WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democrats and human rights advocates criticized President Bush's veto Saturday of a bill that would have banned the CIA from using simulated drowning and other coercive interrogation methods to gain information from suspected terrorists.
Bush said such tactics have helped foil terrorist plots. His critics likened some methods to torture and said they sullied America's reputation around the world.
"This president had the chance to end the torture debate for good, yet he chose instead to leave the door open to use torture in the future," ...

NEW YORK (NNPA) - Many spectators at the trial in State Supreme Court in Queens of three officers charged in the killing of Sean Bell and the wounding of two others were concerned that the police witnesses for the prosecution may be backfiring.
Listening to the testimony of Detective Hispolito Sanchez March 3-4 may have done little to remove that uncertainty. Sanchez, who was working undercover at the Club Kalua on Nov. 25, 2006, when Bell was killed in a barrage of 50 shots, seemed to offer conflicting accounts, depending on who was asking the questions.
He told attorney James Cullenton, Detective Mike Oliver's counsel, that there was no interruption in the gunfire, which supports the defense's case. ...

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned Wednesday. New York Lt. Gov. David Paterson will succeed him as the first African American governor of New York. Here both men are pictured on the campaign trail in May 2006: Spitzer is at left, Paterson, who is legally blind, stands behind him at right.
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who built his career fighting corruption, resigned Wednesday, saying he was "deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me." He is facing allegations that he paid thousands of dollars to a prostitution ring, and paid for a woman to travel across state lines to meet him, which made the crime a federal offense....

The National Association for the Advancement Of Colored People's will hold its Alaska-Oregon-Washington State Area Conference Spring Convention this weekend: March 14 through March 16, at the airport Ramada Inn and Suites, 6221 N.E. 82^nd Ave. Call Todd Allen at 541-757-2390 immediately to reserve your place. For more information visit the Portland Branch of the NAACP's website at www.pdxnaacp.com or read the story in this week's The Skanner.

Rose City Kings of KRUMP performed at the Matt Dishman Community Center last Saturday, Feb. 23 as part of the Black History Celebration.

As her four-month old daughter Amiyah Williams coos and smiles, Adora Butcher radiates joyful confidence. Yet as a first-time parent with a four-month old baby, the 19-year old doesn't always feel that way.
"I was new to this whole thing," she told The Skanner. "I looked after my little cousins but it's different when it's your baby. Sometimes you have questions."
When help was offered, Butcher jumped at the chance and enrolled in the Early Head Start's Home Base program. The program sends a specially trained and certified parent teacher to her home once a week for 90 minutes to answer any questions she has, offer information and resources and help her solve problems.

Without a music program to speak of at Woodlawn School, Chukinho "Chuk" Barber had a tough road ahead.
His students had little, if any, musical training; many come from economically disadvantaged households; and some had social or behavioral problems before they arrived in Barber's samba class. But since September, Barber has coaxed the diverse group of sixth and seventh grade students into an efficient and booming samba machine.
"It's something they can feel," he said after the band performed for the first time in front of the entire school. "They can feel the power." ...

Woodrow Brodnax will be holding a humorous and informational presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 about the true meaning behind Juneteenth: Respect. Brodnax will be talking about the holiday and why it's meaning has been lost over the years at Bethel AME Church.... For a full calendar of free events please click on "Read the complete article" below.

The Oregon League of Minority Voters, Portland's newest advocacy group for people of color, is launching several new initiatives. The group is nonpartisan, but aims to advocate for policies that address the issues that matter to people of color across the state. The league is looking for volunteers of color to help organize:
A Political Debate Forum for Democratic candidates running for Congress. Held in collaboration with KATU-TV Channel 2, the event will be 3-5 p.m. on April 27 at Pacific University in Forest Grove....

Michael Twigg accepts an award for Dr. Maxine Mimms from Candace Richardson at the second annual Black History Project presented by Brave New World on Feb. 16 at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Dr. Maxine Mimms along with Tony Benton, Charles Cross and Jimmy Williams received honors for their positive influence on communities in Western Washington.