05-19-2024  3:53 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

AP Decision Notes: What to Expect in Oregon's Primaries

Oregon has multiple hotly contested primaries upcoming, as well as some that will set the stage for high-profile races in November. Oregon's 5th Congressional District is home to one of the top Democratic primaries in the country.

Iconic Skanner Building Will Become Healing Space as The Skanner Continues Online

New owner strives to keep spirit of business intact during renovations.

No Criminal Charges in Rare Liquor Probe at OLCC, State Report Says

The investigation examined whether employees of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission improperly used their positions to obtain bottles of top-shelf bourbon for personal use.

Portland OKs New Homeless Camping Rules That Threaten Fines or Jail in Some Cases

The mayor's office says it seeks to comply with a state law requiring cities to have “objectively reasonable” restrictions on camping.

NEWS BRIEFS

Rose Festival Announces Starlight Parade Grand Marshal

The Portland Rose Festival announced today the 2024 CareOregon Starlight Parade Grand Marshal is Jenny Nguyen, founder and CEO of The...

Oregon Community Foundation Welcomes New Board Members

Oregon Community Foundation’s Board of Directors has elected two new members who bring extensive experience in community engagement...

Governor Kotek Issues Statement on Role of First Spouse

"I take responsibility for not being more thoughtful in my approach to exploring the role of the First Spouse." ...

Legislature Makes Major Investments to Increase Housing Affordability and Expand Treatment in Multnomah County

Over million in new funding will help build a behavioral health drop in center, expand violence prevention programs, and...

Poor People’s Campaign and National Partners Announce, “Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington, D.C. and to the Polls” Ahead of 2024 Elections

Scheduled for June 29th, the “Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington, D.C.: A Call to...

In Oregon's Democratic primaries, progressive and establishment wings battle for US House seats

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Two Democratic primaries for U.S. House seats in Oregon could help reveal whether the party’s voters are leaning more toward progressive or establishment factions in a critical presidential election year. The state’s 3rd Congressional District, which...

For decades, states have taken foster children's federal benefits. That's starting to change

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — By the time Jesse Fernandez turned 18, the federal government had paid out thousands of dollars in Social Security survivor's benefits because of the death of his mother. But Jesse's bank account was empty. The money had all been used by Missouri's foster...

Defending national champion LSU boosts its postseason hopes with series win against Texas A&M

With two weeks left in the regular season, LSU is scrambling to avoid becoming the third straight defending national champion to miss the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers (31-18, 9-15) won two of three against then-No. 1 Texas A&M to take a giant step over the weekend, but they...

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...

OPINION

The Skanner News May 2024 Primary Endorsements

Read The Skanner News endorsements and vote today. Candidates for mayor and city council will appear on the November general election ballot. ...

Nation’s Growing Racial and Gender Wealth Gaps Need Policy Reform

Never-married Black women have 8 cents in wealth for every dollar held by while males. ...

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...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Biden tells Morehouse graduates that scenes in Gaza from the Israel-Hamas war break his heart, too

ATLANTA (AP) — President Joe Biden on Sunday offered his most direct recognition of U.S. students' anguish over the Israel-Hamas war, telling graduates of historically Black Morehouse College that he heard their voices of protest and that scenes from the conflict in Gaza break his heart, too. ...

Ed Dwight, America's first Black astronaut candidate, finally goes to space 60 years later

VAN HORN, Texas (AP) — Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate, finally rocketed into space 60 years later, flying with Jeff Bezos’ rocket company on Sunday. Dwight was an Air Force pilot when President John F. Kennedy championed him as a candidate for NASA’s...

Golfer's prompt release from jail angers some who recall city's police turmoil

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler’s arrest and prompt release from a Louisville jail Friday that let him play in a high-profile tournament after being booked on charges including felony assault has sparked questions over whether he was given preferential treatment...

ENTERTAINMENT

Book Review: Anonymous public servants are the heart of George Stephanopoulos' 'Situation Room'

The biggest challenge for an author tackling the history of the Situation Room, the basement room of the White House where some of the biggest intelligence crises have been handled in recent decades, is the room itself. As a setting, it's pretty underwhelming. In “The Situation...

Book Review: A grandfather’s 1,500-page family history undergirds Claire Messud’s latest novel

Secrets and shame — every family has its share. When it came time to write her most autobiographical novel, Claire Messud relied on a 1,500-page family history compiled by her paternal grandfather. The result, “This Strange Eventful History,” sprawls over a third as many pages — 423, to be...

Movie Review: Brooke Shields and Benjamin Bratt deserve more than Netflix's ‘Mother of the Bride’

Romantic comedies are in a destination wedding rut. Perhaps it’s a collective post-COVID wanderlust kicking in, or, more cynically, some combination of tax credits and a place producers want to spend time. But between “ Ticket to Paradise,” “Anyone But You,” “ Shotgun Wedding ” and...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Who is Ebrahim Raisi, Iran's president whose helicopter suffered a 'hard landing' in foggy weather?

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi has long been seen as a protégé to...

Slovak prime minister's condition remains serious but prognosis positive after assassination bid

BANSKA BYSTRICA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, remained in serious...

As killings surge, Haitians struggle to bury loved ones and find closure in violent capital

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Dressed in black and white, the crowd of angry teenagers squeezed into a narrow...

Russian court freezes assets of two German banks in gas project dispute

VIENNA (AP) — A court in the Russian city of St. Petersburg has ordered the seizing of assets of Germany’s...

Europe's far right groups launch unofficial campaign for the European Union elections

MADRID (AP) — Europe’s far-right political parties unofficially launched their campaign Sunday for European...

Tens of thousands protest against Mexico's president in the main square of Mexico City

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tens of thousands of mostly opposition supporters protested Sunday against Mexico’s...

Tom Breen the Associated Press

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- A group of about two dozen Duke University students urged administrators Tuesday to create a better climate and provide more financial support for black students, saying they've been disappointed so far in how top officials have reacted to their viewpoints.

The students, almost all of whom were black, unsuccessfully sought a meeting with university President Richard Brodhead at his campus office in hopes of explaining a document they describe as a call to action for the prestigious, private southern school.

Concerns range from the future location of a black culture center to the lack of support for a black student group's annual event and a recent study that suggested African-American students switched to less-difficult majors.

"The university has affirmed through media outlets that it has a commitment to meeting the needs of all its students, including black students," said Nana Asante, a senior psychology major and president of the Black Student Alliance, who led the procession Tuesday. "We have yet to witness any action that reflects this supposed truth."

The most immediate cause for students' anger is an as-yet unpublished study by Duke researchers saying black students match the GPA of whites over time in part because they switch to majors that require less study time and have less-stringent grading standards. Opponents of affirmative action are citing the study in a case they want the U.S. Supreme Court to consider.

But the students say the research is just one example of an environment in which many black students feel uncomfortable. The document they gave to administrators cites concerns over the future location of the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture and the status of the Black Student Alliance invitational weekend, an annual event the students say is in jeopardy because of the administration's lack of support.

"These are really just symptoms of a contentious and strained racial climate here," Asante said.

Some of the students' recommendations include establishing an endowment to create a stable funding source for cultural events and academic programs involving black students, and for the creation of a special university working group to assess whether blacks feel the climate at Duke is unwelcoming.

Brodhead was not in his office Tuesday morning, but an administrator came out to shake each student's hand and promised to pass the document to the president.

"We welcome their call to action and we welcome their recommendations," university spokesman Mike Schoenfeld said. Administrators plan to discuss the issues with students, he said.

"These are not new issues at Duke," Schoenfeld said. "Many people have been working for a long time to create a positive environment for African-American students at Duke."

The Durham university has about 6,500 undergraduate students, about 47 percent of them white and 10 percent black. The largest group of non-whites is Asian-American, representing 21 percent of the undergraduate population. The university community has been embroiled in racially charged debates before, as during the fallout over accusations of rape - later found to be false - leveled at white Duke lacrosse players by a black woman six years ago. Bad feelings over that case linger in Durham to this day.

Asante said the students will wait to hear the university's response to their call to action before deciding on what steps to take next.

"We will do what is necessary to ensure that our voices are heard," she said.

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The Skanner Foundation's 38th Annual MLK Breakfast