B oycott R a d io C a b C o m p a n y
Black Justice Committee demands FBI investigate police killings
I I I St I I < ' S * I t i t t i SSI i l l
The Black Justice
Committee ha» bk Lft Ri
called (or a Federal investigation of
the police »laying» of Rickie Johnson,
Charles Menefee, Kenny Allen, and
Joe Hopkins and (or a boycott of
Radio ('ab Company.
Barull Artharee explained the
boycott as a response to Radio Cabs
complicity in the actions that led to
the shooting of Rickie Johnson by
Officer Kenneth Sanford.
A
(i I.
It f A M
RRa
J A.
A Radio f ' Cab
driver
was railed
to
N. Gantenbein to deliver Chinese
food, and since the same driver had
been robbed by juveniles on the
previous night the dispatcher called
the police. Artharee explained that
usual company policy would have
ended the matter then, but the
dispatcher asked "Do you want to set
them up" and arrangements were
made for the cab driver, Mr.
E R
a m
a
. a
. «
R »
RR«
Zamzow, to meet with police officers
near the house.
Officer Sanford
dressed in the cab drivers clothing
and driving his cab, went to the
house, entered with weapon drawn
and subsequently shot Johnson in the
bark of the head.
Gary Allen of the Black Justice
Committee reported that many com
plaint have been made in the past
few years that Radio Cab drivers are
4
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PORTLAND
:
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OBSERI/ER
Vol. 5, No. 2,1
Portland, Oregon
Thursday, April i7 , 1975
10c per copy
—>
disrespectful to Black patrons.
Although an inquest was held by
the state, and the shooting was
determined to have been "justified"
many questions remain unanswered.
Facts in the previous three shootings
have not been fully explained and
contradictory information has been
released by police officials.
The Black Justice Committee asked
that the community join it in
demanding an FBI investigation of
the four shootings
all of young
Black men and within a six month
period.
The Black Justice Committee, along
with other community organizations,
has met with the Police Bureau but
spokesmen do not feel that talks with
the Bureau will have much effect.
"Obviously the Community Relations
Unit is iot functioning, or Rickie
would not be dead," Allen said.
Baruti pointed out that the burden is
always on the Black community to
attempt a reconciliation. Rather than
Dr. Unthank receives Concordia Award
In honor of his forty five years of
service, DeNorval Unthank. M.D.,
will be the recipient of Concordia •
College's Annual Citizenship Award.
The award will be presented to Dr.
Unthank at the banquet of the
Lutheran Education S ociety on
Saturday. April 19th at 6:30 p.m.
Long time friend and former
executive secretary of the Urban
League, E. Shelton Hill, will present
the award to Dr. Unthank. Keynote
speaker for the evening is former
Congressman John Dellenback, recent
appointee of President Ford as
Director of the Peace Corps. The
title of his address is "Why
Outward?".
The annual Citizenship Award is
given to the individual from Oregon,
who in the judgement of Concordia's
Board of Control has contributed
substantially to the enrichment of the
community.
Concordia rites Dr. Unthank for:
His forty five years of medical
service to Northwest residents, re
cognized by his being chosen Oregon
Doctor of the Year in 1958;
- Blazing the trail of equal
opportunity for all men, including the
Black minorities of which he is a
member;
Dr DeNorvaJ 1 nlhank
Fred Flowers, Jr. has been elected
president of the board of directors of
the Urban la-ague of Portland for the
1975 1978 term (Please turn to page
4 column 4)
T H IS W E E K
From behind the wall * on life
inside the Oregon State Peniten
tiary by inmate Charles Williams.
t
county's home for the elderly,
brought about negotiations to allow
the home to be operated by a private
nursing home operation, "Friendship
Health Center." The plan called for
the creation of a geriontology center.
Due to tight scheduling t^is plan
could not be implemented in time and
rather than allow the confusion and
uncertanty to continue to the deter
mine of the patients, he decided to
continue county operations of the
home for another year.
Clark's plan to end the home
brought immediate negative reaction
from many persons who felt the
people in the county had not been
allowed to take part in the decision
making.
Two of the leading critics were
Senator Vern Cook and Represents
live Glenn Otto. They, along with
other county residents, threatened a
recall move against the Commis
sioners if democratic procedures
were not followed in making the
decision.
Of Clark's decision not to close
Edgefield Manor, Senator Cook said,
“Four good things have resulted from
this confrontation. “One, the people
now know they have the power to
bring an arbitrary and unresponsive
public official to his knees and force
him to turn tail and run.
"Two, attention has been focused
upon the needs of the aged and
disabled and movement towards a
better and more progressive program
The aim of the boycott will be to
remove the presence of Radio Cab
from the community and to show an
economic effect. Rosemary Allen said
Radio Cab Company has shown, no
respect for the community in the
past but that an economic loss might
make them reconsider their attitudes.
o r n e e or
the o o ver r o r
STATE
C A R IT O !.
SALEM
R
A T » A , F,
07310
A p r il 7 , 1975
etateme :.? by t ie govepnor
The G reen F in g e r s P r o j e c t i s a co n ir.u n ity p la n n e d
and s p o n s o r e d p ro g ra m in t h e P o r t l a n d a r e a t h a t u t i l i z e s
v a c a n t u rb an s p a c e s f o r com m unity g a r d e n s . The h a r v e s t s
a r e u t i l i z e d by n eed y n e ig h b o rh o o d f a m i l i e s .
F or se v e n y e a r s , th e G reen F in g e r s p r o j e c t has
r e l i e d s o l e l y upon v o lu n ta r y e f f o r t s t o s u s t a i n and ex p an d
t h i s p ro g ram o f in v o lv i n g p e o p le in com m unity com m itm ent.
Serving as an inviting example
in persistence and patience to those
who desire em ancipation from
society's unjust discriminatory prac
tices;
Arousing church and country to
their responsibilities in eliminating
racial prejudice and hatred.
His many contributions in the
establishment of needed charitable
agencies within the Oregon com
munity.
The L.E.S. banquet will climax a
day long series of meetings of the
Advisory Council.
The meeting
brings to campus thirty-six represen
tatives from the entire Northwest,
who advise Concordia on improving
its total educational program.
Many prominent civic leaders and
guests from the business and in
dustrial community, along with close
friends of Dr. Unthank will be in
attendance.
The public is invited to attend the
dinner, which will be held in the
Physical Education Building, 6400
N.E. 27th Avenue, Portland. Tickets
may be obtained by calling Concordia
College at 284 1148. Proceeds from
the dinner will be used for a
scholarship fund under the auspices
of the Lutheran Education Society.
Clark rescinds Edgefield closure
Chairman of the Board of County
Commissioners Don Clark announced
this week that he is rescinding his
order to close Edgefield Manor and
requesting financing for the coming
fiscal year.
In announcing this decision Clark
explained that earlier policy of the
Board was that Multnomah County
would end its historic practice of
operating facilities, as distinct from
funding programs for the provision o f
health rare. The new policy has been
frequently referred to as "Main
stream Health Care." meaning that
the poor and otherwise disadvantaged
would be assisted by their County
government in enjoying the same
level and standard of rare afforded to
and by the more fortunate. That new
policy reflects my fundamental belief
in the role of government in the
health care area."
"When I became Chairman I
immediately undertook to bring the
jmlicy to reality. There were two
phases to my program. One was to
present to the Legislature a proposal
for funding a Medicaid Demonstration
grant. The other was my announce
ment on February 3rd that, as soon
as it could practicably be done,
Edgefield Manor would be closed and
its patients transferred to private
institutions."
Clark explained that opposition to
the closing of Edgefield Manor, the
attempt to negotiate with The
Portland police, the Black Justice
Committee wants an investigation by
FBI officials from outside the Port
land area. "We don’t have complete
faith in the FBI either, but we are
trying to use all of our legal
recourses," George Allen said.
for them has begun.
"Three, the public in Multnomah
county has become aware of the
general mismanagement of Mult
nomah County's business by its
elected public officials.
A closer
scrutiny of the 1975-76 fiscal year
budget should result.
Multnomah County's government has
been demonstrated. We must amend
the charter to provide for a larger
commission with broader represen
tation and more responsive county
commissioners.
We must adopt a
better method for selecting a chair
man of the commission.
“Finally. I pledge that I will do
everything within my power to bring
about increases in welfare payments
for care in Oregon's nursing homes
for those patients unable to pay for
that care themselves.
L o c a l m e rc h a n ts and o r g a n i z a t i o n s h av e g e n e r o u s ly
c o n t r i b u t e d s e e d s , f e r t i l i z e r , b e d d in g p l a n t s , and o t h e r
m a t e r i a l s t o e n a b le th e G reen F in g e r s P r o j e c t t o rem a in
a s u c c e s s f u l com m unity p r o j e c t .
The G reen F in g e r s p r o j e c t i s an o u t s t a n d i n g
ex a m p le o f d e d i c a t e d v o l u n t e e r a c t i o n and u t i l i z a t i o n o f
u rb a n r e s o u r c e s .
T h e r e f o r e , as G o v ern o r o f t h e S t a t e o f O reg o n ,
I do h e re b y p r o c la im t h e week o f A p r i l 21 t o 2 5 , 1975,
as G reen F in g e r s P r o j e c t Week, and do u rg e a l l c i t i z e n s
o f th e S t a t e t o ta k e n o t i c e o f th e com m unity s e r v i c e s
t h a t t h i s p ro g ra m h as p r o v id e d .
Bob S tr a u b
G o v ern o r o f O regon
Week honors Green Fingers
Governor Bob Straub has pro
claimed April 21st to April 25th as
"Green Fingers Project Week”, in
honor of the North Portland garden
project organized by Mrs. Vivianne
Barnett.
The Green Finger Project came
into being in May of 1968 following a
conversation among Mrs. Barnett and
some friends about the need for
people to be able to grow their own
gardens and provide food for them
selves rather than relying on govern
ment projects.
The first years State Highway
Department provided land that had
been cleared for the eventual building
of the Fremont Bridge ramps. The
land was cleared by the Oregon
National Guard and seed, fertilizer
and essential equipment were pro
vided by local companies.
Each year the land is tilled, staked
out into 20'x40' plots, and potential
gardeners choose their sections.
Seeds that are donated by Charles H.
Tilly Seed Company are sacked and
distributed and the growing season
begins. Tomato, cabbage and pepper
plants are provided by Yamadu
farms. Anyone interested is invited
to participate and by the end of the
season many new friendships are
established.
Fruit trees remaining from the
time that the area was residential
provide an abundant harvest. The
gardens are now located on land
provided by Emanuel Hospital.
In the fall of each year a Harvest
Festival is held, with all food coming
from the gardens.
The Green Finger Project has
become known nationally, having
been mentioned in Reader's Digest
and other national magazines, and in
the Congressional Record by Senator
Wayne Morse. A highlight in 1969
was the visit of Pat Nixon and her
daughter Julie to the gardens.
Mrs. Barnett and the Green
Fingers Project have received a
number of awards for community
service including those from the
Women's Council of the Portland
Board of Realtors, the Business and
Professional Women, Albina Lions
Club and the Downtown Kiwanas.
Mrs. Barnett spends much time
with the project, from planning and
seeking contributions to the hard
labor cleaning and removing rocks
and bricks from the plots before the
till arrives.
She enjoys the
opportunity to see members of the
community, particularly the senior
citizens, able to grow and harvest
their own vegtables. She has seen
her idea picked up and put into
practice by the Joseph Lane Elemen
tarv School in Southeast Portland and
Clochanra and Portland Community
Colleges and become the model for
the newly founded gardens of the
Portland Park Bureau.
B om ber " T a x s w in d le " protest th em e
Persons who were part of the last
minute rush to mail their income tax
forms Tuesday might find pickets
waiting for them at the Portland Post
Office.
Members of the American Friends
Service Committee protested the
"war tax" at the post office and,
earlier In the day, at the Internal
Revenue Service office.
The protest was part of a
nation wide "Tax Day" to protest the
use of tax funds to build the
controversial II 1 bomber system.
“The nation is crying to unmet
human needs," said AFSC Executive
Secretary Louis W. Schneider, “yet
the Air Force and three of the
country's largest corporations want
us to spend $50 billion of our tax
money on a supersonic swindle. The
corporations are Boeing, Rockwell
International, and General Electric.
The swindle is the B 1 bomber."
The B I is a manned nuclear
bomber proposed as the replacement
for the B 52. The proposed fleet of
244 B I bombers will cost the average
wage earner $602.41. “43 of the 50
states are spending more in taxes
than they receive back in contracts
and jobs. For every dollar Oregon
has put into building the B I so far,
only 12c has been returned to the
state, and yet the corporations try to
sell the B I as a boost to our
economy," Elizabeth Gorman Prunty
spokesperson for the local AFSC said.
The Air Force says the B I cost
over a 10 year period would be $18.6
billion.
But the AFSC's NARMIC
(National Action Research on the
Military/Industrial Complex) unit said
the cost is over $50 billion because
the Air Force figure doesn't include
support systems which would be
essential to maintenance and opera
lion of the B-l.
Schneider said. "The money for one
B-l, currently $84 million, could fund
25 health centers, each treating
40,000 people annually. The United
States is first in military power, but
18th in doctor patient ratio."
While three prototypes of the
controversial bomber have been built,
a final derision rests with Congress
next year on whether to go into full
production. Several crucial, prelimi
nary derisions will be made this year,
including in the House and Senate
Armed Services Committees and
later in the appropriations com
mittees of each house.
Andrew
Groner
(left)
receives
Post
Office
"Pride
in
Excellence" Award from Postmaster B.W. Luscher.
Groner earns "Pride in Excellence” award
Andrew Groner received the "Pride
of Excellence" award for the Portland
Post Office.
Groner was selected
from among non supervisory per
sonnet in the 150 post offices in the
Portland metropolitan area.
The award is made each year to an
employee who is exemplary in his
duties, does well above average work
and is active in the community.
Groner has been employed by the
Post Office since 1959. Currently he
is at Federal Station. Groner has
received many letters of commenda
tion from pleased customers. Groner
seldom asks for assistance on his
route, which is a high volume route.
He earned the Superior Perfor
mance Award in 1968 and has the
Ten Year Safe Driving Award.
Groner is active in the Woodlawn
P.T.A., the Parent Involvement
Committee, is area captain for the
Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, is a
deacon and sings in the gospel choir
at Mt. Olive Baptist Church. He and
his wife are foster parents.