12-05-2023  5:45 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

Atmospheric River Brings Heavy Rain, Flooding and Warm Winter Temperatures to the Pacific Northwest

The National Weather Service reported that rainfall records were shattered in some areas of the Olympic Peninsula. Washington and Oregon officials have urged drivers to use caution as standing water and flooding affect roadways. 

Oldest Black Church in Oregon Will Tear Down, Rebuild To Better Serve Community

As physical attendance dwindles, First African Methodist Episcopal Zion is joining the growing trend of churches that are re-imagining how best to use their facilities.

Cities Crack Down on Homeless Encampments. Advocates Say That’s Not the Answer

Homeless people and their advocates say encampment sweeps are cruel and costly, and there aren't enough shelter beds or treatment for everyone. But government officials say it's unacceptable to let encampments fester and people need to accept offers of shelter or treatment, if they have a severe mental illness or addiction.

Schools in Portland, Oregon, Reach Tentative Deal With Teachers Union After Nearly Month-Long Strike

The agreement must still be voted on by teachers who have been on the picket line since Nov. 1 over issues of pay, class sizes and planning time. It must also be approved by the school board.

NEWS BRIEFS

2024 Rose Festival Court Applications Are Open

Applications for the 2024 Rose Festival Court Program presented by Unitus Community Credit Union are now available on the Rose...

Talk A Mile Event Connects Young Black Leaders with Portland Police Bureau Trainees

Talk A Mile operates on the idea that conversation bridges gaps and builds empathy, which can promote understanding between Black...

Turkey Rules the Table. But an AP-NORC Poll Finds Disagreement Over Other Thanksgiving Classics

Thanksgiving may be a time for Americans to come together, but opinion is divided over what's on the crowded dinner table. We mostly...

Veteran Journalist and Emmy Award-Winning Producer to Lead Award-Winning Digital Magazine Focused on Racial Inequality

Jamil Smith will drive The Emancipator’s editorial vision and serve as a key partner to Payne in growing the rising media...

Regional Arts & Culture Council and Port of Portland Announce Selection of PDX Phase 1 Terminal Redevelopment Artists

Sanford Biggers and Yoonhee Choi’s projects will be on display with the opening of the new terminal in May 2024 ...

Ex-Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to cut plane's engines indicted on endangerment charges

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of trying to cut the engines of a Horizon Air flight has been indicted on 84 endangerment charges, but is no longer charged with attempted murder, authorities said Tuesday. The district attorney’s office in Oregon’s...

Atmospheric river soaks Pacific Northwest with record-breaking rain and unusually warm temperatures

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An atmospheric river has brought heavy rain, flooding and unseasonably warm temperatures to the Pacific Northwest, closing rail links, schools and roads as it shattered daily rainfall and temperature records in Washington state. Amtrak said Tuesday that no...

Missouri RB Cody Schrader wins Burlsworth Trophy

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Missouri running back Cody Schrader has won the Burlsworth Trophy, given to the nation's best player who started his Division I career as a a walk-on. Schrader, who walked on two years ago after transferring from Division II Truman State, leads Division I...

AP names LSU's Daniels unanimous SEC offensive player of year; Watson named top defensive player

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is the unanimous pick as Associated Press Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, while Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson is defensive player of the year. Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz won coach of the year honors Monday after...

OPINION

Why Are Bullies So Mean? A Youth Psychology Expert Explains What’s Behind Their Harmful Behavior

Bullied children and teens are at risk for anxiety, depression, dropping out of school, peer rejection, social isolation and self-harm. ...

Federal Agencies Issue $23 Million Fine Against TransUnion and Subsidiary

FTC and CFPB say actions harmed renters and violated fair credit laws ...

First One to Commit to Nonviolence Wins

Every time gains towards nonviolence looked promising, someone from the most aggrieved and trauma-warped groups made sure to be spoilers by committing some atrocity and resetting the hate and violence. ...

Boxes

What is patently obvious to all Americans right now is the adolescent dysfunction of Congress. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Attorneys for family of absolved Black man killed by deputy seeking M from Georgia sheriff

WOODBINE, Ga. (AP) — Attorneys for the family of a Black man fatally shot by a Georgia deputy during an October traffic stop have given formal notice of plans to sue the sheriff's office in a letter demanding million in restitution. Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry...

Video shows Alabama police officer using stun gun against handcuffed man

REFORM, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama police officer is on leave after video circulated on social media showed her appearing to shock a handcuffed and compliant man with a stun gun and telling him to shut up after he cried out in pain. The video shows a white female police officer shocking...

Illinois scraps plan for building migrant winter camp due to toxic soil risk

CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration announced Tuesday that it is scrapping plans for a temporary winter camp for migrants in Chicago, citing the risk of contaminants at the former industrial site. The setback comes as Chicago struggles to house more than 24,000...

ENTERTAINMENT

Eddie Izzard returns to New York for a version of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' with just one actor onstage

NEW YORK (AP) — Eddie Izzard is returning to a New York stage this winter for an ambitious version of “Hamlet.” It's ambitious because the actor-comedian will be the only one on stage. Izzard will play all the William Shakespeare parts in a one-person staging adapted by Izzard's...

Music Review: Violent Femmes debut, a cult favorite, turns 40 with an expanded new edition

In 1983, Milwaukee trio Violent Femmes released their self-titled debut, an album that would quickly enter the college-rock pantheon for its spirited acoustic punk. Forty years later, Craft Recordings has released a deluxe edition of the record, in which the cult band turns back the...

In Mexico, a Japanese traditional dancer shows how body movement speaks beyond culture and religion

MEXICO CITY (AP) — When music requires her to cry, Japanese traditional dancer Naoko Kihara barely alters her expression. It’s her arms and torso that move like a slow-motion wave. “Expression is minimal because we cry with our body,” said Kihara, wrapped in her white and navy...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

More bodies found after sudden eruption of Indonesia's Mount Marapi, raising confirmed toll to 23

BATU PALANO, Indonesia (AP) — Rescuers searching the hazardous slopes of Indonesia's Mount Marapi volcano found...

Vice President Harris breaks nearly 200-year-old record for Senate tiebreaker votes, casts her 32nd

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris broke a nearly 200-year-old record for casting the most...

Denny Laine, founding member of the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney's Wings, dead at 79

NEW YORK (AP) — Denny Laine, a British singer, songwriter and guitarist who performed in an early, pop-oriented...

U.S. imposes new round of sanctions over Russia's invasion of Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a Belgian involved in procuring electronics for the...

Brutal killings of women in Western Balkan countries trigger alarm and expose faults in the system

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A man in Bosnia killed his wife and streamed the murder live on Instagram. In...

Former DEA informant pleads guilty in 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president

MIAMI (AP) — A former confidential informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration pleaded guilty Tuesday...

Les Christie CNN Money

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The number of homes lost to foreclosure is closing in on levels not seen since before the housing meltdown.

Foreclosure filings -- including notices of default, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions -- during the first quarter fell 23% from a year earlier, the lowest level since the second quarter of 2007.

Last month, banks repossessed just under 44,000 homes. In September 2010, repossessions topped 100,000 a month.

"We're getting back to normal and will be there by next year," said Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac.

For the past couple of years, foreclosures have been on the decline as homeowners seek alternatives like short sales, in which they sell their home for less than what they owe and the bank agrees to forgive the difference.

The deals are preferred by the banks over foreclosures and have less of a negative impact on a consumer's credit score. But now even the need to turn to short sales is waning.

Government initiatives, like the Home Affordable Modification Program and Home Affordable Refinance Program, have helped millions of borrowers avoid foreclosure. And last spring, under a $25 billion settlement deal with state and federal officials, the nation's largest mortgage lenders agreed to help struggling borrowers by lowering their mortgage rates, reducing their principal and other fixes.

Now, the landscape of foreclosures is starting to look a lot like it did in the pre-bust years, said Blomquist.

A larger percentage of the nation's foreclosure activity is occurring in areas suffering from severe economic problems, such as "Rust Belt" cities like Rockford, Ill. and Chicago, not in the recently-developed, mid-to-upper class neighborhoods of California, Florida and Arizona that were hit hardest when the housing bubble burst, he said.

And many of the people who lose their homes now are dealing with a layoff or personal issue, such as a divorce, illness or death in the family, said Blomquist. During the housing bust, people were forced to default because of plunging home prices and unaffordable mortgage terms.

There are some states that are still struggling with a backlog of foreclosures like Florida, Illinois and Georgia, all states where courts oversee the foreclosure process. Florida had more than twice as many bank repossessions as any other state in March -- nearly 7,600. Illinois, with more than 3,500, was second and Georgia, with 3,350, was third.

With prices expected to continue to rise -- they were up more than 8% year-over-year in January -- the number of short sales should continue to fall, and so should foreclosures, according to Blomquist.