WWW . THESKANNER . COM
N OVEMBER 28, 2012
P ORTLAND , O REGON
V OLUME XXXV, N O . 8
25
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C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW
New
Ideas on
‘Crime’
TRAGIC FIRE
Harm Reduction
Conference
spotlights alternatives
By Helen Silvis
Of The Skanner News
PHOTO BY JERRY FOSTER
O
verdose, disease, arrest and impris-
onment are among the most serious
consequences of injecting drugs.
Remove overdose and add the danger of
being abused, and the same risks apply to
prostitution. Drug users and sex workers
take the brunt of these risks, but their fami-
lies, children and the community also suffer.
National experts at the 9th annual Harm
Reduction Conference, “From Public
Health to Social Justice”, which convened
in Portland Nov. 15-18, say the way we deal
with drug use and sex work can make a big
difference. The harm reduction approach
works with people who currently use drugs
or work in the sex trade, encouraging them
to identify the risks involved and to take
steps to minimize the resulting harm.
“We started our needle exchange program
22 years ago in 1989,” says Kathy Oliver
Ph.D., executive director of the homeless
youth nonprofit Outside In. “We did it
because we didn’t think it would work to
just tell everyone not to take drugs. It allows
us to meet people where they are at and
move them toward a safer lifestyle, one step
at a time.”
Outside In still operates one of two needle
exchange programs in Portland, and uses
harm reduction alongside other less contro-
versial approaches. Multnomah County
started the second needle exchange program
20 years ago. In partnership with Outside In
and Portland Womens Crisis Line, the coun-
ty also coordinates a “Bad Date Line,” that
encourages sex workers to circulate descrip-
tions of violent or abusive clients.
The conference included the voices of
people who identified themselves as current
drug users or sex workers.
“The cool thing about this conference is, it
lets people who are living this experience
come and have a voice, and share a place at
the table to help make the community asafer
James McClendon is embraced by a friend hours after the fire was extinguished at Mack & Dub’s last week. The
fire is being investigated as an arson, a burglary, and a possible hate crime. The tragedy has a wider impact
because the cafe has become a major community meeting place.
Mack & Dub: We Will Re-Open
Restaurant owners work to recover after devastating fire
Bruce Poinsette
Of The Skanner News
J
ames McClendon and
William Travis, known to
many as Mack and Dub,
have been building their cook-
ing reputation for years.
Despite a fire that severely
damaged Mack & Dub’s
Excellent Chicken and Waffles
last Wednesday, they vow to
push on and re-open.
“We’re committed to our
business, our brand and our
community,” says Travis.
Last week’s fire is being
investigated by the Portland
Police Bureau (PPB) as an
arson, burglary and possible
hate crime.
According to Sgt. Pete
Simpson of the PPB, fire
investigators estimate the
damage at $50,000-$75,000.
McClendon says the owners
will be meeting with adjusters
later this week.
Part of the damage included
racist graffiti.
During an interview with
The Skanner News last week,
Simpson couldn’t specify
what the graffiti said.
McClendon won’t specify
either because he doesn’t want
to empower the perpetrators.
“We didn’t really want to put
it out there because we, as
Black people, have already
been subject to so much
throughout the test of time,”
he says. “I think people
already felt bad enough know-
ing something was put out
there and we don’t want to
give the haters their props.
We’re not going to advertise
what you put on our wall for
you. To me, that’s what they
wanted.”
Mack & Dub’s opened up on
Feb. 1. The owners say the
date was purposeful because
it‘s the first day of Black His-
tory Month.
“It’s a good anniversary
every year,” says Travis.
Both men grew up cooking
and have been in the music
industry for years. McClendon
was a member of the U-Krew,
which was recently inducted
See CAFE on page 3
See HARM on page 3
INDEX
News ............2,3,10,12
Opinion ..................4,5
A & E ......................6,7
Food.......................8,9
Bids/Classifieds ........11
Minority Contracting Initiatives Ready
New City of Portland programs will focus on developing small firms
Bruce Poinsette
Of The Skanner News
T
he City of Portland is rolling out new
initiatives to address disparities in
contracting that negatively affect
women and minority owned firms.
“The idea of this program is to develop
those contractors so that they can take some
of our large contracts,” says Christine
Moody, chief procurement officer for the
City. “As a development over time, the idea
is that a minority contractor or a woman
owned business will be in line to take some
of our largest contracts in the areas such as
sewer construction, water construction,
street improvement, building alteration and
building construction. That’s specifically
where the City bids out 95-98 percent of its
prime contracts.”
With the new Prime Contractor Develop-
ment and Pro fess ional Services Marketing
and Outreach Programs, the City hopes to
create more competitive opportunities and
provide resources for minority, women and
emerging small businesses (MWESB).
According to the City’s 2011-2012 Pro-
curement Services Annual Report, MWESB
See CONTRACTING on page 3