50<
Still Paying More
Regular gasoline in Oregon
averaged 4.29 a gallon Tuesday,
up slightly from last week. Diesel
prices averaged 4.81 a gallon
‘City of Roses’
Gunnin’ forthat #1 Spot
Film follows a group o f
high school all-stars on
the fast track to the NBA
See story, Metro section
bsertier
www.portlandobserver.com
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Volume XXXVIII, Number 25
Wednesday • lune 25, 2008
TLWeek ¡n
Thc Review
Blast Kills 4 Americans
A bom bexpkxled inside an Iraqi
district council building in Sadr
City Tuesday, killing lOpeople,
including four Americans work­
ing to restore local government
and services in the former Shiite
militia stronghold.
Clinton Supports Obama
Form er President Clinton said
through a spokesm an Tuesday
that he is com m itted to helping
Barack Obam a become presi­
dent, his first com m ents in sup­
port o f his wife's form er rival
since their prim ary ended three
weeks ago. See story, page
A 2.
Housing Slump Deepens
Tw o national housing indexes
Tuesday reported record year-
over-year declines in housing
prices in April, a sobering sig­
nal that the housing slum p not
only is deepening, but also en­
gulfing m arkets once above
w ater
photo bv R aymond R endleman /T he P ortland O bserver
Timi Elwood (right) works with residents o f the Laureihurst Village care facility in southeast Portland as a state elder-care advocate.
Helping Those Who Can’t Help Themselves
Consumer Confidence Sinks
U.S. consum ers are gloomy.
Inflation, sinking home values
and soaring gas prices have
pushed the C onference Board's
consum er confidence index to
the lowest level since 1992.
Consum ers' view o f the eco­
nomic future has never been
lower, raising worries that al­
ready weak consum er spend­
ing could deteriorate further.
Imus on Defense Again
Don Imus said
T u e s d a y th a t
he was trying to
"m ak e a s a r­
c a s tic p o in t"
with his latest
on-air remarks
about race, but that they had
been m isunderstood. Imus res­
urrected his radio career six
m onths ago with a pledge to
mend the wounds caused by
the racist and sexist com m ents
he m ade about the Rutgers
wom en's basketball team. See
story, page A2.
California Wildfires
Fire crews joined aircraft from
neighboring states Tuesday to
battle hundreds o f lightning-
caused wildfires across N orth­
ern California. One o f the fires
had already blackened more
than 1 0,(XX) acres.
Nursing homes
need volunteer
state advocates
by R aymond R endleman
T he P ortland O bserver
You must have passion for seniors’ well being and
civil rights to volunteer for weekly visits to nursing
homes.
“I'm working the minute I walk in the door," says
Portland resident Timi Elwood, who immediately
checks for sticky floors and other signs of facility
problems as an elder-care advocate through a state-
mandated program.
Vulnerable populations can get help from the vol­
unteer advocates for residents of nursing homes,
residential care facilities and adult foster care homes
throughout Oregon.
Officials have concentrated a special effort toward
complete oversight of the state's approximately 140
nursing homes, although all the thousands of
Oregon’s elder-care outlets should count on occa­
sional visits.
Asa legally certified ombudsman, a member of this
squad is expected to inspect the conditions of the
assigned nursing home regularly, speak with all resi­
dents about concerns and even check on complaints
at all hours of the night.
“It’s a necessary thing, because some facilities are
horrible,” says Kathy Walter, a volunteer coordinator
through Salem’s Office of the Long-Term Care Om­
budsman.
The governmental agency has received an increas­
ing number of complaints statewide, recording 4,991
last year.
continued
on pane AJ
G oodin the Neighborhood
Annual festival
kicks off Friday
by L ee P erlman
T he P orti . and O bserver
The Good in the Neighborhood Festival
has become almost as much of an institution
for northeast Portland as the Rose Festival
is for the city as a whole; you expect it the
last weekend in June. However, like the
Rose Festival, GITN continues to evolve,
change and grow.
This year, for the first time, the festival
will be not twodays but three. Ocean 503 will
perform from 6 to 10p.m. Friday, June 27, in
King School Park, 4815 N.E. 7th Ave. There
will be vendors providing a variety of ethnic
and American foods.
The next day, Saturday, June 28, there
will be the traditional parade starting at 11
a.m. at Emanuel Hospital and proceeding to
the park via Northeast Russell Street and
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It will
feature public agencies, local businesses,
nonprofits and community organizations. If
you would like to be part of the parade, call
503-282-1288 for information.
When the parade reaches the park, the
festivities will continue from noon to 9:30
p.m., andon Sunday from noon to 7:30 p.m.
There will be music by the festival's stand­
bys Norman Sylvester. Linda Hombuckle,
Patrick Lamb and Chatta Addy’s Susuma.
plus many more. There will be a beer garden
courtesy of McMenamins. There will be a
public information area for public and pri­
vate organizations to provide information.
ACommunity Marketplace will allow local
entrepreneurs to offer unique items for sale.
There will also be a children’s activity area.
continued
on page A3
Linda Hornbuckle
Patrick Lamb
Venus Williams Advances
D efending cham pion Venus
Williams scraped through a tight
first set and then
w
pulled away lor
a 7-6 I
6 I
v ic to rs
I
Puppetry Captures Collective Spirit
Tears o f Joy celebrates 35 years
M on
day
isii
N aom i C ava-
day to begin her bid for a fifth
Wimbledon title.
Amy Gray (left)
and Ithica Tell
perform in the
Lion King for
Tears o f Joy
Theatre.
City Supports New Bridge
Portland M ayorTom Potter and
four City C ouncil m em bers
have signed a letter in support
o f a proposed $4.2 billion 1-5
bridge — tw o weeks before
the council holds its first public
hearing on the project.
I
P hoto ba N ancy A ldrich
citation of Excellence in thc Art of
ba R aymond R endlem an
Puppetry. American puppetry’s
T he P orti . and O bserver
A small theatre company in our highest honor, the company has
backyard has quietly advanced to accolades and respect, if not fat
national recognition foritscommit- wallets, to keep it going.
The theatre's Higher Stages
ment tocommunities in Portland as
it travels thc world delivering the outreach program for disadvan­
taged youth has reached a l()-year
magic of puppetry.
Having completed 35 years of anniversary, exposing the fun of art
service in thc metro area. Tears of construction to more than 2(M)
Joy Theatre has found a groove for youth each year at a half-dozen
its slowly expanding programs
continued
on page AS
As a three-time recipient of the