Portland and Seattle
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Don’t Shoot Portland, University of Oregon Team Up for Black Narratives, Memory
The yearly Memory Work for Black Lives Plenary shows the power of preservation.
Grants Pass Anti-Camping Laws Head to Supreme Court
Grants Pass in southern Oregon has become the unlikely face of the nation’s homelessness crisis as its case over anti-camping laws goes to the U.S. Supreme Court scheduled for April 22. The case has broad implications for cities, including whether they can fine or jail people for camping in public. Since 2020, court orders have barred Grants Pass from enforcing its anti-camping laws. Now, the city is asking the justices to review lower court rulings it says has prevented it from addressing the city's homelessness crisis. Rights groups say people shouldn’t be punished for lacking housing.
Four Ballot Measures for Portland Voters to Consider
Proposals from the city, PPS, Metro and Urban Flood Safety & Water Quality District.
Washington Gun Store Sold Hundreds of High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines in 90 Minutes Without Ban
KGW-TV reports Wally Wentz, owner of Gator’s Custom Guns in Kelso, described Monday as “magazine day” at his store. Wentz is behind the court challenge to Washington’s high-capacity magazine ban, with the help of the Silent Majority Foundation in eastern Washington.
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 ...
The nation’s largest Black-owned bank will choose ten winners and award each a $1,000 savings account ...
Literary Arts Transforms Historic Central Eastside Building Into New Headquarters
The new 14,000-square-foot literary center will serve as a community and cultural hub with a bookstore, café, classroom, and event...
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Announces New Partnership with the University of Oxford
Tony Bishop initiated the CBCF Alumni Scholarship to empower young Black scholars and dismantle financial barriers ...
The drug war devastated Black and other minority communities. Is marijuana legalization helping?
ARLINGTON, Wash. (AP) — When Washington state opened some of the nation's first legal marijuana stores in 2014, Sam Ward Jr. was on electronic home detention in Spokane, where he had been indicted on federal drug charges. He would soon be off to prison to serve the lion's share of a four-year...
Firefighters douse a blaze at a historic Oregon hotel famously featured in 'The Shining'
GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. (AP) — Firefighters doused a late-night fire at Oregon's historic Timberline Lodge — featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film “The Shining” — before it caused significant damage. The fire Thursday night was confined to the roof and attic of the lodge,...
Two-time world champ J’den Cox retires at US Olympic wrestling trials; 44-year-old reaches finals
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — J’den Cox walked off the mat after dropping a 2-2 decision to Kollin Moore at the U.S. Olympic wrestling trials on Friday night, leaving his shoes behind to a standing ovation. The bronze medal winner at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 was beaten by...
University of Missouri plans 0 million renovation of Memorial Stadium
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri is planning a 0 million renovation of Memorial Stadium. The Memorial Stadium Improvements Project, expected to be completed by the 2026 season, will further enclose the north end of the stadium and add a variety of new premium...
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. ...
The drug war devastated Black and other minority communities. Is marijuana legalization helping?
ARLINGTON, Wash. (AP) — When Washington state opened some of the nation's first legal marijuana stores in 2014, Sam Ward Jr. was on electronic home detention in Spokane, where he had been indicted on federal drug charges. He would soon be off to prison to serve the lion's share of a four-year...
Lawsuits under New York's new voting rights law reveal racial disenfranchisement even in blue states
FREEPORT, N.Y. (AP) — Weihua Yan had seen dramatic demographic changes since moving to Long Island's Nassau County. Its Asian American population alone had grown by 60% since the 2010 census. Why then, he wondered, did he not see anyone who looked like him on the county's local...
USC cancels graduation keynote by filmmaker amid controversy over decision to drop student's speech
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The University of Southern California further shook up its commencement plans Friday, announcing the cancelation of a keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu just days after making the controversial choice to disallow the student valedictorian from speaking. The...
Celebrity birthdays for the week of April 21-27
Celebrity birthdays for the week of April 21-27: April 21: Actor Elaine May is 92. Singer Iggy Pop is 77. Actor Patti LuPone is 75. Actor Tony Danza is 73. Actor James Morrison (“24”) is 70. Actor Andie MacDowell is 66. Singer Robert Smith of The Cure is 65. Guitarist Michael...
What to stream this weekend: Conan O’Brien travels, 'Migration' soars and Taylor Swift reigns
Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver” landing on Netflix and Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” album are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as...
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...
Lawsuits under New York's new voting rights law reveal racial disenfranchisement even in blue states
FREEPORT, N.Y. (AP) — Weihua Yan had seen dramatic demographic changes since moving to Long Island's Nassau...
The NBA playoffs are finally here. And as LeBron James says, 'it's a sprint now'
There’s a 64-win team in Boston that ran away with the league’s best record. The defending champions in...
Record Store Day celebrates indie retail music sellers as they ride vinyl's popularity wave
PHOENIX (AP) — Special LP releases, live performances and at least one giant block party are scheduled around...
As Russia edges toward a possible offensive on Kharkiv, some residents flee. Others refuse to leave
KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — A 79-year-old woman makes the sign of the cross and, gripping her cane, leaves her home...
Panama Papers trial's public portion comes to an unexpectedly speedy end
PANAMA CITY (AP) — The public portion of a trial of more than two-dozen associates accused of helping some of...
Has Salman Rushdie changed after his stabbing? Well, he feels about 25, the author tells AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly two years after the knife attack that nearly killed him, Salman Rushdie appears both...
BIG BUDGET FILMS
Big Game (PG-13 for profanity, violence and intense action sequences) Political thriller about a hardy, 13 year-old hunter (Onni Tommila) who comes to the assistance of the President of the United States (Samuel L. Jackson) when Air Force One is shot down over Finland by terrorists intent on taking him hostage. With Jim Broadbent, Ray Stevenson and Felicity Huffman. (In English and Finnish with subtitles)
Max (PG for action, peril, violence, mild epithets and mature themes) Man's Best Friend saga about the brother (Josh Wiggins) of a late, Afghan War vet (Robbie Amell) who adopts the dog that served alongside him on the frontlines. Featuring Thomas Haden Church, Jay Hernandez and Lauren Graham.
Ted 2 (R for sexuality, crude humor, pervasive profanity and drug use) Writer/director/producer Seth MacFarlane reprises the title role in this sequel which finds the anthropomorphic Teddy bear marrying his girlfriend (Jessica Barth) with plans for starting a family. Ensemble cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried and Patrick Warburton.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Batkid Begins (PG for mature themes) Make-a-wish documentary recounting how the citizens of San Francisco collaborated to make 5 year-old, cancer patient Miles Scott's dream of becoming Batman a reality.
A Borrowed Identity (Unrated) Middle East drama revolving around a Palestinian teenager (Tawfeek Barhom) attending a prestigious Israeli boarding school in Jerusalem where he lands in hot water for falling in love with a Jewish classmate (Danielle Kitsis). With Razi Gabareen, Ali Suliman and Yael Abecassis. (In Arabic, Hebrew, English and German with subtitles)
Escobar: Paradise Lost (Unrated) Romance thriller, set in Colombia in the summer of 1991, about a Canadian surfer dude (Josh Hutchinson) who is pressured to serve as a hit man after falling for the niece (Claudia Traisac) of drug cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar (Benicio del Toro). Support cast includes Anne Giradot, Carlos Bardem and Brady Corbet.
Felt (Unrated) Semi-autobiographical psychological thriller revolving around a victim of sexual assault's (Amy Everson) attempt to cope with her trauma by disappearing into a number of alter egos. With Alanna Reynolds, Kentucker Audley and Ryan Creighton.
Fresh Dressed (Unrated) Hip-hop documentary revisiting the rise in popularity of urban fashion as a consequence of the simultaneous mainstreaming of rap music in American culture. Featuring appearances by Pharrell Williams, Daymond John and Damon Dash.
A Little Chaos (R for sexuality and brief nudity) Romance drama, set in France during the reign of Louis XIV, where a couple of gifted landscape artists (Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts) fall in love while sculpting the royal garden at the Palace of Versailles. Directed by Alan Rickman who plays the king, and co-stars Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Ehle and Helen McCrory.
The Little Death (Unrated) Kinky sex comedy, set in Sydney, exploring the fetishes of five suburban couples. Ensemble cast includes writer/director Josh Lawson, Kate Box, Tasneem Roc, Lisa McCune and Damon Herriman.
A Murder in the Park (PG-13 for violent reenactments, disturbing images, drug use and brief profanity) Miscarriage of justice courtroom expose' suggesting that the Innocence Project had inadvertently set free on appeal a death row inmate who was actually guilty all along.
Runoff (R for drug use) Rural tale of survival about a woman (Joanne Kelly) willing desperate to keep a failing, family farm afloat after her husband (Neal Huff) falls ill and they're threatened with foreclosure by heartless bill collectors. With Rashel Bestard, Tom Bower and Drew Cash.
What Happened, Miss Simone? (Unrated) Prestige biopic chronicling the life and times of the legendary Nina Simone. Produced by the late jazz singer and civil rights activist's daughter, Lisa .
