The 11th annual Providence Bridge Pedal and Stride on Aug. 13 offers bicyclists their one chance a year to ride across all 10 of Portland's bridges, from the Sellwood to the St. Johns.
Registration forms for all events are available online at www.providence.org/bridgepedal.

Students who want to take Portland Community College classes online can sign up for courses in health care, business, design and technical and video game design and development.

Graduates of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing's Full Circle Doula certification program celebrate the recent completion of their studies.

De Paul Treatment Centers' Alumni Association is conducting a rummage sale on Saturday, Aug. 12, between noon and 5 p.m. at 1312 S.W. Washington St.

The School of Oregon Ballet Theatre will hold its annual placement auditions on Saturday, Aug. 5, by appointment, at the following times: • 1:30 to 2 p.m.: • 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.:

Discover the Hoyt Arboretum at a series of "Meet the Trees" events that feature a free activity every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 5 to Sept. 30.

It's that time again. The Seattle Seahawks opened training camp Saturday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney. At windy Woodward Field, the Seahawks took that first step on the road back to the Super Bowl.

Gary Boone, chair of the Model Family Mentorship Program, shows off some of the rokkaku kites provided by the corporate sponsors of the Model Family Program at this year's Kite Fest 2006 Family Fun Fly and Picnic, held July 29 at Kite Hill at Sandpoint Magnuson Park. This year's event featured kite making, fighter kite demonstrations and a rokkaku kite battle.

OLYMPIA—Gov. Chris Gregoire has vowed to help defeat three prospective ballot measures with conservative roots, including Tim Eyman's third run at $30 car tabs.
Gregoire, a Democrat, also said Monday she's still weighing a fourth ballot measure — this one from the political left — that would force a renewable energy standard for large utilities.
In a news conference, Gregoire reinforced her opposition to Initiative 933, the Washington Farm Bureau measure that says government should pay landowners for regulations that damage property values, or waive those laws.
Gregoire said she sympathizes with the concerns behind the measure and will work with the Legislature to find a solution, particularly for preserving farmland in Washington.
"I want to do that," Gregoire said, but, "This piece of legislation is poorly drafted, far too broad."
Farm Bureau spokesman Dean Boyer said I-933 supporters are tired of getting no response from the Legislature.
"(Gregoire) certainly had an opportunity the past two years to come up with proposals that would address the situation, and she didn't," Boyer said.

Editor's note: The following is an Associated Press analysis of the recent Washington Supreme…