The Skanner News

Oregon, Awash in Treatment Funds After Decriminalizing Drugs, Now Must Follow the Money

Funding for drug treatment centers in Oregon, financed by the state's pioneering drug decriminalization policy, stood at over a quarter-billion dollars Friday as officials called for closer monitoring of where the money goes. Read More
Air Force Fighter Pilot Tapped by Biden to be Next Joint Chiefs Chairman Has History of Firsts

General CQ Brown Jr. was the US Air Force's first Black commander of the Pacific Air Forces, and most recently its first Black chief of staff, making him the first African American to lead any of the military branches. Read More
New Tax Documents Show Black Lives Matter Foundation is Tightening its Belt

A national Black Lives Matter nonprofit, whose philanthropic fortunes grew almost overnight during historic racial justice protests three years ago, raised just over $9 million in its last fiscal year, new IRS tax filings show, significantly less than the $79 million in revenue reported in a previous tax filing after the murder of George Floyd. The nonprofit had raised more than $90 million in the first year that it was… Read More
Debt-ceiling Deal: the Details in the Agreement to Avert US Default

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have reached an agreement in principle on legislation to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a default. Negotiators are working on finalizing the bill's text and McCarthy said the House will vote on the legislation on Wednesday, giving the Senate time to consider it ahead of the June 5 deadline to avoid a default Read More

NORTHWEST NEWS

Oregon Man Died Waiting for an Ambulance, Highlighting Lack of Emergency Responders

Officials in Multnomah County have said ambulances should arrive to 90% of emergency calls within eight minutes. However KGW-TV reported that during a five-month period ending in February, that mark was missed about a third of the time.

Oregon, Awash in Treatment Funds After Decriminalizing Drugs, Now Must Follow the Money

Funding for drug treatment centers in Oregon, financed by the state's pioneering drug decriminalization policy, stood at over a quarter-billion dollars Friday as officials called for closer monitoring of where the money goes.

Former Senator Margaret Carter Receives Honorary Doctorate of Public Service

Margaret Carter was the commencement speaker for Willamette University's Salem undergraduate commencement ceremony

Two Months In, Lil’ America Providing ‘Safe Space’ for BIPOC- and LGBTQ+-Owned Food Trucks to Thrive

Seven food carts offer up unusual, high-quality fare in southeast.

NEWS BRIEFS

Oregon and Washington Memorial Day Events

Check out a listing of ceremonies and other community Memorial Day events in Oregon and Washington. A full list of all US events,...

Communities Invited to Interstate Bridge Replacement Neighborhood Forums in Vancouver and Portland

May 31 and June 6 forums allow community members to learn about the program’s environmental review process ...

Bonamici, Salinas Introduce Bill to Prevent Senior Hunger

Senior Hunger Prevention Act will address challenges older adults, grandparent and kinship caregivers, and adults with disabilities...

This is Our Lane - Too: Joint Statement on the Maternal Health Crisis from the Association of Black Cardiologists, American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association

Urgent action is needed to combat the maternal health crisis in America and cardiologists have a vital role to play. ...

New Skateboarding Area Planned for Southeast Portland’s Creston Park

Area has largest number of overall youth and of people of color out of locations studied ...

Amazon workers upset over job cuts, return-to-office mandate stage walkout

SEATTLE (AP) — A group of Amazon workers upset about recent layoffs, a return-to-office mandate and the company’s environmental impact is planning a walkout at the company's Seattle headquarters Wednesday. The lunchtime protest comes a week after Amazon's annual shareholder...

Truck driver indicted on manslaughter charges after deadly Oregon crash that killed 7 farmworkers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The driver of the semitruck involved in a fatal crash on Interstate 5 in Oregon earlier this month that left seven farmworkers dead has been indicted on charges of manslaughter, court documents show. A grand jury in Marion County Court on Tuesday indicted...

Foster, Ware homer, Auburn eliminates Mizzou 10-4 in SEC

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Cole Foster hit a three-run homer, Bryson Ware added a two-run shot and fifth-seeded Auburn wrapped up the first day of the SEC Tournament with a 10-4 win over ninth-seeded Missouri on Tuesday night. Auburn (34-9), which has won nine-straight, moved into the...

Small Missouri college adds football programs to boost enrollment

FULTON, Mo. (AP) — A small college in central Missouri has announced it will add football and women's flag football programs as part of its plan to grow enrollment. William Woods University will add about 140 students between the two new sports, athletic director Steve Wilson said...

OPINION

Significant Workforce Investments Needed to Stem Public Defense Crisis

We have a responsibility to ensure our state government is protecting the constitutional rights of all Oregonians, including people accused of a crime ...

Over 80 Groups Tell Federal Regulators Key Bank Broke $16.5 Billion Promise

Cross-country redlining aided wealthy white communities while excluding Black areas ...

Public Health 101: Guns

America: where all attempts to curb access to guns are shot down. Should we raise a glass to that? ...

Op-Ed: Ballot Measure Creates New Barriers to Success for Black-owned Businesses

Measure 26-238, a proposed local capital gains tax, is unfair and a burden on Black business owners in an already-challenging economic environment. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Why do Kosovo-Serbia tensions persist?

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew this week after Kosovo’s police raided Serb-dominated areas in the region’s north and seized local municipality buildings. There have been violent clashes between Kosovo’s police and NATO-led peacekeepers...

Japanese knuckleball pitcher Eri Yoshida plays on her own 'Field of Dreams'

OYAMA, Japan (AP) — Eri Yoshida sat in the dugout of an all-dirt baseball field in rural Japan, surrounded by rice paddies, narrow roads, and traditional Japanese houses. The scene recalled instantly the 1989 film “Field of Dreams" — Asian style — and Yoshida certainly has her...

Takeaways from AP's report on legislative reforms to victim compensation programs

Across the country, violent crime victims are using their stories to push for changes to state compensation programs meant to help them with medical bills, relocation, funerals or other expenses. Vanessa Martinez, who survived a gunshot wound to the head, has turned to speaking at...

ENTERTAINMENT

Rapper Fetty Wap sentenced to 6 years in prison for drug-trafficking scheme

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — As friends and family looked on, rapper Fetty Wap on Wednesday apologized for his actions and said he was “exactly where I'm supposed to be,” before a judge sentenced him to six years in federal prison for his role in a New York-based drug-trafficking scheme. ...

Matchbox Twenty returns after long absence to offer an album of exuberance, 'Where the Light Goes'

NEW YORK (AP) — More than a decade has passed since the last Matchbox Twenty album, so, fans can be forgiven for thinking it was the end of the line. That's what Matchbox Twenty was thinking, too. “We had pretty much come to terms that we didn’t think we’re ever going to make...

Dudamel in surprise move resigns from Paris Opéra 2 years into 6-year contract

Gustavo Dudamel announced his resignation as music director of the Paris Opéra on Thursday, a surprise decision two seasons into a six-year contract scheduled to run through the 2026-27 season. A 42-year-old Venezuelan who lives in Madrid, Dudamel was hired in February by the New...