WWW . THESKANNER . COM
M AY 28, 2014
P ORTLAND
AND
S EATTLE
V OLUME XXXVI, N O . 34
For The Skanner
website scan this
QR code
Lisa Loving
Of The Skanner News
O
ne of the most respected and
admired artists in the Pacific North-
west, musician and songwriter
Janice Marie Scroggins died Tuesday in
Portland.
A master pianist of many disciplines,
Scroggins wowed audiences with every-
thing from Scott Joplin and Ray Charles to
the Ten Grands tours and more. She was
known for jazz, blues, gospel, funk, and
popular music – but also performed and
recorded folk and country tunes.
“I come from a musical family, raised
with Gospel, Classical, Movie Themes,
Blues, etc.,” Scroggins wrote on the CD
cover for Theresa Demarest’s recording,
“Good Company.” “I’ve had the good for-
tune of playing any type of music I want to
with great artists.”
A mentor and support to people of all
racial and economic backgrounds, Scrog-
gins could be heard in concert halls and
retirement homes, jazz and blues stages as
well as churches. Since the late 1970s when
she moved to the Pacific Northwest, when-
ever there was a musical tribute to be made
or a benefit to be launched, she was there.
There were hundreds of social media trib-
utes to Scroggins online Wednesday
morning, including many by jazz and blues
musicians who posted images of her as their
profile picture.
“Janice’s spirit is embedded in my Soul,”
guitarist Norman “Boogie Cat” Sylvester
wrote. “Janice was and always will be a part
of the energy in my music, because she gave
my music and career an explosive boost for
30 years. Janice’s musical force and spiritu-
al presence will be missed in the Portland
Music Community.”
Fellow pianist Tom Grant said, “Janice’s
quiet depth...in her piano playing and in the
conduct of her life...will forever be an inspi-
ration to all of us who knew and worked
See SCROGGINS on page 3
INDEX
News ..............1,3,8-10
Opinion .....................2
Calendars ..............4,5
A & E ......................6,7
Bids/Classifieds ........11
Pacific NW
DEFEND
THE
KIDS
Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the
Children’s Defense Fund, talked to The
Skanner about the barriers facing low-
income children – especially children
of color. Edelman also wanted to hear
about Portland’s efforts to support
children and families.
PHOTO BY HELEN SILVIS
Pianist Janice
Scroggins is mourned
across the region
CENTS
The Skanner News presents
our new regional edition,
featuring more news and
local information.
C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW
Blues
Master
Passes
25
Marian Wright Edelman Visits
Civil rights hero speaks on poverty, education, and child welfare
By Helen Silvis
Of The Skanner News
T
he civil rights hero is
hopping mad about cuts
to anti-poverty pro-
grams
Marion Wright Edelman
sweeps through the lounge of
the Heathman Hotel, in search
of a quiet corner to talk. The
public rooms are all booked so
we settle for a nook in the
lounge, and agree to ignore the
piped music.
History will call her a giant
of the U.S. civil rights move-
ment. In person, she’s more
like your favorite auntie, pic-
ture perfect in a cute, yellow
felt jacket and oversize red
glasses. Around her neck she
wears a string of amber and
yellow beads and a small
framed photo of Sojourner
Truth.
The first Black woman to be
appointed to the Mississippi
State Bar, Edelman took the
helm of the state’s NAACP
Legal Defense and Education-
al Fund in 1964. She
strategized
with
Robert
Kennedy and worked with
Martin Luther King Jr. to build
the poor people’s campaign
that turned into the historic
1968 March on Washington.
After King was murdered,
Edelman founded the Chil-
dren’s Defense Fund to
research and lobby on behalf
of poor and minority children.
That was more than 40 years
ago, but Edelman has never
stopped fighting for poor chil-
dren. And she’s lost none of
her passion.
“In Oregon one in four of
your children is poor –the fig-
ure is one in five nationally –
but over half of your Black
children are poor,” she
laments. “It’s disgraceful.”
Edelman is in Portland visit-
ing family –son Jonah leads
the Oregon-based nonprofit
Stand for Children. Still, she’s
carved out time to talk about
why so many American chil-
dren are failing almost before
they get started in life.
Poverty is Still
Enemy Number One
Child Poverty is still Ameri-
ca’s toughest challenge,
See WRIGHT on page 3
HOA part 2: Who Pays for Repairs?
While homeowners pay assessments, past-due bills pile up
Lisa Loving
Of The Skanner News
Part 2 of a 3 Part Series
L
egal filings in the Snoozy’s Hollow
HOA lawsuit against Kraft tell a puz-
zling story.
Firstly, Kraft’s pro bono attorney from the
Stoel, Rives law firm argued that the HOA
was responsible for repairing the original
leaky pipe when she moved there in 2010.
The HOA’s attorney countered successfully
that the repair only benefitted Kraft – and
that is why she should have to pay it.
However, the City of Portland in 2011
bailed out Snoozy’s HOA over an estimated
$100,000 past-due water bill – a product of
those same leaky pipes, which had sent
untold-gallons of water into the dirt. Up
until 2011, every single home was on the
same water main, so if one home’s pipe was
leaking, every homeowner shouldered the
cost. It’s not completely clear why or for
how long the water bill hadn’t been paid;
the current management company did not
come on board until 2006, and the non-pay-
ments predate that.
After negotiating with the HOA board, the
See HOA on page 3