Marc Morial wants to see Portland become a symbol of this nation's commitment to green job training. He visited the Portland affiliate this week in a West Coast tour to make sure each local Urban League office was able to support its community during the recession. The Urban League helped 18,000 people find employment, about 2,500 people become homeowners and served nearly 200,000 children last year. With a recession in full swing, he says, the need for the Urban League will only increase. . . .

On Thursday, April 30, Bessie Kirkland will be holding a benefit bake sale at the Alberta Laundry, 21^st and Alberta Street to raise money for a stolen electric wheel chair. The sale will begin at 2 p.m. Kirkland says she is trying to raise enough money for her friend Sherise to purchase a new electric wheelchair – what she calls her "legs."
The chair was stolen off Sherise's back porch last week. Kirkland says a non-motorized wheelchair will not fit on the vehicle she uses to get around, preventing Sherise from going to church and other activities.

Carolyn Williams was unsure about the exact amount in her bank account when she went shopping. She wasn't really worried because she knew her debit card would only cover costs for the amount of money she had in the bank. Williams learned an expensive lesson when she checked her account and discovered that not only was she charged for more than she had but each purchase over the amount of money she had also cost her $35 in bank fees ... This practice of advancing loans to bank customers is under review by the Federal Reserve Board. It is considering implementing a new rule that would require financial institutions to get explicit permission before enrolling their account holders in an overdraft system . . .

What's happening for you in your city this week? Read here a day-by-day diary of community events to fill your spare time. For a full calendar please click on "Read the complete article" below . . . .

Contrary to a popular notion reported in news coverage of Hurricane Katrina, the 2005 Gulf Coast disaster did not reveal to most Americans that widespread poverty and inequality are the nation's ''dirty little secret.''
Rather, most Americans were aware of these problems before they were highlighted by the devastation of Katrina, according to a new study by Stanford sociologists. As a result, the event did not become a watershed in the debate over poverty, as some pundits have claimed. . . .

Seattle, WA -- Black Entertainment Television (BET) popularized the idea of a "Teen Summit" in the '90s and the Delta G.E.M.S. teen group of the Seattle Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated are bringing that same concept to Seattle in 2009.  The young ladies of the Delta G.E.M.S. program, in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation, are holding the inaugural "Teen Summit: Each One, Teach One" April 18, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Yesler Community Center.  This free conference, aimed at 15-18 year old males and females of color, will provide a platform for teens from various backgrounds and high schools to share, learn and network with one another. . . .

The Dare U 2 Read-A-Thon at Jefferson High School starts next week, in which young people give up TV and other screen time for the week to devote their extra hours to books. Students will be signing up adult sponsors willing to kick down a little cash for school programs as well. The event is part of the national Each One Teach One! Promoting Literacy and History . . .

For a video interview with Jefferson students Domonique Bailey, Brea Jennae Hawkins and Eva Ramirez . . . .

"As Attorney General, I have no greater responsibility that to protect the civil rights and civil liberties of our citizens. Unfortunately, meeting this critical goal is currently very difficult. The Oregon Department of Justice used to have a civil rights enforcement unit, but back in the 1980s, the funding for this unit was eliminated. Today, as a result, I do not have a single attorney devoted to civil rights and civil liberties enforcement work. To me, that is unacceptable. . . .

Homeland Security officials are warning that right-wing extremists could use the bad state of the U.S. economy and the election of the country's first Black president to recruit members to their cause . . .

The head of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Thursday that the panel would investigate reports that the National Security Agency improperly tapped into the domestic communications of American citizens. . . .