04-25-2024  12:43 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

NORTHWEST NEWS

A Conservative Quest to Limit Diversity Programs Gains Momentum in States

In support of DEI, Oregon and Washington have forged ahead with legislation to expand their emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in government and education.

Epiphanny Prince Hired by Liberty in Front Office Job Day After Retiring

A day after announcing her retirement, Epiphanny Prince has a new job working with the New York Liberty as director of player and community engagement. Prince will serve on the basketball operations and business staffs, bringing her 14 years of WNBA experience to the franchise. 

The Drug War Devastated Black and Other Minority Communities. Is Marijuana Legalization Helping?

A major argument for legalizing the adult use of cannabis after 75 years of prohibition was to stop the harm caused by disproportionate enforcement of drug laws in Black, Latino and other minority communities. But efforts to help those most affected participate in the newly legal sector have been halting. 

Lessons for Cities from Seattle’s Racial and Social Justice Law 

 Seattle is marking the first anniversary of its landmark Race and Social Justice Initiative ordinance. Signed into law in April 2023, the ordinance highlights race and racism because of the pervasive inequities experienced by people of color

NEWS BRIEFS

Mt. Tabor Park Selected for National Initiative

Mt. Tabor Park is the only Oregon park and one of just 24 nationally to receive honor. ...

OHCS, BuildUp Oregon Launch Program to Expand Early Childhood Education Access Statewide

Funds include million for developing early care and education facilities co-located with affordable housing. ...

Governor Kotek Announces Chief of Staff, New Office Leadership

Governor expands executive team and names new Housing and Homelessness Initiative Director ...

Governor Kotek Announces Investment in New CHIPS Child Care Fund

5 Million dollars from Oregon CHIPS Act to be allocated to new Child Care Fund ...

Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge US to prosecute the company

Boeing said Wednesday that it lost 5 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers. ...

Authorities confirm 2nd victim of ex-Washington officer was 17-year-old with whom he had a baby

WEST RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — Authorities on Wednesday confirmed that a body found at the home of a former Washington state police officer who killed his ex-wife before fleeing to Oregon, where he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was that of a 17-year-old girl with whom he had a baby. ...

Missouri hires Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch for the same role with the Tigers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri hired longtime college administrator Laird Veatch to be its athletic director on Tuesday, bringing him back to campus 14 years after he departed for a series of other positions that culminated with five years spent as the AD at Memphis. Veatch...

KC Current owners announce plans for stadium district along the Kansas City riverfront

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The ownership group of the Kansas City Current announced plans Monday for the development of the Missouri River waterfront, where the club recently opened a purpose-built stadium for the National Women's Soccer League team. CPKC Stadium will serve as the hub...

OPINION

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...

OP-ED: Embracing Black Men’s Voices: Rebuilding Trust and Unity in the Democratic Party

The decision of many Black men to disengage from the Democratic Party is rooted in a complex interplay of historical disenchantment, unmet promises, and a sense of disillusionment with the political establishment. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Biden just signed a bill that could ban TikTok. His campaign plans to stay on the app anyway

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden showed off his putting during a campaign stop at a public golf course in Michigan last month, the moment was captured on TikTok. Forced inside by a rainstorm, he competed with 13-year-old Hurley “HJ” Coleman IV to make putts on a...

2021 death of young Black man at rural Missouri home was self-inflicted, FBI tells AP

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A federal investigation has concluded that a young Black man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a rural Missouri home, not at the hands of the white homeowner who had a history of racist social media postings, an FBI official told The Associated Press Wednesday. ...

Sister of Mississippi man who died after police pulled him from car rejects lawsuit settlement

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A woman who sued Mississippi's capital city over the death of her brother has decided to reject a settlement after officials publicly disclosed how much the city would pay his survivors, her attorney said Wednesday. George Robinson, 62, died in January 2019,...

ENTERTAINMENT

Music Review: Jazz pianist Fred Hersch creates subdued, lovely colors on 'Silent, Listening'

Jazz pianist Fred Hersch fully embraces the freedom that comes with improvisation on his solo album “Silent, Listening,” spontaneously composing and performing tunes that are often without melody, meter or form. Listening to them can be challenging and rewarding. The many-time...

Book Review: 'Nothing But the Bones' is a compelling noir novel at a breakneck pace

Nelson “Nails” McKenna isn’t very bright, stumbles over his words and often says what he’s thinking without realizing it. We first meet him as a boy reading a superhero comic on the banks of a river in his backcountry hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia....

Cardi B, Queen Latifah and The Roots to headline the BET Experience concerts in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cardi B, Queen Latifah and The Roots will headline concerts to celebrate the return of the BET Experience in Los Angeles just days before the 2024 BET Awards. BET announced Monday the star-studded lineup of the concert series, which makes a return after a...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Climate change is bringing malaria to new areas. In Africa, it never left

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — When a small number of cases of locally transmitted malaria were found in the United...

Malaria is still killing people in Kenya, but a vaccine and local drug production may help

MIGORI, Kenya (AP) — As the coffin bearing the body of Rosebella Awuor was lowered into the grave,...

US growth likely slowed last quarter but still pointed to a solid economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Coming off a robust end to 2023, the U.S. economy is thought to have extended its surprisingly...

UN calls for investigation into mass graves uncovered at two Gaza hospitals raided by Israel

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations called Tuesday for “a clear, transparent and credible...

Spain's prime minister says he will consider resigning after wife is targeted by judicial probe

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denied corruption allegations against his wife but...

Portugal marks the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution army coup that brought democracy

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Military vehicles and red carnations return to the streets and squares of downtown...

Tim Booth AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) -- In full pads, it took Seattle rookie safety Earl Thomas less than 10 seconds to take an interception back 86 yards for a touchdown against Minnesota last week.
And that included some Deion Sanders-esque high-stepping the last couple of yards.
Maybe those claims of Thomas coming out of Texas with 4.3-second 40-yard speed weren't so outlandish.
``I never had that speed at all,'' Seattle veteran safety Lawyer Milloy said. ``That's something you can't coach. He's definitely blessed with some legs.''
The Seahawks are hoping Thomas' return against the Vikings is a sign of a defense able to create more big plays after just giving them up a year ago and ranking 22nd in the NFL in interceptions.
For Thomas, it was another step in his education this preseason of adjusting to the expectations of being a starting safety in the NFL at just 21 years old.
``I came a long way from the first game and even from the first practice,'' Thomas said. ``I think I get better every time I get on the field and just from learning the mistakes I had previously and getting them corrected.''
The Seahawks never left any doubt about their intent of making Thomas their starting safety from the beginning. Even with just two years of college experience, head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider felt comfortable enough with Thomas' skills that he has run with the No. 1 defense from the first post-draft minicamp.
That's not to say there aren't moments of frustration or plenty of mistakes.
During Seattle's second preseason game against Green Bay, Thomas and Milloy were engaged in an animated conversation on the sideline after a blown coverage left Jermichael Finley wide open for a touchdown _ after Seattle had called a time out. He also got beat on the first play of the game, a perfectly thrown deep ball from Aaron Rodgers to Greg Jennings for 56 yards
``We still have some work to do. He definitely needed last week. It simplified it for him, take some of the elements away from him and have him concentrate on just football, his preparation, and the ball will come to you,'' Milloy said. ``He did that and we saw what happened. It's a process with him.''
Making impact plays is what Thomas did at Texas. In just two seasons Thomas had 10 interceptions, ranking 11th on the Longhorns all-time list. Eight of those came last year when Thomas led the nation in interceptions and was a first-team all-American by The Associated Press and seemingly every other publication.
Part of the reason for his knack for the ball is that Thomas started his career at cornerback. After playing a myriad of positions in high school, Thomas was undersized when he arrived in Austin and started his Texas career as a 180-pound cornerback. Even as he grew, Thomas was about to begin his redshirt freshman season as a cornerback until a last-minute switch to safety.
Still, he started as a backup.
``But when I got out there I started making a bunch of plays,'' Thomas said.
Just like last week against Minnesota. Before grabbing a deflection off the hands of Bernard Berrian and racing for his score, Thomas almost had another pick when a deflected pass fell in and out of his hands. He also showed that even at just 200 pounds, Thomas can bring some force, flattening Vikings receiver Percy Harvin.
Now comes Thursday night in Oakland and the final rehearsal for Milloy and Thomas before the regular season begins.
``Me and Lawyer have a great relationship. He took me under his wing,'' Thomas said. ``I sit by him in every meeting we have and we're always going over stuff we messed up in the previous game, previous practice. He's helped me out a lot.''

The Skanner Foundation's 38th Annual MLK Breakfast