A recent study on wages in Oregon again confirms what has been the case for too long: People of color in Oregon and the rest of the Pacific Northwest consistently lag behind Whites in the wages they earn for full-time work.
The study — "Living Wage Jobs in the Current Economy: 2006 Oregon Job Gap" — carried out by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, found that people of color in Oregon are far less likely than Whites to earn a living wage at their full-time job. A "living wage," according to the report, is based upon the average costs of food, housing, transportation, health care, child care, utilities, taxes and a small amount of savings. "Even as economic reports herald a strong and growing economy," the report states, "this prosperity continues to be a false promise for many families, for whom living wage work remains out of reach. In the Northwest and around the nation, many people — particularly people of color — are finding that working full time does not provide a sufficient salary to meet their basic needs."

As the Nov. 7 general election nears, The Skanner continues to bring readers an overview of ballot measures.
This week's issues include parental notification for abortions, inclusion of all Oregonians in a statewide prescription drug pool to lower costs and term limits for state legislators.
Next week, The Skanner will wrap up its look at statewide ballot issues, which will deal with campaign contributions and state spending.

Portland Mayor Tom Potter will meet with residents in Beaumont-Wilshire, Cully, Rose City Park and surrounding neighborhoods from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Blue Moose Café, 4936 N.E. Fremont St.

After 16 months of construction, the newly expanded Douglass-Truth Branch Library will reopen to the public at noon Saturday, Oct. 14. The 16,493-square-foot branch, at 2300 E. Yesler Way, has more than doubled in size, up from 8,008 square feet.

A nationally known Seattle firm will design a new King County logo using an image of Noble Peace Prize winner and slain civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Through a jury selection process, Gable Design Group came out ahead of a field of 29 local and out-of-state companies, the largest response ever received by King County for a design contract.
The proposal includes subcontracts with longtime Gable associates Vivian Phillips and Sharon Maeda for outreach.
King County's cultural service provider, 4Culture, managed the selection process.

Small contractors looking for work with Seattle Public Schools are in luck. The Historically Underutilized Businesses Program is available to assist small contractors in securing publicly funded projects and contracts.
The program's mission is to remove barriers that prevent small, historically underused business from bidding for and participating in Seattle Public Schools projects. Through workshops and other training, the program advises small-business owners how they can participate in those projects.

OLYMPIA—Seattle-area health advocate Winona Hollins-Hauge will represent the area on the…

Cassandra Baddeley, a fifth-grade teacher at Thurgood Marshall Elementary was one of two Washington teachers to receive the prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award this year. The $25,000 dollar prize is give to 100 educators nationwide who are furthering excellence in education. Baddeley researched and incorporated instructional strategies into her all-girl classroom that have proven to be successful in teaching girls.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski paid a visit to The Skanner's North Killingsworth Street offices Oct. 6 to discuss some of the items on his agenda and to answer questions and concerns from members of the African American community. The governor spoke about the importance of training more skilled tradespeople to fill the growing number of skilled job vacancies in the Oregon marketplace.

Colleen Brundage, left, of Camas, Wash., gets beginners' information from genealogist Leslie Lawson at the Genealogical Forum of Oregon's annual open house on Oct. 7. Brundage is researching her Scottish, American Indian, Irish and African history.