Chance Garvey 7, stands by while volunteers help build his school, Dearborn Park Elementary, a new play structure on Saturday, Dec. 1.  The project was funded with money from The Allstate Foundation and a grant from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. The Injury Free Coalition for Kids at Harborview Medical Center and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center also helped with the project.

This week, former Seattle police chief Norman Stamper is receiving the H.B. Spear Award for Achievement in the area of Control and Enforcement from the Drug Policy Alliance. Given to those involved in law enforcement, the award is presented to those who have demonstrated a balanced regard for the needs of enforcement and human compassion.
Stamper is among leading advocates that work to promote and implement more sensible drug policies honored at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference, in New Orleans, Dec. 5-8. The conference was organized by the Drug Policy Alliance and dozens of other organizations. The Drug Policy Alliance is the nation's leading organization working to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights. The winners will be honored during an awards ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 8.
The biennial awards for achievement in drug policy reform recognize the accomplishments and commitment of people and organizations that have done outstanding drug policy reform work. The awards are given every other year at the international conference of the Drug Policy Alliance.  ...

The Tacoma Art Museum recently received a Humanities Washington Fall 2007 Project Grant in support of a new podcast featuring the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters. The podcast is in conjunction with the upcoming partnership project "Threads that Bind: Works by the Pacific Northwest African American Quilters," on view Dec. 18 through Feb. 18, 2008.
Humanities Washington received 62 grant proposals from organizations across the state and disbursed $414,114 among 18 organizations. The Tacoma ...

For the first time ever, two Washington counties are recognizing hip-hop's contributions to music, art and culture in Seattle. The Martin Luther King County Executive's and Pierce County Executive's awards for Excellence in Hip Hop are looking for nominations. The awards will acknowledge innovative performance, community service and entrepreneurial achievement by locally based members of the hip-hop community whose work has had significant impact in Martin Luther King and Pierce counties.
Nominate your favorite performer (solo, group), B-boys/B-girls, visual artist, DJ, MC, media/journalist, publication, promoter, record label, Hip Hop Pioneer or Unsung Hero. Self-nominations are welcome. ...

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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison Monday for running a "cruel and inhumane" dogfighting ring and lying about it.
The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback could have been sentenced up to five years by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Vick, who turned himself in Nov. 19 in anticipation of his sentence, was wearing a black-and-white striped prison suit.
After Vick apologized to the court and his family, Hudson told him: "You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you."
"Yes, sir," Vick answered.
The 27-year-old player acknowledged using "poor judgment" and added, "I'm willing to deal with the consequences and accept responsibility for my actions."
Although there is no parole in the federal system, rules governing time off for good behavior could reduce Vick's prison stay by about three months, resulting in a summer 2009 release.
"You were instrumental in promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane sporting activity ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Monday said judges may impose shorter prison terms for crack cocaine crimes, enhancing judicial discretion to reduce the disparity between sentences for crack and cocaine powder.
By a 7-2 vote, the court said that a 15-year sentence given to Derrick Kimbrough, a Black veteran of the 1991 war with Iraq, was acceptable, even though federal sentencing guidelines called for Kimbrough to receive 19 to 22 years. Kimbrough was sentenced by a federal judge in Norfolk, Va. ...

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Word of the year – or of the decade – for the construction industry is disparity.  In fact, Oregon Department of Transportation has just released its seven-year study of contracting disparities.
Their results – African American and Asian American businesses are largely left out of state road construction projects.
The study counted how many ODOT contracts go to small businesses owned at least 51 percent by women or minorities. Among the findings – participation by African American subcontractors is abysmally low; they have only been awarded three contracts during the study period of 2000 to 2007.