05-02-2024  10:03 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

Portland Government Will Change On Jan. 1. The City’s Transition Team Explains What We Can Expect.

‘It’s a learning curve that everyone has to be intentional about‘

What Marijuana Reclassification Means for the United States

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is moving toward reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The Justice Department proposal would recognize the medical uses of cannabis but wouldn’t legalize it for recreational use. Some advocates for legalized weed say the move doesn't go far enough, while opponents say it goes too far.

US Long-Term Care Costs Are Sky-High, but Washington State’s New Way to Help Pay for Them Could Be Nixed

A group funded by hedge fund executive Brian Heywood is attempting to undermine the financial stability of Washington state's new long-term care social insurance program.

A Massive Powerball Win Draws Attention to a Little-Known Immigrant Culture in the US

An immigrant from Laos who has been battling cancer won an enormous jumi.3 billion Powerball jackpot in Oregon earlier this month. But Cheng “Charlie” Saephan's luck hasn't just changed his life — it's also drawn attention to Iu Mien, a southeast Asian ethnic group with origins in China, many of whose members fled from Laos to Thailand and then settled in the U.S. following the Vietnam War.

NEWS BRIEFS

April 30 is the Registration Deadline for the May Primary Election

Voters can register or update their registration online at OregonVotes.gov until 11:59 p.m. on April 30. ...

Chair Jessica Vega Pederson Releases $3.96 Billion Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025

Investments will boost shelter and homeless services, tackle the fentanyl crisis, strengthen the safety net and support a...

New Funding Will Invest in Promising Oregon Technology and Science Startups

Today Business Oregon and its Oregon Innovation Council announced a million award to the Portland Seed Fund that will...

Unity in Prayer: Interfaith Vigil and Memorial Service Honoring Youth Affected by Violence

As part of the 2024 National Youth Violence Prevention Week, the Multnomah County Prevention and Health Promotion Community Adolescent...

Police detain driver who accelerated toward protesters at Portland State University in Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Police said Thursday they detained the driver of a white Toyota Camry who briefly accelerated toward a crowd of pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Portland State University in Oregon and then ran off spraying what appeared to be pepper spray toward protesters who confronted...

The Latest | Arrests top 2,000 as protests against Israel-Hamas war roil college campuses

The number of people arrested in connection with protests on college campuses against the Israel-Hamas war has now topped 2,000. The Associated Press has tallied arrests at 35 schools since a tent encampment began at Columbia University on April 17. Student protests have popped up at...

The Bo Nix era begins in Denver, and the Broncos also drafted his top target at Oregon

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — For the first time in his 17 seasons as a coach, Sean Payton has a rookie quarterback to nurture. Payton's Denver Broncos took Bo Nix in the first round of the NFL draft. The coach then helped out both himself and Nix by moving up to draft his new QB's top...

Elliss, Jenkins, McCaffrey join Harrison and Alt in following their fathers into the NFL

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Marvin Harrison Jr., Joe Alt, Kris Jenkins, Jonah Ellis and Luke McCaffrey have turned the NFL draft into a family affair. The sons of former pro football stars, they've followed their fathers' formidable footsteps into the league. Elliss was...

OPINION

New White House Plan Could Reduce or Eliminate Accumulated Interest for 30 Million Student Loan Borrowers

Multiple recent announcements from the Biden administration offer new hope for the 43.2 million borrowers hoping to get relief from the onerous burden of a collective

Op-Ed: Why MAGA Policies Are Detrimental to Black Communities

NNPA NEWSWIRE – MAGA proponents peddle baseless claims of widespread voter fraud to justify voter suppression tactics that disproportionately target Black voters. From restrictive voter ID laws to purging voter rolls to limiting early voting hours, these...

Loving and Embracing the Differences in Our Youngest Learners

Yet our responsibility to all parents and society at large means we must do more to share insights, especially with underserved and under-resourced communities. ...

Gallup Finds Black Generational Divide on Affirmative Action

Each spring, many aspiring students and their families begin receiving college acceptance letters and offers of financial aid packages. This year’s college decisions will add yet another consideration: the effects of a 2023 Supreme Court, 6-3 ruling that...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Judge grants autopsy rules requested by widow of Mississippi man found dead after vanishing

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi judge granted a request Thursday by the widow of a deceased man who vanished under mysterious circumstances to set standards for a future independent autopsy of her late husband's body. Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas formalized...

Asian American Literature Festival that was canceled by the Smithsonian in 2023 to be revived

NEW YORK (AP) — A festival celebrating Asian American literary works that was suddenly canceled last year by the Smithsonian Institution is getting resurrected, organizers announced Thursday. The Asian American Literature Festival is making a return, the Asian American Literature...

Critics question if longtime Democratic congressman from Georgia is too old for reelection

CONYERS, Ga. (AP) — U.S. Rep. David Scott faces multiple Democratic primary opponents in his quest for a 12th congressional term in a sharply reconfigured suburban Atlanta district. But with early voting underway ahead of the May 21 primary elections, the 78-year-old is ignoring challengers and...

ENTERTAINMENT

Book Review: Rachel Khong’s new novel 'Real Americans' explores race, class and cultural identity

In 2017 Rachel Khong wrote a slender, darkly comic novel, “Goodbye, Vitamin,” that picked up a number of accolades and was optioned for a film. Now she has followed up her debut effort with a sweeping, multigenerational saga that is twice as long and very serious. “Real...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 5-11

Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 5-11: May 5: Actor Michael Murphy is 86. Actor Lance Henriksen (“Millennium,” ″Aliens”) is 84. Comedian-actor Michael Palin (Monty Python) is 81. Actor John Rhys-Davies (“Lord of the Rings,” ″Raiders of the Lost Ark”) is 80....

Select list of nominees for 2024 Tony Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — Select nominations for the 2024 Tony Awards, announced Tuesday. Best Musical: “Hell's Kitchen'': ”Illinoise"; “The Outsiders”; “Suffs”; “Water for Elephants” Best Play: “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”; “Mary Jane”; “Mother...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Send us Patriots: Ukraine's battered energy plants seek air defenses against Russian attacks

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — At a Ukrainian power plant repeatedly hit by Russian aerial attacks, equipment department...

Maryland officials release timeline, cost estimate, for rebuilding bridge

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland plans to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in just over four years at an...

Captain sentenced to 4 years for criminal negligence in fiery deaths of 34 aboard scuba boat

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal judge in Los Angeles on Thursday sentenced a scuba dive boat captain to four years...

US airstrike targeting al-Qaida leader in Syria killed a farmer, American military says

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. airstrike in Syria in May 2023 that was targeting an al-Qaida leader killed an innocent...

Paris inaugurates giant water storage basin to clean up the River Seine for Olympic swimming

PARIS (AP) — French officials inaugurated on Thursday a huge water storage basin meant to help clean up the...

As India votes, misinformation surges on social media: 'The whole country is paying the price'

NEW DELHI (AP) — Bollywood stars seldom weigh in on politics, so videos showing two celebrities criticizing...

By The Skanner News | The Skanner News

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- Former career home run king Hank Aaron says Mark McGwire should have a clear conscience after his recent admission he used performance-enhancing drugs as a player.

Aaron said other players still harboring similar secrets also should come clean.
"I think baseball is cleaning up its act a little bit, I really do," Aaron said Monday during a visit to Atlanta Braves camp. "I've said this and I'll say it again, over and over again, this is the most forgiving country in the world. If you come through and tell the truth, then you're going to be forgiven.
"The kid with the Yankees, (Andy) Pettitte, came out and it was a week of news and after that it was over. We all make mistakes. If they ever did enhancing drugs, whatever they did, they should come clean and be able to sleep at night."
Aaron said McGwire's admission and apology this year was overdue but still welcome.
"I would have loved to have seen him do it a long time ago, but since he did it, I think that he himself will tell you right now he's able to sleep at night and he's able to look at his teammates," Aaron said. "He's done everything that he can do."
McGwire, who hit a then-single-season record 70 homers in 1998, admitted this year he used steroids and human growth hormone as a player. He is beginning his first season as the Cardinals' hitting coach.
"It's nice to have him back," Aaron said.
The 76-year-old Aaron's enduring popularity was clear as he attracted a crowd of autograph-seekers.
"It makes you feel good," he said. "I've tried to carry myself that way. I don't try to push myself on nobody. I just try to do what I'm supposed to do."
Aaron hit a record 755 home runs for the Braves and Brewers. His record was broken by Barry Bonds, who also eclipsed McGwire's mark with 73 homers in 2001. Bonds has pleaded not guilty to charges of lying when he told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he never knowingly used steroids.
Aaron did not mention Bonds.
Aaron was asked if he appreciates some fans still referring to him as the home run king.
"Regardless of what happened, I'm not going to hit another home run," he said. "Not in this world. I may do it somewhere else.
"I don't think I can hit anybody deep. I think my deep is over with. The only thing I can hit is a golf ball _ all over the place."
Aaron often visits the Braves' spring training camp, but he made a rare visit to the team's clubhouse on Monday.
"It's the first time I've walked through a clubhouse at this time of the year for about 20 years," he said. "It just brings back memories."
He said the smells, some unpleasant, took him back to his days as a player when the first days of batting practice left blisters on his hands.
"I remember going through the clubhouse, my hands were bleeding and tired and everything was sore," he said.
Aaron had praise for Braves manager Bobby Cox, who will retire after the season.
"It's going to be sad when he leaves," he said. "I don't know that anybody ever said a bad thing about Bobby."
Aaron said he hoped to meet top prospect Jason Heyward, who is only 20 but has a chance to win a starting job in right field -- Aaron's old position with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves.
Heyward is black and from McDonough, Ga., near Atlanta. Aaron, scanning the players on the field, noted he didn't see other black players.
"I think we're on the right track but it dampens my spirit when I come up to spring training and I look around here and you don't see any black kids," he said. "It hurts you, because Jackie Robinson a long time ago paid his dues and ... now we don't have any.
"And this is a scene you see all over the major leagues. This is not only here with the Braves. You can go to every ballclub and see the same thing, you don't see too many African-American kids playing baseball, and that's not very good. Something needs to be done about it."


The Skanner Foundation's 38th Annual MLK Breakfast