01-15-2025  8:06 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

Janelle Bynum Becomes First Black Member Of Congress For Oregon

The former state representative for Clackamas County takes oath in D.C. and joins historic Congressional Black Caucus.

Boeing Still Needs a Culture Change to Put Safety Above Profits, According to the Head of the FAA

It was Jan. 5 of last year when a door plug blew out of Boeing 737 Max flying over Oregon. That led to increased scrutiny of Boeing by regulators and Congress.

How a Local Minority-Owned 'Renewable Energy’ Company is Blazing the Trail to Create 'Smart City' Solutions in Oregon

Smart Oregon Solutions (SOS), a minority-owned enterprise based in Portland has positioned itself to blaze the trail in creating ‘smart cities’ throughout Oregon ‘to create a100% clean energy solution by 2040.

The Salvation Army Announced as Operator of 200 Overnight Winter Shelter Beds

Locations will be existing Salvation Army facilities

NEWS BRIEFS

North Portland Library to Reopen in February

Grand opening celebration begins February 8 with ribbon cutting, cultural events, food and fun ...

Joint Center Mourns the Passing of President Jimmy Carter

"We will continue to honor President Carter’s unwavering commitment to public service and his lifelong dedication to racial,...

Civil Rights Museum Statement on the Passing of President Jimmy Carter

A giant among leaders and a true example of the highest ideals of public service, President Carter’s legacy will forever be etched...

Rep. Mfume Announces Winner of Congressional App Challenge

The app, EcoGoal, was designed to help environmental organizations set, organize, and track goals in a private and collaborative...

Sen. Lisa Reynolds to Chair Newly-Formed Senate Committee on Early Childhood and Behavioral Health

New committee to focus on upstream solutions for some of Oregon’s toughest challenges. ...

Democrats boycott first day of Minnesota House session but GOP votes to appoint speaker anyway

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — House Democrats boycotted the opening day of Minnesota’s 2025 legislative session Tuesday in an effort to stop Republicans from exploiting a temporary one-seat majority to remove one of their members. But GOP representatives forged ahead anyway and named their leader as...

Minnesota Legislature could be headed for a rocky start to its 2025 session

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The 2025 session of the Minnesota Legislature could be headed for a rocky start when it convenes Tuesday, with House Democrats threatening to boycott opening day and House Republicans saying they'll try to recall lawmakers who fail to show up. The messy power...

Edwards and Vanderbilt host South Carolina

South Carolina Gamecocks (10-6, 0-3 SEC) at Vanderbilt Commodores (13-3, 1-2 SEC) Nashville, Tennessee; Wednesday, 6 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Commodores -8.5; over/under is 143 BOTTOM LINE: Vanderbilt plays South Carolina after Jason Edwards scored...

Warren leads Florida against Ole Miss after 27-point game

Florida Gators (11-7, 2-2 SEC) at Ole Miss Rebels (11-5, 2-2 SEC) Oxford, Mississippi; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Florida plays Ole Miss after Jeriah Warren scored 27 points in Florida's 93-67 win against the Missouri Tigers. The Rebels are 8-1 in...

OPINION

As Dr. King Once Asked, Where Do We Go From Here?

“Let us be dissatisfied until America will no longer have high blood pressure of creeds and an anemia of deeds. Let us be dissatisfied until the tragic walls that separate the outer city of wealth and comfort from the inner city of poverty and despair shall...

A Day Without Child Care

On May 16, we will be closing our childcare centers for a day — signaling a crisis that could soon sweep across North Carolina, dismantling the very backbone of our economy ...

I Upended My Life to Take Care of Mama.

It was one of the best decisions I ever made. ...

Among the Powerful Voices We Lost in 2024, Louis Gossett, Jr.’s Echoes Loudly

December is the customary month of remembrance. A time of year we take stock; a moment on the calendar when we pause to reflect on the giants we have lost. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Kosovo authorities close parallel institutions run by ethnic Serb minority

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo authorities on Wednesday said they had closed all so-called parallel institutions used by the ethnic Serb minority and supported by neighboring Serbia in a move condemned by the European Union. The offices that were closed by police and other law...

Key takeaways from Pete Hegseth's fiery confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, publicly faced senators for the first time after weeks of questions from Democrats — and praise from Republicans — about his “unconventional” resume. Hegseth, a combat veteran and...

Supreme Court will hear Texas anti-pornography law that challengers say violates free-speech rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Texas anti-pornography law is going before the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a collision of free speech rights, regulation of online content and the protection of children. Texas is among more than a dozen states with similar laws aimed at blocking young...

ENTERTAINMENT

Media companies scrap Venu Sports streaming service before it even started

The planned streaming service Venu Sports has been scrapped before it ever started. ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced Friday they were pulling the plug on Venu. It had been expected to make available sports products from all three services as a mid-priced entry for cable...

Elmo tells all: 'Sesame Street' 55th season features SZA, Chris Stapleton, Reneé Rapp and more

NEW YORK (AP) — Appearing on “Sesame Street”? That's the best idea. The 55th season of the acclaimed family program features a star-studded lineup of musicians that would be the envy of any summer festival: SZA, Chris Stapleton, Noah Kahan, Reneé Rapp and Samara Joy. ...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 19-25

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 19-25: Jan. 19: Actor Tippi Hedren is 95. Director Richard Lester (“A Hard Day’s Night,” “Superman II and III”) is 93. Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 83. Actor Shelley Fabares is 81. Country singer Dolly Parton is 79. TV chef Paula...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Relief, 21st-century style: As wildfires burn, GoFundMe becomes a repository of harrowing stories

NEW YORK (AP) — They seem endless, these sapping stories of loss. A grandfather starts over in his 90s. A family...

Biden promised to turn the page on Trump. Now he's being replaced by him

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden promised nothing short of a national exorcism when he took office. He wanted to...

'Conclave' leads race for British BAFTA awards with 12, one more than 'Emilia Perez'

LONDON (AP) — Papal thriller “ Conclave,” which stars Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal overseeing the election of...

Germany's economy shrank for the second consecutive year in 2024

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's economy shrank for the second straight year in 2024 as worried consumers held back on...

AP PHOTOS: Tens of millions of Hindu devotees make do with little at Maha Kumbh festival

PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) — It’s late evening in the city of Prayagraj and the roadside vendors selling snacks are...

India's navy launches submarine, warships to guard against China's presence in Indian Ocean

MUMBAI, India (AP) — India's navy on Wednesday simultaneously launched a submarine, a destroyer and a frigate...

Todd Sperry CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A massive offshore wind farm planned for Cape Cod that has generated fierce political and legal controversy has cleared all federal and state regulatory hurdles.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Wednesday that the Cape Wind project, the first of its kind in the United States, would not interfere with air traffic navigation and could proceed with certain conditions.

Previous agency approvals were challenged in court, including a ruling last year that forced the latest FAA safety evaluation. A leading opposition group said another legal challenge was possible.

The Obama administration first approved the power generating project, which has now been on the books for more than a decade, in April 2010 despite opposition from residents. Opponents over the years have included the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Democrat of Massachusetts whose family compound is in Hyannis Port.

Critics claim the wind farm with its 130 turbines would threaten wildlife and aesthetics of Nantucket Sound. Some local residents also fear it will drive down property values.

The administration has pushed a "green energy" agenda nationally as a way to create jobs and lessen U.S. dependence on oil imports. That effort, however, has been sharply criticized by congressional Republicans who have said certain, high profile projects are politically driven.

They also have skewered certain Energy Department programs that extended millions in taxpayer loans and other aid to alternative energy companies or projects that faltered or did not meet expectations.

The Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is investigating the political assertions around Cape Wind as part of a broader review of "Green Energy" projects supported by the administration.

The panel's chairman, California's Darrell Issa, wrote President Barack Obama last week saying that White House interest in the Massachusetts project is "well known" and that the FAA had been under political pressure to approve it.

A group opposing the project, the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, also said in a statement to CNN that the FAA disregarded safety and asserted the decision was politically driven.

However, the FAA said that it restudied the issue and approval was based solely on safety considerations. A key condition imposed by regulators will require Cape Wind developers to put lights on each of the 440-foot turbines and use specific paint colors to increase visibility for pilots.

Cape Wind is being built by private developer Energy Management Inc., a Massachusetts-based energy company. Developers estimate the project will create 600 to 1,000 jobs during construction and 150 full time jobs once complete.

"This FAA approval allows Cape Wind to move forward and jump start the new American industry in offshore wind power that will help light up the East Coast," Cape Wind spokesman Mark Rogers told CNN.

The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound said it would continue to fight Cape Wind.

"No pilot or passenger should allow this politically driven decision to stand. This decision can once again be appealed," the Alliance said.

If financing can be finalized and Cape Wind is eventually built, the Interior Department's lease will allow it to operate for 25 years, which is the average lifespan of a wind farm.