April 1999 April 28 April 21 April 14 April 7 back to Archives home Volume 25, issue 26, April 28, 1999 NEWS LEAD STORY Under Fire: Oregon gun lobbyists know they must change their ways or become a dying breed. Crime and Justice The Final Act : We want to believe that troubled kids give obvious warning signals before they point a gun at someone. But Tom Curtis fooled even a veteran criminal defense lawyer with teens of his own. The Law Team Supreme: Oregon's high court plays catch-up. Business Passing Gas: Big Oil is a tempting target for protesters. But this week's Great American Gas Out leaves our resident petrol expert fuming. Letters "I wish newly hired environmental staff the best of luck in bringing the Port up to environmental snuff. " NewsBuzz In The Line Of Duty | Pissing and Moaning | Cops Nab Taggers | Not So Black And White | Why, There Oughta Be A Law... Scoreboard This week's winner and losers: the state's farmworkers union wins; Mike Powell loses. Rogue of the Week Tom Butler, a Republican from Ontario, appears to have a serious conflict of interest when it comes to the state's construction-fraud unit. CULTURE FEATURE Blue Moon: For more than six years LaLuna nurtured an eclectic music scene that propelled Portland onto the cultural landscape. The club will close May 2 and reopen under new management as an all-ages dance club. We recount the misty, watercolored memories. Shine-Ola Consumer Culture Music Preview Pop Is Dead, Long Live Pop: The Elephant 6 music collective saved indie pop from the gallows. Now its progeny, Beulah, is waging a new war for the sake of pretty songs. Recorded Music Reviews of new releases from Derek Bailey and Nas. Screen Review Never Mind the Mormons...Though James Merendino's SLC Punk! is often a trite exercise in Punk Rock 101, actor Matthew Lillard saves the day as the most likely not to succeed. Performance Performance Love's Laborers Lost: Jacque Drew and Doug Miller end their tenure at Tygres Heart on a high note. Words Biblio Reviews of Forest Blood, The Unexpected Salami, and Rock 'n' Roll Babes from Outer Space. Visual Art Visual Art On the Subject of Women: Arvie Smith and Gregory Grenon paint the female figure in formulaic--and ultimately limiting--signature styles. Volume 25, issue 25, April 21, 1999 NEWS LEAD STORY Scrawl of the Wild: Behind the front lines of Portland's war on graffiti. Urban Pulse All Quiet On The Western Front: An ambivalent public remains noticeably silent over the airstrikes in Yugoslavia. The Law Justice Delayed: You may have the right to a speedy trial, but at the Oregon Supreme Court it sometimes takes justices two or three years to issue opinions. And things are getting worse. Environment Impossible Mission?The Port says it has seen the light--and it's a warm shade of green. Environmentalists say only deeds, not a new mission statement, will convince them. 500 Words Ship of State: Kitzhaber navigates roiled waters Letters " Irvington is one school where desegregation has worked, despite massive budget cuts and increased requirements due to education reform. " NewsBuzz Dialing for Dollars | NBA Payoffs | Where the Bills Are | Save the Earth - Visit the Dentist | Why, There Oughta Be A Law... Scoreboard This week's winner and losers: The Powell's Organizing Committee gets some help; Our Town paper loses with anti-abortion advertisers. Rogue of the Week Gladstone High School administrators demonstrate disrespect and homophobia in their suppression of a student play. CULTURE FEATURE As The Wheel Turns: How the fickle turntables taught one know-it-all musician a cold lesson in humility. Shine-Ola Consumer Culture Music Interview Music from Memory: When Portland trumpeter Thara Memory isn't in his role as the hardest-working man on Jimmy Mak's stage, he's leading the fight for the right to bear arts. Interview DJ Gregarious, Come On Down! He spins platters, sings karaoke, hosts game shows, organizes tribute concerts and leads a rock band. Say hello to Gregarious T. Cline, Portland's Renaissance man of pop. Recorded Music Reviews of new releases from Threscher, Mocket, and Joey McIntyre. Screen Review The Shape of the Game: Always independent filmmaker David Cronenberg has created another evocative work of art with his futuristic eXistenZ. Performance Performance Try a Little Tenderness: Third Angle and Murry Sidlin present an overlooked work of Americana. Words Words About a Man: British writer Nick Hornby writes about all the supremely guy-ish pursuits: soccer, rock and, yes, crying over girls. Play Play Earthy Days: A cleanup project will make you happy. Volume 25, issue 23, April 14, 1999 NEWS LEAD STORY Censored: The news that barely made the news. Business Frill Estate? Like the stock market, residential real estate in Portland is stronger than ever, but a local agent is taking a whack at commissions. Politics "Shoot or Shut Up": Sen. Gordon Smith says that almost 25 years after Vietnam Bill Clinton is repeating the mistakes of the war he dodged. Politics Into Thin Air: There's nothing like a little partisan sniping to bring Democrats back to sea level after a weekend of high-minded brainstorming atop Mount Hood. 500 Words It's Tax Time: Do you know where your money's going? Here's a quiz. Letters "Many mental-health clients reject these drugs not because of "side effects" but because of real effects that can be painful, permanently disfiguring or even result in death. " NewsBuzz You Want Fries With That Prize | Leftover Lunch Meat | Tug of War | Why, There Oughta Be A Law... Scoreboard This week's winner and losers: North Portland jail opponents win; Brian Grant loses. Rogue of the Week Michael Gorsline decided to cancel his membership at the Twin Oaks Gold's Gym two years ago: so far it's been all pain and no gain. CULTURE FEATURE The Taxman Cometh: Joe Sacco Pays His Dues Shine-Ola Consumer Culture Music Preview Who in the World are the Residents? Assignment: To uncover the true identity of rock band the Residents. Crime: Grand theft culture. Detective: Special Agent John Graham. Interview These Are The Breaks: Turntablist Eternal Golden Void deconstructs hip-hop to free your mind--and your ass will follow. Recorded Music Reviews of new releases from T-Model Ford, Old Time Relijun, and Dressy Bessy. Screen Review Blood, Guts, Bullets and No Brains: First-time director Joe Carnahan's cheap indie feature overdoses on self-conscious, referential humor. Dish Dish Clarke's Further Expeditions: Toulouse chef Jonathan Clarke makes a foray into Lake Oswego, with mixed results. Mash The Spring Beer Festival Performance Performance Through a Glass Darkly: Monsters of Grace is meant to be a revolutionary vision of the future of opera. It doesn't live up to all its promises, but it's unlike anything you've ever seen. Words BiblioFile Reviews of three new books. Visual Art Visual Art Women of Distinction: Two excellent exhibitions by Portland female artists pay indirect tribute to the late Bonnie Bronson. Volume 25, issue 23, April 7, 1999 NEWS LEAD STORY Rasta Monsta: The making of a local hero. Education Mixing It Up: For years Portland school officials have taken pride in their voluntary desegregation program. The district's new boss, however, seems poised to ask some tough questions. The Law The Smoking Gun: Last week's staggering verdict in the local tobacco case shows the power of confidential industry documents. Letters "... There is drug activity all over Portland (Sellwood, Hawthorne, Milwaukie, etc.), not just Boise.." NewsBuzz Dropping the Balm | The Mighty and the Damned | Untimely Absenteeism | Spambuster | Why, There Oughta Be A Law... | Correction Scoreboard This week's winner and losers: Supporters of open birth records get good news; grim findings for Oregon's women and kids. Rogue of the Week A man is facing death by lethal injection, and you're his lawyer. How far do you go to defend him? CULTURE FEATURE Gods and Authors: Portland's Concordia University is at the center of an international controversy surrounding Shakespeare. If you believe Concordia's Daniel Wright, the author of Hamlet was actually an earl and a homo. Shine-Ola Consumer Culture Music Folk Preview Do You Understand His Joy ? A happy marriage and new baby boy have instilled popular folk singer John Gorka with an infectious joie de vivre. Preview Just Say Yes: At 14 he chose punk rock over pop stardom.Now, Larry Yes, veteran of nine Portland bands, is forging a solo career. Recorded Music Reviews of new releases from Pete Krebs, Jason DuMars, and Baaba Maal Screen Review Hero Worship: The Wachowski brothers combine Lewis Carroll and Star Wars to create a stunning sci-fi thrill ride in The Matrix. Review Deconstructing Cookie: Robert Altman creates an anti-mystery mystery movie that lets viewers participate. Dish Mash Trappist Ales Await Play Play Putt Seriously: Disc golf brings new dimensions to the frivolous pursuit of Frisbee.