March I. 2006
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Page A3
BLAZERS Ask for Public
Assistance
Red ink puts team’s
future in doubt
Bn
s
P0rtland^ ai' B'azers lost
^ h e Rose Garden Arena in bankruptcy, it iost
and concessions. Now the team is looking for public assistance to stay viable as an NBA franchise.
I rail Blazer officials are visiting with state
and local political leaders about needing public
assistance in order to stay in Portland, blaming
red ink since owner Paul Allen built the Rose
Garden Arena and then lost the stadium in a
bankruptcy that saw major revenues from the
complex go to his creditors.
Last week, Blazer management spent their
off-court time pitching the idea of a public-
private partnership with Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Portland Mayor Tom Potter, city commission
ers and other political leaders.
A partnership, the Blazers conveyed to the
city, is needed to ensure their survival in Port
land. The plea to become “financially viable"
included no specifics as to how it would happen,
or how much it would cost taxpayers.
Mayor Potter said he'd love to lend a hand,
but not a dollar. No other public official came up
with any promises either.
Blazers owner Paul Allen, listed as the
seventh-richest man in the world, has last
$600 million on the team since he bough, the
NBA franchise in 1988, team officials said.
In 1995, Allen built the Rose Garden Arena
but lost it in bankruptcy court. Creditors now
own the arena and its revenue from luxury
suites, courtside seats and concessions.
The Blazers are expected to lose another
$ 1 (X) million in the next three years, team offi
cials said.
Urban League
Career Fair
The Urban League of Portland
hosts its annual Career Connec
tions Job & Education Fair, Thurs
day, March 9 from 11:30a.m. to5:30
p.m. at DoubleTree Hotel-Lloyd
Center, I (MX) N.E. Multnomah.
The event is free and open to the
public. More than 60exhibitors are
participating this year, represent
ing such industries as banking,
education, government, health care,
media, insurance, social services
and utilities.
Event sponsors include Ameri
can Family Insurance. Enterprise-
Rent a Car, Portland General Elec
tric and Providence Health System.
Utility Files for
Rate Increase
PaciftCorp, the Oregon utility
doing business as Pacific Power, is
seeking to raise its electricity rates
by 13.2 percent.
The company filed the request
with the Oregon Public Utility Com
mission on Thursday. If approved,
the higher rate would take effect in
December.
The request included a 10.8 per
cent hike in rates for residential
customers, and a 19.8 percent in
crease tor large industrial custom
ers. It comes as PaciftcCorp comes
under the control of MidAtlantic
Energy Holding Co. based in Des
Moines. Iowa.
The Oregon PUC approved the
company's sale Friday.
Drug Benefit
Program Help
Multnomah County is working
to provide assistance to seniors
and people with disabilities who
are faced with enrollment problems
in the new Medicare drug benefit
program.
Local residents who have trans
ferred drug coverage from Medic
aid to Medicare have been denied
their medication or been asked to
pay large deductibles and co-pay
ments they cannot afford.
“Ourcase managers are working
feverishly to help resolve this crisis
and assure that our clients don't
tace a health and safety risk due to
not tilling their prescriptions," said
Mary Shortall, m anager of
Multnomah County's Aging and
Disability Services.
The department's has a helpline
at 503-988-3646 that serves as a
clearinghouse to find solutions and
assist people with their Medicare-
needs.
March is National Nutrition Month
A frica n A m e rica n
H e a lth C oalition, Inc,
Join the AAHC and a naturopathic
physician for a free talk and learn
10 Steps to a Healthier You!
March 14th 6:00-7:30 pm
at Emanuel Hospital,
Medical Office Building (MOB) W est
Located at 501 N. Graham
Reserve your space by contacting the AAHC at 503.413.1850 or
saras@aahc-portland.org
H 2010
Racial and Ethnic Approaches Io Community Health
A Program of the African American Health Coalition, Inc.
Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)