11-12-2024  10:34 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

In Portland, Political Outsider Keith Wilson Elected Mayor After Homelessness-focused Race

Wilson, a Portland native and CEO of a trucking company, ran on an ambitious pledge to end unsheltered homelessness within a year of taking office.

‘Black Friday’ Screening Honors Black Portlanders, Encourages Sense of Belonging

The second annual event will be held Nov. 8 at the Hollywood Theatre.

Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson Wins Governor’s Race in Washington

Ferguson came to national prominence by repeatedly suing the administration of former President Donald Trump, including bringing the lawsuit that blocked Trump’s initial travel ban on citizens of several majority Muslim nations. 

African American Alliance On Homeownership Turns 25, Honors The Skanner Cofounder Bernie Foster

AAAH's executive director Cheryl Roberts recalls how the efforts of Bernie Foster led to an organization that now offers one-on-one counseling for prospective home buyers, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention services, estate planning, assistance with down payments and more.

NEWS BRIEFS

Janelle Bynum Statement on Her Victory in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District

"I am proud to be the first – but not the last – Black Member of Congress from Oregon" ...

Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11: Honoring a Legacy of Loyalty and Service and Expanding Benefits for Washington Veterans

Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is pleased to share the Veterans Day Proclamation and highlight the various...

Nkenge Harmon Johnson honored with PCUN’s Cipriano Ferrel Award

Harmon Johnson recognized for civil rights work in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest ...

Volunteers of America Oregon Announces Retirement CEO, Kay Toran

Toran's tenure at VOA Oregon is marked by decades of dedicated public service in the State of Oregon and unwavering commitment to...

Family of security guard shot and killed at Portland, Oregon, hospital sues facility for M

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The family of a security guard who was shot and killed at a hospital in Portland, Oregon, sued the facility for million on Tuesday, accusing it of negligence and failing to respond to the dangers that the gunman posed to hospital staff over multiple days. ...

Ex-Duke star Kyle Singler draws concern from basketball world over cryptic Instagram post

Former Duke star Kyle Singler’s cryptic Instagram post saying he fears for his life has drawn an outpouring of concern and support from former teammates and others. Singler, 36, spoke slowly and was shirtless in the short video, which was posted Tuesday morning. “I...

Grill makes 8 3s, scores career-high 33 points to lead Missouri over Eastern Washington 84-77

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Caleb Grill matched a career best with eight 3-pointers and scored a career-high 33 points to lead Missouri to an 84-77 victory over Eastern Washington on Monday night. Grill, who missed Missouri's final 23 games last season with a wrist injury, shot 10 of 13...

Missouri hosts Eastern Washington following Cook's 25-point game

Eastern Washington Eagles (1-1) at Missouri Tigers (1-1) Columbia, Missouri; Monday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -18.5; over/under is 155.5 BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Washington visits Missouri after Andrew Cook scored 25 points in Eastern...

OPINION

Why Not Voting Could Deprioritize Black Communities

President Biden’s Justice40 initiative ensures that 40% of federal investment benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, addressing deep-seated inequities. ...

The Skanner News 2024 Presidential Endorsement

It will come as no surprise that we strongly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. ...

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer: 2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is...

The Skanner Endorsements: Oregon State and Local Ballot Measures

Ballots are now being mailed out for this very important election. Election Day is November 5. Ballots must be received or mailed with a valid postmark by 8 p.m. Election Day. View The Skanner's ballot measure endorsements. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Chinese hackers target Tibetan websites in malware attack, cybersecurity group says

BANGKOK (AP) — A hacking group that is believed to be Chinese state-sponsored has compromised two websites with ties to the Tibetan community in an attack meant to install malware on users' computers, according to findings released Wednesday by a private cybersecurity firm. The...

French farmers protest EU-Mercosur deal that will increase South American imports

PARIS (AP) — French farmers protested Tuesday against a trade deal that would increase agricultural imports from South America, saying it hurt their livelihoods. The European Union and the Mercosur trade bloc, composed of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia, reached an...

Panel advises Illinois commemorate its role in helping slaves escape the South

In the decades leading up to the Civil War, fearless throngs defied prison or worse to secretly shuttle as many as 7,000 slaves escaped from the South on a months-long slog through Illinois and on to freedom. On Tuesday, a task force of lawmakers and historians recommended creating a full-time...

ENTERTAINMENT

Movie Review: In Andrea Arnold's 'Bird,' a gritty fairy tale doesn't take flight

“Is it too real for ya?” blares in the background of Andrea Arnold’s latest film, “Bird,” a 12-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams) rides with her shirtless, tattoo-covered dad, Bug (Barry Keoghan), on his electric scooter past scenes of poverty in working-class Kent. The song’s...

After 20 years of acting, ‘My Old Ass’ filmmaker Megan Park finds her groove behind the camera

Megan Park feels a little bad that her movie is making so many people cry. It's not just a single tear either — more like full body sobs. She didn’t set out to make a tearjerker with “My Old Ass,” now streaming on Prime Video. She just wanted to tell a story about a young...

At an art festival in Dakar, artists from both sides of the Atlantic examine the legacy of slavery

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A whirlwind of color and art at the opening of this year's Dakar Biennale of Contemporary African Art in the Senegalese capital stood in stark contrast to the serious topic of slavery featuring in the artworks of guest artists from the United States. The U.S....

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

US inflation may have picked up in October after months of easing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Annual inflation may have risen in October for the first time in seven months, a sign that...

Speaker Johnson begins fight for the House gavel promising to be Trump's 'quarterback'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Mike Johnson is beginning the hard fight for his gavel, a weeks-long campaign that...

Senate Republicans are gathering behind closed doors to pick a new majority leader

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican senators will gather behind closed doors Wednesday to decide who will replace...

Amsterdam warns of new calls for unrest after violence around Israeli soccer match

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A senior police officer warned Tuesday of calls for more rioting in Amsterdam, after dozens of...

Allies providing Sudan's warring parties with weapons are 'enabling the slaughter,' UN official says

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. political chief accused allies of Sudan’s warring military and paramilitary...

Church of England head Justin Welby resigns over handling of sex abuse scandal

LONDON (AP) — Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the...

David Ariosto CNN

(CNN) -- An Arizona charity may have come out ahead by turning down a gift from the nation's largest retailer -- a snub that grabbed headlines and renewed interest in the labor practices of big business.

Casa Maria Free Kitchen, a Tucson-based food bank, rejected a $1,000 donation from Wal-Mart, joining a chorus of voices demanding better pay, fairer work schedules and affordable health care. The retailer had made $15,000 in donations to several charities as part of its typical outreach to community groups after opening a new store.

But the Arizona charity said Tuesday that their snub netted much more than what Wal-Mart's offered after an outpouring of local donations from those concerned about Wal-Mart's effect on union jobs and small businesses.

And yet, it may have all stemmed from a simple mistake.

On October 26, Wal-Mart opened a new outlet in Tucson, boasting 300 new jobs and pledging thousands to charities identified by local political leaders.

"We had expected Casa Maria to be at the grand opening," said Delia Garcia, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman.

But the food bank, which says it bags about 500 daily lunches for low- and no-income residents, never planned to attend.

"We had a big meeting about it and decided not to take the money," said charity organizer Brian Flagg. But Wal-Mart still included the group in its news release, which it later called a miscommunication.

"At that point, we had to do something," said Flagg, who wrote a letter entitled "CORRECTION" to the editorial board of his local newspaper. From there, the attention snowballed as news outlets reported on the defiant local charity that had rebuffed the retail giant.

"At very least, it got us talking about the 'Walmartization' of America, and whether that's a good thing," said Flagg. Those concerned about the discount stores' effects have continued opening their checkbooks, he added.

"I don't have a set dollar amount that we've received, but I'm sure it was substantially more than Wal-Mart offered us," Flagg said. "When people sent us checks, they also wrote 'thank for your stance on Wal-Mart.'"

The retailer responded Tuesday with a statement detailing its "long history of supporting Tucson nonprofits."

"Since 2009, Wal-Mart has donated more than $345,000 to local Tucson organizations that are supporting the community's needs," it said. "Our pay and benefits typically meet or exceed what's offered by the majority of our competitors; we promote from within, our turnover rate is below the industry average and our associates' satisfaction scores have trended higher over the past few years."

The average wage of a full-time Wal-Mart employee in Arizona is $12.52 per hour, with the company reporting that it picks up about 75% of premium health care costs. But part-time employees who work fewer than an average of 30 hours per week do not qualify for those benefits, Garcia said.

As a capital-versus-labor debate again flares up across the country, Flagg's rebuff of Wal-Mart drew a heady response.

"I have never given to Casa Maria before but when I read about them rejecting a donation from Wal-Mart I sent them a check," Tucson resident Kim Crooks posted on Facebook. "I have never been in a Wal-Mart and never will. They have come into to many communities and put the small locally run businesses out of business."

But the move also sparked criticism about whether the group had shirked its main responsibility to feed the hungry.

"I think that these people are horrible," Jen Switalski posted on the site. "As a charity they should take what they can get."

The local spate also coincided with Black Friday demonstrations at Wal-Mart stores over pay, schedules and affordable health care.

Critics say the stores' low prices squeeze out mom-and-pop competitors, depress wages and encourage foreign-based manufacturing while discouraging unionized labor.

Supporters argue that Wal-Mart instead offers competitive wages and that its bargain prices foster consumer spending critical to a beleaguered economy.

Wal-Mart and firms like it, they say, also give low-income households a chance to purchase otherwise unaffordable luxury products such as large-screen televisions and other electronics.

So who's right?

According to a 2008 study by West Virginia University economics professor Russell Sobel, Wal-Mart has had no real impact on the number of small businesses in the United States. And while mom-and-pop stores that are forced to compete with the retail giant are often put out of business, other businesses have taken their place, the study found.

Others such as Robert Reich, a professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and a former U.S. secretary of labor, argue that jobs filling those voids often offer low-wage, no-benefit occupations, limiting the purchasing power of America's middle class and poor.

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