These are tough economic times, especially for African-Americans, for whom the unemployment rate is more than 10%. Alarmingly, rather than belt-tightening, the response has been to spend more. In many poor neighborhoods, one is likely to notice satellite dishes and expensive new cars. According to Target Market, a company that tracks black consumer spending, blacks spends a significant amount of their income on depreciable products. In 2002, the year the economy nose-dived; we spent $22.9 billion ($22,900,000,000.00) on clothes, $3.2 billion ($3,000,000,000.00) on electronics and $11.6 billion ($11,000,000,000.00) on furniture to put into homes that, in many cases, were rented.

The Skanner newspaper was recognized  for increasing awareness and encouraging blood and bone marrow donations among African Americans by the American Association of Blood Banks, in a collaborative effort with  American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Regional Blood Services.  The award was presented at AABB's annual meeting gala at the Loews hotel, Miami Beach, Fla., Oct. 24.

Shop windows along Northeast Alberta Street, like this one at "Frock," are filled with holiday cheer during the merchants' Tannenbaum Madness celebration. Running through Dec. 31, the exhibition features whimsical and artistic "fir-free" holiday trees.

Portland residents will finally have a say about the war in Iraq when the Portland City Council conducts a public hearing on a resolution calling for the United States to make a "rapid and orderly" withdrawal of its troops.
The public hearing will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, in Portland City Hall.
Proposed by City Commissioner Randy Leonard, the resolution "urges the United States government to immediately commence an orderly and rapid withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq, dismantle U.S. military bases in Iraq, relinquish control of Iraq's economy and provide the necessary financial compensation and resources for Iraqis to rebuild Iraq."

With a foreign-born population numbering in the tens of thousands, Portland has become home for immigrants and refugees; in some neighborhoods, one in three residents hail from another country. On Dec. 6, the City Council will hear a report from Portland State University Capstone students on immigrant demographics and the issues affecting those communities.

Serving over 2,100 clients a year, and with 25 years in the legal profession, the St. Andrew Legal Clinic isn't your typical law firm.
Last month, the law firm Markowitz, Herbold, Glade & Mehlhaf, as well as its supporters, raised $45,000 for St. Andrew during a wine-tasting and auction event at the University Club. While most legal firms aren't in the business of taking charity, St. Andrew, a non-profit law firm providing reduced-cost family law service to low-income clients, needs community contributions to help provide essential services.

It was a rare scene for all to see, not being able to see the field. People may have thought the game was in Green Bay the way the snow came down at a white-covered Qwest Field in front of a record crowd of 68,256 to see the Seattle Seahawks' 34-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on nationally televised "Monday Night Football."

John Horton, an official with the Office of National Drug Control Policy, will present two awards to the Governor's Meth Task Force and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy Thursday at the U.S. Courthouse in Salem.
Accepting the national awards will be Anna Peterson, of the task force, and Craig Schnabel, of the Oregon Board of Pharmacy.
In 2005, the Oregon Legislature passed legislation focusing on limiting the use and manufacture of methamphetamine. The law requires a doctor's prescription for any product containing Pseudoephedrine, Ephedrine or Phenylpropanolamine. The legislation also addressed toxic waste problems associated with the drug's manufacture and established drug courts.

"Big media" will be the focus of a public hearing with two Federal Communications Commissioners from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave. in the Microsoft Auditorium.
Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein will listen to local concerns about media consolidation as they take testimony on a proposal to revise the commission's media ownership rules. The rules currently limit the number of newspapers, television and radio stations a single company can own or control.
The commission leadership is proposing loosening limits on how many television stations a single company can own and allowing one company to own a combination of broadcast outlets and major daily newspapers in the same market.
Allowing cross-ownership would allow TV newspaper combinations in virtually every city in America.

Former Mayor Norm Rice says he'd like to become chief of Seattle Public Schools, and he doesn't want to wait.
The schools' current superintendent, Raj Manhas, has said he intends to leave the post in August. And school board members say they intend to stage a national search for his replacement.