Volume XXV, Number 50
Committed to cultural diversity
December 13, 1995
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Portland Observer Praised For Family Values
in P romise K ing
A
School Delays
Heard In Many
Tongues
Dignitaries from the business world, high-level politicians and
ordinary community folks who read the newspaper weekly, braved the
bad weather Friday night to witness this testimony at a 25th anniver­
sary celebration.
First, it was Congressman Ron Wyden who gave the Portland
Observer kudos for bringing insight on issues that impact metropol itan
Portland.
"I read the Portland Observer carefully, because in it, I find news
that is relevant to our day-to-day lives. News about the values we
cherish as Americans and news about our commitment to responsibil­
ities. I am here today in support o f this cause," Wyden told an elated
crowd.
Portland Police C hief Charles Moose was the keynote speaker.
His accolades came in a subtle tone.
” I he Portland Observer is a real community newspaper that is
very involved in building pride. It shows the pictures o f neighborhood
kids and this has reinforced their pride in our community,” Moose
said.
I f bad weather forces school closures
and delays this winter, the information
w ill be presented in nine different lan­
guages on the Portland Public School
radio station KBPS 1450 A M . Announce­
ments w ill be made in English, Spanish,
Russian, two forms o f Chinese, Vietnam­
ese, Cambodian, Lao and Hmong. The
information w ill also be provided to com­
mercial radio, T V stations, and newspa-
Wyden, Smith
Win Nominations
U S. Rep. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and
state Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Pendleton,
won their party nominations in a special
mail ballot Primary Election Tuesday to
succeed Bob Packwood in the U.S. Sen­
ate. In their victory speeches, Smith at­
tacked Wyden as a Washington, D C .
insider and liberal. Wyden said Smith
represents extremist views, not in charac­
ter with Oregon.
In a swift stride, the police ch ie f chided the Portland-based
minority-owned newspaper for not always being “ politically correct”
a comment that drew a smile out of Joyce Washington, the newspa­
per’s publisher.
Your paper, Portland Mayor Vera Katz agreed in written
testimony, “ has consistently offered a voice that reinforces the posi-
tive aspects ofthe great diversity o fo u r city. For this, we have all been
made stronger in our determination to work together as a community.”
State Rep. Margaret Carter, D-Portland, concluded that the
success of the Portland Observer speaks clearly that a “ family can run
a successful business in our community.” Carter said others could
Mail Election Ease
No Surprise
Traditional ballot boxes may give
way in Oregon to voting by mail, accord­
ing to University o f Oregon political sci­
entist Priscilla Southwell. She said the low
number o f complaints during last week’s
Republican and Democratic primaries is
p ro of that voters like the idea o f mail-in
ballots, which until now, have been used
only for non-primary and non-general elec­
tions.
Black-Owned
Businesses
Increase
The number o f African American-
owned businesses in the United States has
increased 46 percent over the past five
years, according to a new Census Bureau
report. Receipts from these firms increased
63 percent during the period, from $19.8
b illion to $32.2 billion , officials said.
Water Facility
Coining To
St. Johns
The largest p u b lic construction
project ever built in the St. Johns neigh­
borhood o f north Portland was started
Monday with a ground breaking ceremo­
ny at Cathedral Park. The C ity o f Port­
land’s $8.6 m illion Water Pollution Con­
trol Laboratory w ill be used to analyze
water quality.
Gift Boxes Go To
Local Kids
Northwest Medical Teams Interna­
tional is distributing 3,000 G ift o f Hope
boxes to children in the Portland, Salem
and Vancouver area. The boxes, filled
with sweat shirts, hygiene items, books,
school supplies, snacks, candy, stuffed
animals and toys, were distributed M on­
day to north and northeast Portland ch il­
dren enrolled in Albina Head Start.
Ifîortlattù © bseruer
t 25 years of publication, the Portland Observer is
holding its head high as a multi-cultural newspaper
geared toward promoting family values and
community pride.
Portland Police Chief Charles Moose, Portland Observer
Publisher Joyce Washington and Tony Washington attend the
newspapers’ 25th Anniversary Celebration. See related story
and photos In Metro section, inside.
(Photo by Johnny Obina Maxey)
Congressman Mfume Named To NAACP Presidency
he NAACP board of directors
Saturday elected U.S. Rep.
Kweisi Mfume, D-Md. as new
president of the nation’s oldest
rights organization.
T
Mfume, 47, has represented the B a lti­
more area in Congress since 1986, is to take
up his post at the National Association for the
Advancement ofC olored People in mid-
February, o fficials said.
In his acceptance speech, M fume said he
spoke Friday with President Clinton and Dem­
ocratic congressional leaders “ to advise them
o f my decision to leave the Congress in mid-
February to assume this new challenge.”
Mfume is the 16th House Democrat to
announce they would leave their posts or not
seek re-election.
‘‘The decision to accept this new oppor­
civil did not come lightly,” he said. “ At this
tunity
point in time, however, I am convinced,
without reservation, that I can best affect
social, economic and political change in the
broader capacity that the N A ACP represents.”
Mfume, who w ill be responsible for day-
to-day operations and serve as the N A A C P ’s
principal spokesperson, said the organiza­
tion is at “ the most critical point,” and must
increase its political power “ by organizing
and energizing voters in every congressional
district in America.”
He also called for more emphasis on
“ educational excess and individual responsi­
bility, and “ creating an infrastructure for
empowerment and economic parity.”
The board chose Mfume to replace Ben­
jam in Chavis, who was fired last year amid
accusations he misused organization funds to
head o ffa sex discrimination lawsuit against
him.
Chavis him self had originally been seen
as a chance for the N AACP to regain its
political position after a period o f steady
decline in the 1980s.
Founded in 1909, the N AACP extended
its membership across the country and was a
key player in the civ il rights movement o f the
1960s.
In recent years, however, it saw many o f
its 2,250 N AACP local chapters slip into
inactivity and the average age o f its 500,000
members rise to 55
signalling a failure to
reach a new generation o f black activists and
voters.
I he Ethnic NewsWatch reported in
August that the NAACP is battling a $3.8
m illion budget deficit and needs to raise $ 10
m illion just to retire its debt and carry the
group through 1996.
A life-long NAACP member, Mfume
was chairman o f the Congressional Black
Caucus for two years and now serves on the
House Banking and Financ ial Services Com­
mittee and the Small Business Committee.
Denny’s Settles
Racism Suits
D
e n n y ’s R e s tau ra n ts says the
company will pay $46 million to settle
two class-action lawsuits charging
racial discrimination.
Denny’s, a subsidiary o f Flagstar Co. Inc., w ill
pay 158,523 m inority California claimants $ 177.71
each. In the second case involving all other states,
136,014 claimants w ill receive $132.28 each.
The lawsuits were brought by African-American
customers who were the victims o f alleged discrim ­
ination between 1987 and 1994. According to their
testimony, African-Americans were discouraged from
patronizing Denny’s and the restaurant chain had few
or no black managers or franchisees.
The company has since instituted fast track
training programs for m inority candidates and diver­
sity workshops for all its 50,000 employees.
Denny’s said it also has added m inority repre­
sentation on the board o f directors o f the parent
company and increased the number o f m inority-
owned franchises to 26 restaurants from one in 1993.
Court-approved claims administrators have com­
pleted the claims administration process and are
distributing checks to 294,537 class members this
month, Denny’s said Monday.
Area kids try on some of the colorful coats at the Salvation Army Coa
by many residents, the Salvation Army and the Oregon Dry Cleaners
received warm coats for the winter.
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