A proposed settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice over conditions at the King County Jail was authorized this week by the Metropolitan King County Council, which also approved close to $2 million to fund implementation of the agreement. Members said they will continue to closely monitor and oversee conditions at the facility ...

The American Red Cross Serving King & Kitsap Counties will present the 9th annual CPR Saturday event on Feb. 28, in honor of Renton Heart Month which will be hosted by Renton Technical College.
"This event is open to everyone so we encourage residents from around the county to come get trained in CPR," said Dotty Klyce, director of Health Services. "CPR can mean the difference between life and death in emergency situations and this is a great opportunity to either learn or refresh your skills."  ...

On Monday, Jan. 19, employees at Microsoft took the time to reflect on the legacy of Dr. King as well as the evolution of diversity in society. The day featured discussions by Microsoft executives, and a special keynote address and book signing by Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who discussed how Dr. King has influenced him and the work he does for the Magic Johnson Foundation ...

A new county flag was introduced at King County's 22nd Annual Martin Luther King Celebration, held at Seattle's Paramount Theatre on Jan 22. The image on the flag is the design adopted as the new logo for King County in 2007. Above, Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, left, and Council Chair Dow Constantine, right, are joined by County Executive Ron Sims in unveiling the new King County Flag, bearing the likeness of the County's namesake, The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The cost of fuel may have dropped since its surge last year, but saving money on gasoline is always a top priority for consumers. While you may have no control over prices at the pump, the Oregon Society of CPAs advises that there are steps you can take to be a smarter gas consumer. Of course, the most obvious choice might be to consider a more fuel efficient vehicle if you're driving a gas guzzler. But if an auto purchase isn't on your current agenda, here are some of tips that will lower your gas costs no matter what type of car you're driving ...

Over 3,500 people celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday at the 27th Annual Martin Luther King March and Rally at Garfield High School on Jan. 19, the eve of the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States ...

Witnesses say that Oscar Grant's last words to the officers were, "Please don't shoot. I have a daughter." Family photo/Amsterdam News ...

Tom Peavey of the Office of Youth Violence Prevention, John Canda of Brothers and Sisters Keepers, and Gang Outreach Worker Pernell Brown of CREW, hold an afternoon protest last week after an eruption of gang violence claimed the lives of at least three people in Portland ...

WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Civil rights leaders and a leading scholar on Black politics said that if the U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of a case that challenges a central provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, Blacks will encounter widespread discrimination in trying to assert their political rights.
The high court has agreed to hear the case of Northwest Austin Municipal District Utility No. 1 vs. Mukasey, which argues that a utility district located in Texas does not have a history of discrimination and, therefore, should not be subjected to the VRA's Section 5 preclearance requirements, a provision at the heart of the law ...

For nearly 150 years, the autobiography of William Grimes sat in relative obscurity on the shelves of a New Haven, Connecticut Historical Society.
It wasn't until the late 1990s when Regina Mason, the great-great-great-granddaughter of Grimes uncovered her familial link with a man who had chronicled his life's story as a freed slave nearly four decades before the Emancipation Proclamation was signed ...