Lovetta & Jephtha
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eliotA Publication of Eliot Neighborhoodn Associationews Volume 15 • Number 3 fall 2006 Our Neighbors — Lovetta & Jephtha By Matt Gilley, Eliot resident t was over 30 years ago when brief periods of time, and certainly Lovetta Bingham was told her had never bought property there. “soulmate” was waiting for her “All I can see is a big white house, in London. Her naturopathic and a big yard,” she said. “Down Ihealer Ellenor Mirrell occasionally the street from a park. It is your showed clairvoyant streaks. Now house. You are going to America, she was claiming to see the future and nobody can stop you.” of Lovetta’s love-life. Word came from the INS two “I don’t think that’s going to hap- days later. pen,” said Lovetta. “I’m not going Skip forward one year—Jephtha to England.” was remodeling a house near She was in Northeast Portland, Northeast 7th and Alberta streets. after all, having moved here from The home-owner needed wallpaper Hattisburg, Mississippi, as a child. hung, so Jephtha recommended a She was a licensed beautician, and gal he knew. The owner made some did upholstery work, decorating, calls and the woman showed up wallpaper hanging, painting, and soon afterwards, but it wasn’t the Lovetta and Jephtha Orriggio in their Eliot home. so forth. International travel had gal Jephtha had recommended; never really been a priority. instead, a stranger walked in the He slipped and fell, striking his Bedridden with gout, and having “Doesn’t matter,” said Ellenor. door. head on the ground and impaling recently suffered a mild stroke, “Because he is coming to you. He’s Lovetta and Jephtha immediately his left forearm on a piece of rebar. Lovetta’s seen only one room of going to come here.” hit it off. Since then, he suffers from random their 2,000 square foot bungalow Lovetta didn’t spend too much “I didn’t drive one more nail that seizures and has not been able to for the past three years. It’s too time pondering the healer’s predic- day,” said Jephtha. continue his carpentry career. painful to move off the couch upon which she sleeps, eats, and spends tion. Life got in the way, and the Work came to a halt as they spent Lovetta worked in many differ- 24 hours each day. She hasn’t seen months passed. What she didn’t the rest of the afternoon talking. ent trades: beautician, remodeler, the demolition and construction know was that Jephtha Orriggio, Jephtha told her his life story, teacher’s aid, and caretaker for the occurring in every cardinal direc- a young Jamaican carpenter, was the rough time he’d had in New ill. Together, the Orriggios flipped tion around her home. While she waiting in London for word from York, and the even rougher time (bought, remodeled and sold) three hasn’t lost her sharp wit or her faith the U.S. Immigration & Naturaliza- in Chicago before finally settling homes in Northeast Portland. in God, she has lost faith in doctors tion Service. in St. John’s. His girlfriend was Eliot has changed radically over the and modern medicine. Jephtha had spent 16 years in stealing from him, even though he fifty years Lovetta has lived here. London. During a visit to Chicago, financially supported her. In what “It used to be a mostly German “They all just tell me the same he had applied to the INS for per- might be considered a bold move, neighborhood,” she said. “But it’s thing,” she said. “Gout is hereditary, manent residency. As time passed he asked Lovetta if he could move always been a peaceful block with and here’s your bill.” and his hopes waned, he visited a in with her and her father. loving people on it.” Now 80 years old, Jephtha tire- tarot-card reader to ask about his Lovetta asked her father’s permis- Her parents moved here to work lessly landscapes their double- chances. The reader shuffled, cut sion, and that very day she helped in the Vancouver shipyards during lot, maintains the house, and is the cards, drew and read. After a Jephtha gather up his belongings the second world war. The Orriggios a full-time caregiver to his wife. moment she peered up at him; and move into her Eliot home…a never had children, but they always It’s a struggle, especially on a “Do you have a house in the big white house, with a big yard, had kids around them. Lovetta’s two fixed income, but they still have U.S.?” only half a block from Irving Park. brothers provided them with many their soulmates, they still have a block of loving neighbors, and No, he answered. Jephtha worked in the Carpenter’s nieces and nephews. Her youngest they still have their home…a big “Are you sure?” Union. While on a job about 14 brother, George Bingham, currently white house down the street from years ago in downtown Portland, works at the Dishman Community Of course he was sure. He had a park. lived in New York and Chicago for he suffered a life-altering accident. Center on N.E. Knott Street. Websites link Eliot residents eliot neighborhood associaTIOn There are two websites with information about Eliot Fall Membership Meeting Eliot resident Jennifer Jako is blogging on OregonLive at: http://www.oregonlive.com/eliot/weblog/ Monday, October 9 Please Join Us! You can email her with suggestions at: [email protected] 7:00 – 9:00 pm There’s also a lot of info about Eliot including a copy of the latest Eliot News at: Emanuel Hospital http://www.portlandneighborhood.com/eliot.html Medical Office Building West Conference Room Announcing For questions about the Eliot News write to [email protected] 501 N Graham St eliot neighborhood association U Editor’s Note By Tony Green The Eliot Neighborhood Association (ENDA) is a nonprofit corporation whose members are the residents and business owners of the Eliot Neigh- borhood. Its purpose is to inform Eliot residents about issues affecting t’s safe to say that it was not a very neighborly urge I had to see whether any the neighborhood through meetings, newsletters and other activities. predatory or sexually violent sex offenders live in Eliot. Members of the neighborhood association must be over 14 years old and I live, own property, have a business, or represent a nonprofit within the Regardless, a new website maintained by the Oregon State Police proved ir- neighborhood. The Eliot Neighborhood Association was founded in 1969. resistible to me. You can search for offenders by name or location. Searching for It is recognized by the City of Portland, is a member of the Northeast offenders by name is a good idea if you’re going to rent a room in your house Coalition of Neighborhoods, Inc., and has representatives on several other or hire a nanny. But I was curious as to how many of the “most dangerous sex groups and committees. offenders in Oregon” live in our little neighborhood. So I went to the website and hit the “map offenders” option. Then I typed in enda board members my address, and up popped the shocking news…69 offenders. I quickly realized that the search was for a 1-mile radius, which is far beyond Eliot’s borders. In Chair Gary Hampton, 503.282.5429, [email protected] fact, 60 of the men whose names were listed lived across the river on Old Town. Co Vice Chairs Chris Bleiler and Jennifer Jako Then I looked more closely at the remaining nine addresses. Three offenders 503.284.6650, [email protected] lived south of Eliot; three more lived north of Eliot—that left three with Eliot Treasurer Carol Kennedy, 503.331.1312, [email protected] addresses. The website provided not only the offender’s names and addresses, but a photo, Recorder Jason Mershon 503.330.0922/503.331.2929, [email protected] a list of convictions and a general description of the type of victims they chose. I’m not going to provide details, but it was a bit shocking. One man appeared to Newsletter Editor Tony Green, 503-221-8202, [email protected] be a violent pimp. Another “groomed” 13-to-15 year-old boys during “counseling Eric Aronson, 503.282.4126, [email protected] sessions.” The third man, who lives a block away from me, “coerced minor male acquaintances into sexual contact.” His conviction was from 2003. Whatever Howie Bierbaum, The Wonder Ballroom you may say about posting the names of sex offenders on the Internet, it is not 503.284.8686, [email protected] particularly comforting. Ryan Bender, Tubman Middle School, Sun School Coordinator The statewide sex offender numbers are staggering. About 16,000 men and 503.916.5636, [email protected] women in Oregon were convicted of sex-related crimes that were serious enough Pauline Bradford, 503.287.7138 to require them to register with law enforcement agencies. It is a small solace that Co Board Members Abby Christopher and Mike Faden, 503.282.2658, just 700 of those men and women have met the criteria to be labeled “predators [email protected] or [email protected] that are likely to re-offend.” Co Board Members Matt Gilley and Vickie Walker They have to live somewhere, right? Part of me wishes I didn’t know where 503.233.0929, [email protected] or [email protected] they live and what they look like. Will I more carefully scrutinize people in the Co Board Members Todd Morella and Kirsten Jenkins coffee shop now? But for me, at least, I think it is better to know.