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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 25, 1990)
Portland Observer April 25,1990, Page 12 Black Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Come to Aid of Portland Good Samaritan KGWTV 1 4 \ - ' ' ' K athy S n ith w i l l be C hannel 3 ’ s "PM M a g a z in e 's" c e l e b r i t y <mest in te r v ie w e r e v e r'/ F rid a y ev en in g b e g in n in g A p ril 27 th ro u g h May 18. "PM M agazine' a i r s w e ek n ig h ts a t 7:3 0 p.m . on KCW-IY. « JAZZY FM 89.1 Mt H9OD COMMUNITY COLLEGE A F R IC A N evening to solicit their support. With out reservation, the first to step forward were Bernie Foster, owner of the Skan- ner Newspaper, Louis J. Boston, owner of Gresham Chrysler Plymouth, David Nero, President of Nero and Associates and Leon Harris, Publisher of the Port land Observer Newspaper. Jay inter rupted Joseph Johnson, President of Security Pacific Bank and other bank S.P. bank officals who were attending a private presentation thatevening of The Odd Couple at Portland Civic Theater to solicit their assistance and support in establishing a trust fund for Walker, who had no idea how or when he is able to pay the mounting medical bills that were being incurred. Johnson and his staff, again, without hesitation, gave their immediate approval to help estab lish the fund and by the next morning all branches of Security Pacific Bank had mobilized to accept public dona tions from the sympathetic public. Jay met with Walker and his wife for the first time last Thursday (April 18), surrounded by news media crowding the Emanuel Hospital room to announce that business leaders had started a Louis Walker Good Samaritan Trust Fund. Donations have started coming in from all over the state from Oregonians who have shown a sincere concern for a good Samaritan who acted to help a stranger. Jay said that he is proud of the entire community who have given their support for the situation. “ If people can spend $ 5 ,1 am sure that Mr. Walker and his family will ap preciate it,’’ said Jay. All money col lected will be used to pay the medical Louis Walker is just your ordinary hard working Portlander try ing to make a living. But last week, while on his way home from work late at night on MAX light rail system, 43 year old Walker was faced with a decision that most of us ponder form time to time. Shall I get involved in some stranger’s problem or shall I keep my mouth shut and mind my own business. Walker, being one of the many Portlanders who have quietly decided enough is enough, confronted two white passengers who were harassing a black passenger late than evening. While 40 other passen gers sat and observed, the Oregon Blue Print worker took action to prevent the unidentified black passenger from pos sibly being killed. During the confrontation. Walker, who is also white, was shot in the arm, breaking bonesas the assailants quickly fled. Portland Police acting promptly were able to apprehend the two sustpects, but have yet been able to locate the un identified Black passenger who simply walked away without saying a word. For Walker’s trouble, he wound up taking a $450 ambulance ride to Eman uel Hospital and is facing up to $10,000 in medical bills for which he has no in surance. Uponhearing the news on a local tel- evison station that next evening, Port land business entrepreneur, Roy Jay, Chief Executive Officer of Oregon Busi ness Network, Trade-Mark Corpora tion and Law-One Incorporated, imme diately contacted a network of respon sive business owners and community leaders during the late hours of the A M E R IC A N expenses and the balance will be turned over to the Walker family to help with other expenses during his period of un employment. When Jay, a native Portlander, was asked why he and the other business owners acted to help in a time when Portland has been the focus of racial headline he replied, “ We all felt that it was the right thing to do. Walker obvi ously did not consider the guy’s race when he went to help and neither did we when we initiated the trust fund.” Even though he does not consider himself a hero, many Oregonians are calling him just that. Cards, letters and donations have been coming in to sup port. For those of you who also want to be a good Samaritan it’s not too late to join and support the effort. Contribu tions may be made to the Louis Walker Good Samaritan Trust Fund in care of the Oregon Business Network through any branch of Security Pacific Bank Oregon or directly to the Lloyd Center Branch. One white woman stated on a local readio program, “ In a time when we arc faced with racial controversy from skinheads, street gangs, the renaming of Union Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and the insensitive attitude conducted by Portland’s convention mar keting association in regard to minority participation and involvement, I am glad to see that people took it upon themselves to help Mr. Walker . . . I guess that is why they call them busi ness leaders.” F E S T IV A L SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR 1990 EVENT PATE TIME LOCATION CULTURAL ARTS EXHIBIT FRIDAY JUNE 1 THRU SUNDAY JUNE 10 12:00 NOON 10:00 PM THE OREGON LOTTERY / KOIN OREGON PAVILION AT WATERFRONT PARK STARLIGHT PARADE SATURDAY JUNE 2 7:00 -10:30 PM N W. FLANDERS AND PARK YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS SUNDAY JUNE 10 12:00 NOON 8:00 PM HENRY AND OREGON PAVILION STATE AT WATERFRONT PARK •GOSPEL JUBILEE SATURDAY JUNE 18 7:00 - 10:00 PM ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL / PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ROYAL COURT CORONATION RECEPTION WEDNESDAY JULY 18 8:30 - 10:30 PM SHERATON INN PORTLAND AIRPORT AFRICAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL PRE-PARADE SHOW SATURDAY JULY 21 8:00 - 0:30 AM JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL & TRACK FIELD AT N. COMMERCIAL & KILUNGSWORTH AFRICAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL PARADE SATURDAY JULY 21 10:00 - 12:00 NOON AFRICAN AMERICAN FESTIVAL CENTER SATURDAY JULY 21 SUNDAY JULY 22 10:00 - 8:00 PM 10:00 - 8:00 PM FERNHILL PARK «2ND AND NE KILUNGSWORTH • SANCTIONED EVENT BY THE ROSE FESTIVAL Q . I ’ve heard that (here is a maximum fam ily benefit under Social Security. Does this mean that once the maximum is reached, some family members won't get benefits? A. No. Under Social Security each family member entitled to receive a monthly benefit w ill receive one. The total benefits received by the family, however, cannot exceed the family max imum amount. That amount is divided among all entitled dependents. The more dependents who receive benefits on the worker’s Social Security record, the lower the benefit amount will be for each dependent. The retired worker’s benefit amount, however, is not reduced for this reason. Q . I have just sel up my own carpen try business after having worked for someone else for the past 8 years. How does a self-employed person pay the Social Security taxes due? A. You must pay your estimated tax quarterly to the Internal Revenue Serv ice (IRS). Any balance due must be paid when you file your Federal income tax return following the end o f your taxa ble year. The self-employment tax rate is 15.3 percent o f your net earnings, up io the maximum amount creditable for the year, which is $51,300 in 1990. Your net earnings must be at least $400. The IRS w ill then report the earnings to Social Security for posting to your earn ings record. This year you w ill be allowed a special deduction for both Social Security and income tax pur poses. These deductions are designed to treat self-employed persons in much the same manner as employees and employ ers are treated under current law. Con tact your nearest IRS office for more information. Q . I will retire in June and would like to know if my military service during the Korean W ar will give me additional Social Security credits and higher benefits. A. Before 1957, military service was not covered by Social Security. Begin ning January 1, 1957, credit was given for active duty m ilitary service and active duty service for training. Even though your Social Security record does not include your military service during the Korean Conflict, when you go to ap ply for benefits, you can receive non contributory wage credits o f $160 for each month o f your active service if they are needed or would raise your benefit. Before you apply, call Social Security and ask them if your m ilitary service would give you a higher benefit amount. Many people can get a higher benefit without credits. I f you find that the additional m ilitary service credits will help, you w ill need to bring in proof o f your military service and your discharge papers. Q . I just began receiving supplemen tal security income (SSI) payments. W ill Social Security tell me how I must use this money? A. No. The government places no restrictions on how people spend their SSI payments. Each recipient is free to make decisions about how their pay ment w ill be used. Q . M y handicapped son gets sup plemental security income (SSI) pay ments and is in a special jo b training program. He has become discouraged lately and has talked about dropping out o f that program. W ill he lose his SSI benefits? A. I f your son is still considered dis abled for SSI payments and remains within the income and resource limits, he w ill still be eligible for those month ly payments. He should talk to the per son at Social Security in charge o f work incentives and vocational rehabilitation. That person may be able to direct him to additional help so that he can stay in the training program and increase his future earnings potential. 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