Last Monday, a standing-room-only crowd of 350 people joined King County Councilmembers at a Council Town Hall forum to examine the status of ongoing reforms in King County's criminal justice system and to focus on community partnerships that help deter crime, prevent recidivism and encourage self-empowerment.
"I was extremely pleased by the large turnout," said King County Council Chair and district host Larry Gossett. "By their presence and comments, the community let it be known that the simple approach of increased arrests, incarcerations and the building of more jails have proven not to solve crime. Prevention, intervention and strong partnerships with communities in addressing socioeconomic issues have been proven to be the most effective and cost efficient ways to ensure safe neighborhoods."
Councilmembers were briefed on how a 'paradigm shift' focusing on alternatives to incarceration has helped King County avoid nearly a quarter-billion dollars in additional incarceration costs over the last seven years, while reducing the county's need to build a third jail or a second youth detention facility.

Three organizations are launching a "Paint-it-Out" graffiti removal program for business and property owners in Southeast Seattle.
The goal of the "Paint-it-Out" program is to help eliminate graffiti in Southeast Seattle by painting it out as soon as it goes up. According to the Graffiti Hurts Web site, graffiti clean-up alone costs U.S. cities tens of thousands of dollars each year. These are funds which could be used for art programs, schools ...

In the spirit of promoting equal educational opportunities for all people, the Seattle NAACP will hold the innaugural Martin Luther King Jr. County Rally and Workshop for Public Education. The rally and workshop will be held Saturday, October 6 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, 104 17th Ave. S.
The goal is to provide students, teachers and parents with access to information that will help improve the quality of public education in the city of Seattle and King County as well as move toward creating equal ...

ART OF SURVIVING EXHIBIT .....CASCADE FESTIVAL OF AFRICAN films. .....ARCHAEOLOGY DIGS ... USED LIBRARY BOOK SALE ...KNITTING FOR BEGINNERS. ...CELEBRATE SEN. MARGARET CARTER .... POETRY READING .... NEW LIBRARY SITING in North Portland .... OCTOBER HARVEST celebration ... ANNUAL SALMON FESTIVAL ... ANNUAL CASCADE AIDS WALK

Events in the small town of Jena, La. may have sparked a new passion for civil rights and justice in America. But it wasn't just Jena. It was 50 bullets aimed at a car full of Blacks in New York; it was Genarlow Wilson, jailed as a teen for having consensual sex with a girlfriend; and it was a Black girl getting seven years for pushing a teacher's aide in Texas. For many African Americans and civil libertarians of all races, these cases — and many others that never made the headlines — seem to define a justice system that is anything but just ...

Jefferson High School will host a conference for students and their families Friday, Oct. 5. Among the guest speakers will be Mayor Potter, PCC Cascade campus President Algie Gatewood and Washington State University Professor Armando Laguardia. Sam Brooks, chair of the Portland Business Alliance Board and the founder of the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, will make the keynote speech.
Organized by the youth mentoring nonprofit REAP Inc., the theme of the conference is "As I Rise." It follows a similar Challenge conference earlier this year entitled ....

Portland's Northeast neighborhoods are not easily pigeonholed. Racially and economically diverse, they are places of home and commerce, of friendship and also of disagreement and opportunity. They are the nurturing soil where generations have put down family roots. But they've also been conflict zones where blood and tears have been been shed.
Representing the interests, needs and concerns of residents is the neighborhood association. More than the commissioners who represent them, neighborhood associations can act as ...

Women of color were well represented at last Sunday's Race for the Cure, presented by the breast cancer fundraising and advocacy group the Komen Foundation. Among the groups walking the route were The Crowned Jewels, representing the North and Northeast Portland-based group, It's All About You. Founded by Rev. Renee Ward, It's All About You brings awareness and support to women needing mammograms or dealing with breast cancer. For more information call 503-548-7537 or email revrenee@itsallaboutyou.org.

Anti-War March in Portland ...
Devon Phillips Octet to Hold Gershwin Concert ....
Midwife Conference This Weekend ....
Correction ...

Ian Heisser, the president of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Epsilon Epsilon Sigma Chapter, holds a sign up and chants "Free the Jena Six" at a Prayer Vigil of Support and Justice for the Members of the Jena Six on Sept. 20th at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The vigil which was sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and the Knights of Peter Claver Inc. Council #218, and it included remarks by James Bible, the president of the Seattle Chapter of the NAACP. The vigil coincided with a march in the town of Jena, La. by thousands of supporters for six Black teenagers who supporters say have been the victims of overzealous prosecution for the assault on a White teenager.