CHICAGO (AP) _ It was the cradle of Jennifer Hudson's greatest triumphs. It's now the scene of her darkest hour.
The Oscar-winning actress and singer has often credited her rise to fame to her upbringing in the impoverished neighborhood on Chicago's South Side where she went to grade school and sang in church.
At that church, her sister pleaded for the safe return of her 7-year-old son, Julian, on Saturday, a day after the siblings' mother and brother were found shot to death at the family home in the Englewood neighborhood. On Monday, police found the body of a 7-year-old boy but are declining to say it is of Julian. It was found in an abandoned SUV.....

At a press conference this morning, Mayor-Elect Sam Adams announced "Commissioner Dan Saltzman will assume the responsibilities as the commissioner in charge of the Portland Police Bureau. I believe this in the best interest of the city."
Sam believes Commissioner Saltzman and Chief Rosie Sizer will be an effective team, bringing expertise and tremendous capability to the bureau.
Sam asserted that in some ways he will be a "non-traditional mayor," emphasizing his intention to focus his efforts on issues only a mayor can tackle. The critical issues of education, economic development, and responsible planning require his focus....

What's happening for you in Portland this week? Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your spare time. For a full calendar please click on "Read the complete article" below….

What's happening for you in Seattle this week? Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your spare time. For a full calendar please click on "Read the complete article" below….

Rose Sanders joined hundreds of enthusiastic kids, parents and grandparents Sunday, Oct. 11, at Green Lake's Kids for Obama Parade.
Photo by Susan Fried

Human trafficking is a form of modern day slavery that impacts lives around the world – and in the Pacific Northwest....The U.S. government estimates are that there are now 600,00-800,000 people trafficked into this country to work against their will....

Danela Butler,17, Kwame Kang,15, and Jordan Leonard, 16, participants in the Black Achievers Program at the Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA practice a dance they choreographed ... at the first session of this years Black Achievers Program....
Photo by Susan Fried

The Commission on African American Affairs focused on alarming new statistics on the persistent problems of unequal treatment, and the need to mobilize action to address the issues they raised at their meeting last week....

The Burke Museum has partnered with Pacific Science Center to present a series of lectures inspired by Pacific Science Center's featured exhibit – "Lucy's Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia." The lecture series, "Lucy Talks," brings five experts in the fields of human evolutionary studies, forensic anthropology and fossil conservation to speak...

Leslie Jones, diversity manager for Sound Transit, will speak at the Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs meeting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 21, at the Central Area Motivation Program, 722 18th Ave. in Central Seattle. Sound Transit is in the process of bidding the initial phases of the University Link sector of the light rail project.....