SEATTLE—African American workers who worked on Seattle's Sound Transit light rail project are telling a civil rights attorney that they were discriminated against and forced to quit or were fired after only a few days on the job.  Seattle attorney Lori Haskell said she has talked to at least four African Americans who all tell her the same story:  They were given no tools, as had been promised; they were not assigned a task; and they were told a day or two later that they were fired because they didn't appear to want to work.
All of those who have spoken to Haskell were assigned by their union, Northwest Laborers Local 440, to work at the one-mile-long Beacon Hill tunnel, which is part of the 15.6-mile light rail line that eventually will go from downtown Seattle to SeaTac Airport.

Vendor Brenda Triplett prepares a receipt for a customer at the Mississippi Street Fair, held last weekend on North Mississippi Avenue. The annual fair offered a parade, music on five stages, locally prepared food and numerous activities for children and adults, including a pet talent show and a plant swap.

Praised as the "right person for this time in the police bureau's history," Rosanne M. Sizer is officially Portland's police chief.
Sizer was sworn in as Portland Police Chief last week by Multnomah County Circuit Judge Julie Frantz.
Sizer became the permanent chief following a four-month stint in the post as an interim chief during an investigation into allegations of misconduct by former police chief Derrick Foxworth.

An office in Portland City Hall is being created to focus solely on reducing youth violence, with a special emphasis on reaching out to gangs.
Over the past three years, the number of officially "designated" gang members has increased by 31.5 percent. Gang membership ranges in age from 10 to 35; the greatest numbers are between 15 and 29 years old.
Directing the new Office of Youth Violence Prevention will be John Canda, former executive director of Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods.

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial will kick off the organization's 2006 annual conference on Wednesday, July 26, with a wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesites of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King before his annual keynote address at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
The league's 96th annual conference runs from July 26 through 29 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Portland State University Professor Maude Hines, right, leads a July 17 discussion of poetry and music during the Lyricists' Lounge, a spoken word/poetry workshop for teens at the North Portland Library. Looking on are Jamilah Bourdon, left, Dylan Muldrew, Alicia Jackson and Heather Cornelius.

Drivers beware: If you park too long in Portland, be ready to pay a hefty fine. An $8 increase…

Transition Projects Inc. broke ground this week for the Clark Center Annex, which will provide 22…

Joyce Brown, Xavier Lazemby, Nia Grant and baby her cousin Kayanna, enjoy the food and festive atmosphere at the Emmanuel Temple Church Family and Friends Community Outreach Day. The day is a chance for the church members to talk to local neighbors and enjoy each other's company.

The Portland Housing Center is celebrating its 15th anniversary of helping low- and moderate-income…