Page A2 lune 16. 2004 Albertsons Eyes Vanport Project Retailer considers site for new store Mayor Vera Katz Mayor to Undergo Cancer Therapy M ayor Vera Katz announced Monday that she will undergo further treatment following her surgery and hysterectomy in April that removed a fibroid tumor. Last week, during a follow-up examination, the surgeon who had performed the hysterectomy dis­ covered a polyp that contained cancer cells. The Mayor was advised by her medical team to begin a course of chemotherapy. She expects to continue her duties as M ayor ei­ ther from home or in the office during the next 12 weeks of ex­ pected treatment. “I am blessed to have been bom with an abundance of en­ ergy,” Katz said. “This will allow me to continue to lead this city while completing my treatment." M ayor Katz intends to serve out her term in office, which ex­ pires at the end of December. by L ee P erlman T he P ortland O bserver M artin L u th e r K ing Jr. Boulevard’s long-delayed Van port Project is not only still alive, but may delivera new Albertson *sgn> cery store to Northeast Portland. The Portland Development Com­ mission announced that the food chain has signed a "letter of inter­ est" about locating a 50,000 square foot market on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard north of Alberta Street as part of the project. According to the PDC, A lbertson’s o f fic ia ls w ill n e g o tia te w ith Vanport’s African-American part­ ners Ray Leary, Jeana Woolley and the Gerding-Edlen Corp, over the next 90 days. PDC staffer Abe Farkas said the com m ission will purchase four single family homes along North­ east Garfield to make room for the p ro je c t. T w o o th e r a d ja c e n t homeowners have refused to sell. As a result, if an A lbertson’s is built, it will be built around the two remaining structures, Farkas said. Conceived in 2001, the project was originally intended to cover three square blocks between North Alberta and Killingsworth streets photo by M ark W ashington ZT he P ortland O bserver Albertsons has an interest in opening a new store on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard north o f Alberta Street on the east side o f MLK, and to include 250,(XX) square feet of hous­ ing and commercial activity as well as structured parking. Over time, as the partners were unable to secure an anchor, the project was cut back in scope. The parking structure was abandoned and PDC abandoned plans to pur­ chase the northernmost block from Multnomah County, the site o f the Multicultural SeniorCenter. PDC Director Don Mazziotti said A lbertson’s could serve as a mag­ net to attract additional investment. But the reality is the marketplace will decide w hat's built there.” munity leader said. "There’s always Commission members Noelle money for housing; PDC is here to W ebb and Janice Wilson made the do the difficult stuff. I would be case for retail over housing inter­ absolutely opposed to housing on ests. this site.” “This is our last chance for a Leary said the Vanport project commercial node on this street,” has been a trying effort, but “1 feel Noelle, an African-American com ­ w e’re closer than ever.” Minority Parking Bid Expands The Alliance o f Minority Cham ­ bers and Star Park has received tw o thum bs up for the m anage­ ment portion o f a m ulti-m illion d o lla r c o n tr a c t to m a n a g e P ortland’s Sm art Park garages. The recom m endation m oves to the Portland City Council for final approval. A frican A m erican C ham ber of Com m erce President Roy Jay said his gro u p ’s bid included proac­ tive m anagem ent and innovative business concepts. Jay p ro m ise s a new attitu d e and a new level o f p u b lic p a rk ­ ing se rv ic e w ith tic k e t booth a tte n d a n ts a s s ig n e d as c o n ­ cierg e level re p re se n ta tiv e s to enh an ce d ow ntow n as a sh o p ­ ping, to u rism and em p lo y m en t d e s tin a tio n . S e v e ra l p riv a te garag e o w n ers are also con sid - The Alliance o f Minority Chambers and Star Park is poised to take over complete management of Portland's Smart Park garages. erin g m oving th e ir c o n tra c ts to the C h am b er a llian ce. The Alliance of Minority Cham ­ bers includes the H ispanic Met- ropolitan C ham ber, Philippine C ham ber o f C om m erce and the A frican A m erican C ham ber of Com m erce o f Oregon. Police Investigate Weekend Shootings __ _ " Myesha Hammick, 28, was shot in the leg in a drive-by shooting at Northeast Prescott and 14,h Place on Sunday. I Tw o separate shooting inci­ dents over the weekend leave po­ lice looking for suspects, motives and evidence. Myesha Hammick, 28, narrowly escaped life-threatening injuries w hen she w as shot in the leg shortly before 11:30 p.m. on Sun­ day, June 13, police said. The motive was not immediately known but Gang Enforcement Team officers said they did not believe Hammick had gang relations. Also on Sunday, approximately half an hour later, police responded to another shooting several blocks away. No one was injured but a parked car was hit with bullets near the Texas Club at North Vancou ver Avenue and Fremont Street. Investigators urge anyone with information about the shootings to call503-823-3333. Former President Clinton and former first lady Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. D-N. Y., stand by their portraits during a ceremony unveiling of the Clinton portraits, Monday, in the East Room o f the White House. (AP photo) White House Portraits Make History Simmie Knox felt connected to Clinton g rew up in H ot S p rin g s, A rk. He is the first b lack p ain ter to be c o m m issio n ed fo r a p re si­ d en tial p o rtra it. “ I knew the d ay he cam e into o ffic e , if I e v e r h av e the ch an ce ( A P) — An a rtis t w hose o f­ to p ain t a p re sid e n t I th in k th is ficial po rtraits o f fo rm er P resi­ is the one. S om ehow I felt th a t.” d e n t C l in to n a n d H illa r y B est know n fo r his p o rtra its R odham C lin to n w as un v eiled o f such c e le b ritie s as b aseb all at the W hite H ouse M onday leg en d H ank A aro n and c o m e ­ says he felt a sp ecial c o n n e c ­ dian Bill C o sb y , K nox w as c h o ­ tio n to C lin to n b ecau se the sen to p ain t C lin to n b ecau se tw o m en grew up p o o r in the the fo rm er p resid e n t and first S o u th . lady liked his d ep ictio n o f J u s ­ S im m ie Knox is se lf-ta u g h t tic e Ruth B ad er G in sb e rg , a a n d w a s b o rn in 1935 in C lin to n a p p o in te e to the S u ­ A lic e v ille , A la., to a fam ily o f p rem e C ourt. b lack sh a re cro p p ers. C lin to n K nox took d o ze n s o f p h o to ­ Ailvertise with diversity in M jJ n i tla tib Q ^biirrttrr Call 503*288-0033 or email: ads@porttanitobserver.com g r a p h s a n d d is c u s s e d w h at C lin to n , 57, w ould like to see in the p o rtra it. “You need to get your m in d ’s- eye im age,” Knox said. “O nce I see you I’ll never forget you. W hen I d o n ’t know you and I work fro m a n im a g ein a photo I' m really feeling in the dark, but when 1 m eet with you and talk to you, it really registers, and all I need is one good exposure.” O ffic ia l p o rtra its o f p re s i­ d en ts and first lad ies o ften are u n v eiled at the sam e tim e, but rarely by the sam e artist. H illary C lin to n ask ed K nox to p ain t her a fte r seein g som e m o ck -u p s o f h er h u sb a n d ’s p o rtra it. a'l’f ^ßnrtlanb (Dbscruer Established 1970 USPS 959-680 ___________________________________ 4747 NE Martin Luther King. Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 E ditor - in -C hif . e , P ublisher : Charles H. Washington EniTOR.Michael Leighton R ep o r ter : Jaymee R. Cuti D istribution M anager : C reative D irector : Get rea MAX weighs 55 tons Look both ways before crossing tracks O ffice M anager : Mark Washington Paul Neufeldt Kathy Linder The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed envelope All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 1996 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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