When Natasha Butler was a young woman right out of high school, she was aimless. She had a job, she attended a few classes at Portland Community College, but she admits she wasn't looking that far into the future. . . .

As part of a wider outreach effort to educate taxpayers about the benefits they will receive under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Internal Revenue Service this week released new withholding adjustment procedures for pension plans. . . . .

• State of Young Black Males Podcast May 30
• Youth Invade City Hall
• NAACP Vancouver Holding Education Committee
• Local Broadcast Looks at Home Ownership Crisis
• LGBTQ Relationships Workshop at project E.Q.U.A.L. June 28th
• Budget Reductions for Evergreen School District
• Brazilian Summer Camp
• North Portland Sunday Parkways in June
• Portland Police Hiring
• Fishing Fun at Clackamas River
• Albina Head Start Honors Avel Gordly
• Extras Needed in Film
• OMSI Presents Science Pub at Bagdad Theater
• Inventor's Showcase May 30
• Bi-Mart Hosts Food Donation to Aid Fish Emergency

• Benefit for Activities Fund
• Health Care Rally Formed
• Play Reading: 'The Crowd You're In With"

The United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, Karin J. Immergut, announced Wednesday that the U.S. Attorney's Office's public website has been updated with a Civil Rights Complaint Form, providing the citizens of Oregon with a resource for voicing concerns about civil rights violations. The form can be accessed at . . .

June is wedding season, and if you're starting to plan ahead for your own future nuptials, you know that the price can be steep. In fact, the average overall cost of a wedding in the United States is around $28,000. However, it is possible to have a memorable day while sticking to a realistic budget, advises the Oregon Society of CPAs. Here are some tips: . . .

Elder John Hart Sr. celebrates his 105th birthday on May 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Maranatha Church, NE 12th and Skidmore. The Skanner wishes many happy returns of the day to Elder Hart!
Posing for a family photo, siblings with their father and step mother: John Hart Jr., Pastor Mary Overstreet-Smith, Elder John Hart, and his new bride (they were married in December) Jeri Hart . . .
Julie Keefe photo

As the summer heats up, Americans will begin spending more time outside, grilling, playing outdoor sports, doing yard work, going to the beach--enjoying the sunshine. But there may be risk for something much more serious than a tan.  African Americans may not be as careful with their sun safety habits as their White counterparts, believing that the melanin in their darker skin is protecting them from skin cancer.  While skin cancer is less common in people with darker skin, people of color are at some risk for the disease. Unfortunately, African  Americans are often diagnosed at an advanced stage, when there is less chance for a cure. . . . 

Jefferson High School's 100the birthday observance will be commemorated with a three-day celebration and an all-class reunion spanning the years from 1909 through the class of 2012. On Thursday, May 28, a golf tournament kicks off at Riverside Golf and Country Club. The shotgun start will begin at 1 p.m. The entry price is $150, which covers golf, a cart, and dinner. Non-golfers can attend the post tournament dinner for a $20 fee, which includes a non-golfers goody bag. . . .

Grammy Nominated Patrick Lamb will perform at the Second Annual Dinner of Hope on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. The dinner is being held by Oregon League of Minority Voters (OLMV), and will honor two outstanding Oregon Governors: The Honorable Victor Atiyeh and The Honorable Barbara Roberts. . . .