peace plan and what Israel says is conclusive evi­ dence that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is an unreformed terrorist who will never lead his people to peace. Draped on the brick wall o f Ainsworth United Church of Christ is a banner which reads “A Multiracial, Multicultural, Open and Affirming Community,” — a message that rings true to many people in this northeast Portland neighborhood. Throughout the years, church mem­ bers have noticed and responded to the changing demographics of the neighbor­ hood and in greater Portland. To celebrate the diversity in the com­ munity, the church is hosting a three-day Chirac Declyes Victory In France Naimah Johnson, 18, discusses a play sh e 's writing for a McCoy Academy psychology class with school principal Donna White. Johnson says McCoy teachers give her a lot more attention than she got at Jefferson High School. PARIS — President Jacques Chirac was re-elected in a landslide over ex­ treme-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen after a dramatic race that shook France to its foundations. In exit polls, all three of France’s major polling firms gave Chirac 81 % to 83% o f the vote. • U.S. Split Over Ousting Saddam W ASHINGTON — President Bush’s hopes o f building a strong insurgent group to replace Iraqi President Saddam Hussein have been set back by feuding among U.S. officials over who should lead the opposition, adm inistration sources say. Second Space Tourist Returns AST AN A, Kazakhstan — Internet mil­ lionaire Mark Shuttleworth, the world's second space tourist, landed safely in Kazakhstan and said his space voyage was “the best thing I’ve ever done.” Bush Approval Not Just Wartime Bounce Built on the faith Americans showed in President Bush following his response to terror attacks on Sept. 11, a new poll shows that almost eight months later Bush has developed an image among most Americans as a strong, compe­ tent, leader who shares their values and has elevated respect for presidency. Ó <^i o o I ~ u 2 $ È c □ O' o ci O