AUGUST 22, 2018
Portland and Seattle Volume XL No. 47
25
CENTS
News .............................. 3,9-10
SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE:
Opinion ...................................2
Calendars ........................... 4-5
Bids/Classifieds ....................11
CHALLENGING PEOPLE TO SHAPE A BETTER FUTURE NOW
PHOTO VIA GOOGLE MAPS
STATUES UNVEILED
Many are concerned that the proposed greenway
would clog the streets around Albina Head Start at
Northeast Fremont and 7th.
Public comment
extended for Lloyd
to Woodlawn
Neighborhood Greenway
project
PHOTO BY BERNIE FOSTER
New
Greenway
in NE – But
Where?
Centralia, Wash. Mayor Lee Coumbs (R), seated with his wife, former Mayor Bonnie Canaday, and Mayor Pro-tem Max Vogt (top R), are pictured with a
new series of bronze statues depicting the city’s founder George Washington, his wife, and their dog. The statues were unveiled in George Washington
Park, Centralia, Wash. on August 11, 2018.
ou’ve heard that Northeast 7th
Avenue might get shut down but
where do you air your opinion
about it?
The Portland Bureau of Transporta-
tion is extending public comment on
its Lloyd to Woodlawn Neighborhood
Greenway project through the end of
Y
AP PHOTO/PAUL SANCYA
See GREENWAY on page 3
Beverly Thompson leaves a stuffed bear outside
at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit Aug. 16.
Aretha Franklin, the undisputed “Queen of Soul”
died Thursday at age 76. C.L. Franklin, her father,
had been pastor at the church that Franklin
learned the gospel fundamentals that would make
her a soul institution.
Detroit
Remembers
Aretha page 9
Summer Events Fill the
Community Calendar
page 4
Bicentennial Wraps up for Centralia Founder
George Washington, 1818-1905
By Lisa Loving
Of The Skanner News
he town of Centralia,
Washington has been
celebrating its found-
er all year, but last
weekend was the crowning
event in the 200th anniver-
sary of the birth of George
Washington.
George and his wife,
Mary Jane, were African
American settlers who
came across the Oregon
Trail and established the
town, almost exactly half-
way between Seattle and
Portland.
Despite the rainy weath-
er, about 100 people gath-
ered Aug. 11 in Centralia’s
T
George Washington Park
to celebrate a new series
of three bronze statues de-
picting George, his wife,
and their faithful dog,
Rockwood. The statues
were sculpted by local art-
ist Jim Stafford, and cast at
a foundry in Tacoma.
In attendance on Satur-
day were elected officials
including City Councilor
Joyce Barnes, Mayor Lee
Coumbs, Mayor Pro-tem
Max Vogt, and former
Mayor Bonnie Canaday.
The dedication of the
statues was the culmina-
tion of an entire year’s
worth of events celebrat-
ing Washington’s life. The
bicentennial kicked off on
the founder’s 199th birth-
day last year on Aug. 15.
“The more I learned
about George Washington,
“
tage.”
Mittge said the best part
of this year’s events has
been their ability to draw
He’s a great American and an
important figure in our Pacific
Northwest heritage
the more I admired him,”
event organizer Brian
Mittge said. “He overcame
incredible obstacles in
his life -- all the hardships
of pioneer life, as well as
the extra, unfair burdens
placed on African Amer-
icans by law and custom.
He’s a great American and
an important figure in our
Pacific Northwest heri-
engaged audiences.
“I’ve been so moved by his
example of bringing peo-
ple together,” Mittge said.
“We live in a time of divi-
sion today, but it was even
worse during George’s
lifetime — slavery, the Civil
War, and more. If he could
unify people then, we can
work toward unity now.”
See CENTRALIA on page 3
Support Black Restaurants Week Celebration Underway
Minority business promotion event heads into a
fourth year with expanded website, theme nights
The Skanner Staff
upport Black Restaurants Week
is back for a fourth year – with
89 restaurants listed and theme
nights every night of the week.
According to the website for the
promotional event), Thursday’s
theme is Soul Food & BBQ and Friday
is Fusion Friday. Themes celebrated
earlier in the week included West
S
African Dining, East African Dining
and Caribbean Foods.
Last year’s event culminated in a
parking lot party at Dub’s St. Johns;
this year, participating restaurants
will host events all weekend. List-
ed events include live jazz at Solae’s
Lounge Friday, and a DJ featuring
pan-African music of multiple genres
at Sengatera Ethiopian Restaurant
See RESTAURANTS on page 3
PHOTO BY CHRISTEN MCCURDY
By Lisa Loving
Of The Skanner
In this 2017 file photo, Keacean Phillips, poses
in front of Jamaican Homestyle Cuisine on North
Killingsworth. Her business is one of nearly 70
listed as part of the third annual Support Black-
Owned Restaurants promotion.