WASHINGTON -- Justice Clarence Thomas sat through 68 hours of oral arguments in the Supreme Court's current term without uttering a word.
That's saying something -- or not -- even for the taciturn justice.
In nearly 16 years on the court, Thomas typically has asked questions a couple of times a term.
He memorably spoke up four years ago in cases involving cross burning and affirmative action, the court's only Black justice in the unusual role of putting his race on display through questions to lawyers.
But the last time Thomas asked a question in court was Feb. 22, 2006, in a death penalty case out of South Carolina. A unanimous court eventually broadened the ability of death-penalty defendants to blame someone else for the crime.
Thomas has said in the past that he will ask a pertinent question if his colleagues don't but sees no need to engage in the back-and-forth just to hear his own voice.

The Life Change Christian Center Choir performs to a packed congregation May 6 at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in North Portland. The choir was part of an all-day conference for women titled "Unity – Bend us Together in Love," sponsored by Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church's women's ministry.

Members of the jazz quartet Devin Phillips and New Orleans Straight Ahead jam at pianist Andrew Oliver's house on Monday, May 7, before heading out to teach middle school students the basic elements of jazz. Pictured from left to right is Devin Phillips on sax, Oliver on piano and Mark DiFlorio on drums. Bassist Eric Gruber is not pictured here. The band will tour Africa or Asia next fall as part of the American jazz ambassadors program started by Dizzy Gillespie in the mid-1950s.

A recent audit of the Housing Authority of Portland's largest housing project to date – New Columbia in North Portland – shows that this public agency is walking its talk on minority hiring practices.
Last November, HAP authorities said they wanted to use at least 20 percent minority- and women-owned contractors on its housing projects. Six months later, a city audit shows that the agency has far exceeded this goal.

TriMet Director Fred Hansen said the biggest challenge for construction in the dense urban environment has been the relocation of utilities. Utility lines and pipes under the streets aren't always where the century-old designs say they are, and digging under the streets can be unpredictable. But no buried treasure yet, Hanson said.
Construction on the I-205 line – which includes seven bridges and one underpass – continues in an easier fashion than the Fifth Avenue stretch, as much of the I-205 line is being constructed in an established transportation corridor.

Ruth Estrella hands out a sample of the cheese produced at her family's dairy, Estrella Family Creamery, on May 2, the first day of the Columbia City Market. Farmers and vendors sell fresh fruit and vegetables, organic meat and poultry, flowers, cheese, baked goods and much more at the popular farmers market, which will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, now through October 31.

Seattle-King County NAACP President James Bible is calling on local King County residents to join the local NAACP branch.
"A branch can only be as strong as its membership," Bible said. "We need you and, believe it or not, you need the NAACP."
The local NAACP will hold a membership drive on Monday, May 14, and Bible wants new members to take pride in their NAACP and help build a strong local chapter.
"We not only need you to become a member of the branch," Bible said. "We also need you to volunteer to assist in our membership drive."
You can join or volunteer by calling 206-324-6600.
The Seattle-King County branch has diligently served Seattle-King County area for more than 93 years. It has and continues to be involved in civil rights issues affecting our community.
The Seattle-King County branch is responding to issues affecting the community such as police misconduct, education issues and discrimination in housing and employment.

Terrence Jackson, left, and Oyni Okoli, students at West Seattle High, show off a balsa wood glider plane at the 2006 MESA Day.
This Saturday, more than 600 students from 25 local elementary, middle and high schools will compete in a hands-on math and science competition at the seventh annual Seattle Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement Day competition at Rainier Beach High School, 8815 Seward Park Ave. S.

Once faced with closures and service cuts, public health clinics in Seattle and King County have gotten a reprieve.
King County Executive Ron Sims and Bob Ferguson, County Council operating budget chairman announced last week that they had come up with $5 million in reserves to fund all clinics through the end of 2008, including two clinics that were threatened with possible closure this summer. All 10 public health clinics will remain open through 2008.

Local youth have had the chance to learn from the best drummers in the world, thanks to Caldera's Celebration of the Drum program, and now the public can join in the fun with performances on May 17 and 19 in Portland.
Celebration of the Drum is Caldera's multicultural percussion extravaganza that brings local middle school students on stage in performance with world-class musicians Obo Addy, Portland Taiko, Cat"n Lyles, Hakim Muhammad, and Brian Davis of Pink Martini fame.