11-02-2024  4:47 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

African American Alliance On Homeownership Turns 25, Honors The Skanner Cofounder Bernie Foster

AAAH's executive director Cheryl Roberts recalls how the efforts of Bernie Foster led to an organization that now offers one-on-one counseling for prospective home buyers, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention services, estate planning, assistance with down payments and more.

Police Say Fires Set at Ballot Boxes in Oregon and Washington Are Connected; ‘Suspect Vehicle’ ID'd

Surveillance images captured a Volvo stopping at a drop box in Portland, just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box. That fire damaged three ballots inside, while officials say a fire at a drop box in nearby Vancouver, Washington, early Monday destroyed hundreds of ballots.

Two Major Affordable Housing Developments Reach Milestones in Portland

Both will provide culturally specific supportive services to residents. 

Washington State AG and Ex-Sheriff Face off in Governor's Race

Former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert is trying to become Washington’s first GOP governor in 40 years. But he faces a difficult hurdle in the Democratic stronghold against longtime Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a darling of liberals for his many lawsuits against the Trump administration. 

NEWS BRIEFS

Oregon Begins Rollout of New Housing Benefits for Eligible OHP Members With Health Conditions

The housing benefits include rent assistance for up to six months, utility set-up and payments for up to six months, home...

Oregon Department of Education Releases Cell Phone Policy Guidance

ODE recommends creating policies to limit or reduce cell phone use during the school day. ...

Metro, Central City Concern and Partners to Mark Affordable Housing Complex Grand Opening With Halloween Celebration

Meridian Gardens will offer 85 single room occupancy and studio apartments to people who are in substance use disorder recovery and...

Oregon MESA Expands with Two New Regional Centers in Washington County and Lane County

“Our regional partners are embedded in the communities MESA serves, bringing a wealth of local knowledge and expertise. Regional...

Historic Seattle Black Church Hosts "Bring Your Ballot to Church" Event to Mobilize Voters

As Seattle's oldest African American-founded church, FAME carries forward the legacy of Black churches as centers of civic engagement...

Ballot-sorting machine woes slow count in Oregon county with pivotal US House race

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) — Problems with a ballot-sorting machine are slowing the vote tally in a suburban Portland county that was also plagued by counting issues in 2022 and is home to a key congressional race this year. The sorter in Oregon's third-largest county, Clackamas, began...

He’s fast, feisty and could play Quidditch. Meet the bat that won a beauty contest

ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) — A winged creature from Oregon was crowned this year’s winner Thursday in an annual bat beauty contest put on by the Bureau of Land Management. On Halloween, which was also the last day of International Bat Week, a hoary bat with a feisty personality named...

Many top players from one-bid leagues left for bigger schools. Here are some of the best who stayed

Identifying the top returning players in the era of the transfer portal is trickier than ever. Now that players can transfer without having to sit out a season, mid-major and low-major programs have essentially become farm systems for power-conference teams. Players who earn...

Miller rushes for 2 TDs, No. 15 Alabama picks off 3 passes in 34-0 win over No. 21 Missouri

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jamarion Miller rushed for two touchdowns and No. 15 Alabama's defense had three interceptions in a 34-0 victory Saturday over No. 21 Missouri, which played most of the game without starting quarterback Brady Cook. The Crimson Tide (6-2, 3-2 Southeastern...

OPINION

The Skanner News 2024 Presidential Endorsement

It will come as no surprise that we strongly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. ...

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer: 2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is...

The Skanner Endorsements: Oregon State and Local Ballot Measures

Ballots are now being mailed out for this very important election. Election Day is November 5. Ballots must be received or mailed with a valid postmark by 8 p.m. Election Day. View The Skanner's ballot measure endorsements. ...

Measure 117 is a Simple Improvement to Our Elections

Political forces around the country have launched an all-out assault on voting rights that targets Black communities. State legislatures are restricting voting access in districts with large Black populations and are imposing other barriers and pernicious...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

2 Ohio officers charged with reckless homicide in death of man in custody after crash arrest

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Prosecutors in Ohio have announced reckless homicide charges against two police officers in the death of a man who was handcuffed and left face down on the floor of a social club in Canton while telling officers he couldn’t breathe. Stark County prosecutor Kyle...

Local sheriff asks FBI to investigate death of Black man found hanging in Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The FBI is investigating the death of a Black man in Alabama, who was found hanging in an abandoned house, following a request from a local sheriff amid fears among community members who accuse local law enforcement of longstanding, unchecked misconduct. ...

UK Conservatives pick Kemi Badenoch as new leader, first Black woman to head a big British party

LONDON (AP) — Outspoken, right-leaning lawmaker Kemi Badenoch was named leader of Britain's opposition Conservatives on Saturday, as the party tries to rebound from a crushing election defeat that ended its 14 years in power. The first Black woman to lead a major British political...

ENTERTAINMENT

Samuel L. Jackson lauded at MoMA film benefit by close family and friends

NEW YORK (AP) — The Museum of Modern Art was filled with expletives and laughter Wednesday evening as Samuel L. Jackson’s family and friends celebrated the actor and director’s storied career of box office hits, larger-than-life characters and explosive one-liners at the annual film benefit. ...

A playwright in Africa hopes to break the cultural silence on rape

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Under a spotlight in an otherwise dark room, Oliva Ouedraogo held up a piece of fabric that looked stained with blood. “Long live the girl!” she cried, her voice competing with the loud hum of a generator. Ouedraogo was starring in her own play —...

Music Review: Muna frontwoman Katie Gavin makes her solo debut with folky, evocative 'What A Relief'

On “What a Relief,” the debut solo album from Katie Gavin, the Muna frontwoman tackles love, family and selfhood through folk and country twang that departs from the band's usual dance-forward pop. Don't worry, this isn't the end of Muna — the trio of Gavin, Naomi McPherson and...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Iran's supreme leader threatens Israel and US with 'a crushing response' over Israeli attack

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a...

Vigil set for Grizzly No. 399, the beloved Grand Teton bear who was killed by a vehicle

During her nearly three decades roaming the snowy wilderness of the Teton Range, Grizzly No. 399 became a beloved...

Listen to business owners and voters in Erie, Pennsylvania. They could help decide the White House.

ERIE, Pa. (AP) — It wasn’t much when he bought it, but Michael Hooks has made the old garage his own haven....

Negotiations stall over some crucial issues on final day of UN biodiversity summit in Colombia

CALI, Colombia (AP) — At the United Nations biodiversity summit in Colombia, negotiators have struggled to find...

FBI links video falsely depicting voter fraud in Georgia to 'Russian influence actors'

WASHINGTON (AP) — A video purporting to depict voter fraud in Georgia is fake and the work of “Russian...

At U.N. summit, historic agreement to give Indigenous groups voice on nature conservation decisions

CALI, Colombia (AP) — After two weeks of negotiations, delegates on Saturday agreed at the United Nations...

Nekesa Mumbi Moody AP Music Writer

MIAMI BEACH, Florida (AP) -- Miami's South Beach was swamped with celebrities during Super Bowl week. Whether they were hanging out on South Beach, mingling together at intimate parties or participating in some of the more high-profile celebrity events, they often times outshined the football players during the sport's biggest showcase.
Here's a look at some of the more notable things seen, heard and observed leading up to Sunday's Super Bowl.
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(MORE THAN) FASHIONABLY LATE: The Black Eyed Peas were more than tardy for the party.
The Grammy-winning band was the main attraction for Playboy's Super Bowl bash, which started around 9 p.m. But many guests had already headed out the door by the time the Peas rolled into the event around 2 a.m.
They may have had a better excuse than most for being late: The quartet had performed earlier Saturday night at American Airlines arena for the second date of their "The E.N.D." tour.
Nearby, another men's magazine -- Maxim -- was also holding court with stars like LL Cool J.
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WEEK OF CELEBRATION: Rihanna had more to celebrate during Super Bowl week than most. The singer was still excited over her two Grammy wins a week ago.
"You never come down from that," said Rihanna, who won with Jay-Z and Kanye West for "Run This Town."
"When you remember it, you're like, 'Wow, I won a Grammy.'"
Rihanna will switch from the music world to the literary world soon. She's finishing a coffee table book that will be out this year.
"It's like a look into my life, behind the scenes, what you don't really get to see, but also fashion shots," she said.
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BRODY BEING BRODY: Brody Jenner had some fun at a scantily clad woman's expense on a windy afternoon in Miami Beach.
The TV personality was hanging with his buddies outside the swank Eden Roc hotel when they observed a very tan, short brunette wearing a low-cut mini-dress waiting for a cab. She was desperately trying to keep her dress down in the wind and not show what little was left uncovered.
As she did, Jenner and his crew yelled out, ``SNOOKI! SNOOKI! SNOOKI!'' -- because of the woman's resemblance to the reality starlet from the MTV show ``Jersey Shore.'' When her cab finally arrived, she stopped holding on to her dress, revealing her underwear -- and Jenner and friends cheered.
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HEIDI'S LONG RECOVERY: Holly Montag says it's been tough for her sister Heidi to deal with all the critics of her massive plastic surgery.
Heidi -- famous for her role on "The Hills" -- admitted to having 10 procedures in one day to create her ideal look, including breast implants, a lip job, liposuction and more.
"She's being very strong and holding to her own morals and I'm very proud of her," said Holly, also on "The Hills," at Playboy's party on Saturday. "She's the strongest woman I know. She's done a brilliant job."
Holly Montag also said her sister is still not adjusted to her new body.
"She was still just getting used to it and it's a long recovery time. It's several months," she said. "She's being a trooper about the whole thing."
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CELEBRATIONS AND HEADACHES: Kelly Rowland wasn't one of the celebrities who popped into town for the Super Bowl. She lives in Miami, and like a lot of residents, was trying to grapple with the headaches that come with having the Super Bowl on your doorstep.
"I happened to come home during Super Bowl. I was like, 'Why is there so much traffic?' and everyone is like, 'Super Bowl!'" the singer said. "Nobody wants to drive. So I have to spend a lot of money for a car service."
Rowland -- who shot to fame with Destiny's Child -- said she's working on a new album with Akon, Ne-Yo and more.
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PROUD MOTHER: Solange Knowles was a bit nervous when Rihanna and Jay-Z brought her young son Juelz on stage with them when they accepted their Grammy Award last Sunday.
"I was very surprised and very nervous when Rihanna put his mouth to the mic, because anything could have come out," she said Friday. "But I was very proud as a mom that he used his manners."
Knowles also downplayed her tweets on Grammy night where she seemed frustrated that despite sister Beyonce's record-breaking six Grammy wins in one night for a female, much of the attention was going to Taylor Swift, who won album of the year.
"I wasn't frustrated at all, I was just a proud sister. So, of course I wanted that to be celebrated. It was national history, it had never been done before and not only is it history, it's black history, it's music history. Anytime you break a record, I feel like it should be celebrated," she said.
Knowles, who was a DJ at tennis star Venus Williams' Tide party, said she was just in town for the parties, not the game: "I'm just in a different zone right now, not in party football mode."

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