America imprisons more of its citizens than any other country in the world. That statement holds true if you're talking about percentage of the population or looking at sheer numbers. We've known this for a while. We knew it when the Pew Center for the States released its latest report on the issue, Feb. 28.

When Paul Knauls booked his stay at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash., he asked for a nonsmoking room. Knauls, the owner of Geneva's Shear Perfection salon and barbershop in Portland, is allergic to cigarette smoke and finds it difficult to breathe freely in smoky places.
But when he arrived in his room, his eyes started to water. "I said honey, this is not a nonsmoking room. So I got on the phone and called down to reception. I asked for another room, but she said 'I'm sorry sir, but we're all sold out for this weekend.' ...

Bus riders in Seattle will enjoy more frequent service on major bus routes thanks to a partnership agreement between Metro Transit and the city of Seattle, approved today by the Metropolitan King County Council. The agreements are implemented as part of the voter-approved "Transit Now" initiative.
"Transit Now" set aside 90,000 hours of bus service for service partnerships with businesses and local cities throughout King County, with the goal of increasing transit service on major urban corridors. ...

The African American Healthy Marriage Initiative held a "Strengthening the Family Summit" Tuesday to talk about what makes a healthy marriage, how to be a good father, and how to raise happy, confident children. These are not exactly the simple little problems of life, so what lay behind the event?
"We wanted to start to have a national public conversation about healthy relationships and marriage within the Black community," said Diann Dawson, Director of Regional Operations for U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services.
"We felt a need to have an initiative where we could begin to have conversations about the sensitive issues that we need to deal with and that we wanted to make sure that marriage education, as it was beginning to unveil on the federal level ... would be culturally competent,"...

A hip hop concert in Tacoma was canceled March 14 after police raised concerns about gang activity. Organizers say neither they nor their artists are gang members, but were profiled because of their race and involvement in hip hop culture. 
Tacoma's Pantages Theater, located on the edge of the city's most African American neighborhood, has a strong record of diversity – in its board and its activities.
"We are very committed to the African American community as our core community," said David Fischer, the theater's executive director. The theater's performers and events have included: T.S. Monk; slam poet Saul Williams; the Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars; and Brian Copeland's play "Not a Genuine Black Man, Fischer said.
"And that's just this season."

What's happening for me in Portland this week? For a full calendar of free events please click on "Read the complete article" below.

Department  AssistantSpringfield, Oregon. Under the general supervision of the Public Works…

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned Wednesday. New York Lt. Gov. David Paterson will succeed him as the first African American governor of New York. Here both men are pictured on the campaign trail in May 2006: Spitzer is at left, Paterson, who is legally blind, stands behind him at right.

David Paterson takes job after Spitzer broke laws he helped enforce

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who built his career fighting corruption, resigned Wednesday, saying he was "deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me." ...

Last month, Legacy Emanuel hospital treated more children than in any February since the hospital opened.  Hospital staff expect to see children with respiratory infections in the winter and spring, just as they look for sports related injuries in the summer. Yet the sheer number of children seeking help was alarming, says Carla Harris, chief administrative officer of the Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital.
"The volume of (patients) has increased steadily … all year long," she said. There has been a general uptick in disease groups in children …"
The increase is partly due to a rise in rates of illness such as asthma, and partly because the hospital is aiming to reach more children who need specialist care. But because the hospital has been operating at about 90 percent capacity for some time, some services are stretched,  said April Whitworth, chief administrative officer for Legacy Emanuel.
"It means longer waits in the emergency room, and it makes it difficult to place patients," she said....

Officer Denise "Cookie" Bouldin takes her job in the community very seriously. She's a community liaison officer for the Seattle Police Department, the Seattle School District and the parks department.
Bouldin, a 28-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department, started Officer Cookie's Urban Youth Chess Club last February. The club meets every Saturday from noon-2 p.m. at the Rainier Beach Library, 9125 Rainier Ave. S. ...