Activists protest Kenmore landlord

Activists protest Kenmore landlord

Landlord Francis Colannino was invited by the Forestvale Tenant Association this weekend to negotiate a twenty year contract of affordability for Forestvale or a sale of the property to a non-profit organization.

According to members if the Tenant association, both these proposals would maintain the affordability of homes while simultaneously allowing Colannino to make even more profit on the property than he has in the past.

Colannino denied the invitation to negotiate and on Saturday, 60 tenants and community supporters protested outside his office building at 690 Beacon st. in Kenmore Square.

"Mr. Colannino wants to terminate three project-based Section 8 contracts with terms ending in September of 2002," said Mark Pedulla, tenant organizer from City Life in Jamaica Plain. "If these contracts are terminated, we'll lose 108 units of permanent affordable housing."

According to Pedulla, soon there will be nowhere for people to go for affordable housing. Pedulla also says that if Colannino does accept the tenants terms, "he won't go hungry either."

The Forestvale housing complex falls under the project-based Section 8 contract with the department of Housing and Urban Development that allows the tenants to pay 30 percent of their income towards rent while the remaining amount is subsidized by the state.

Tenants argue that "Mr. Colannino can make huge additional profits by signing on for long-term Section 8 contract with HUD under the "Mark up to Market" program.

"This will give him a $400 rent increase right now," said Pedulla. "But in turn, he must sign for a 20-year-contract for affordability."

According to the association's calculations, Colannino will accrue $6.4 million in four years from a total of $8.4 million in revenues.

But Colannino, who in a letter to the Tenant Association on September 10 said that "Forestvales Limited Partnership's commitment to provide housing to the community has not changed and that we want all residents who wish to remain members of the Forestvale community to fell secure in their homes and comfortable about their future here," has apparently reneged on his word.

Tenants have witnessed Colannino pay off hid HUD mortgage and cancel the Section 8 contract at his Waverly development in Allston-Brighton. Rents shot up and tenants at Forestvale fear the same will happen to them.

"I'm here in support of tenants who live at Forestvale," said Norma Rosario of Mission Hill. "I've seen so many families displaced and forced to leave their homes. No more. We will not be pushed out of the city."

After rent control was abolished in Boston in the early '90s, rents skyrocketed making affordable housing a scarcity.

Colannino says that if rents were to rise as a result of terminating the HUD contracts, tenants would all receive mobile "enhanced" vouchers that could be used throughout the city.

But according to the tenants, the vouchers are not the answer to affordable housing. They are more problematic than that.

"The problem with the vouchers is that although they are portable, they would pay the same as a normal voucher outside of Forestvale," said Pedulla. "this makes it very difficult for people to use them anywhere in the city."

The tenants claim that half of Boston's Housing Authority vouchers are returned because tenants can't find a place to use them.

The tenants association's message is clear. As protesters chanted slogans like "Colannino you can't hide, JP won't be gentrified," and "Housing for people, not just for profit", they will not give up until they win.

"What Colannino's trying to do is legal, but extremely unethical," said Steven Weinstein, Tenant Association leader. "We're fighting an economic battle with a moral argument and we will win."

Photo (Activists protest)

Iranian state TV says 7 people have been killed in bomb blast in western Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian state TV says 7 people have been killed in bomb blast in western Iran.

What earnings reports have revealed about ads

Here are highlights of recent quarterly earnings reports from selected Internet and media companies and what they say about the state of spending on advertising:

Thursday: Google Inc. says advertising revenue grew 33 percent to $9.3 billion during the third quarter, thanks to the reach of its search engine and the effectiveness of its ads. After subtracting commissions, net revenue growth was 37 percent. The growth comes despite mounting worries about the economy. Google got 96 percent of its revenue from advertising that quarter.

Monday: Gannett Co. says advertising revenue in its publishing businesses fell 8.5 percent to $592 million. Digital revenue in that unit grew, but it's not large enough to offset declines in print advertising.

Tuesday: Yahoo Inc. says revenue for display and search ads fell 28 percent to $969 million. Search ads dropped 44 percent as Yahoo started sharing revenue with Microsoft Corp. under a long-term partnership in which Microsoft runs Yahoo's search engine. Overall revenue after commissions fell 5 percent.

Omnicom Group Inc., which owns marketing agencies, says earnings rose 16 percent, mostly driven by higher international revenue.

Coming up:

Thursday: Microsoft Corp., New York Times Co.

Friday: McClatchy Co.

Nov. 2: Time Warner Inc.

Nov. 3: IAC/InterActiveCorp, CBS Corp.

Nov. 4: The Washington Post Co.

Nov. 10: Viacom Inc., The Walt Disney Co.

AP source: Izzo plans to travel to Cleveland

Tom Izzo may finally be ready to make the jump to the NBA.

Michigan State's coach plans to visit the Cleveland Cavaliers to discuss becoming their coach, a person familiar with the visit told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Izzo, who has flirted with going to the pros several times in the past, is expected to travel to Cleveland later to meet with the Cavs and tour their facilities, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not commenting on the coaching search.

Two people in East Lansing, Mich., said Izzo was on Michigan State's campus all morning. They spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because Izzo and the school are not commenting on talks.

Izzo is believed to be mulling a massive contract from the Cavaliers worth up to $6 million per season. The team has been searching for a coach since firing Mike Brown following the club's second-round playoff collapse to the Boston Celtics. Brown spent five seasons with Cleveland, leading the team to 127 regular-season wins the past two seasons. However, he failed to get superstar LeBron James back to the finals and the Cavs decided to make a change.

Izzo's decision whether to join the Cavaliers could hinge on James' future.

The two-time MVP can become a free agent on July 1, and is expected to entertain offers from several teams. It is not known if Izzo has contacted James, who has been with Cleveland for seven seasons and recently said the Cavs have "an edge" to re-sign him.

Earlier this week, new Cavs general manager Chris Grant said the team has had contact with Izzo but would not comment on whether an offer has been made. Owner Dan Gilbert is a Michigan State graduate and has known Izzo for years.

Text messages seeking comment were sent to Izzo and Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis.

Izzo has been at the school since 1983 and has been the Spartans coach since 1995, leading them to six Final Fours in the past 12 years. He has spurned previous overtures from the NBA, but the Cavs may have given him more to consider. Izzo must weigh leaving a comfortable situation for a chance to coach the Cavs, who don't know if they'll have James next season and beyond.

In recent years, several successful college coaches, including Rick Pitino, Tim Floyd and John Calipari, have struggled in switching to the pro game. Several of Izzo's former players believe he can make the leap.

"I don't think coach would have a problem getting respect in an NBA locker room," said New Orleans Hornets guard Morris Peterson. "I think guys will buy into what he's telling them because he has a gift with people. Izz is one of the smartest coaches in basketball and one of the nicest guys around."

Milwaukee guard Charlie Bell said Izzo may have to work on his intensity.

"I've heard he's not as hard on guys as he used to be," Bell said. "He'd have to tone it down even more in the pros, but you can be intense like Scott Skiles is, but he'd have to adjust a little."

Grant said the Cavaliers have spoken to a "number" of candidates. One may include former Hornets coach Byron Scott, whose resume would make him attractive to Cleveland.

Scott won three NBA titles as a player and has experience in coaching superstar players like Jason Kidd and Chris Paul. Scott is currently working as a TV analyst.

Green booster ; Points...

Councillors in Bristol recently passed a motion, proposed byGreen Party councillors, which could provide cheap, clean energy forlocal residents.

Rising energy costs and confusing tariffs often mean that thoseworking the longest hours or earning the least, are unable to takeadvantage of cheaper rates.

Based on a successful Dutch initiative, the Greens' proposal setsout a national energy bulk-purchase scheme. The proposed scheme aimsto harness the joint purchasing power of local authorities acrossthe UK to negotiate cheaper costs through bulk-purchasing of energy,both for their own needs and those of their citizens.

As well as incorporating stringent definitions (ensuring thatonly energy from truly renewable, non-nuclear, resources would fitthe criteria) the scheme would also look into ways of reducingenergy consumption. This is a clear example of how Green policyinitiatives are both visionary and practical, helping both peopleand the planet.

We hope that B&NES will be first in the queue to join ourneighbours in this venture.

SUE BRADLEY Bath and North East Somerset Green Party, Bath

NEWS SHORTS

SOBODO?

The force of nature known as Mark Rivers has a new neighborhood in mind, to expand on his BoDo development: Call it "SoBoDo." Rivers now wants to build Boise a new library on the same site as the existing main branch, and develop several blocks around the area.

But now Rivers has competition for development of a key part of that area. The Capital City Development Corporation has asked for, and received, proposals from three developers, including Rivers, to redevelop a site the agency owns on 9th Street.

Rivers, Hosac Company and C2 Squared all hope to remake the old warehouse on the CCDC-owned site. While Hosac and C2 aren't whistling Dixie-both have what the CCDC terms "serious" applications for mixed-use buildings on the site-it's Rivers that has the bigger plans. He's been planning the development for six months, he said, going about acquiring options and stakes in various properties in the Library area.

"He did what he was supposed to do: Describe the pie in the sky," said City Councilor David Eberle who also serves on the board of CCDC.

River's key slice: the library. He wants to rebuild a $42 million modern library with all manner of energy-efficient technologies, then sell it to CCDC, who would lease it to the city for about $2 million per year, he said.

But no one seems to agree on just how the city would benefit from, and pay for, the snazzy new library.

"Those are huge questions," Eberle said. He suspects that new property tax valuations received off Rivers' project would go to CCDC, not the city. The machinations have alerted David Frazier, who earlier this year successfully sued Boise for trying to finance a parking garage without a public vote. Frazier, who said he's not ready to sue on this one yet, said any plan that results in Boise City owning the new library should get voted on by the people.

CHENEY ON THE STUMP, ROCK ON THE GROVE

We're officially not envious of any Secret Service agents who have to manage security for Vice President Dick Cheney's visit to the Grove Centre today. That's because right as the Veep's motorcade makes its way to the Boise Centre on the Grove for a fundraiser for Republican Congressional candidate Bill Sali, the opening chords of Alive After Five will be starting right out front at the plaza. Hey, beer for the serious guys in suits with wires in their ears?

"I think we're going to have an eclectic bunch of Idahoans there," said Geoffrey Hunt, events coordinator for the Downtown Business Association, which puts together the Alive After Five events. "It should be good people-watching."

Cheney's Sali stop is part of a trip to boost other embattled Republicans-in the morning, he'll have been with Sen. Conrad Bums of Montana, who is facing a tough challenge now that he's been so explicitly tied to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Sali doesn't know Abramoff, but national analysts have begun to eye his race against Democrat Larry Grant of Fruitland a little more closely. Although Idaho traditionally gets a "safe Republican" rating nationally, that hasn't stopped the national GOP from stepping up its efforts on behalf of Sali. Wednesday's shindig with Cheney isn't cheap: guests paid $125 just to get in, and $2,100 per couple for a photo with the country's second-in-command.

IDAHO OFFICIALLY BUGGED

Feeling feverish? Got a little ache in the bones? Welcome to the West Nile Virus club, where you'll join dozens of Idahoans who are feeling down because of what looks like the country's largest outbreak of the mosquito-borne illness.

Gov. Jim Risch has already declared county-wide disasters in Ada and Canyon counties, and if things don't improve we might expect some more.

As of Tuesday, Ada County had 21 people down with West Nile, but 22 horses showed signs of the virus. So far, 38 mosquito test pools the county maintains have shown positive signs of West Nile.

The emergency declarations mean the counties get to use state cash to help knock down mosquitoes-read: spray possible areas with insecticide-and Risch authorized the Canyon County declaration Monday morning.

Ada County Commissioner Fred Tillman said in a prepared statement last week that the situation was bad, and getting worse. "We have reached epidemic proportions for West Nile in Ada County," Tillman said.

Yet to come is a final decision as to whether or not Ada will engage in aerial spraying to knock back mosquito populations. The county commissioners have begun to investigate that option, however: they have instructed the Ada County Mosquito Abatement District to research the costs and processes associated with an air war against the insects.

In all, about 188 people in Idaho have tested positive for West Nile Virus so far, according to the Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare.

CRAPO HUNTS FOR OWYHEE WILDERNESS

It's deja vu all over again: a wilderness bill that stipulates a giveaway of wilderness, that has broad support from many sides, that may or may not make it through an embattled U.S. Congress.

This time, it's the Owyhees, not the Boulder-White Clouds. The backer is U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican who introduced the complex bill in the Senate Aug. 3. The measure has picked up all the right backers: Gov. Jim Risch, Democratic governor candidate Jerry Brady, several local officials in the Owyhees area, and some highly laudatory coverage in the Idaho Statesman.

The Owyhee Initiative will designate 517,000 acres of public land as the Owyhee-Bruneau Wilderness, in six units, and release 199,000 acres of wilderness study areas to non-wilderness multiple use management, and designate 384 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, according to Crapo's office.

The bill's backers include a broad spectrum of Idaho conservation groups, Including the Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Rivers United and The Wilderness Society. Representatives from Owyhee County say they're on board, and so is the Owyhee Cattleman's Association. Now the Idaho State Land Board has jumped on board; the group includes Risch, as well as Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, Superintendent of Public Instruction Marilyn Howard, State Controller Keith Johnson and Secretary of State Ben Ysursa.

You might settle in on this issue, because time is not exactly on its side just now; Congress is in recess until this fall, and with elections set to stir up the majorities in both the House and Senate nationwide, a wilderness bill from Idaho's junior senator will need a lot more momentum.

war in Iraq

U.S. CASUALTIES: As of Tuesday, August 15, 2,604 U.S. service members (including 14 Idahoans) have died since the war in Iraq began in March 2003: 2,066 in combat and 538 from non-combat related incidents and accidents. Injured service members total 10,625. In the last week, 13 U.S. soldiers died.

Since President George W. Bush declared "mission accomplished" aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, 2,458 soldiers have died.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Defense

IRAQI CIVILIAN DEATHS: Estimated between 40,094 and 44,621.

Source: www.iraqbodycount.net

COST OF IRAQ WAR:

$307,017,941,578

Source: www.costofwar.com

-Shea Andersen

A personal odyssey

Cyclist endures rigours of biking across America in support of a Kenyan orphanage

Extreme. That's what I'd call it. But that word barely begins to scratch the surface. It's called Race Across AMerica (RAAM), and it's known as the world's toughest buce race. Four thousand eight hundred kilometres from Oceanside, Calif, to Annapolis, Md. Over 30,500 metres of climbing (the equivalent of scaling Mount Everest three-and-a-half times). And all in less than 12 days.

I was part of the crew for my father, Arvid Loewen, who wanted to test the human limits of his physical, mental, emotional and spiritual endurance this past summer. It meant staying awake when his body wanted to fall asleep-even while on the buce. It meant riding around 20 hours a day just to make it to the finish line. The clock never stops. Everything the riders do is part of their time, eating and sleeping included.

RAAM is not known as the world's toughest bike race without reason. During the heat of the day in the Cahfornia desert, Dad would drink nearly two litres of water every hour and struggle severely with eating. He soon discovered that, apart from his regular sports drinks, the only food that would slide down his throat was greasy KFC. That and McDonald's Big Macs and milkshakes became common over the next week.

After 10 days on the bike, having had only a couple hours of sleep each night, Dad was nearing the East Coast of the USA; we were sure we could smeU the salt in the air. Determination born of years experience shone through as he put his "race face" on and literally attacked the Appalachian Mountains. He set a blazing pace through some of the steepest climbs of the entire trip, outdistancing the competition in his age category (5059) and passing three riders on the way to the finish line. He fought through that last night with only half-hour naps to keep him awake on the bike.

Finally, after an accumulated time of 11 days 3 hours 19 minutes, Dad pulled up to the pier in Annapolis. Tenth out of 25 riders-and first in his age category-he had done phenomenally better than he had ever hoped for. As a finisher of RAAM, he received a jersey, a medal and the chance to stand up on the podium and speak about the race.

The passion and excitement shone through his weary face as he held the microphone in one hand and kept his bike steady with the other. There was much more to this event than simply a buce race, he said.

Dad has been a supporter of Mully Children's Family (MCF), a dynamic street rescue orphanage in Kenya, for the past three years. This event was a fundraiser for MCF, and the jersey Dad wore proudly displayed the logo of the orphanage which has saved over a thousand lives and souls, as founder Charles Mulli has pulled them from poverty and given them food, shelter, education, love, and hope, with the help of a loving God-a God my father loves to serve.

[Author Affiliation]

BY PAUL LOEWEN

Special to Canadian Mennonite

WINNIPEG

[Author Affiliation]

Originally published in a longer format by Breakaway magazine. Paul Loewen and his wife Jeanette are junior youth pastors at Douglas Mennonite Church, Winnipeg. Visit Arvid Loewen at his website (spokeimpact. com).