50j¿
‘N-word’ Condemned
years
Use o f racial slur uttered
by Michael Richards
wanted stopped
of
•/community service
‘City of Roses'
f
See story, page A 2
Power & Passion
f
All-women dance
troupe intensity
See story, Metro section
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Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Volume XXXVI. Number 48
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • November 29. 2006
Ministerial
Alliance
Focus
Narrows
Hands over social
programs to SEI
by S arah B lount
T he P ortland O bserv i
r
The Albina Ministerial Alliance, the
church leaders of Portland's African Ameri­
can community, has turned over part of its
public service mission to Self Enhancement,
Inc., the successful non-profit agency serv­
ing African American youth and families.
The AMA had a longstanding relation­
ship with SEI before last month's merger.
I rider the new ex-
Easier Access for Morning After Pill
‘Plan B’ restrictions lifted
by S arah B i . ount
T he P ortland O bserver
Women over the age of 18 no longer need a
doctor’s prescription for what is known as the
morning after emergency contraception pill.
The drug has been rolling out to local phar­
macies as a non-prescription item in the past
couple ot weeks, since being approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August.
t«W
»> BlW*
(L E V O N O M y
Not to be confused with the abortion pill RU-
486, Plan B can be taken up to 72 hours after
Emergency
C
o n tracep tive
intercourse to lower the risk o f pregnancy up to
89 percent.
The pill, manufactured by Barr Pharmaceu­
ticals Inc., comes in a single, two-pill dose that
costs around $40 according to a sampling of
independent and corporate pharmacies in the
Portland area. Men may also purchase plan B.
photo by S arah B i . ount /T iie P ortland O bserv er
The FDA first approved the contraception for The emergency contraceptive known as "Plan B " is now available without a prescription at local pharmacies.
prescription use in 1999. Barr filed an application
the reproductive health center and advocacy
need a prescription to buy the pi I Is - a compromise
for non-prescription use in 2003, and the FDA has
group, has hailed easier access to Plan B as a
for groups in support of the 3 million annual
since struggled with political groups advocating
victory, but have issued a written statement
unplanned pregnancies that occur in the nation.
for over-the-counter availability, and religious
taking issue with the prescription requirement
Ken Hatch, owner and pharmacist of Ainsworth
groups heralding it as an abortion measure.
for girls younger than 18 years of age.
continued y f on page A J
Planned Parenthood Federation o f America,
The FDA ruled that girls 17 and younger still will
PlanBÌ
1
, Week in
The Review
Police Volley
Kills Man
Boot Camp Guards Charged
Seven formerjuvenile boot camp guards
from Florida and a nurse have been
charged with aggravated manslaughter
in the death ot an African American boy
whose rough handling by the guards
was videotaped, a
special prosecutor
said Tuesday.
New York Mayor
Michael Bloom­
berg met Tuesday
with the family of
Hastings
a man killed out­
Brushed Aside
side a stripclubon
House Speaker-to-be
his wedding day by
Nancy Pelosi passed
a barrage of po­
Sean Bell
o
v er Rep. A lcee
Alcee Hastings
lice gunfire. The
H astings, D -Fla.
50-bullet volley was likened to a “fir­ Tuesday for the chairmanship of the
ing squad" by the Rev. Al Sharpton. Intelligence Committee. Hastings was
See story, page A2.
supported by members of the Congres-
sional BlackCaucus. Butcritics pointed
out that he had been impeached when
he was a federal judge.
Bush Denies Iraq Civil War
Visiting Estonia, President Bush has
again rejected assertions that civil war
has broken out in Iraq. Bush also vowed
not to pull U.S. troops out “until the
mission is complete," despite intense
pressure to change
course.
Mother Charged in
Death
China Arnold
A m other was a r­
rested on suspicion of
murdering her new­
born d a u g h te r by
microwaving the baby
_______________
change of respon­
sibilities, the min­
isterial alliance will
continue to focus
on advocacy is­
sues and SEI will
oversee all social
programs. Those
services include
case management,
energy assistance,
em ergency shel­ Rev. Dr. T.
ters and childcare Allen Bethel
resources.
Leaders of the alliance said administra­
tive costs for the social programs had be­
come a burden for the organization, a coali­
tion of African American pastors, ministers
and clergy in more than 125 congregations
of north and northeast Portland.
Alliance board president Rev. Dr. T. Allen
Bethel said the group has found it more
difficult to win financial support from larger
agencies such as United Way because of
the current economic conditions.
In the face of rising administrative costs,
fewer dollars and more competitive contract
bids, the AMA board's unanimous deci­
sion was designed to help the pastors group
stay afloat, keep their programs alive and
return to their roots of social advocacy.
" I his will focus all our resources on rec­
ognizing justice in the community, instead
of spending time raising money to keep
administration of direct services," said Rev.
Dr. LeRoy Haynes, vice president of the
board of directors.
Portland's black clergy originally formed
the alliance in the 1960s to focus on social
justice and spiritual development. The alli­
ance has built a reputation for its support of
combating issues concerning racism, pov­
erty and police misconduct, while building
community relationships, public education
and family and youth advocacy.
For example, AMA was instrumental in
changes within Portland Police Bureau
policy, following the alliance's investiga­
tions into the 2003 death of Kendra James
and the 2004 death of James Jahar Perez.
Haynes said the alliance will broaden its
advocacy focus to include Portland Public
continued
on page A3
in an oven. China Arnold. 26, was
jailed in Ohio Monday on a charge of
aggravated murder, more than a year
after she brought her dead month-old
baby to a hospital with high-hea, in­
ternal injuries.
Face Transplant Success Cited
A year alter a Frenchwoman received
the w orld's first partial face trans­
plant, doctors say the operation was a
success and she is gain­
ing more and more sen­
sitivity and facial mo­
bility. In a new photo,
the patient is almost
smiling and appears to
have b e tte r co n tro l
over her face.