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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 2018)
Page 2 The Skanner Portland & Seattle December 12, 2018 ® Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now Bernie Foster Founder/Publisher Bobbie Dore Foster Executive Editor Jerry Foster Advertising Manager Christen McCurdy News Editor Patricia Irvin Graphic Designer Monica J. Foster Seattle Office Coordinator Susan Fried Photographer 2017 MERIT AWARD WINNER The Skanner Newspaper, es- tablished in October 1975, is a weekly publication, published every Wednesday by IMM Publi- cations Inc. 415 N. Killingsworth St. P.O. Box 5455 Portland, OR 97228 Telephone (503) 285-5555 Fax: (503) 285-2900 info@theskanner.com www.TheSkanner.com The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Association and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. ©2018 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission prohibited. Local News Pacific NW News World News Opinions Jobs, Bids Entertainment Community Calendar LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS Updated daily. TICKETS ON SALE! The Skanner Foundation MLK Breakfast January 21 2019 Opinion In Memoriam: George H. W. Bush – American Hero Written by Harry C. Alford & Kay DeBow P resident George H.W. Bush has died after 94 years of a vibrant life. There is one thing that we must all admit: He served this country every second of his long life. President George H.W. Bush has died after 94 years of a vibrant life. There is one thing that we must all admit: He served this country every second of his long life. When World War II began with the attack on Pearl Harbor, he immediately responded by enlisting as a naval aviator on his 18thbirthday. He became the second youngest pilot in World War II. He served with great honor and was decorat- ed accordingly. His father, Prescott Bush, was his role model. As a sen- ator representing the state of Connecticut, Prescott Bush authored the Civil Rights Act of 1957. That took a mountain of courage back in those days and it also set a lasting im- pression on his son George. After his service in the war, young George moved to Tex- as to establish a career in the oil business. With seed mon- ey from his father, he settled in Midland, Texas and soon built an empire. It would not be long before his leadership skills took over and he got into politics — like his father. He also kept an affinity for civil rights. During his long tenure for Thomas has proven to be one of the most prolific Supreme Court Justices in our history. It was his presiden- cy that brought on the end of the Cold War. This peaceful success was very historical and, at the time thought to be Presi- Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO impossible. of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. dent Bush made this Ms. DeBow is the Co-Founder, Executive Vice world a better and safer place and we President of the NBCC. all owe him for that service he served as our UN admirable service and leader- Ambassador, Congressman, ship. Senator and even ran the His appreciation of diver- Central Intelligence Agency sity also entered the Space (CIA). When President Ron- Race. Through his efforts our first Black astronaut, Gu- ion Bluford, was promoted to Colonel. During this pro- cess, his activity got a little personal for our family. Our father, Charles H. DeBow Jr., became part of the original class of Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. To our ald Reagan chose him to be his surprise Vice President Bush Vice President, he was more invited our father to join oth- than ready. While being one er graduates of the first Tus- of the top leaders of our gov- kegee class of pilots to a cer- ernment, he made a lasting emony celebrating the initial friendship with Martin Lu- launch of Astronaut Bluford. ther King Sr. He even partici- He flew the families of the pated in his eulogy. He always survivors to Cape Canaveral, showed empathy for Black Florida. He wined and dined leadership. He appointed Col- the families and toasted, “We in Powell as commander of are here to celebrate the in- our military during Opera- augural launch of Astronaut tion Desert Storm (Iraq War). Bluford. It is because of what He appointed Clarence Thom- you did in World War II that as to the Supreme Court. Af- led to this moment. It is like ter 27 years of service, Justice Jackie Robinson in baseball, “ It was his presidency that brought on the end of the Cold War you have led the way for Black aviation in our great nation.” The above event was one of the happiest moments of our father’s life. Such a touch- ing tribute for his bravery and service. His service was honored by the White House — what an honor! Vice Pres- ident Bush performed this tribute with no publicity or fanfare. It was an important event that needed recogni- tion and he did it. Such is the ilk of George H.W. Bush, His- tory will show him as one of the greatest leaders our na- tion ever had. Despite all the undeserved criticism of the press and political rivals, he is without a doubt the epit- ome of what America is all about. May history correct the criticism that was thrown upon him and his family. His legacy will certainly live on. The Bush family are natu- ral leaders and we will enjoy their participation for de- cades to come. There are few American families that have contributed so much to the service of our nation. Fewer who see the need for diver- sity and civil rights for all. From now on let us show the respect and appreciation they deserve. President George H.W. Bush was made of the “Right Stuff ”. He was a perfect example of what is right with America. Let us thank our Lord for sending George H.W. Bush our way. Our future is now se- cure. May God bless the Bush family. Don’t Let Small-Dollar Loans Ruin Your Holidays I n this wonderful time of the year when family and friends gather in good cheer to celebrate the hol- idays, nearly everyone has a number of lists. From greet- ing cards to shopping for gifts, decorations and more, lists are made and reviewed to keep pace with the barrage of seasonal activities. But if holiday lists seem big- ger than budgets, turning to a high-interest, “small dollar” loan can turn joy and merri- ment into a financial quag- mire. The good news is that holiday financial hangovers that predatory lenders give, do not need to be a part of your celebrations. Just keep walking or driv- ing past the brightly-colored signs advertising high-inter- est, small dollar loans. Both payday and car title loans can provide quick cash; but the harms these loans create will likely linger well past the winter’s cold. In truth, these predatory loans often lead to consumers paying more in interest and fees than for the money borrowed. Research by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist has found that predatory pay- day loans drain $4.1 billion in fees from consumers annual- ly — borrowers who typically are unable to fully repay the “ car title loan of about $1,000 can only be secured by sign- ing a personally-owned car as collateral. Further, the loan may only be a fraction of the marketable value of the vehi- cle. While the lender holds on to a car title, the borrower is faced with triple-digit inter- est and, in one of five cases, a whopping 20 percent, the loss of personal transportation. As harmful as payday and car title loans are, other seem- The good news is that holiday fi- nancial hangovers that predatory lenders give, do not need to be a part of your celebrations original loan, usually in two weeks’ time. With average an- nual interest rates averaging 391 percent, 75 percent of all payday loans go to borrow- ers with more than 10 loans a year. Like payday loans, car title loans are often marketed as an easy way to get cash with- out a credit check — but with interest rates that tend to be 20-30 times higher than that of credit cards. The average ingly harmless small-dollar transactions can also cause financial havoc. If you believe pre-paid cards will always avoid financial ripoffs, think again. Before paying cash for this convenient form of plastic, read all of the fine print that explains the terms and fees that come with its usage. Terms and options can and do vary significantly. Many include a range of fees from activation, to learning your current balances, reloading monies and in some cases fees for inactivity. By the time all applicable fees are assessed, the amount of money actually available on that prepaid card can shrink and shortchange how far it can help on pur- chases. Similarly, the convenience of debit cards can easily trig- ger overdraft charges for consumers with slim or no checking account cushions. CRL research has shown that although overdraft fees vary by institution, the average $35 overdraft fee on a debit card is double the amount of the overdraft itself. Banks en- gage in a range of unfair and deceptive tactics to maximize these fees, which can amount to hundreds of dollars over the course of just a day or two — talk about a holiday damp- er. Too many overdrafts can lead to involuntary account closures. This holiday season try add- ing a full measure of practi- cal sense to help your dollars preserve the spirit and joy of the season — it only comes once a year!
