In a bid to help expand minority access to public-contracting opportunities, Metro officials announced today they have hired Coast Office Products to provide office supplies for the agency. The minority-owned firm, based in northeast Portland, recently signed on with Office Depot and is one of only twelve minority-owned firms in the country selected for the corporation's Supplier Diversity Program ...

If you have a gift card for KB Toys, shop now.  The Washington Attorney General's Office reported today it has been notified by legal counsel for KB Toys, Inc., that the company is liquidating its stores and will no longer accept gift cards or store credit after Sunday, Jan. 11 ...

The American Red Cross wants people to be aware of the possibility of flooding in the Seattle area and to be prepared if a flood should happen. 
Red Cross officials say they will work with community and government partners to determine any sheltering needs which will be disseminated to local media.
"The forecast for the coming days includes a lot of rain so people should be aware to the possibility of flooding," said Carol Dunn, a community disaster educator for the American Red Cross.  "Now is the time to make sure all family members know how to turn off gas, electricity, and water. You also should practice and plan an evacuation route ...

Clark County Public Works staff is prepared to respond if heavy rains cause flooding and landslides over the next 48 hours. Road crews will be watching low-lying areas for road blockages or threats to bridges, and responding to reports of slides.
People living in areas with a history of flooding or with steep slopes should pay careful attention to the situation during and after the storm, according to the county. Roads blocked by high water or slides will be barricaded if considered unsafe for travel. People should not try to drive around or move barricades.
Residents or businesses that see flood water or slides obstructing roadways should report to the Public Works Customer Service line at 360-397-2446 ...

Mychal Bell, a teen convicted in the "Jena Six" beating case shot himself in the chest with a .22 caliber firearm and was taken to a hospital in Monroe, La., on Dec. 29, according to the police.
Monroe Police Sgt. Cassandra Wooten told the Associated Press that the wound was not life-threatening.
The reported shooting took place days after Bell's arrest Dec. 24 for shoplifting, resisting arrest and simple assault.
Wooten said she believed Bell was "upset over the [shoplifting] incident…and didn't want to be in the news again," she told AP.
Bell was one of a group of Black teenagers who once faced attempted murder charges in the 2006 beating of a White classmate at Jena High School ...

Seattle City Light crews are ready to respond if the high winds and heavy rains predicted to last through the night and until 10:00 a.m.  Wednesday, January 7, cause any outages.
"Our crews are ready to respond if the weather system ends up causing any outages," says City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco.  "We are prepared for the possibility of outages occurring throughout our service territory and we can have back-up help available to us quickly if the predicted heavy rains and saturated soil result in significant wind damage.  Heavy wind and rain can bring down whole trees onto power lines." 
The Customer Service Call Center will remain open this evening until 8:00 p.m.  If it appears that the storm coming in is causing extensive damage, the Call Center hours will be extended.
City Light reminds customers to be safe.  Downed lines can be dangerous.  Also, City Light urges customers to be prepared for any possible outages.  Here's what customers can do if they experience a power outage ...

This is Ronnie Fair's family's 12th year in business at the Christmas tree lot on the corner of NE 35th and NE Killingsworth streets, and business is just fine—they have a collection of trees starting at $10. For a small additional charge, Fair will throw in a tree stand ...

Only one out of 10 job seekers in the Pacific Northwest will find an available job that pays enough to live on. Nine out of those 10 will struggle to make ends meet.
That's according to an economic study out this week by the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations.
Its authors say the report takes on new meaning in light of the economic downturn and ballooning numbers of laid-off workers across the region  ...

One day, web designer Kimberley Buckley decided she should stop giving away her services to friends and acquaintances. So despite the fact that she had a full-time job at Nike, she drew up a business plan, styled a sophisticated logo and rolled it all into a sharp-looking website: BlackWebDiva ...

Dozens of girls incarcerated at the Oak Creek Youth Correctional Facility in Albany are drawing up their wish lists for the Christmas holidays – and Rev. Renee Ward is working to find local residents who can fill their modest needs.
Ward has worked as a Youth Authority multicultural liaison and gang specialist since the facility was revamped and reopened to solely incarcerate teenaged female offenders in February of this year. It's the only prison of its kind in Oregon ....