Front Street Weekly; 308

[music] [music] [music] Oregon Public Broadcasting presents Front Street Weekly, a television magazine featuring news and arts coverage from an Oregon perspective, with Gwyneth Gamble and Jim Swenson. [music] [Gwyneth] Good evening I'm Gwyneth Gamble.

Welcome to Front Street Weekly. [Jim] And I'm Jim Swenson, and here are some of the highlights of the stories that we'll be seeing tonight. Handgun Laws in Oregon. Outmoded, inconsistent, and in many places, unenforced. An example, permits for concealed weapons. [Different speaker] The standards are maintained by sheriffs throughout the state. Those standards vary from some counties issuing none at all to other counties issuing them basically on a random basis. [Gwyneth] Reports are that Oregon's employment picture is looking up, but a whole new group of unemployed have been left behind in the recovery. [Jim] The Portland TV ratings race and how that affects the news you see each evening at 5:00. [Gwyneth] She's persistent, dedicated, and determined. Meet Oregon's prisoner's advocate Claire Argow [Claire] Practically every man there is going to come out. If we do nothing for him in the prison, he's going to come out worse and worse. [Jim] And we'll go on an artistic odyssey with some very creative kids.

[Gwyneth] Correspondent Steve Amen takes his life in his own hands investigating Saturday night wrestling. [Jim] When Morton Grove, Illinois passed a ban on handguns, about a dozen towns in America responded by requiring everyone to have a gun. One of those places was Chiloquin, Oregon Oregon, and we visited Chiloquin as part of a look at our state's gun regulations regulations that pro- and anti-gun groups say are hopelessly outdated and inconsistent. Trish ?Neiworth? narrates our report. [Trish] Welcome to Chiloquin, a town of about 800 people in Eastern Oregon, where logging pays most of the bills, and people retain a fierce sense of independence. [Different speaker] And I'm sure that if anything ?got? serious, where we had the police action, such as they had in Grenada the other day, I think Chiloquin could pretty well [inhales] stand up for itself and take care of it. And still hold their town. It'd take a damn big army to take this little town. Probably everybody in it s'got 10 guns and a thousand rounds of

ammunition. I don't believe you could push us around much. [laughs] [Trish] Chiloquin gained a certain amount of notoriety about a year and a half ago. That's when city officials passed an ordinance requiring all households to have a firearm. The only exceptions were for religious reasons, or if the head of the household had a physical or mental disability. Convicted felons were also exempt. Jack Ulam proposed the law when he was mayor. He admits it was meant to be symbolic. [Jack] It didn't affect anybody. Everybody had guns here. That everyone is a sportsman or have guns for protection or. Whatever. I doubt very much of it. Created. One gun sale There were a few people. Uh, well. Call them old grandmas. That. Lived alone that didn't want a gun

and there was no reason for them to get a gun. [Trish] Even though city officials haven't enforced the law, people here still think it's a good idea. [Different speaker] It's a protest against all the rights that everybody's trying to take away from us. Congress and everybody else, they keep dingin' atcha and dingin' atcha. A little bit here and a little bit there and pretty soon they'll have 'em all. And that's the reason why we passed it. [Different speaker] My husband got shot two years ago and nothing happened to the guy. So that's why we went out and got our guns, ha. You know, if you have to do the Sheriff's jobs you need guns. [Different speaker] I feel very strongly about the private ownership of guns, and I think this is the community's way of taking a counteraction against what was done in some other communities where guns were banned. [Trish] So you think this is a way of sending a message to legislators. [Same speaker] Yes. [Trish] The message comes through loud and clear. Guns were how the

West was won. So any attempt to try to regulate them has been met with strong opposition. During the past 10 legislative sessions, lawmakers have wrestled with new gun regulations and have failed to make any substantial changes. That's left Oregon with a 60 year old firearms ordinance that hasn't kept pace with the times, and both pro- and anti-gun control forces agree the laws need to be modernized and made more consistent from county to county. [Different speaker] The Oregon statute, which was passed in 1925, I would say is a dead letter, in Oregon today. It is virtually unenforced throughout the 36 counties of the state, and, uh, in the view of some is unenforceable because it is antiquated and, um, and simply been unused for so long that no one believes it to be enforceable. [Different speaker] It varies so widely in enforcement that it, uh, might as well in certain situations not be, um, there at all.

all. I understand it's terribly hard to get a conviction under some of the statutes because they are so vague and contradictory. [Different speaker] You want it for home protection or just to carry in the woods, or? [Another speaker] More just carry around the woods and stuff. [Trish] The old law covers the sale and possession of concealed weapons, like pistols and revolvers. It requires dealers like Mo Bragg to keep a record of each handgun sold, and to send those records to the local police or county clerk. The dealer also must wait roughly five days between the time he sells a handgun and when he gives it to the buyer. Gun control proponents say five days is too short a time to wait. They say the records of sale should be checked out more thoroughly to ensure guns don't wind up in the wrong hands. And they say special licensing of handgun dealers is needed. On the other hand, anti-gun control groups argue the waiting period should be waived in many cases, and that special licensing of dealers isn't necessary. While the two sides have obvious disagreement, there is one issue where they see eye to eye.

That is the need for uniform standards for concealed weapons permits. Right now local sheriffs decide who can legally carry a concealed handgun outside their home or business. Tuck Wilson and Gretchen ?Kaforhe?, long time gun control supporters, say that system just isn't working. [Tuck] The standards are maintained by sheriffs throughout the state. Those standards vary from some counties issuing None at all to other counties issuing them basically on a, on a random basis to anyone who asks. [Trish] John and Dot Nicholls, officers in the Oregon State Rifle and Pistol Association and avid target shooters, agree the lack of standardization is a big problem. Like ?Kaforhe? and Wilson, they want to see objective standards drawn up. Standards that will be enforced statewide. The county that usually tops the list in number of permits granted is Klamath County, where Chiloquin is located. Last year the Klamath County Sheriff's

Office gave out 913 permits. Undersheriff Dean Schellenberg says "You have to be a county resident to get a permit here but it's not feasible to double check that." [Undersheriff] Well we don't go out and beat on the door and see if John Jones actually lives there. Uh, I guess we, uh, still try to t-trust people. But they have to show a Klamath county address. [Trish] Besides being a county resident, applicants must meet 2 criteria that are spelled out by state law. Criteria that are subjective and open to interpretation by local law enforcement officials. [Undersheriff] Have to be of good moral character. Uh, no felony convictions. And... have a need for a concealed weapon. The mere fact that they want one is not good enough. They have to at least tell us of a need, whether or not it's legitimate, uh,

we don't know. But if they say that they carry a large amount of money, as an example, a payroll or something like that, we're not going to call them a liar and say "No, you don't." But that would be a legitimate thing [Trish] In contrast, Multnomah County defines 'legitimate need' very strictly. Last year, Sheriff Fred Pearce issued just four concealed weapons permits. They went to people who could show there was a direct threat to their lives. Typically, the permits are good for 60 days, not 1 year, as in Klamath and other counties. [Different speaker] Many times that, uh, that the carrying of a concealed weapons will give people the, the uh, feeling that their, they can go into things and do things they shouldn't be into and shouldn't be doing. Uh, a single person carrying large sums of money, with or without a concealed weapon, chances are that they're going to get end up getting shot. And may or may not be able to shoot back. Uh, if you're not armed, generally, uh

a-and you're, you're uh, uh, subject to the, an armed robbery, the money is taken and most people are not injured in that process. [Trish] Sheriff Pearce doesn't see a problem in the fact that his policy differs from the one in Klamath County. He says what's appropriate in the state's most populous area may not be right elsewhere. He doesn't think the law should be changed so that everyone adheres to the same standards [Sheriff] This is a metropolitan county in which there are over a thousand police officers in the counties and the cities of the county. Police officers are not that far away from from an incident that requires an armed Intervention so I believe that it really is different than rural counties. [Trish] Should rural and urban counties be held to the same standards? The interim Judiciary Committee has been asked to say yes. They've been asked to consider a uniform

concealed weapons code and to clear up other inconsistencies in the old law. If they do it could mean that people in Chiloquin won't be able to pass laws requiring everyone to have a handgun and it could force Multnomah county to let more people walk around with handguns hidden under their coats. That's a risk people say they're willing to take. But making it happen won't be easy. The standard set forth that would work in Multnomah County as an example or Washington County Clackamas County probably aren't as practical as they would be in Harney County or Lake county or Klamath county. So. It's pretty tough to set a good standard an equal standard for everybody with a just within the state of Oregon because we've gone, we've got different a little bit different lifestyles. [Jim] The co-chairman of the interim Judiciary Committee state senator Jan Wire says he's not sure whether the group will put gun control on its agenda. There are a number of other pressing questions to deal with. And he says Committee members haven't expressed that much interest in

tackling the issue. If the committee doesn't take up gun regulations in Oregon handgun alert and the Oregon State Rifle and Pistol Association will ask the last governor to appoint a special task force similar to the one that came up with a new drunk driving law. (guitar and drum music) [Gwyneth] According to economists Oregon is slowly recovering from this latest recession. Overall employment figures are looking better and spending is up. But with this slight recovery a new casualty of the recession has emerged. The dislocated worker. [Other speaker]: For eighteen years Berlin Mills has driven to this mine in Riddle and worked for Hanna mining company. He was proud to work in the only nickel mine in the United States in those 18 years he built a home raised five sons and became the head furnace

operator. [Other speaker]: "Now it was the best job I've ever had in my life." But last year that changed. Hana Nickel closed its doors and Vernon Mills became one of the 20,000 dislocated workers in Oregon today. Put simply dislocated workers are people who have outlived the need for their job skills skills they've honed on the job often working for the same company for more than 10 years. The latest figures show that Oregon's unemployment picture is improving but Berlin is 54 years old. Most places won't even consider him for a job. And now the unemployment checks have run out. "Well it kind of, kind of shakes a guy up some you know but right now I have 20 years of seniority at Hana. And Hana had to put the word out a while back that they anticipate providing that they got a eliminate a lot of ifs They anticipate starting about November 1

and the guy with my seniority why would they hire me when they can hire 20 year old guy or 22 year old guy that will stay" Worker dislocation isn't a new problem. Any time there's a shift in the economic base like Oregon's move away from lumber and fishing there is some worker dislocation but never before has it been so widespread a problem. Economists blame foreign competition outdated plants and the economic depression. But workers don't care what the reasons are. All they know is that they spent the majority of their working lives on the same job learning skills that are no longer needed. Despite these setbacks the Mills don't want to move. They own their own land and all the major bills are paid off. They are barely able to make ends meet by selling some of the wood on their land and raising sheep. But Berlin still worries about his son's future financial obligations to help the youngest son through through college at birth. hope they make it They raised our Blue Cross medical insurance I couldn't pay it I got no

medical insurance at all. Although Mills believes the reports the economy is getting better. He told field reporter Elizabeth Allen he didn't think it would help. "In some industries Yes. But not in steel and metals related industries." Do you think they'll ever come back to the way they were. "No.. at least not without government help on controlling imports. But I saw tougher times than this I got I learned a long time ago to think positive I'm not going to sink." Wayne Wright and his wife Joyce share the same worries. They are two of many in Coos Bay who are just scraping by. Wright worked at the Coos head lumber mill for 25 years. It is a privately owned company and one of the last to shut down. But when part of the mill burned down last year Coos Head sent the workers home for good. Wright hasn't worked since.

"Oh when it first happened we just figured a short vacation you know just kind of do a few things that we had been putting off with. It didn't work out that way. Took a lot longer vacation we planned on." With two kids at home and one planning to go to college. The only way the Wrights manage is with money from Joyce's part time job. "Well he was getting cut back on his. Days. You know work days and all around the area things were shutting down and getting bad and I had been kind of in the back of my mind I wonder what's going to happen with Coos Head I wonder. You know maybe I shouldn't be looking for work and one night I have to see maid job in the paper and I told Wayne, I said I'm going to go down right now and see about that because I think we're going to need some extra income around here."

I do what I can and try keep busy. It's hard. I've Been working all my life and then to sit around and do nothing really, really hurts ya. Right Mills are members of the new unemployed. Unlike the unemployed youth or chronically unemployed. These are people with well-developed skills who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. State and Federal Employment agencies aren't equipped to help them. Officials agree that worker dislocation will continue to be a problem. Technology change is changing rapidly and then it just accelerates and so we'll see changes in production methods in the future at a much more rapid rate than we have in the past. Well I think that that the problem of dislocated workers is probably something that comes in cycles. That as we remember back in the 50s and again in the 60s there have been cycles of dislocation as far as the work force goes. And in all likelihood those will

probably continue. So what is Oregon doing to help dislocated workers. So far community colleges are offering most of the help. They sponsor workshops, job search help and retraining programs but most of the retraining programs like this one in Umpqua community college are only for the highly skilled worker. This program only serves 40 people in a year and those 40 had to show a good knowledge of college level reading and writing, high school algebra, Blueprint reading, and basic hydraulics. what I was hoping is to gain enough out of this programs where I can gain a job in this particular field. I'm rather interested in robots and computers. And I'd just like to get into that field instead of where I was. The Bureau of Labor and Industries has an apprenticeship program that places workers in on the job retraining. But the program is small only serving 3000 people and not all are dislocated workers.

You cannot start somebody in a job that doesn't exist. Training does not necessarily create jobs. We have no control over the wages so part of the assessment that would take place in any type of program whether it would be a job training program an apprenticeship program or anything else is going to have to be talking with that individual and finding out if she or he would want to start at perhaps a lesser wage or would they be willing to relocate The Job Training and Partnership Act was put into effect last year but so far hasn't sponsored any programs. The money that was allocated for last year was not used. In October, when they get their budget, they plan on funding programs that the local job commissions want to start. But most commissions haven't made any proposals. Well certainly more should be done than has happened in the past couple of years. But I think with the new legislation that will be coming into effect the first of October you will see dislocated worker programs operating in most of the areas in our state and in most areas in other states as well.

Judy Miller is with the Mid Willamette Valley jobs council. She's been running one of six federal test programs for dislocated workers and plans to continue next year. So far their job placement rate has been about 30 percent. But wages are lower. The average wage of the person who entered our program their average wage at their previous job at this point has been about $10 and forty two cents an hour. Of the people we've placed their average wage placement is around $7 and 50 cents an hour. So my answer to your question is that given our area the mid Williamette Valley and the fact that we have very few large businesses in our area and very few union shops in our area wages in other manufacturers are not as high as what you would have found in lumber and wood products. The only other program the state offers is for workers in retraining. They can apply to get their unemployment checks while going to school full time. But the qualifications

are so strict that the state turned down one half of the 200 applicants. Community and church organizations run frequent workshops and operate food and clothing banks. While this taping was in progress we weren't able to find any business or labor organizations with programs other than referral. Some private employment agencies like this one in Coos Bay have free programs to help dislocated workers. They offer career counseling and testing, Job Search help and some retraining. But most workers don't know about them. Until now most of these people have never been out of work so they don't know how to use the system or where to go for help. Willy Manton confident that help for dislocated workers is increasing He says there needs to be a cooperative effort between labor, business, education, and the state. I think that that the the state and the business community and education virtually everyone has been trying to work on some part of the problem and they've

been moderately successful in many cases in working on their part. The cooperation and the interfacing of all of these different parts is something that I think takes time. But families like the Mills and the Wrights don't have any more time. It is it's getting a lot scarier because you know last year he didn't work any at all you know and he's not eligible for unemployment benefits. And when his extensions run out that's it and there is no way in the world that we're going to be able to live on the small wage that I get and I'm just a part time employee that I think about that sometimes and it scares me and I wonder what are we going to do and how are we going to manage Just have to wait and see what happens

Since October. Job training and partnership has funded local programs throughout the state for job retraining. The state of Oregon has a toll free number to call for information about programs for dislocated workers in your area. Call 1 800 422 3600 You probably read in the papers or heard through the grapevine that at 5 o'clock in the Portland area KOIN TV news is rated number one. KATU news is rated number two and KTW news is rated number three. But. So what you say. What dothese ratings mean and how do they affect the News you see at 5:00. [background noise, music] This

is the 5 o'clock edition of channel 2 news with Jim Bosky and weather...Now your news Specialists Kathy Smith, Bill Lagatuda Jim Little with weather, and Scott Linn with sports. This is news 8 at 5 newsroom 6 is next [music] Good evening, good evening, good evening everyone. In Junction City teachers and students already have begun preparing for the last day... (continues under report) It's 5:00 o'clock in the Portland area and out of the 800 and some odd thousand television sets in the market. Two hundred ninety three thousand are tuned into the local news that's only 36 percent of the possible viewers in our area. These may just sound like numbers to you but to local TV executives at K2 KOIN and KGW they translate into advertising dollars. And at five o'clock channels two six and eight are battling it out for every extra viewer they can get. It's a ratings race in Portland and that affects the news you

see at 5:00. It is an orchestra. Television ratings, an alphabet soup full of numbers. Audience research information compiled by Arbitron and the well known AC Nielsen Company is published several times a year. The book as it's often referred to measures the audience size for all TV shows and analyzes that audience by age, sex, and even location. All these numbers are interpreted by TV salespeople and the cost of buying commercial time within any show is gauged by how many people watch that show. The ratings tell advertisers where their money can best be spent to reach the most people. In the Portland area during the local 5 o'clock news, dropping one Nielsen rating point can mean the loss of up to $80,000 for one station in just three months. With that kind of money involved the competition between stations for viewers of 5 is fierce. But it said that competition breeds excellence. And according to KGW news director

Paul Sands it's the viewer who profits. What it does is it increases the competition. It makes you all on your toes more and the people at home are the ones that get served. They get better product, better news coverage, better content day after day after day. The competition for viewers at 5 o'clock really begins at 4 with what is called the lead in show. The theory is the more people tuned into your station at 4 the more likely they will stay tuned to watch local news at 5. So the local ratings race begins at 4 with Merv, Donahue, and Charlie's Angels vying for your attention. And the race continues through the 5 o'clock news. But does Merv Griffin actually bring a local audience to Channel 2 News? KATU News Director Jon Klein. The indication is that Merv doesn't provide a huge audience for us at this point in fact our tune in

at 5 isn really substantial. But as I say Merv is beginning to improve in its ratings so I would suppose they'll be some carryover as time goes on with that program. The Phil Donahue Show which previously aired at 4pm on channel 6 has moved to KGW Channel 8 at 4:00 p.m. The question for Channel 8 will Donahue increase KGW's ratings at 5. It's an information oriented program. It. Has good topics has a loyal viewership and I think it will help to the extent that if you attract people before your news who are interested in information topicality and important events that then they have a natural tendency to stay with you. The big thing that channel 6 wants to accomplish with Charlie's Angels is to knock the heck out of Donahue which channel 6 feels was stolen from them in a certain sense. They don't hold it against Channel 8 but they do hold it against the man who sold the show out from under them.

Theoretically I think the- the thought is that- that it's possible because of the type of program it is in competition with what's on the air at the same time on the other stations it might be- might be affected but. There is no word yet on whether the Antelope school district... Their names are household words and whether any news director will openly admit it, the anchorperson is the number one reason the viewers will choose one station over another for local news. These local celebrities are also the main forum of competition between each station. The major reason why people do watch television station is because they like the anchors. They generally expect everyone to cover the news but they'll pick one station over another because they like the people who are delivering the news. We try to have, make sure people will be keen to maintain their individuality on the air that they be themselves and they be real

Something else I understand they're doing a whole El niño Love Boat. Yeah we're going to have we're having movie Hollywood is talking. They're human beings obviously they have personalities and that is important. It's important for people at home to want to watch other people telling them what's going on. [news sounds] What the emphasis This is here it's on the content of the program and the make up of that program. The way in which stories are done and less on the people who are doing the stories or those who are anchoring the newscasts. Oregonian TV critic Peter Farrell says the image of the local anchor is at least as important as the substance of the newscast is. I think Mike Mike Donahue brings to KOIN that that CBS look of dependability which matches their network news. channel 2 with Stan and other people who wants a young look. And I'm just not sure what channel 8 is doing.

Image. Portlanders are bombarded every day with nebulous phrases like news specialists, solid integrity, and detailed informative, and complete. Big money goes into Portland image making promotions and signs of the ratings race are glaringly apparent in ,magazines, newspapers. Bus boards, and billboards. So what is each station's news image KOYN news director Ted Bryant. I hope. That they that we're viewed as being an unbiased fair, direct, presenter of the news and that we are dependable and perhaps a little stodgy I suppose. You take Channel 6 as being a more complete, national, international, solid cast. I think of them as being a little more stolid. They would be. aggressive. Innovative and thorough.

They see us as a bright young organization on the move. A young appeal with a little bit of flash and a little more noise and little more helicopter-ish than the other newscast. Right now I think we may be perceived as a station that's trying to offer you more immediacy, that's offering you. more special things to look for. But mostly I think of them I think of weather and sports. But does all the competition, and do all the dollars really add up to a difference in audience viewing habits. I think every news audience is basically loyal unless they get a reason to change. A habit is a tough thing to break. I'm sure everybody in town has seen all the newscasts at least a few times and they know what the differences are and they've they've formed their opinions on whatever they form them on. Competition helps us all be better because we're all trying hard. We're all working hard to get there first. I want to win you know and when the book comes out I'm really looking with a great deal of anxiety and hope

that things will work out fine. To some degree we treat it like a ball game, you want to , you want to be ahead when the game is over and so sure compared to whatever happened second being first is a whole lot better. Meanwhile the November rating period has ended though we have not yet been provided with any results to report to you. Yes and now no matter who comes out on top, the local sales departments at each station are beginning the task of interpreting the ratings for their sponsors to place their newscast in the best possible light and a very fine art that is. Well, the subject of crime and the treatment of those who commit crimes, arouses strong reactions from many citizens. Many feel that our justice system is not working. Some are demanding more prisons and stiffer sentences. Others want more and better rehabilitation programs. Tonight Eileen Pincus Walker will introduce us to Claire Argo, a woman who has had many years of contact with prisoners and the state's correctional system. [male voice] Anyway the total cost for that then for the biennium we have is is ninety four thousand two hundred dollars. Please note that that does include the 5 percent wage set aside for next year. And you

may not occur. So therefore 5 percent would be... [Walker] For almost 40 years Claire Argo's been recognized in Oregon as a prisoner's advocate a woman who's not afraid to be in the eye of the storm when changes are needed in the state correctional system. When she began her much honored career in the late 1920s Mrs. Argo believed that all people have a spark of good in them which can be fanned into brightness in the right circumstances. After nearly 50 years of crusading for better correctional programs after contact with thousands of prison inmates she still believes in that spark of goodness and she's still vigorously working for better programs. Now as a member of the community corrections advisory committee for Multnomah County. [Argo]I'm might just as well be honest though I am absolutely opposed to prison. I don't think that prison accomplishes very much. If anything. Now I am willing to concede that until we know better ways of approaching the crime problem we're going to have to utilize prisons. But

I would like to see them utilized as seldom as possible instead of that we just keep adding to them. [Walker]Does the idea of punishment then have no place. [Argo]I think that going to prison itself is punishment. It's something that, that is humiliating. Interestingly enough most criminals have very low opinions of themselves. And. So we say you're right. You aren't any good. So we're going to put you in a cage and keep you there. And when your have done the right number of years according to our laws we'll let you out. That certainly doesn't improve his self-image. [Walker]In 1945 Claire Argo came to Oregon with her husband and their young son. Fortunately the Oregon Prison Association was looking for an energetic executive director to spearhead their reform efforts. And Claire got the job which she held for 15 years. The challenge of the 40s was a bit overwhelming for the new executive

director and the small membership of the Oregon Prison Association. [Argo]We had two cellblocks A and B and when we went in the young cellblocks themselves were damp from water that had seeped in there were bugs all over the place. There was no program to speak of. There was nothing. There was nothing more nor less than a holding device. And I think probably the only. work we had for the inmates other than just pushing a mop around was in the flax mills and one of the first things there that we had to tackle over was to get some protection from for the men because they were working there without masks without any kind of protection. [Walker] But the association was inspired to immediate action, when Mrs. Argo found a copy of a survey made at the state prison by noted penologist David McGee. [Argo]And in that copy. He said that the

most important thing at the prison was to get the kids out. And he meant kids. 14 year old boys sent to the prison for car theft. We had Boys Town at the prison. It was just shocking. [Walker]You're talking about in Salem, the men's prison in Salem. [Argo] The penitentiary. That's right. And. So one of the first things that my board decided to do was to try to find a second institution where we could transfer these youngsters. So we started out. We called it the intermediate institution because that's what Dick McGee called it. And it took us three sessions of the legislature before we ever got it through. [Walker]What year was this. [Argo]But we did get it through. It was open in '59 [Walker] At the Oregon State Penitentiary. The old cell blocks A and B are gone now and other significant changes have been made. So how does Mrs. Argo see that facility today.

[Argo]In the beginning we were probably in the lowest 10. I would say that as of now we are certainly in the top 10 and maybe in the top five. No I'm very proud of what we have done and I'm very proud of Hoyt Cupp. And I'm glad he will continue to do. But let's be honest Hoyt Cupp can't do anything without public support. And this is my quarrel. I wonder how many of these people who are so critical have ever gone into or jail or a prison. If they can walk through that prison in Salem and tell me to my face that that's a country club they have a very strange concept of country clubs. [Walker]Are they overcrowded. [Argo] Oh yes. But you see they wouldn't be if I could get my people out on alternative positions. [Walker] It's your perception now that there are people in prisons even now who would be better

served in community corrections. [Argo] I'd be willing to guess that we could find 40 percent of the people who are in there, the non-violent, and let them go out in the community under supervision. And work. [Walker] And you know that scares a lot of people. [Argo] Why? They could be taking a bus today and as sitting right next to a man who was released from the prison yesterday. [Walker] There is a public conception out there that the correctional system is just a treadmill. The same prisoners go in, the same people come out, and on and on and on it goes. [Argo]They all come out. Practically every man there is going to come out. If we do nothing for him in the prison he's going to come out worse and worse and worse than he was the first or the second or the third time that he went in. He is more of a threat to you, the outsider when he comes out, than he ever was before he went in. Now don't

misunderstand me. I am not planning to open the doors of the prison, if I could and release all of these people. I think we have a percentage of people whom we simply don't know enough. Maybe if they were sick they would be termed inoperable. And those people are always going to have to be kept in custody because we don't know enough to prepare them for the outside world which is very difficult today. [Walker] So for the person out there who says Claire Argo you're a starry eyed liberal. Do gooder. [Argo] I'm proud of that title. Wouldn't worry me one bit. You don't get rich when you do the kind of work I've done all my life. But you get a satisfaction. I have a gal who still writes to me. Who came to us as a murderer, penitentiary. Who tells me that she could never have made it, either in or out,

if it hadn't been for me. Now where do you get rewards like that. Good. Ah,we are on our way (chuckles) [Swenson] Clara's dedication was recognized in the naming of the Clare Argo center at Multnomah county's first and only jail for women. Although the center was closed when the new Criminal Justice Center opened it is still possible that the county commission will again consider opening the Argo center. Gwyn. [Gamble] And now we have some scenes of molten art by Buzz Williams and a view of some cultural events coming up soon. [music]

Private art classes are becoming more popular every day. Multnomah art center which we'll visit next calls itself the Fred Meyer of the art world the center funded by Portland Bureau Parks and Recreation has 900 students of all ages and ability levels. We join the students in the classes for toddlers and young children to watch them create. Kendra Has an idea a new way to mix paint. She's decided that washing her brush out after each color is a waste of time. So she shows her dad her discovery at the Multnomah Arts Center parent toddler class. Well, you've got a little bit of everything that right? Joel doesn't know it but Kendra is going to collaborate with him using some of her paint mixing techniques. He doesn't mind a bit. Neither does the teacher Sandra Gee. She says it's wrong to spoil the moment.

I would like to know what they're thinking. That's such a marvelous moment to me. That's one of the reasons I love teaching this class because when- when a child is first exposed to something the first time in life it's so thrilling. Children are very conditioned by remarks like Oh that is really nice and I don't like that one so much or can you make this one a little bit more like that. You know. Both from teachers and parents and grandparents other older people in their lives even older brothers and sisters. And I think it's really important to accept their art the way they make it. Sandra says it's fun to watch parents and children explore ideas and material together. The results are always a surprise. Particularly when they do those Rorschachs where they unfold a piece of paper and they've just put some daubs on there and they have no idea that when they unfold it it's going to come out something symmetrical and with a beautiful design.

While Mina and her mother try shell painting, Joel is learning how to make Play-Dough. Each child is encouraged to try a little of everything. And that not only is good for their creativity but for their sense of self and self-esteem which is very important to all children whether they're going to grow up to be artists or not. This sense of individuality and self has to be well developed before they can be successful adults. Sandra says she always tells children to sign their work. This lets everyone know that creation is a part of the artist. That's a really important thing in art I think it's. Art says this is me. After school Joshua Breitbart can hardly wait to get to the class for 6-10 year olds at the Multnomah Art Center. He draws all the time at home. Last summer when the Breitbart's were on vacation a passer-by in an airport commented on Joshua's drawings and said he should

develop his talent. Now the Art Center is a very important part of his life. He loves to be up to his elbows in paint. Teacher Deborah Olson is trying an experiment. Painting to music. When I play the music today I'm interested in letting them feel the music and put those rhythms and movements and direction of movements that they feel onto the paper. The activity is feverish and no one is short of ideas. Color, line, and form quickly turn into individual artistic expression. [music] This painting is of a large bird. These going so fast, this is the wind? At the next table is a cheerleader being chased by a bee and a bumble bee smelling a flower. What's it getting

from the flower? Honey. But there isn't much time to admire. We are now going to paint to Star Wars. [Star Wars theme music] Will Hathaway the director of the Art Center says this is the perfect environment for letting yourself go. You can't do this in your home. I mean your- your your kitchen would look like a bomb went off you know if you tried to do that there you got to have a place to show off. Don't worry about it. But if we can get children to begin to feel free using the material they will then not have those breaks so many adults, or as people get older, they- well like I don't know how to do that I'm afraid to use it I don't want to mess up a nice parchment of paper And that's the biggest thing that holds any person

back from creating. It's just that the impetus to go ahead and move in to something. Summer tells us how her painting developed. So I just planted what ever it is right there and I just thought I could put stars around it so I just did. while One student finds out it's wonderful to paint without using a brush. Andy talks about his picture of a band. Tell me about your band. I can tell what he's doing. Isn't he beating the drum. What's this person doing? Tell me about him. Blowing on a horn. Blowing on a horn, of course. Joshua is coloring on the floor lost in his imagination. Heidi explains her spaceship. It remembers that we- the close encounting. It remembers you have Close Encounters, of the third kind? The first one The first Close Encounters. It's landing. Withe the boy in it.

The boy is in it. What is he saying. They take the boy with them. He wanted to go didn't he. If a spaceship came and landed on earth would you get in. Huh uh. You wouldn't? I've ran away from it. There are other paintings to music. A song called Wipeout is a favorite it seems. [music] Now the papers are full of wave like shapes and by the time the music ends a couple of daring surfers are riding the waves. [music] The last assignment is finishing a story with a drawing. Deborah tells students to close their eyes and imagine peeping through a brick wall and then paint what's on the other side. Clare saw a giraffe eating cherries. Before too long it's time to clean up. Naturally there's a rush for the sink. Then there's a surge of excitement as parents arrive. The children are anxious to share what they've created in the last hour and a half of hard

work. As Joshua brings his work up the front steps of his house and heads for the kitchen, he is looking forward to explaining every detail of the class to his mother. She looks carefully at his new work and also takes time to look at some of his past drawings in a tablet that Joshua calls his best book. This particular tablet is only one week's work at home and it's full. A recent dinosaur painting is currently on exhibit in the breakfast nook. After sharing his work, Joshua decided to relax for a while, and he did it with pens and paper doing what he loves best. [music] [music] I noticed we have pictures of you painting the music but we didn't show any of your work. Well as a matter of fact I'm still putting a few finishing touches and waiting for the muse to strike and when I have my first exhibit, you'll be the first to know. Speaking of public exhibits, it's

time once again for our weekly feature Amen on Oregon. Steve. Thanks Gwen. Tonight, a look at Oregon sports fans. With the great weather we've been having, the only thing that isn't watered down is our enthusiasm for sports. [music] Come on is right. Let's face it, it's been years since Oregon's really had cause to celebrate when it comes to professional sports. But does that stop the loyal fan. No way. They bounce back faster than a Jimmy Connors backhand. Well I've been a wrestling fan all my life ever since was a kid. We always loved basketball. In college we went to all the basketball games. In high school we went to all the basketball games. It's always been basketball. Oregon's biggest professional spectator sports are the Portland Trailblazers and wrestling. That's right. Professional Wrestling. Would you believe over 100,000 people watch wrestling on

television every week. And half of them are women like Carrie here. She's been a big fan since 1958. My. husband he wanted to come and I thought it was the most horrible thing I ever seen. And I wasn't about to watch it but I got hooked on it Too. Irma has been at it for over 40 years now. So do you come here- are you here every Saturday night? Yup. Withought fail? Withiout fail. My husband told me one time he said you'd book that damn wrasslin' if you broke your leg. Sure enough I broke my foot and I was out here on crutches. Dutch Savage knows all about the fans. He's been in the business 25 years as a wrestler, announcer and promoter. Did you know that last year more people watched professional wrestling throughout the United States of America alone than they did all other sports combined. These are the most loyal fans in the world professional wrestling fans. They stay fans for ever. To get one of the front- first five rows out here just to get one seat.

To me it's a dive. Seems a bit extreme to me but not as extreme as some of the supporters. [fans chanting] I've had [inaudible] I've been stabbed, I've been shot, I've been cut in my career and nothing I like better. is for a fan to get close enough to me to get into the ring. What a fun group. Potential for violence is a big reason why security is so tight at one of the matches. The bigger the villain. the More security guards it takes to swarm him into the ring. I'll say one thing for these folks. They don't hide their feelings. [fans chanting] Even the athletes themselves have a strange way of congratulating. Each other after a win Now a real investigative reporter can't do a story on professional wrestling without at least touching on charges that it's all fake. So I asked Dutch about it and it didn't take him long to answer. [chanting]

[fans chanting] don't know about you but I've seen Just. About enough wrestling for now. It's time for a gentler sport. The Portland Trail Blazers are the biggest draw in Oregon. They average over 200,000 viewers a game and the Coliseum has had over two hundred eighty consecutive sellouts. When the summertime comes we are in a doldrums because we're looking forward to the next season. And I enjoy seeing them playing and I root for them, I follow them in the northwest, I go up to Seattle to see them play in around like that you know. And I just enjoy them. And I enjoy them too. They put on quite a show and not just basketball. They got it all. You want dancing girls you got dancing girls. [music] Everything's choreographed. The players don't just run onto the court. Their heralded on with

lights and banners. [crowd cheering] The Lazer home office really knows how to get a game off to a big start. But I got to tell you once the action gets underway the excitement has a tendency to slack off. And there's a lot of glancing back and forth from the scoreboard to the court you know waiting for the big play. But in between those plays it's a bit slow for my taste. Oh sure you can spend some of the time talking to each other but if you're a people watcher it can be boring. It used to be fun checking out Jack Ramsey's latest stab at a wardrobe but no more. Everything matches. But I did enjoy watching Bill Walton you remember Bill. Well he can still chew gum to keep count at the same time. So I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. If you're there for the sport, basketball is great to watch the fans on. The other hand. Find wrestling A bit. Bizarre for my tastes. But the supporters, now they are real people. They have

absolutely no reservations about showing the world their love for the sport. And I'm here to tell you the enthusiasm from that crowd is contagious. My dad took me to my first professional wrestling match when I was 15. They had this tag team up there and the bad guys had the good guys out of the ring, were beating them up. Next thing I knew there was my dad- he was right next to the ring pulling one of the bad guys off. Security asked us to leave. So you can really pick up on the enthusiasm from that crowd. Listen, don't say anything bad about that crowd, that may very well be our audience out there. Steve have you thought of doing an investigative piece on sports fans? Those who watch chess matches for example. I thought about it but not very long Gwyneth. I see. All right. That's all the time we have on Front Street Weekly tonight. Until next week good night. Good night. [music] [music]