The Skanner News Blast, May 5, 2011

The Skanner News Endorsements for Schools
Nothing is more important than what happens in schools. Our children need advocates to make sure they have better opportunities to succeed in life … For all the information click here

Trade the Kicker for a Capital Gains Tax Reduction? No Thanks
Perhaps sensing that Oregonians are not in the mood to grant yet more tax breaks for the rich, some corporate lobbyists are offering a devil's bargain. They would back reform of Oregon's wrongheaded kicker law to create an improved rainy day fund only if they get a substantial tax break on their income from capital gains … To read the whole story click here

Portland Bee Swarms are Safe and an Encouraging Sign
Portland is getting the love bite for bees – honeybees. Honeybees ensure good local harvests for most foods we love and add sweetness, light and health to nature and people alike.Did you know that swarms, far from being a danger to anyone, are bees' ways of saying, "We are stronger than Colony Collapse Disorder, and we want to make your flowers and fruits thrive?" A swarm is one queen and a few thousand of her daughters urgently searching for a new home, because they out-grew the old one … For all the information click here

Paranoid Or Under Surveillance? Youth, Muslims Prime Targets of Anti-Gang, Anti-Terror Efforts
Law enforcement and elected officials say drastic federal budget cuts could shut down gang resistance and outreach programs and that increased use of RICO laws against gang members are in order. Meanwhile, Portland City Commissioners last week voted unanimously to rejoin the Joint Terrorism Task Force. There is a sense in the community that these two developments are linked and that young Black males … are set to be even more surveilled, spied on and entrapped … To read the whole story click here

Conference Offers Free Help to Entrepreneurs
If you're thinking of opening up your own business – whether it be a food cart or beauty salon – the Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council is holding a free, day-long seminar that will attempt to allay fears and give a healthy dose of reality to the life-altering decision … To check the details click here

Analysis: US-Pakistan Relations Troubled
Osama bin Laden's death has Congress pointing fingers at Pakistan and many in the Obama administration expressing thinly veiled exasperation. But it probably won't mean the breakup of a marriage of convenience that is maddening to both the U.S and nuclear-armed Pakistan. The alternative would be worse … To read all about it click here