[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16722]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     CONGRATULATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SKANNER NEWS GROUP

  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, this year marks the 40th anniversary of the 
Skanner News Group, a renowned print and online news publication that 
serves African and African-American communities in Portland, OR, and 
the Northwest.
  Since 1975, the Skanner News Group has provided in-depth and 
essential coverage of its community as it relates to politics, social 
justice, civil rights, art, and food, all while holding true to its 
mission statement: ``Challenging people to shape a better future now.'' 
The Skanner certainly has been a catalyst for change. In the late 
1980s, it was the Skanner's coverage of the debate to rename Union 
Avenue in Northeast Portland for Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard that 
played a crucial role in ensuring the community's request was 
fulfilled. Whether it is honoring minority-owned businesses or running 
profiles on the Black Lives Matter movement, the Skanner is there to 
cover and inform all of us in Portland about the most important issues 
and topics of our time.
  The Skanner's long list of awards is a testament not just to the 
importance of this publication, but also the quality of its reporting. 
It has received multiple National Newspaper Publishers Association 
awards and is a three-time winner of the West Coast Black Publishers 
Association's ``Publisher of the Year'' award. As well as the national 
recognitions are local well-earned accolades that further demonstrate 
what the Skanner means to readers across the Northwest.
  Behind the success of this historic publication is a hard-working 
team that has been instrumental in building the Skanner these past four 
decades and positioning it for success for decades to come. I would 
like to especially acknowledge cofounders Bobbie and Bernie Foster, two 
people I consider the heart and soul of this operation. Beyond the 
publication, they created the Skanner Foundation, which runs a 
scholarship program that awards $1,000 each to the best and brightest 
young people to help them accomplish their educational goals. Bobbie 
and Bernie's passion for giving back is a key component of what makes 
them and the Skanner so special.
  In addition to all this great work, the foundation organizes an 
annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., breakfast that is renowned in 
Oregon as being an event that justly honors one of the greatest civil 
rights leaders of our time. I have been privileged to attend the 
breakfast and know full well what a huge impact it has.
  The Skanner News Group is an institution that serves to better our 
community, by inspiring, uplifting, and informing. I would like to 
congratulate the staff on reaching their 40th anniversary and wish them 
the best in the years to come.

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