04-25-2024  4:50 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

City Council Strikes Down Gonzalez’s ‘Inhumane’ Suggestion for Blanket Ban on Public Camping

Mayor Wheeler’s proposal for non-emergency ordinance will go to second reading.

A Conservative Quest to Limit Diversity Programs Gains Momentum in States

In support of DEI, Oregon and Washington have forged ahead with legislation to expand their emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion in government and education.

Epiphanny Prince Hired by Liberty in Front Office Job Day After Retiring

A day after announcing her retirement, Epiphanny Prince has a new job working with the New York Liberty as director of player and community engagement. Prince will serve on the basketball operations and business staffs, bringing her 14 years of WNBA experience to the franchise. 

The Drug War Devastated Black and Other Minority Communities. Is Marijuana Legalization Helping?

A major argument for legalizing the adult use of cannabis after 75 years of prohibition was to stop the harm caused by disproportionate enforcement of drug laws in Black, Latino and other minority communities. But efforts to help those most affected participate in the newly legal sector have been halting. 

NEWS BRIEFS

Mt. Tabor Park Selected for National Initiative

Mt. Tabor Park is the only Oregon park and one of just 24 nationally to receive honor. ...

OHCS, BuildUp Oregon Launch Program to Expand Early Childhood Education Access Statewide

Funds include million for developing early care and education facilities co-located with affordable housing. ...

Governor Kotek Announces Chief of Staff, New Office Leadership

Governor expands executive team and names new Housing and Homelessness Initiative Director ...

Governor Kotek Announces Investment in New CHIPS Child Care Fund

5 Million dollars from Oregon CHIPS Act to be allocated to new Child Care Fund ...

Biden celebrates computer chip factories, pitching voters on American 'comeback'

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday sought to sell voters on an American “comeback story” as he highlighted longterm investments in the economy in upstate New York to celebrate Micron Technology's plans to build a campus of computer chip factories made possible in part with...

Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge US to prosecute the company

Boeing said Wednesday that it lost 5 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers. ...

Missouri hires Memphis athletic director Laird Veatch for the same role with the Tigers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri hired longtime college administrator Laird Veatch to be its athletic director on Tuesday, bringing him back to campus 14 years after he departed for a series of other positions that culminated with five years spent as the AD at Memphis. Veatch...

KC Current owners announce plans for stadium district along the Kansas City riverfront

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The ownership group of the Kansas City Current announced plans Monday for the development of the Missouri River waterfront, where the club recently opened a purpose-built stadium for the National Women's Soccer League team. CPKC Stadium will serve as the hub...

OPINION

Op-Ed: Why MAGA Policies Are Detrimental to Black Communities

NNPA NEWSWIRE – MAGA proponents peddle baseless claims of widespread voter fraud to justify voter suppression tactics that disproportionately target Black voters. From restrictive voter ID laws to purging voter rolls to limiting early voting hours, these...

Loving and Embracing the Differences in Our Youngest Learners

Yet our responsibility to all parents and society at large means we must do more to share insights, especially with underserved and under-resourced communities. ...

Gallup Finds Black Generational Divide on Affirmative Action

Each spring, many aspiring students and their families begin receiving college acceptance letters and offers of financial aid packages. This year’s college decisions will add yet another consideration: the effects of a 2023 Supreme Court, 6-3 ruling that...

OP-ED: Embracing Black Men’s Voices: Rebuilding Trust and Unity in the Democratic Party

The decision of many Black men to disengage from the Democratic Party is rooted in a complex interplay of historical disenchantment, unmet promises, and a sense of disillusionment with the political establishment. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Tennessee lawmakers adjourn after finalizing jumi.9B tax cut and refund for businesses

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's GOP-controlled General Assembly on Thursday adjourned for the year, concluding months of tense political infighting that doomed Republican Gov. Bill Lee's universal school voucher push. But a bill allowing some teachers to carry firearms in public schools and...

Body-cam footage shows police left an Ohio man handcuffed and facedown on a bar floor before he died

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man who was handcuffed and left facedown on the floor of a social club last week died in police custody, and the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave. Police body-camera footage released Wednesday shows a Canton police officer...

Bishop stabbed during Sydney church service backs X's legal case to share video of the attack

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A Sydney bishop who was stabbed repeatedly in an alleged extremist attack blamed on a teenager has backed X Corp. owner Elon Musk’s legal bid to overturn an Australian ban on sharing graphic video of the attack on social media. A live stream of the...

ENTERTAINMENT

Music Review: Jazz pianist Fred Hersch creates subdued, lovely colors on 'Silent, Listening'

Jazz pianist Fred Hersch fully embraces the freedom that comes with improvisation on his solo album “Silent, Listening,” spontaneously composing and performing tunes that are often without melody, meter or form. Listening to them can be challenging and rewarding. The many-time...

Book Review: 'Nothing But the Bones' is a compelling noir novel at a breakneck pace

Nelson “Nails” McKenna isn’t very bright, stumbles over his words and often says what he’s thinking without realizing it. We first meet him as a boy reading a superhero comic on the banks of a river in his backcountry hometown in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia....

Cardi B, Queen Latifah and The Roots to headline the BET Experience concerts in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cardi B, Queen Latifah and The Roots will headline concerts to celebrate the return of the BET Experience in Los Angeles just days before the 2024 BET Awards. BET announced Monday the star-studded lineup of the concert series, which makes a return after a...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Strict new EPA rules would force coal-fired power plants to capture emissions or shut down

WASHINGTON (AP) — Coal-fired power plants would be forced to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a...

A US-led effort to bring aid to Gaza by sea is moving forward. But big concerns remain

JERUSALEM (AP) — The construction of a new port in Gaza and an accompanying U.S. military-built pier offshore...

Reggie Bush plans to continue his fight against the NCAA after the return of his Heisman Trophy

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reggie Bush is overjoyed to have his Heisman Trophy once again. Now he wants...

Hamas official says group would lay down its arms if an independent Palestinian state is established

ISTANBUL (AP) — A top Hamas political official told The Associated Press the Islamic militant group is willing...

The Latest | Israeli strikes in Rafah kill at least 5 as ship comes under attack in the Gulf of Aden

Palestinian hospital officials said Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip killed at...

Chef José Andrés says aid workers killed by Israeli airstrikes represented the 'best of humanity'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed by Israeli airstrikes represented the...

Anthony Mccartney AP Entertainment Writer

Alberto Alvarez was the first security guard to reach the bedroom where prosecutors say Dr. Conrad Murray administered a fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol to Jackson on June 25, 2009.

He said he was frozen at the sight of Jackson on the bed with his eyes and mouth open. He said he saw Murray place vials in a plastic bag that he then gave to Alvarez to put in a canvas sack.

"He just grabbed a handful of bottles, or vials, and he instructed me to put them in a bag," the tearful Alvarez testified.

Murray also told him to place an intravenous bag into another sack. the bodyguard said.

"Is it true that 911 had not been called yet?" Deputy District Attorney David Walgren asked.

"That's true," Alvarez replied.

The bodyguard said he asked Murray what had happened to Jackson, and the doctor replied, "'He had a reaction, he had a bad reaction.' That's all he said."

At one point Jackson's children Paris and Prince walked into the room.

"Paris screamed, 'Daddy!' and she started to cry," the witness said. "Dr. Murray said, 'Get them out. Don't let them see him like this.'"

Alvarez's voice choked as he described Paris crying and he took a moment to compose himself.

"I said, 'Children, don't worry, we'll take care of this.' And I escorted them out and left the door ajar," Alvarez said.

After collecting everything and bagging it, Alvarez said Murray told him to call 911. The prosecutor then played a recording of the call.

When an operator said to transfer Jackson to the floor, Alvarez said, he grabbed Jackson's legs and Murray grabbed his upper body. He said at that point he noticed an IV in Jackson's leg and it had to be removed. Alvarez also noticed that Jackson had a urinary catheter.

Alvarez said Murray then asked him to give Jackson chest compression while Murray did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

"Did it appear he was breathing," Walgren asked.

"No sir," Alvarez said.

"His eyes and mouth were open?" the prosecutor asked.

"Yes," the witness said.

"Did he seem to be alive or dead?" Walgren asked.

"Dead, sir," Alvarez said.

The testimony could provide key corroboration to the prosecutors' argument that Murray's actions demonstrated "an extreme deviation from the standard of care" by administering propofol without the proper equipment, and also concealing it and botching efforts to resuscitate the singer.

Walgren said Tuesday in his opening statement that Murray waited as long as 21 minutes before paramedics were called. Jackson died before help was summoned, the prosecutor said.

Murray was providing Jackson propofol roughly six times a week since being hired as the singer's personal physician in May 2009, Walgren said.

Murray, a Houston cardiologist, has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have contended he did not give Jackson anything that should have killed the singer.

At the end of the preliminary hearing, which was expected to go into next week, a judge will rule whether there is enough evidence for Murray to stand trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge in the pop star's death. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

The hearing was expected to include testimony from police, coroner's officials and forensic experts who will describe the mix of sedatives found in Jackson's system.

Preliminary hearings have a lower burden of proof than trials, and defense attorneys rarely present a case. Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, did not make an opening statement.



AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this story.

The Skanner Foundation's 38th Annual MLK Breakfast