03-21-2023  10:10 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

The Big Problem for Endangered Orcas? Inbreeding

People have taken many steps in recent decades to help the Pacific Northwest's endangered killer whales, which have long suffered from starvation, pollution and the legacy of having many of their number captured for display in marine parks.

Amazon Cuts 9,000 More Jobs, Bringing 2023 Total to 27,000

The job cuts would mark the second largest round of layoffs in the company's history

Starbucks New CEO Laxman Narasimhan Takes His Seat

Narasimhan succeeds longtime Starbucks leader Howard Schultz, who came out of retirement last spring to serve as interim CEO while the company searched for a new chief executive.

With Overdoses up, States Look at Harsher Fentanyl Penalties

State lawmakers nationwide are responding to the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history by pushing harsher penalties for possessing fentanyl and other powerful lab-made opioids that are connected to about 70,000 deaths a year

NEWS BRIEFS

Tiffani Penson Announces Campaign for PCC Board, Zone 2

Penson is proud of the accomplishments of PCC ...

Black Bag Speaker Series: Oregon Black Pioneers Historic Photograph Collection

OBP will present the history and context of a photo album, found in a house located in historically Black North Portland, that was...

The Making of American Whiteness Book Presentation and Signing to be Held at OHS

The Making of American Whiteness book will be presented by Dr. Carmen P. Thompson, in conversation with Dr. Darrell Millner on...

Support for Survivors of Child Sex Trafficking Unanimously Passes Oregon Senate

SB 745 will require juvenile departments to screen for survivors of sex trafficking, connect identified survivors with critical...

Reusable Food Container Bill Passes Oregon Senate

SB 545 will allow restaurants to fill consumer-owned containers with food ...

Oregon bill on abortion, gender-affirming care sparks debate

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon bill that would greatly expand access to reproductive health and gender-affirming care drew emotional testimony on Monday, mirroring the culture war debates over abortion, gender identity and parents' rights that are playing out in state legislatures across the...

Deputy shot, wounded in Seattle during eviction, 1 dead

SEATTLE (AP) — A King County Sheriff’s deputy was shot in Seattle Monday while trying to serve an eviction notice, and a person inside the residence was later found dead, police said. The Seattle Police Department said on Twitter around 10:30 a.m. that a person was barricaded in...

The maddest March ever? Underdogs head to the Sweet 16

We know you're upset. Underdogs have blown up every bracket in the country. An upside of the upsets: perhaps the maddest March ever. Defending national champion Kansas and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue are gone — the Boilermakers with a slice of unwanted history. The Sweet...

March Madness betting guide: Upsets shuffle favorites' odds

LAS VEGAS (AP) — March Madness isn't just about filling out — and later trashing — brackets. There are more ways to bet the field in the NCAA Tournament, an event that will consume basketball fans over the next three weeks. Here's a look at the favorites, underdogs and long shots. ...

OPINION

Celebrating 196 Years of The Black Press

It was on March 17, 1827, at a meeting of “Freed Negroes” in New York City, that Samuel Cornish, a Presbyterian minister, and John Russwurn, the first Negro college graduate in the United States, established the negro newspaper. ...

DEQ Announces Suspension of Oregon’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program

The state’s popular incentive for drivers to switch to electric vehicles is scheduled to pause in May ...

FHA Makes Housing More Affordable for 850,000 Borrowers

Savings tied to median market home prices ...

State Takeover Schemes Threaten Public Safety

Blue cities in red states, beware: conservatives in state government may be coming for your police department. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

2nd officer in inmate's fatal beating gets same 20-year term

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The second of three former correctional officers sentenced in the fatal beating of a state inmate received a 20-year prison term Monday, the same as a co-conspirator despite a judge's declaration he could have stopped the attack as the senior officer. U.S....

Montana senator wants to block mandatory diversity training

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Republican lawmaker in Montana wants to prohibit mandatory diversity training for state employees with a bill whose language matches a Florida law that is temporarily blocked by the courts. The proposed “Montana Individual Freedom Act,” would prohibit...

Silicon Valley Bank collapse concerns founders of color

In the hours after some of Silicon Valley Bank’s biggest customers started pulling out their money, a WhatsApp group of startup founders who are immigrants of color ballooned to more than 1,000 members. Questions flowed as the bank’s financial status worsened. Some desperately...

ENTERTAINMENT

Adam Sandler gets Mark Twain prize surrounded by celeb pals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Adam Sandler placed his hand on the bronze bust of Mark Twain and speculated that it “one day might be the weapon used to bludgeon me in my sleep." A host of comedic and entertainment royalty gathered at Washington’s Kennedy Center as Sandler was presented with...

Jeremy Scott leaves Moschino after 10 years at fashion house

MILAN (AP) — Jeremy Scott is stepping down as creative director of Italian luxury house Moschino after 10 years of wild and wacky fashion shows and his elegant dressing of numerous celebrities. The company made the announcement Monday. “Scott has penned a fundamental...

Itching to start spring garden cleanup? Not so fast!

When the blare of the year’s first leaf blower awakened me one morning last week, I realized spring cleanup had commenced -- no matter that March could still roar like a lion here in my Long Island, New York, neighborhood. It stands to reason that professional landscapers cannot...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Ignoring experts, China's sudden zero-COVID exit cost lives

BEIJING (AP) — When China suddenly scrapped onerous zero-COVID measures in December, the country wasn’t ready...

TikTok updates rules; CEO on charm offensive for US hearing

LONDON (AP) — TikTok went on a counteroffensive Tuesday amid increasing Western pressure over cybersecurity and...

'John Wick' stars honor late co-star Lance Reddick

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne were among the “John Wick: Chapter 4" stars honoring...

Boris Johnson says 'partygate' untruths were honest mistake

LONDON (AP) — Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledged Tuesday that he misled Parliament about...

Kenya police say 1 killed in opposition-led protests

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyan police said Tuesday that one person died, 31 officers were injured and more than...

London police chief 'humbled' by withering report on force

LONDON (AP) — London’s police force has lost the confidence of the people it serves because it is riven with...

Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons works against Portland Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum
Anne M. Peterson, AP Sports Writer

Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons (25) works against Portland Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum (88) during the first half of game four of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series game in Portland, Ore., Sunday March 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Greg Wahl-Stephens)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — There was some shouting going on in the Trail Blazers' locker room after they fell behind by 10 points at halftime to the Rockets.

Up 2-1 in their first playoff series since 2011, the Blazers didn't want to mess up Game 4, especially in front of their hometown fans.

"In the words of Chuck — Charles Barkley — we were playing like wussies," Portland guard Wesley Matthews said. "That was the message to each other."

Whatever was said, the Trail Blazers pulled out of their funk and went on to defeat the Rockets 123-120 in overtime Sunday night to take a 3-1 advantage in the series that moves to Houston on Wednesday.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 29 points and 10 rebounds in the first win for the home team in the series, while Nicolas Batum added 25 points. It was the third game in the series decided in overtime.

The Blazers haven't advanced out of the first round since 2000. Portland also hasn't held a 3-1 advantage in a series since the 2000 Western Conference semifinals against Utah, which the Blazers won 4-1.

James Harden had 28 points and Dwight Howard added 25 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets.

"The playoffs are a grind," Houston coach Kevin McHale said. "It's a different game than the regular season. You've got to be built for the grind."

Portland trailed by as many as 11 points, but rallied in the fourth quarter. Mo Williams' 3-pointer put the Blazers in front 105-104 with 18.9 seconds left. Dorell Wright missed the first of two free throws, making it 106-104 with 8.3 seconds to go.

Howard dunked off a feed from Harden with 3.6 seconds left to tie it and Williams missed a 3 at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

Chandler Parsons was hit with a flagrant foul on Aldridge, who made both free throws to give the Blazers the lead to start off OT. Batum scooped up a layup before adding a 3-pointer and Damian Lillard made a layup to put Portland ahead 117-110.

Houston rookie Troy Daniels nailed a 3 and Harden landed a jumper to narrow it to 119-117, but Lillard made free throws to extend the lead to four points with 17 seconds left.

Aldridge missed a pair of free throws and Daniels was fouled by Wright on a 3-point attempt and made all three shots to narrow it to 121-120 with 8.9 seconds left. After a Portland timeout, Mo Williams made free throws for the final margin.

"It was tough," Aldridge said. "I thought it was a gut-check by everybody. I thought our guys took on the challenge."

Aldridge opened Portland's return to the playoffs with a franchise postseason-best 46 points in the Blazers' 122-120 overtime victory in Game 1, then followed it up with 43 points in the 112-105 win. The Rockets won the third, 121-116 in overtime on Friday night at the ModaCenter.

McHale again started Omer Asik in place of Terrence Jones. Asik had success against Aldridge in Game 3, helping to hold Portland's All-Star to 23 points.

The two teams played closely for most of the first quarter, but the Rockets took a 29-22 lead after an 11-4 run highlighted by two straight 3-pointers from Daniels.

Daniels, who spent time in the D-League this season and only made his NBA debut on March. 5, was the unlikely hero of Game 3 when he drained a 3 with 11.9 seconds to go in OT that proved to be the winner.

Houston led 61-51 at the half, led by Parsons with 19 points. The Rockets maintained the lead through the third quarter and Harden's jumper from the top of the key stretched it to 92-84 with 8:31 left.

Portland got within 94-91 on Batum's layup with 6:35 left. Lillard's 3-pointer tied it at 94, but Harden answered with his 3 for the Rockets.

Aldridge made a layup to put Portland up 102-97, but Howard made three of four free throws to narrow it before making two big blocks. Harden hit free throws to tie it at 102 with 1:11 left. Aldridge missed a layup and Harden hit another two foul shots to give the Rockets back the lead.

Parsons finished with 26 points for the Rockets.

"Everything you do is magnified and all the little things that we're not doing cost you ... and we're down 1-3 because of it," Parsons said.

NOTES: Houston guard Patrick Beverly did not participate in the shootaround because he wasn't feeling well, but he started the game. .... NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was at the game but he was not available to the media. Silver is facing a storm of controversy surrounding racist comments purportedly made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling. ... The Blazers all wore black socks in solidarity with the Clippers. "I wanted to do something to support our brothers," Aldridge said. ... It was the Blazers' 100th overall playoff victory.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MLK Breakfast 2023

Photos from The Skanner Foundation's 37th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast.