12-05-2024  10:46 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

Social Worker, Housing Advocate Sworn In Early to Multnomah County Board

Shannon Singleton’s election victory was followed by a hectic two weeks. 

Q & A With Sen. Kayse Jama, New Oregon Senate Majority Leader

Jama becomes first Somali-American to lead the Oregon Senate Democrats.

Oregon Tribe Has Hunting and Fishing Rights Restored Under a Long-Sought Court Ruling

The tribe was among the dozens that lost federal recognition in the 1950s and ‘60s under a policy of assimilation known as “termination.” Congress voted to re-recognize the tribe in 1977. But to have their land restored, the tribe had to agree to a federal court order that limited their hunting, fishing and gathering rights. 

Forecasts Warn of Possible Winter Storms Across US During Thanksgiving Week

Two people died in the Pacific Northwest after a rapidly intensifying “bomb cyclone” hit the West Coast last Tuesday, bringing fierce winds that toppled trees and power lines and damaged homes and cars. Fewer than 25,000 people in the Seattle area were still without power Sunday evening.

NEWS BRIEFS

House Votes to Rename Post Office in Honor of Elijah Cummings

Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1982, Cummings became the youngest chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and the first...

House Passes Bonamici Bill to Rename Post Office in Honor of Former Rep. Elizabeth Furse

Furse represented Oregon’s First Congressional District for three terms from 1993-1999 and established her legacy as a champion for...

Portland Parks & Recreation Wedding Reservations For Dates in 2025

In-person applications have priority starting Monday, January 6, at 8 a.m. ...

Grants up to $120,000 Educate About Local Environmental Projects

Application period for WA nonprofits open Jan. 7 ...

Literary Arts Opens New Building on SE Grand Ave

The largest literary center in the Western U.S. includes a new independent bookstore and café, event space, classrooms, staff offices...

As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Richard Andre Newman thought he would live the rest of his life in his quiet, leafy neighborhood in suburban Virginia. He was born and raised in Bren Mar Park, where children ride their bikes and neighbors wave hello. But now, as he’s approaching 60, he’s...

Miami's playoff hopes nosedive as Alabama rises in the latest College Football Playoff rankings

Miami's playoff hopes took an all-but-final nosedive while Alabama's got a boost Tuesday night in the last rankings before the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend. The Hurricanes (10-2) moved down six spots to No. 12 — the first team out of the projected...

Sports betting wins narrow approval in Missouri after high-dollar campaign

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Fans in Missouri will be able to bet on sports next year as a result of a ballot measure that barely passed despite getting help from record-setting spending and the state's professional teams. State election officials on Thursday certified that the...

Missouri hosts Robertson and SMU

SMU Mustangs (5-3) at Missouri Tigers (7-3) Columbia, Missouri; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: SMU plays Missouri after Nya Robertson scored 29 points in SMU's 71-46 victory against the UT Arlington Mavericks. The Tigers have gone 5-1 at home. Missouri...

OPINION

OP-ED: The Future of American Education: A Call to Action

“Education is a non-negotiable priority. Parents and community leaders must work to safeguard the education system. The future of our children—and the fabric of our society—depends on advocating for policies that give every student the chance to...

A Loan Shark in Your Pocket: Cellphone Cash Advance Apps

Fast-growing app usage leaves many consumers worse off. ...

America’s Healing Can Start with Family Around the Holidays

With the holiday season approaching, it seems that our country could not be more divided. That division has been perhaps the main overarching topic of our national conversation in recent years. And it has taken root within many of our own families. ...

Donald Trump Rides Patriarchy Back to the White House

White male supremacy, which Trump ran on, continues to play an outsized role in exacerbating the divide that afflicts our nation. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Memphis' mayor pushes back against feds' calls for major reforms of city's police force

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis' mayor pushed back Thursday against the need for a Justice Department deal to enact reforms in light of the scathing findings of an investigation into the Memphis Police Department, saying the city has already made hundreds of positive changes since the beating death...

Historic images of Native Americans by a Swiss artist find their way back to North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — More than two dozen historic prints that depict a slice of Native American life and culture on the Upper Missouri River nearly 200 years ago will soon be more accessible to the public thanks to a gift that enabled a North Dakota organization to buy the rare aquatints. ...

Yvonne Johnson, the first Black mayor of North Carolina's third-largest city, has died

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — A longtime Greensboro council member who also was the first Black mayor of North Carolina’s third largest city has died. Yvonne Johnson, who was the mayor pro tempore on the current city council, died Wednesday at age 82, Mayor Nancy Vaughan announced in a...

ENTERTAINMENT

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Dec. 8-14

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Dec. 8-14: Dec. 8: Singer Jerry Butler is 85. Flute player James Galway is 85. Drummer Bobby Elliott of The Hollies is 83. Actor Mary Woronov (“Eating Raoul,” “The Munsters” films) is 81. Actor John Rubinstein (“Family,” ″Crazy Like a...

Book Review: Robin Cook sets his latest thriller in the iconic Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital

The building on New York’s East Side that used to house Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital has inspired tales of horror from the likes of H.P. Lovecraft and served as the model for Arkham Asylum in fictional Gotham City. For novelist Robin Cook, who interned there in the 1960s, it’s the perfect...

Drake makes another legal move against Universal over Kendrick Lamar diss track 'Not Like Us'

For the second straight day, Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music Group, this time in Texas, over Kendrick Lamar's diss track “Not Like Us.” It follows a similar filing in New York on Monday, in which Drake alleges UMG falsely pumped up the popularity of “Not...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

What to know about the deadly shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO

The masked gunman who killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies in front of midtown...

AP's top songs of 2024: 'Texas Hold 'Em,' 'Not Like Us,' 'Igual Que Un Ángel' and more

NEW YORK (AP) — Ten of the best songs of the year, as determined by Associated Press Music Writer Maria Sherman,...

The US government is closing a women's prison and other facilities after years of abuse and decay

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal Bureau of Prisons is permanently closing its “rape club” women’s prison in...

Germany hands over Australian ancestral remains held by museums for over 100 years

BERLIN (AP) — Five sets of ancestral remains from Australia that had been in German museum collections since the...

Congo government says it's 'on alert' over mystery flu-like disease that killed dozens

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Public health officials in Africa urged caution Thursday as Congo’s health minister...

Who is the South Korean leader who tried to impose martial law?

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Decades of achievement led Yoon Suk Yeol to the pinnacle of political power in South...

By The Skanner News | The Skanner News

This statement was just released by the Portland School Board on its contract negotiations with the Portland Association of Teachers:

After a tenth mediation session failed to produce a contract settlement Wednesday evening, the Portland School Board today announced that talks with the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) have reached a point of impasse.
The declaration of impasse follows more than 19 months of bargaining, including the 10 negotiating sessions facilitated by a state mediator.
A declaration of impasse does not end the bargaining process. A 30-day cooling-off period follows the publication of final offers. The school board intends to continue to pursue talks during that time.
The school board's proposal reflects the school board's goals: to change provisions in the current teachers' association contract to remove barriers that hamper student learning.
The school board is also committed to keeping class sizes low and preserving jobs.
For the proposed 2008-2011contract, the school board is seeking:
Increases in the amount of time students can be in school, by changing the clause in the teacher's association contract that now limits the student school day to 6.5 hours. This would not change the length of time any teacher is expected to work in a day or week, but it would allow students to have a longer school day than they presently do.
Increased flexibility to meet student needs within the teacher workday. A proposal to allow teachers to perform duties during a portion of the two 15-minutes periods at the beginning and end of their paid workday, during which they currently cannot be required to perform duties (such as monitoring students who are on the playground or leaving school).
Definition of "competence" in the event of a lay-off. The school board seeks to modify current teachers' association contract language that now prioritizes seniority over recent teaching experience in a subject area (for example, now a teacher who has not taught math or science in the past three years would have greater rights to a position than a less senior teacher who is currently teaching those subjects). The school board's proposal would prioritize recent teaching experience, instead.
Fiscally responsible increases in teacher compensation. The school board's offer consists of step increases in each year of the contract (a 3 percent to 5 percent increase each year for eligible teachers); a 2 percent increase for all teachers in 2008-2009, no across-the-board increase in 2009-2010 and a 1 percent increase for senior teachers at the top step in 2010-2011.
That means over three years, all teachers would receive at least a 3 percent raise, while roughly half of teachers – those with less seniority – would earn larger raises, up to 12.76 percent.
Portland School Board co-chair Trudy Sargent, the school board's lead representative on the bargaining team, stated, "Even at a time when Oregonians are suffering unprecedented financial hardship – and full funding for schools is still not guaranteed – we have put an offer on the table that is fair to our teachers and responsible to families and taxpayers. This offer demonstrates our flexibility and good faith throughout the bargaining process."
Contract talks have dragged out as a result of a dramatically changing economic environment.
Even with voter approval of Measures 66 and 67, Portland Public Schools faces a potential reduction of $17.7 million for the 2010-2011 school year, based on the biennial reduction in state school funding. An additional $15 million is at risk if forecasted state revenue does not meet predictions and reductions in the state school fund are triggered.
The school board has not sought changes to teacher health coverage. Portland Public Schools would continue to pay 93 percent of teacher's health coverage premiums (teachers pay 7 percent of premiums), without caps on school district contributions to teacher health care premiums (all other PPS employee groups have caps on school district contributions.)
The school board has also proposed no furlough days for teachers, or other district employees, if state funding remains stable.
However, if budgeted state school funding for PPS is cut by $5 million to $10 million or more (due to changes based on upcoming state revenue forecasts), the school district proposes the possibility of 1 or 2 furlough days for all PPS staff this school year.
During on-going negotiations with the PAT, contract provisions regarding employee protections and benefits have remained in force.
Both sides are now required to publish full final offers within 7 days, or no later than February 11.
Director Sargent said, "We look forward to sharing our final offer with our teachers and our community, and discussing the barriers to settlement. We are firmly committed to reaching a negotiated settlement and we will continue to exhaust all avenues to reach one."

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