10-02-2023  4:45 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

Tacoma Police Officers on Trial in Deadly Arrest of Manny Ellis

The trial for three Tacoma, Washington, officers charged in a Black man’s death begins this week. Manuel Ellis died — hogtied, handcuffed and pleading “Can’t breathe” — nearly three months before George Floyd’s murder sparked worldwide protests against police brutality. The trial is the first under a 5-year-old Washington state law designed to make it easier to prosecute police who wrongfully use deadly force

2 Lawsuits Blame Utility for Eastern Washington Fire That Killed Man and Burned Hundreds of Homes

The suit alleges the utility designed its power lines to be bare, uncovered and carry a high voltage. All of that increases the risk of ignition when coming into contact with grass or equipment.

Damian Lillard Traded From the Trail Blazers to the Bucks in 3-Team Deal

The deal ends Lillard's 11-year run with the Trail Blazers and a a three-month saga surrounding Lillard's wish to be moved elsewhere in hopes of winning an NBA title.

PPS Announces ‘Incremental Improvements’ in Student Test Scores. Black Education Advocates Are Less Impressed.

Portland Public Schools announced last week that the city's students were doing better than their counterparts elsewhere in the state. But those gains are not equally distributed. 

NEWS BRIEFS

Broadway Rose Theatre Names New Executive Director

Meredith Gordon will assume the role on October 2, 2023. ...

Rep. Annessa Hartman Denounces Political Violence Against the Clackamas County Democratic Party

On Tuesday, the Clackamas County Democratic Party headquarters was

Bonamici Announces 5 Town Hall Meetings in October

The town hall meetings will be in St. Helens, Hillsboro, Seaside, Tillamook and Portland. ...

Nicole De Lagrave Named Multnomah Regional Teacher of the Year

De Lagrave is also a finalist for 2023-24 Oregon Teacher of the Year ...

KBOO Birthday Block Party to be Held September 23

Birthday block party planned as KBOO, 90.7FM celebrates 55 years broadcasting community radio ...

In New York City, scuba divers' passion for the sport becomes a mission to collect undersea litter

NEW YORK (AP) — On a recent Sunday afternoon, the divers arrived on a thin strip of sand at the furthest, watery edge of New York City. Air tanks strapped to their backs, they waded into the sea and descended into an environment far different from their usual terrestrial surroundings of concrete,...

Washington officers on trial in deadly arrest of Manny Ellis, a case reminiscent of George Floyd

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Police wrestle the unarmed Black man to the sidewalk. One officer pushes his face into the pavement as he pleads in vain: “Can’t breathe.” Witnesses capture the scene at a dark intersection on their cellphones — one yells, “Hey! Stop! Oh my God, stop...

Brady Cook throws for career-high 395 yards, No. 23 Missouri beats Vandy 38-21

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Brady Cook is a big reason that the Missouri Tigers are off to their best start since 2013. The 23rd-ranked Missouri Tigers quarterback set the Southeastern Conference record for most pass attempts without an interception Saturday as he threw for a...

No. 23 Missouri finally leaves state to open SEC slate at Vanderbilt, which has lost 3 straight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz hasn't spent much time thinking about getting the Tigers back into the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2019. “Rankings only matter what you do this week, so our goal was not to be ranked in Week Four,” Drinkwitz said....

OPINION

Labor Day 2023: Celebrating the Union Difference and Building Tomorrow’s Public Service Workforce

Working people are seeing what the union difference is all about, and they want to be a part of it. ...

60 Years Since 1963 March on Washington, Economic Justice Remains a Dream

Typical Black family has 1/8 the wealth held by whites, says new research ...

The 2024 Election, President Biden and the Black Vote

As a result of the Black vote, America has experienced unprecedented recovery economically, in healthcare, and employment and in its international status. ...

Federal Trade Commission Hindering Black Economic Achievement

FTC Chair Linda Khan has prioritized her own agenda despite what Americans were telling her they needed on the ground ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Few Americans say conservatives can speak freely on college campuses, an AP-NORC/UChicago poll shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans view college campuses as far friendlier to liberals than to conservatives when it comes to free speech, with adults across the political spectrum seeing less tolerance for those on the right, according to a new poll. Overall, 47% of adults say liberals...

Early voting begins in New Zealand's general election and in Australia for Indigenous 'Voice'

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Early voting began on Monday in New Zealand for the nation's Oct. 14 general election, with conservative contender Christopher Luxon casting his ballot. Early voting also began in some parts of Australia in a referendum that would enshrine in...

Jimmy Carter turns 99 at home with Rosalynn and other family as tributes come from around the world

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter has always been a man of discipline and habit. But the former president broke routine Sunday, putting off his practice of quietly watching church services online to instead celebrate his 99th birthday with his wife, Rosalynn, and their children, grandchildren and...

ENTERTAINMENT

Spain charges pop singer Shakira with tax evasion for a second time and demands more than million

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spanish prosecutors have charged pop star Shakira with failing to pay 6.7 million euros (.1 million) in tax on her 2018 income, authorities said Tuesday, in Spain’s latest fiscal allegations against the Colombian singer. Shakira is alleged to have used an...

Sanaz Toossi, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, makes the leap to star in her own play, 'English'

NEW YORK (AP) — Theatergoers seeing the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “English” at the Barrington Stage Company will have a treat this fall. They'll get to see the playwright up on stage. Sanaz Toossi steps into the role she wrote as one of four Iranian students preparing for an...

Rising star Jasmine Amy Rogers is tapped to play iconic Betty Boop in new stage musical

NEW YORK (AP) — The actor picked to play the iconic, baby-faced flapper Betty Boop in a new stage musical is a triple threat from Texas with a contagious laugh. Jasmine Amy Rogers will star in “BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical” making its debut this fall in Chicago with hopes that...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Armenian exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh ebbs as Azerbaijan moves to reaffirm control

The last bus carrying ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh left the region Monday, completing a grueling...

More than 100 search for 9-year-old girl who was camping with family in upstate New York

MOREAU, N.Y. (AP) — Drones, bloodhounds and an airboat were used in the search for a missing 9-year-old girl who...

The Supreme Court justices are taking the bench for the first time since June

WASHINGTON (AP) — The justices are taking the bench at the Supreme Court for the first time since late June....

Indonesian president launches Southeast Asia's first high-speed railway, funded by China

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Southeast Asia’s first high-speed...

A populist ex-premier who opposes support for Ukraine leads his leftist party to victory in Slovakia

PRAGUE (AP) — A populist former prime minister and his leftist party have won early parliamentary elections in...

Armenia grapples with multiple challenges after the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh

Tens of thousands of now-homeless people have streamed into Armenia from the separatist region of...

By The Skanner News | The Skanner News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators get their first chance Monday to vote on the tax-cut deal struck by President Barack Obama and Republicans in a test vote that is expected to get widespread support.

But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said House Democrats may try to change the bill to make the estate tax less generous to wealthy heirs. Hoyer stressed that he expects the House to pass the package. But, he said, House Democrats are unhappy with a provision that would allow estates as large as $10 million to go untaxed.

"I think we're going to have a vote on the Senate bill, with possible changes," Hoyer said Monday during a discussion at the National Press Club. "We may have it with amendments, we'll see what the process is."

The No. 2 Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, said a "good cross-section" of senators in his party are ready to accept the deal.

Monday's vote is expected to lead to passage in the Senate Tuesday or Wednesday. The bill would then go to the House.

The legislation would avert a Jan. 1 increase in income taxes for nearly all Americans, including middle and high earners. The package also would renew a program of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed and put in place a one-year cut in Social Security taxes.

"Everybody understands what it would mean for the economy if we don't get this done," Obama adviser David Axelrod said.

"We believe that when it comes back to the House, that we will get a vote, and that we'll prevail there, because at the end of the day, no one wants to see taxes go up on 150 million Americans" on New Year's Day, Axelrod said. "No one wants to see 2 million people lose their unemployment insurance."

While many House Democrats have criticized the tax deal, Axelrod said he didn't foresee "major changes" being made by the House.

At the insistence of Republicans, the plan includes a more generous estate tax provision: The first $5 million of a couple's estate could pass to heirs without taxation, and an additional $5 million for the spouse. The balance would be subject to a 35 percent tax rate.

The estate tax was repealed for 2010. But under current law, it is scheduled to return next year with a top rate of 55 percent on the portion estates above $1 million, $2 million for couples.

The lower estate tax infuriated Democrats who are already unhappy with Obama for agreeing to extend tax cuts at incomes of more than $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. Some Democrats say the tax breaks will unnecessarily add to the rising federal deficit. In all, the package would cost about $858 billion, according to a congressional estimate.

Axelrod spoke on ABC's "This Week," CBS' "Face the Nation" and CNN's "State of the Union."