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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 1976)
I i 1 prenees p O r„ , n tu g e n j, O re g a n 0 7 4 3 3 4th Annual Black History Week Edition PORTLAND OBSERVER Vol. 6 No. 13 Portland. Oregon Thursday, February 12, 1976 10c per copy Ford fires top HUD aid Th«- Government's top public housing official, H.R. Crawford was fired by President Gerald Ford. The Justice Department is currently conducting an investigation on Crawford for possible conflict of interest. Crawford is one of the administration's highest ranking Blacks. The Department of Housing and Urban Development where Crawford has served as assistant secretary for nearly three years, said the investigation involves his contracts with |>ersons outside the department "concerning employment af ter government service “ The Justice Department has declined to comment on the investigation. Crawford said he had informed HUD officials prev iously that he had planned to leave in April After talking with his attormy, Crawford said h« decided to quit even earlier "The question HUD has raised concern communications by me to persons outside HUD looking toward my |KMsible, future professional associations," C raw ford rommented. “I have been advised that *D referred the matter to the Department of Justice and as long as it is landing there, I will not comment further. Ron Nessen, White House Press secretary, told reporters when question •d that "his resignation was requested, rhat is correct." He said White House 'ounsel Phillip W. Buchen suggested to 'rawford “it would bo proper for him to esign " The resignation letter was submitted rionday and Ford accepted it Tuesday. In a statement to the press H UD said. His resignation was requested and ecepted in advance of his planned Mrs. Opal Greaby receives ten year service- award from President Gerald Ford. Foster grandmother honored Mrs. Opal Greaby was one of th«- luster grandparents selected to be awarded personally by President Gerald Ford for her ten years of service. The Foster Grandparent Program sponsored in Portland by the Providence Hospital and the Portland Metro)Militan Steering Committee provides part time employment for older citizens, working in child care centers. Mrs. Greaby, who is 76 years old, works at Our laidy of Providence Child Center. She finds the work rewarding as she is able to provide love und special attention to some of the children, “the real reward is when you think you are doing something for somebody." Mrs. Greaby came to Portland from Stockton in 1927 Although she had never worked, when her husband did she decided to seek employment. Her pastor Th«- Foster Grandparent Program a pnrt of ACTION and funded through the Portland Metropolitan Steering Commit tee provides part time employment for older citizens, working in child care centers. The Portland program was one of the pilot programs after which the national program was patterned. Approximately 38 grandmothers and grandparents work in the Portland program. They earn $1,640 a year and work four hours a day. The stipend is not taxed and does not effect their eligibility for other programs To be participants in the program, individuals must be 60 years or older and have an annual income of less than $2.666 per person or $3.722 per couple. They also must have reasonably good health and enjoy being with children. Th«-y receive 40 hours of orientation and training. Mrs. Greaby came to Portland from Stockton in 1927. Although she had never worked, when her husband died she decided to seek employment. Her position as a forster grandmother gives her a small income as well as somebody useful to do. Mrs. Greaby has two children, Adeline Heiser and Bill Greaby, who is a Vice President of U.S. National Bank. She has five grandchildren and seven great grand children. Mrs. Greaby also has been selected to serve the Advisory Board of Our I^idy of Providence Child Center. When she was handed her award by the President, Mrs. Greaby, in her excitement made her usual exclamation, “That puts the frosting on the rake." She didn't realize the loudspeaker was on and that it was broadcast for the world to hear. Portland Observer launches subscription campaign The Portland Observer will sponsor its first nationwide subscription campaign. From our knowledge, such a subscription drive has never been undertaken in this part of the country. We try to keep our readers throughout the country informed about local and national news as to how it relates to the Black community. Ninety-five percent of the total Black population in the state of Oregon is located in Multnomah County. Also, The Portland Observer would be a wonderful gift anytime of the year, anniversaries, birthdays, graduation presents for students leaving the area, a moving present... We are happy to offer to the community an opportunity to earn money for their organizations. Hopefully the days of trying to raise money through popcorn selling, randy selling and raffles will become a thing of the past. The Yearly subscription rate is $7.50 per year. For each subscription sold, the seller receives $2.50. This is a wonderful opportunity for churches, schools, clubs, fraternities, sororities and other community organizations to raise extra money. Also this is an opportunity for individuals to earn money on the side. '. An example of the money which can be raised is if a club with 25 members held each member responsible for three subscriptions, the club would earn $187.50. I f a church with 200 members held each member responsible for three subscriptions, the church would earn $1,500. This holds true for schools, and other organizations. A housewife selling 80 subscriptions per month could earn $200 per month. A student selling 60 subscriptions a month of the Portland Observer would earn 3 $125 per month. Let's start the ball rolling. Now is the time to begin to pul extra money in your b pocket and strengthen the leading Black newspaper in the Northwest. retirement because of questions rais«'d with respect to possible conflicts arising from communication with persons oulside the department concerning employment after government service. “Th«- matter has been referred to the Department of Justice and further comment would not be appropriate at this time." Crawford was named to th«- job in 1973, by former President Nixon. This came at a time of irregularities in fed«-ral housing projects which prompted Nixon to call th«- government “the nation's biggest slumlord." Crawford has won several awards for his work in public housing. HUD said Crawford has "made sub slantial contributions toward improving housing for low and moderate income families." As an enihlovee at HUD. Crawford oversaw and administrated a wide range of government programs involving public housing. Crawford, a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has lived in Washington. D.C. for th«- past 25 years. II«- holds d«-grees iron. Howard University and American University, and has taught at Howard. Senate Bill I Economy C ooking Police, M ayor battle Bicentennial Grant Page Page Page Sect. II Page 3 6 4 2 Ever think about the ordeals suffered by the early organizers of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters? James Ix-e was one of the early members. Read his story in the Observer 4th Annual Black History Week edition Goldschmidt vs Ivancie: M ayoral race surveyed This is the first in a series of articles on the Portland mayoral race, which will explore the issues between the candi dates We begin the series with an analysis of significant issues. Collapsing standard of living. Since 1971 the collapsing economy has cost the American working population better than a 35 percent decrease in real incomes and necessary social services. Though the government officially esti mates unemployment to be about eight percent nationally, the actual figure is at least double that. The Department of I«ibor IDOL) estimates the employable labor force in the U.S. is 92 million with seven million of that unemployed. Analy sis of the DOL statistics reveals that the DOL does not figure into its statistics welfare recipients or certain groups of unemployed and underemployed (in particular those drawing no unemploy ment benefits). This figure also does not include the approximately seventeen million employed in non productive em ployment (excluding military) which would actually bring the figure of unemployed up to 23 million. Since 1971 inflation has increased forty percent. As of June of this year budget cuts in state, municipal and federal level dropped social services about fifteen percent this was before the mad rush to implement austerity and belt tightening was on. Trade unions have gotten only ten to twelve percent wage increases (twelve percent in Portland), most of which has been in pension percentage increases, which have been undermined by better than a fifty percent increase in taxes (federal. ¿*nte, property, gasoline, liquor, sales, etc., etc.). Congressman William Moorehead of the Joint Economic Committees Urban Affairs subcommittee noted that 61 percent of high unemployment cities reduced social services by 3.6 percent of their aggregate budgets: fourteen of the high unemployment states reduced ser vices by three percent; approximately 140,000 public service jobs were elimi nated (fourteen states): almost half of capital construction projects «hospitals, schools, libraries, research facilities, mass transit, etc.) were cancelled or halted. At least ten percent of social services were eliminated in 1975. In the face of this, the employed workforce has been sped-up, which is reflected even in the DOL statistics w hich rev eal a 5.5 increase per manhour. Employed workers have simply had to maintain the same productivity as the larger workforce. This has resulted in an increase of heart attacks which up to 75 percent is attributable to work condi tions. Another 200 to 300.000 deaths can be attributed to brutalizing workforce conditions. Portland's budget last year was $265 million, with debt obligations of $1.7 million debt services on that is annually $665.000. Portland's credit rating is triple A. but its tax base is shrinking, its population dropped a little over one [•ereent over the last three years Officially only 107 people were layed off from city jobs last year, but hiring freezes and other mechanisms actually hide the social service cut backs. Portland relies on about $6.5 million from federal government revenue shar ing, while the county relies on $6.1 million. Portland relies on the county, which is bankrupt, for the funding of much of its social service*, allocating only three percent of the budget for services (education, health, welfare), while 66 ¡«ereent of its budget goes to wages. Mayor Neil Goldschmidt in November said his response to the dielining ’economy would be “belt tightening and laying off..." and when the belt is tightened as much as it will go and revenue sharing monies are exhaust«-d "that's when the public will have to make a decision." The decision is now before the people of Portland: who offers the program that will stop the quick lurch toward 'belt tightening' austerity and collapse. Names in the News Cleveland Gilcrease was invited to attend a special three part White House briefing on President Ford's tax cut and spending proposals, current energy po licy and initiatives, and budget issues The briefing was condurtt-d by the President’s Top Economic, Energy and Budget Officials. Out of 36 persons attending, three were Black. "Dear Pen Pal”, the segment of the Children’s TV show, “Big Blue Marble" which inv ites children to correspond with others around the world, has reached a registration of almost half a million: Pen Pal exchanges have involved a Soviet pen pal group from Sverdlovsk, a school for the blind in Texas, a child in an iron lung and other handicapped children. "Big Blue Marble" is s|>onsored by IT T as a Howard J. McElroy has been nam«-d public service and distributed interna vice president and personnel director for tionally. all Lipman's stores. McElroy comes to Dave Boggan, the newly appointed Portland from Minneapolis where he was Management Service Director for the manager of compensation services for City of Portland is thirty years old and he Dayton Hudson Corporation, parent firm came to Portland from Flint, Michigan of Lipman. Mayor Goldschmidt believes he has the McElroy joined Dayton Hudson in 1966 answer to the city's fiscal problems. Mr. after four years with Ford Motor Boggan is handsome and single. Company in industrial relations depart Steve Ix»wen Executive Director for ment. ■1C has announcedhis resignation effec Howard McElroy is a membt-r of Bethel tive June 1st. 1976. He is going back to AME Church. Mrs. McElroy is a college complete his medical degree. graduate and is the musician for the Joycelyn Hendrix, a new teacher at Bethel Youth Choir. Lincoln High School from California, is married to Ken Hendrix. Joycelyn loves Ralph Bell retired from the United growing plants, people and most of all the States Army after twenty years of students at Lincoln. service. He served as editor of the post Natalie Harris, from California, but newspaper. Bell is entering Mt. Hood born in Washington, D.C., has moved to Community College to study journalism. Salem to work for the State Consumer He has lived in Portland for one month. Service Division. She is 25 years old, “P" is for the Pointer Sisters and the single, and an AKA. pop singers recite the alphabet like it’s Dr. Milton Lee, M.D. and his lovely never been heard before on an upcoming wife Sharon arc newcomers to Portland. episode of “Sesame Street", the award Dr. Lee is on the Kaiser Hospital staff. winning series for pre schoolers, produc Dr. John Anderson, M.D. also r«-cently «-d by the Children's Television Work moved to Portland and works at Kaiser shop. The Alvin Ailey Dancers are also Hospital. to be featured on the series. / J Kenya oabon Tanzania ANGOLA Zambia Rhodesia Botswana South Africa COPPER BELT GUERRILLA activity People's Republic of Angola was recognized by the Organization of African Unity. (See page 2)
