WARRI, Nigeria — Four people from a Seattle-based film crew and a Nigerian man accompanying them who were arrested and accused of traveling illegally in restive southern Nigeria, have been released, according to a statement from Sen. Maria Cantwell's office.
Security forces fighting militants in the Niger Delta consider much of the vast wetland region a military zone and have barred outsiders from traveling there without express consent by authorities.
Nigerian Brig. Gen. Wuyep Rintip said the group was seized Saturday for flouting the ban and were to be flown to the capital, Abuja.  ...

This year Portland will be voting to elect four out of the city's five City Council members. .... The Skanner decided the fairest way to cover the races was to offer all candidates the chance to respond to two broadly framed questions:
1. What qualifies you as the best candidate for the job?
2. What would be your key priorities as council member/ mayor? ....

Renters, as a new report concludes, are getting stuck with a large share of the bill. ...What makes this latest report so troubling is that while the 'housing wage' has increased by 18 percent since 2000, incomes have only increased by one third of that amount, according to the Oregon Employment Department. ....

This Lent Elementary teacher has been pioneering a different approach to education in his classes. When they're not studying math, science, reading and art, Muir's students are learning how to produce their very own play – from start to finish. ...

Calling all young Bible scholars. A Childrens International Arts Festival sponsored by columnist Carey Kinsolving's online ministry, "Kids Talk About God," is sponsoring an art competition  about the bible. The nondenominational ministry is looking for writing and art by children aged 5 – 12 that answers questions about the Bible, posted on the Web site www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org.
"Art is a universal language," said Kinsolving. "Children have a way of cutting right to the heart of a Bible story when they draw art to illustrate it. ...

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) stood behind President George Bush as he sat down, pen in hand, in front of the open folder. Among the string of witnesses beside Davis were Black Caucus members Reps. Bobby Scott (Va.), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (Ohio) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (Mich.).
It was a rare, but happily unified non-partisan gathering to sign what had once appeared to be a mission- impossible for Davis. It was five years ago when he first conceived, introduced and began fighting for the Second Chance Act to deter the recidivism rate that is so disparate among Black inmates.

The Hip Hop Anniversary Tour will bring legendary artists and some of the talents who created the rap music genre to Portland and Seattle this June. But this tour is NAACP approved, and promises to offer family friendly concerts, with no swearing and a positive message.
Last year Kurtis Blow, former 'gangsta' rapper Master P, his son Romeo, other entertainers and media corporations, signed on to the NAACP's STOP Campaign. Blow, now a minister, also participated in the NAACP's symbolic burial of the N-word at its annual convention in Detroit.
"The music from the past was fun," rap industry legend Blow said Friday in Washington, D.C. "The tour brings those beats and good feelings back with three hours of Hip Hop with no profanity and within the bounds of universal acceptance."

Life Center and the Global Neighbor Project are hosting the "World Vision Experience: AIDS" exhibit,  a multi-media, interactive exhibit that allows visitors to step into the lives of actual children affected by HIV and AIDS in the hardest-hit region of the world, Sub-Saharan Africa, where about 25 million people are infected with HIV (2/3 of the world's total).
The free exhibit will be open to the public from April 18-21 with tour times available from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Life Center, 1717 S. Union Avenue in Tacoma.  ...

What's happening for me in Portland this week? Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your week. Please click on "Read the complete article" below.

May 21 2008, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
at Olea Restaurant, 1338 NW Hoyt, Portland OR 97209
Innovative Job Seeking for the Region's Professionals
Job seeking has never been so much fun.
Visit www.colorsnwcareers.com to sign up.
For further details contact Bernie@theskanner.com