rating Women Special Edition
Women Mtike History
in Technology
— See page A7
Olympic games
a battlefield
in equality.
— See page A7
'City of Roses’
Volume XXXVI, Num ber IO
.Week ¡n
The Review
More Schools May Close
Portland School Superintendent
Vicki Phillips could recommend
the closure of between one and 14
schools to save money when a
budget goes to the school board
on April 4. The district closed
schools last year because of a
budget shortfall. There’s no word
yet on which schools are being
considered for closure this year.
Mike Wallace to Retire
Mike W allace,
¿a/
the hard-driving
reporter who has
been with “60
M inutes” since
its start in 1968,
said Tuesday he
will retire as a
regular correspondent on the
show this spring. But the 87-year-
old news legend plans to still do
occasional reports for the show.
New Evidence Shows Beating
Prosecutors confirmed Tuesday
that a 14-year-old Florida boy who
was beaten by guards in ajuvenile
boot camp did not die of a blood
disorder as a medical examiner
initially ruled. Results from a sec­
ond autopsy seem to indicate the
14-year-old African American died
from a beating by guards.
Iraq Suffers Mass Casualties
Iraqi authorities discovered at least
87 men shot to death execution-
style - as Iraq edged closer to
open civil warfare. Twenty-nine
of the bodies were dug out of a
single grave Tuesday in a Shiite
neighborhood of Baghdad. The
bloodshed appeared to be retalia­
tion for a bomb and mortar attack
in the SadrCity slum that killed at
least 58 people and wounded more
than 2(X) two days earlier.
Al-Qaida Case Goes Forward
Established in 1970
www.portlandobserver.com
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Wednesday • March IS. 2006
Mentor for the Next Generation
First woman
governor
stays involved
by S arah B lount
T he P ortland O bserver
O re g o n ia n s saw dram atic
changes in the 1990s that have
shaped much of the state's current
political and cultural landscape.
From 1991 to 1995, Oregon Gov.
Barbara Roberts pushed ahead is­
sues related to child advocacy, af­
fordable housing, environmental
and w ildlife issues and government
efficiency.
She possessed a politically rare
flairfor“leadingby listening.” That
is, gathering opinions from thou­
sands of Oregonians, resulting in
her statewide taxation discussion -
Conversation with Oregon.
Roberts served one term as gov­
ernor, but she never left the politi­
cal spotlight. More than 10 years
after her tenure as the state's first
and only woman governor, Rob­
erts keeps a high profile: she's writ­
ing her second book, an autobiog­
raphy, she speaks at several en­
gagements each month, and she’s
involved with three volunteer
projects at Portland State Univer­
sity, a school she attended and has
had a long-term association with.
Roberts officially retired a year
ago, but laughingly attributes her
busy schedule to an inability to say
no.
photo by M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Having lived through the break­
Former Gov. Barbara Roberts, the first woman to hold Oregon's highest office, continues her life
through era of women' s rights, say-
of advocating for future generations.
ing no and rejecting the status quo,
was a defining characteristic of her
generation.
Roberts stepped into the politi­
cal arena as an unpaid lobbyist in
1969, on behalf of her autistic son,
Mike, progressing to school board
member, state representative and
secretary of stale. She then made
history by su c c e e d in g N eil
Goldschmidt as governor, with an
administration known forits strong
support of gay rights arid appoint­
ment of women to state govern­
ment positions.
"Women in my generation, and
slightly younger, opened doors
because we were very aware of the
shortcomings in equality," Roberts
said.
The last few generations have
enjoyed the benefits of equality,
but Roberts recognizes threats,
like South Dakota's recent ban on
abortion, as an example of its frailty.
"We may have failed to help the
next generations understand what
it is like to fight those battles,”
Roberts said.
She recalled the backlash of
years past when the Equal Rights
Amendment failed in many states,
causing women to feel seriously
rejected as citizens. But it followed
an advance of women entering
politics.
“ If they co u ld n 't get into the
Constitution, they 'd get into city
council, the state legislature, and
would seek other public office. It
only takes one cause, one piece
o f anger, to make you political,”
continued
on page AS
■M M M M M M HH M M M HHHM M N
Community Advocate
to Decision Maker
The judge in the
Zacarias Mous­
saoui sentenc­
ing case d e ­
cided Tuesday !
to allow the gov­
ernment to con- ■
tinue to seek the death penalty
against the confessed al-Qaida
conspirator, but also threw out
key testimony for the prosecu­
tion. saying it had been riddled !
with “significant problems.”
»
Dam in Hawaii Bursts
A dam on the Hawaiian island of
Kauai apparently failed Tues­
day, sending torrents o f water
gushing from a reservoir to the i
Pacific Ocean, the Coast Guard
said. Seven people were re- !
ported m issing. It has rained
heavily across Kauai in the past
few days.
More SAT Scoring Problems
The College Board disclosed
Tuesday that an additional 1,6(M)
SAT scores have not been re­
checked from an exam in October
that had scoring problems.
Better schools and healthcare are priorities for Lew Frederick in
his campaign for county commissioner.
Lew Frederick joins
county commission race
S arah B io in t
T he P ortland O bserver
enables him to know the right
people and ask the right questions.
I xw Frederick has been a teacher,
"I'm going to be out there," he
television reporter and public voice said. "Yon have to show your face,
for Portland Public Schools. Now you can't do it institutionally.”
the longtime community advocate
He sees healthcare, social jus­
wants to make a difference in the tice, emergency preparedness and
seat of county government.
most importantly education as the
Frederick is in a competitive race serious issues in the race.
for Multnomah County Commis­
( )ne of his concrete ideas for the
sioner in District 2. which includes betterment of educating local chil­
north and northeast Portland. The dren is to put more political weight
incumbent Serena Cruz is vacating behind after-school programs like
her seat due to term limits
Schools Uniting Neighbors (SUN),
Frederick is confident that his
continued
on page AS
experience in building relationships
by
Lew Frederick at age 3 next to his 103-year-old great grandfather in Scotlandville, La., in
1954. His mother, father and sister are on the left. Frederick's grandmother (far right)
founded what later became Missouri Head Start.