11-03-2024  3:09 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

African American Alliance On Homeownership Turns 25, Honors The Skanner Cofounder Bernie Foster

AAAH's executive director Cheryl Roberts recalls how the efforts of Bernie Foster led to an organization that now offers one-on-one counseling for prospective home buyers, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention services, estate planning, assistance with down payments and more.

Police Say Fires Set at Ballot Boxes in Oregon and Washington Are Connected; ‘Suspect Vehicle’ ID'd

Surveillance images captured a Volvo stopping at a drop box in Portland, just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box. That fire damaged three ballots inside, while officials say a fire at a drop box in nearby Vancouver, Washington, early Monday destroyed hundreds of ballots.

Two Major Affordable Housing Developments Reach Milestones in Portland

Both will provide culturally specific supportive services to residents. 

Washington State AG and Ex-Sheriff Face off in Governor's Race

Former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert is trying to become Washington’s first GOP governor in 40 years. But he faces a difficult hurdle in the Democratic stronghold against longtime Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a darling of liberals for his many lawsuits against the Trump administration. 

NEWS BRIEFS

Oregon Begins Rollout of New Housing Benefits for Eligible OHP Members With Health Conditions

The housing benefits include rent assistance for up to six months, utility set-up and payments for up to six months, home...

Oregon Department of Education Releases Cell Phone Policy Guidance

ODE recommends creating policies to limit or reduce cell phone use during the school day. ...

Metro, Central City Concern and Partners to Mark Affordable Housing Complex Grand Opening With Halloween Celebration

Meridian Gardens will offer 85 single room occupancy and studio apartments to people who are in substance use disorder recovery and...

Oregon MESA Expands with Two New Regional Centers in Washington County and Lane County

“Our regional partners are embedded in the communities MESA serves, bringing a wealth of local knowledge and expertise. Regional...

Historic Seattle Black Church Hosts "Bring Your Ballot to Church" Event to Mobilize Voters

As Seattle's oldest African American-founded church, FAME carries forward the legacy of Black churches as centers of civic engagement...

Nevada lithium mine will crush rare plant habitat US said is critical to its survival, lawsuit says

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Conservationists and an advocacy group for Native Americans are suing the U.S. to try to block a Nevada lithium mine they say will drive an endangered desert wildflower to extinction, disrupt groundwater flows and threaten cultural resources. The Center for...

AP Top 25: Oregon a unanimous No. 1 ahead of 1st CFP rankings, followed by Georgia, Ohio State

Oregon was the unanimous choice for No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, strengthening its bid for the top spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings of the season. The Ducks are No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third straight...

Memphis Tigers open season at home against the Missouri Tigers

Missouri Tigers at Memphis Tigers Memphis, Tennessee; Monday, 8 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -4.5; over/under is 152.5 BOTTOM LINE: Memphis opens the season at home against Missouri. Memphis finished 13-2 at home a season ago while...

Many top players from one-bid leagues left for bigger schools. Here are some of the best who stayed

Identifying the top returning players in the era of the transfer portal is trickier than ever. Now that players can transfer without having to sit out a season, mid-major and low-major programs have essentially become farm systems for power-conference teams. Players who earn...

OPINION

The Skanner News 2024 Presidential Endorsement

It will come as no surprise that we strongly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. ...

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer: 2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is...

The Skanner Endorsements: Oregon State and Local Ballot Measures

Ballots are now being mailed out for this very important election. Election Day is November 5. Ballots must be received or mailed with a valid postmark by 8 p.m. Election Day. View The Skanner's ballot measure endorsements. ...

Measure 117 is a Simple Improvement to Our Elections

Political forces around the country have launched an all-out assault on voting rights that targets Black communities. State legislatures are restricting voting access in districts with large Black populations and are imposing other barriers and pernicious...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Moldova’s pro-Western president wins 2nd term in runoff overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term in a pivotal presidential runoff against a Russia-friendly opponent, in a race that was overshadowed by claims of Russian interference, voter fraud, and intimidation in the European Union candidate...

Mexico City’s floating gardens have fed people for hundreds of years. Now they’re threatened

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Cassandra Garduño squinted in the sunlight, her pink boots smudged by dirt as she gazed out over her family's chinampa — one of the islands first built up by the Aztecs with fertile mud from the bottom of a lake that, later drained, would one day become Mexico City. ...

2 Ohio officers charged with reckless homicide in death of man in custody after crash arrest

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Prosecutors in Ohio have announced reckless homicide charges against two police officers in the death of a man who was handcuffed and left face down on the floor of a social club in Canton while telling officers he couldn’t breathe. Stark County prosecutor Kyle...

ENTERTAINMENT

Samuel L. Jackson lauded at MoMA film benefit by close family and friends

NEW YORK (AP) — The Museum of Modern Art was filled with expletives and laughter Wednesday evening as Samuel L. Jackson’s family and friends celebrated the actor and director’s storied career of box office hits, larger-than-life characters and explosive one-liners at the annual film benefit. ...

A playwright in Africa hopes to break the cultural silence on rape

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Under a spotlight in an otherwise dark room, Oliva Ouedraogo held up a piece of fabric that looked stained with blood. “Long live the girl!” she cried, her voice competing with the loud hum of a generator. Ouedraogo was starring in her own play —...

Music Review: Muna frontwoman Katie Gavin makes her solo debut with folky, evocative 'What A Relief'

On “What a Relief,” the debut solo album from Katie Gavin, the Muna frontwoman tackles love, family and selfhood through folk and country twang that departs from the band's usual dance-forward pop. Don't worry, this isn't the end of Muna — the trio of Gavin, Naomi McPherson and...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

US says Iranian-American held in Iran as tensions high following Israeli attack on country

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a U.S. government-funded...

Mpox cases in Congo may be stabilizing. Experts say more vaccines are needed to stamp out virus

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Some health officials say mpox cases in Congo appear to be “stabilizing” — a possible...

Iran’s help has transformed Yemen's Houthi rebels into a potent military force, UN experts say

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been transformed from a local armed group with limited...

Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges allies to act before North Korean troops reach the front

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged its allies to stop “watching” and take...

Cyprus is committed to expanding defense ties with the US, says its president

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The president of Cyprus said Sunday his administration is committed to expanding defense...

Israel's path of destruction in southern Lebanon raises fears of an attempt to create a buffer zone

BEIRUT (AP) — Perched on a hilltop a short walk from the Israeli border, the tiny southern Lebanese village of...

By Amanda Sloane and Graham Winch


Prosecutors in the George Zimmerman trial walked jurors through several pieces of evidence on Tuesday, including photos of Trayvon Martin's dead body. Martin's father, Tracy, left the courtroom as the photos were displayed. Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, remained seated but avoided looking at the images. She eventually left the courtroom as well. Zimmerman looked down as a close-up of Martin's face flashed on screen.

Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch captain, is charged with second-degree murder for shooting 17-year-old Martin on February 26, 2012. He told police he was pursuing the teenager because there had been a rash of crime in the area. A conflict ensued, and Zimmerman said he was forced to kill Martin in self-defense.

Prosecutor John Guy had a crime-scene technician show jurors the gun Zimmerman used to shoot Martin. The technician, Diana Smith, also showed them the soft drink and Skittles candy that Martin bought that night at a convenience store, along with photos of Zimmerman's head, hands and clothing taken after he arrived at the police station.


The defense used the photos as an opportunity to walk jurors through each of Zimmerman's injuries.

"You see the lumping? You see the lumps around the abrasions and in general on the back of his head?" asked defense attorney Don West.

He pointed out lumps all over Zimmerman's head, cuts on the back of the head and blood behind one of Zimmerman's ears. West said in opening statements that Martin used the concrete sidewalk as a "deadly weapon" against Zimmerman.


Anthony Raimondo, a police patrol sergeant who was one of the first to arrive on the scene, said he broke standard operating procedures by giving Martin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without a protective mask. He said he considered the situation to be an "extraordinary circumstance."

Raimondo also described how he lifted Martin's body to find the exit wound on the teen's back. He said he asked bystanders for a plastic bag to help seal the wound. When more responders arrived later, they pronounced Martin dead. Raimondo said he was the one to cover Martin's body with a blanket.

Selene Bahadoor, a resident of Zimmerman's gated community, testified that she looked out her kitchen window that night after hearing noise.

"It was not clearly distinguishable but it sounded like, 'No' or 'Uhhh'," said Bahadoor. She also heard "something hitting the concrete, it sounded like running."

She said the view from the kitchen window was blocked, so she moved to the sliding glass doors at the back of her house.

"I saw what looked as figures and arms flailing," said Bahadoor. She added that it was too dark for her to identify the individuals or to clearly see what position they were in.

Bahadoor said a neighbor offered to call police and she went back inside to turn off her stove. That's when she heard the gunshot.

Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked her what she saw upon her return to the glass doors.

"It was just a body in the grass," said Bahadoor. "I remember it being face down."

Wendy Dorival, who was a volunteer program manager for the Sanford, Florida, police department in 2012, coordinated and helped start the neighborhood watch programs in Zimmerman's community.

Dorival said she worked closely with Zimmerman, because he helped organize the program for his neighborhood. She told him a neighborhood watch volunteer should act as the "eyes and ears" of the police -- but not like a vigilante.

"If you see a car driving around in circles, and you don't recognize the car in your community, that might be suspicious." said Dorival. "If people are walking around in areas that not typically walked on, that could be suspicious."

Earlier in the morning, Judge Debra Nelson heard arguments on whether the jury should hear about other times when Zimmerman reported suspicious people in his neighborhood, the Retreat at Twin Lakes.

Prosecutor Rich Mantei said Zimmerman's prior phone calls reporting suspicious people in the neighborhood is relevant to the case, because it helps prove motive by showing his "building level of frustration."

Zimmerman's defense disagreed. "They are going to be asking this jury to make a quantum leap from good responsible citizen behavior to seething anger," said defense attorney Mark O'Mara.

The judge has yet to make a ruling on the matter.

Testimony in the trial will resume at 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

 

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