After seven months of work, the 2007 Police Accountability Review Panel, chaired by retired Judge Terrence Carroll, released its final report.
The panel concluded the general structure of Seattle's police oversight system – with its civilian director, auditor and review board – should continue. The panel found all three components play roles in the oversight process. The panel also found many aspects of the current police accountability system are valuable and encourage an effective citizen-complaint process.
The panel did, however, find room for improvement and provided Mayor Greg Nickels with 29 specific recommendations for enhancing and strengthening the police accountability system in the following four areas:...

Arts producer and communications consultant Vivian Phillips has been named as temporary manager for the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.
Phillips replaces former manager Jacqueline Moscou, who was placed on three months of forced administrative leave and then asked to leave in October while the city investigates a complaint she only wanted to hire African American actors and staff....

Earned Income Tax Awareness Day For Low Wage Workers.....Valentango 21 Artists …History Image Gallery...Mean Vs. Mad Conflict & Problem Solving Workshop For Girls….Super Refund Saturday: Free Tax Prep For Low To Moderate Income Taxpayers  ....12^th Annual African American Read-In ...."A Killer Bargain" ....Portland Punk Parents Playdate... Blood Drive .... Swordless Samurai: ... "Explore How Fascism Arises And How People Have Successfully Fought Against It."....Workspace Exercises..... Employment Marketplace…. African American Alliance For Homeownership... A Sampling Of Portland Theatre. 

Admissions AttendantIf you enjoy meeting, greeting and assisting guests in a customer-service…

Are you a registered nurse in the State of Oregon looking for a position that affords you the…

Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer is reportedly planning to endorse Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, in a conference call for reporters Friday morning. The congressman will be the first big name Oregon politician to endorse Obama. State Rep. Chip Shields also has decided to back Obama.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama filled Boise State University's basketball arena with about 14,000 people Saturday morning during the Illinois senator's swing through a state long considered one of America's most Republican strongholds.
"They told me there weren't any Democrats in Idaho," Obama said, after arriving to wild cheering and the rock music of the band U2. "I did not believe them."
Obama's Idaho excursion comes just four days before "Super Tuesday," when the state is among 23 others to hold primaries or caucuses.
Idaho is on the frontier of America, and Idaho Democrats often feel they are on the frontier of politics in a place that overwhelmingly backed President Bush in 2004 and where everybody in statewide elected office is a Republican. Those who attended the rally were hungry for a share of the national election spotlight, after years of being written off as insignificant players in deciding who will be the next president....

CHICAGO (NNPA) -- The Chicago City Council recently unanimously voted to approve a nearly $20 million legal settlement in the cases of four Black men who accused members of the Chicago Police Department of racist actions, torture and brutality under former Commander Jon Burge.
Attorney Joey L. Mogul of the People's Law Office, which helped win the settlement, said many "progressive righteous aldermen" are outraged and continue to speak out against police department abuses....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to have automatic payroll deduction for workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.
The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed during a television interview, she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment." ...

The Skanner Foundation held its 22nd annual Martin Luther King Breakfast last Monday.  Every year, the breakfast looks at an issue related to Dr. King's struggle for civil rights, equality and justice in America. This year the theme of the breakfast was: In Green Pastures: An Environment Where King's Dream Will Grow.
By looking at struggles for environmental justice, The Skanner's publisher Bernie Foster said he hoped to highlight opportunities for African Americans to improve our urban environment for future generations and generate "clean, green jobs" for urban youth. . . .