Members of the New Generation Revival Church, which also was destroyed in the fire that claimed the Morning Star Mission Baptist Church last week, rise to their feet as their pastor, the Rev. Johnasen Pack, not pictured, gives an impassioned address to the multi-church congregation on Sunday, Feb. 11. Pictured from left are Madison Jackson, 9, Dana Jackson, an unidentified woman, and Mother Robinson.

It was once a beacon of hope for a stretch of road blighted with empty storefronts, but after 10 years in business, the Adidas retail shop at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Alberta Street is closing.
Local media broke the news last Tuesday, and Adidas sent internal memos to employees this week notifying them of the closure.
"As a neighbor, it's sad that an anchor tenant is leaving, especially since it was such a big deal when they moved in there," said Jennifer Jardee-Borquist, president of the King Neighborhood Association. "We haven't discussed it as a neighborhood association yet … but, personally, most of the neighbors I know don't shop there. In the seven years I've lived here I've only shopped there once."
Adidas representatives wouldn't say why the store is closing, only that it will close in the second half of 2007, but city officials close to the redevelopment on MLK Jr. Boulevard say the closure shouldn't have an adverse affect on the area's burgeoning business community.
"Personally, I don't see it as a huge issue," said Bernie Kerosky, of the Portland Development Commission. "There is so much happening on MLK … these other projects are on the drawing board and the Vanport Square project down the street is selling out well."

We've all done it. You need to run a short errand, and the only available parking spot is in a restricted lot. So you take a gamble; thinking you'll only by five minutes, surely a tow truck driver won't catch you. Four minutes later, you're back, but your car is gone – hauled off by a contracted towing company.
The practice of patrol towing – illegal in some states – is called "predatory towing" by its critics and it is widespread, with the state Department of Justice receiving nearly 200 towing-related complaints in 2006.
Now one local politician has come up with a remedy.

Rosie Hanson and her son Forrest Hanson admire photographer Herb Robinson's 1990 portrait of Miles Davis at Nordstrom's "Rhythm of Life" photography exhibit in downtown Portland. To celebrate Black History Month, the retailer is showcasing the work of African American photographers through February.

Oregon law enforcement leaders have asked Rep. Darlene Hooley, a key member of the House Budget Committee, to push for more money in the federal budget for Head Start and other educational child care programs to help cut crime.
Research has shown that Head Start and quality childcare programs for low-income working families help prepare children for school, help them lead productive lives and prevent them from committing crimes. One study of Child-Parent Centers in Chicago showed that at-risk kids not participating in the program were 70 percent more likely to have been arrested for a violent crime by age 18, when compared with similar kids who were enrolled in the high quality early education program.
Sheriff Raul Ramirez of Marion County serves as president of the Oregon State Sheriff's Association. He is one of 137 members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Oregon, a bipartisan, anti-crime organization.

The Black Youth Project, under the direction of Dr. Cathy Cohen of the University of Chicago, has unveiled the findings of a comprehensive survey of the experiences and attitudes of young African Americans.  
The national survey questioned 1,590 Black, White and Hispanic young people, ages 15 to 25, on everything from pre-marital sex to their beliefs about the "color-blind" society.  
 "Religious leaders, social commentators and entertainers claim to understand Black youth," Cohen said. "This survey, however, shows young Black Americans to be more thoughtful and complex than they are usually assumed to be, with strong opinions about education, the political system, and the future of race and racism in America — opinions and perspectives we should understand if we want to promote effective policies that can really change the lives of young African Americans."

Members of the Delta Sorority rally in front of the state capitol during the 2007 African American Legislative Day on Monday, Feb. 11.

More than 1,500 people flooded the state capitol building in Olympia Monday for the annual African American Legislative Day to discuss important community issues with local lawmakers.
Attendees had the chance to meet with their local legislators, attend youth and adult workshops, hearings and tours of the capitol and rotunda.

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire has called on Congress to restore the drastic cuts to education and health care programs for children and the elderly included in President Bush's proposed federal budget.
 "President's Bush's priorities are not in line with the priorities of Washington families," Gregoire said. "We cannot leave children and seniors without access to health care, but these federal cuts continue to put more and more pressure on Washington residents to pick up the tab."

Thanks to a transit initiative recently approved by voters, King County Metro Transit has more bus service in the city's Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, Skyway and Tukwila areas.
King County Metro Transit's "Transit Now" program adds service to the following routes:
•Route 8 – Added several trips during the morning and afternoon commute to offer bus service every 15 minutes on the portion of this route between Seattle Center and Capitol Hill;
•Route 101 – Added three trips to relieve overcrowding and provide better connections at the Renton Transit Center and South Renton Park-and-Ride; and
•Route 140 – Doubled mid-day weekday service to every 15 minutes on this route serving Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and Renton.

Mehkai Parmer, 1, enjoys every last bite of his breakfast Saturday Feb. 10, at the annual Rainier Beach Community Center Pancake Breakfast Fund-raiser, which raises money for the center's youth programs.