State officials have settled two false advertising cases involving mortgage firms, requiring the companies to pay more than $200,000 in fines and costs.... Both firms were previously charged with false advertising....

King County officials are urging voters to double-check their polling place before voting day, Tuesday, Aug. 19. Since 2004, 141 poll sites have been consolidated or closed either because the location was not accessible to people with disabilities or the site was underutilized....

What's happening for you in Portland this week? Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your spare time. For a full calendar please click on "Read the complete article" below.

What's happening for you in Seattle this week? Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your spare time. For a full calendar please click on "Read the complete article" below.

Washington State has long been a leader among states to grant the right to vote to those who could not. However, in its 119 years as state, it has been historically under-represented by minorities and has yet to elect a Black candidate to a national congressional seat.
In the upcoming primary on Aug. 19 there are 592 candidates on the ballot for national and state seats. Out of these, six are African-American, only two of whom are incumbents.
"I would hope that our representatives would reflect our demographics," said James Bible, president of the Seattle NAACP.
The situation is ironic; even as the nation's attention is riveted by the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, few candidates are riding his coattails on the state or local level.
The question of why this is the case is complex and deep-reaching....

http://www.miniclip.com/games/letter-lasso/en/ Letter Lasso

http://www.miniclip.com/games/alex-in-danger/en/ Alex in Danger

Djimet Dogo (pronounced "Jimmy") says many of the problems facing Africans are similar to those facing Hispanics – language barriers, different work customs, lack of formal education and a system that doesn't recognize much of the skilled training obtained in African countries. But with Africans, many cultural differences are largely misunderstood by American employers.
That's where Dogo comes in. He is the program manager for Africa House, a division of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization and the first to say that African employees are some of the best around....

The African American Health Coalition received a $10,000 check from Safeway grocery after the coalition's African American Wellness Walk Saturday, Aug. 16. The Safeway Foundation for Safeway's Portland Division is made with funds from voluntary employee giving and the Safeway LPGA Classic. Employees from 116 stores in the Portland Division give weekly to the Foundation. The money is used to support the neighborhoods and communities near each store. Front row, Duane Tanner, Troy Williams, Robert (Bobby) Neal, Corliss McKeever, Tammy Brambora, Denise Hayes, Liddie Marshall, Douglass Biolo; back row Ken Coleman, Dan Floyd Julie Brien, Annette Jones, Susan Alexander, Jennifer Swanson, Jessica Aasen, Jodi Wilkons, and Marcoke Lee. The Foundation supports organizations that promote Education, Hunger Relief, Health and Human Services, and People with Disabilities.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The 50th anniversary of sit-ins that led to the desegregation of Oklahoma City eating establishments is being commemorated this week.
On Aug. 19, 1958, civil rights leader Clara Luper coordinated one of the nation's early publicized sit-ins at the Katz Drug Store lunch counter.
At the time, blacks had to get their meals at a back door of the restaurant. Luper, then a young history teacher, took students from the NAACP Youth Council to the store, where they endured racial slurs and threats of violence while waiting at the counter for drinks that never came. Within days, the store changed its policy and served the black students.
Such sit-ins continued for the next six years at segregated businesses in Oklahoma.
"I don't think any of us knew what we were doing would change the course of history," said Marilyn Hildreth, Luper's daughter.
One of the original Oklahoma City sit-in participants, 57-year-old Ayanna Najuma of Washington, D.C., said she also didn't realize her actions would have long-term ramifications.
"Whoever knew the impact of the work I did as a kid would open all these doors for America after 50 years?" Najuma said.
The Freedom Center is hosting events this week to recall the sit-ins, culminating with a day honoring Luper on Saturday ...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican John McCain used anecdotes and carefully honed campaign positions, while Democrat Barack Obama responded philosophically to questioning by one of the nation's most influential evangelical pastors as both candidates scrambled for support among America's important conservative Christian voting block. But although McCain was supposed to be in a "cone of silence" during the debate to ensure he didn't hear the questions ahead of time, he evidently was not. He even made a joke about being in the "cone" before the debate started to moderator Pastor Rick Warren:
WARREN: Welcome back to the "Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency."
And welcome, Senator John McCain.
MCCAIN: Thank you. Good to be here.
WARREN: My first question, was the cone of silence comfortable you were in just now?
MCCAIN: I was trying to hear through the wall.