05-31-2023  2:52 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

Happy Black Birders Week: Local Group Promotes Inclusivity in Birdwatching, Outdoor Enjoyment

Birdhers is in its fifth year of weekly walks and annual retreats.

Oregon Man Died Waiting for an Ambulance, Highlighting Lack of Emergency Responders

Officials in Multnomah County have said ambulances should arrive to 90% of emergency calls within eight minutes. However KGW-TV reported that during a five-month period ending in February, that mark was missed about a third of the time.

Oregon, Awash in Treatment Funds After Decriminalizing Drugs, Now Must Follow the Money

Funding for drug treatment centers in Oregon, financed by the state's pioneering drug decriminalization policy, stood at over a quarter-billion dollars Friday as officials called for closer monitoring of where the money goes.

Former Senator Margaret Carter Receives Honorary Doctorate of Public Service

Margaret Carter was the commencement speaker for Willamette University's Salem undergraduate commencement ceremony

NEWS BRIEFS

Oregon and Washington Memorial Day Events

Check out a listing of ceremonies and other community Memorial Day events in Oregon and Washington. A full list of all US events,...

Communities Invited to Interstate Bridge Replacement Neighborhood Forums in Vancouver and Portland

May 31 and June 6 forums allow community members to learn about the program’s environmental review process ...

Bonamici, Salinas Introduce Bill to Prevent Senior Hunger

Senior Hunger Prevention Act will address challenges older adults, grandparent and kinship caregivers, and adults with disabilities...

This is Our Lane - Too: Joint Statement on the Maternal Health Crisis from the Association of Black Cardiologists, American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association

Urgent action is needed to combat the maternal health crisis in America and cardiologists have a vital role to play. ...

New Skateboarding Area Planned for Southeast Portland’s Creston Park

Area has largest number of overall youth and of people of color out of locations studied ...

Portland mulls ban on daytime camping amid sharp rise in homelessness

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — City Council members in Portland will decide Wednesday whether to ban homeless camping during daytime hours in most public places, a move that aims to bring the city into compliance with a new state law and appease the growing number of residents frustrated by a deepening...

GOP walkout in Oregon Senate hits 4th week; uncertain if boycotters will be sanctioned

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The longest-ever walkout in the Oregon Legislature completed its fourth week on Wednesday as the enforceability of a ballot measure that would disqualify the boycotters from immediate reelection appeared in doubt. Senate President Rob Wagner once again tried on...

Foster, Ware homer, Auburn eliminates Mizzou 10-4 in SEC

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — Cole Foster hit a three-run homer, Bryson Ware added a two-run shot and fifth-seeded Auburn wrapped up the first day of the SEC Tournament with a 10-4 win over ninth-seeded Missouri on Tuesday night. Auburn (34-9), which has won nine-straight, moved into the...

Small Missouri college adds football programs to boost enrollment

FULTON, Mo. (AP) — A small college in central Missouri has announced it will add football and women's flag football programs as part of its plan to grow enrollment. William Woods University will add about 140 students between the two new sports, athletic director Steve Wilson said...

OPINION

Significant Workforce Investments Needed to Stem Public Defense Crisis

We have a responsibility to ensure our state government is protecting the constitutional rights of all Oregonians, including people accused of a crime ...

Over 80 Groups Tell Federal Regulators Key Bank Broke $16.5 Billion Promise

Cross-country redlining aided wealthy white communities while excluding Black areas ...

Public Health 101: Guns

America: where all attempts to curb access to guns are shot down. Should we raise a glass to that? ...

Op-Ed: Ballot Measure Creates New Barriers to Success for Black-owned Businesses

Measure 26-238, a proposed local capital gains tax, is unfair and a burden on Black business owners in an already-challenging economic environment. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee, will travel the US

NEW YORK (AP) — Little Amal, a 12-foot (3.7-meter) puppet of a Syrian refugee, will journey across the United States this fall, visiting key places in America's history to raise awareness about immigration and migration. The puppet of the 10-year-old girl will visit the U.S....

Filipino American chefs come into their own with multiple James Beard award nods

Like a lot of chefs, Aaron Verzosa has been hustling the past three years to get Archipelago, his Filipino restaurant in Seattle, through the pandemic and its ripple effects. Getting a James Beard Award nomination was a validating moment. “Being able to amplify and showcase stories...

Why do Kosovo-Serbia tensions persist?

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew this week after Kosovo’s police raided Serb-dominated areas in the region’s north and seized local municipality buildings. There have been violent clashes between Kosovo’s police and NATO-led peacekeepers...

ENTERTAINMENT

Cannes turns up the glamour for amfAR gala to raise money for AIDS research

ANTIBES, France (AP) — With a guestlist that boasted equal parts wealth, fame and glamour, amfAR returned to the French Riviera Thursday for its Cannes gala to raise money for AIDS research. Queen Latifah hosted the 29th edition with Eva Longoria, Fan Bingbing and Rebel Wilson among...

Céline Dion cancels European concerts 'until I’m really ready to be back on stage'

Céline Dion has canceled all her scheduled tour dates through April 2024 as she continues treatment for a rare neurological disorder. “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again," the singer said in a statement on social media. "I’m working really hard to build back my...

'The Ride' docuseries takes peaks and valleys of professional bull riding by the horns

NEW YORK (AP) — If at first you’re thrown from the bull, try, try again — at least that’s part of what the new docuseries “The Ride” highlights. “Bull riding: you have to eat, sleep and breathe it. Whenever you go to bed at night, you got to be thinking about it,” said...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Chris Stewart, 6-term Utah Republican, resigning from Congress

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart on Wednesday announced plans to resign his Utah seat due to his...

Changes to food aid in debt bill would cost money, far from savings GOP envisioned

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican attempt to expand work requirements for federal food aid in debt legislation...

Body of Missouri ER doctor found in Arkansas lake had apparent gunshot wound

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A missing emergency room doctor from Missouri was found dead in Arkansas from an...

International Atomic Energy Agency reports seen by AP say Iran resolves 2 inquiries by inspectors

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has resolved two outstanding inquiries from the International Atomic Energy Agency over...

Theodoros Pangalos, outspoken Greek former foreign minister, dies at 84

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Theodoros Pangalos, a former Greek foreign minister known for his undiplomatic outbursts...

UK hails first post-Brexit trade deals with Australia, New Zealand, but impact likely small

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government hailed an era of cheaper Australian wine and New Zealand kiwi fruit as...

Jonathan Wald and Matthew Chance CNN

Editor's note: This report contains offensive language.

LONDON (CNN) -- John Terry, one of England's biggest soccer stars, testified as his trial entered its second day Tuesday that he was upset and angry when he thought he had been accused of racial abuse by another player.

The normally staid chambers of Westminster Magistrates' Court got an earful of shockingly foul language Monday, as the court heard what the Chelsea captain allegedly said to Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.

Early in the session Tuesday, jurors heard an interview the Football Association conducted with Terry after the October 23 match.

Terry said he was upset because he thought Ferdinand had accused him of racism. "I was really angry and cross about him calling me a racist," he said in the interview.

Terry made that point again as he was questioned before the court Tuesday. "When he's accused me of that, I couldn't control my emotions," Terry said.

The prosecution suggested Terry couldn't keep his temper because Ferdinand had taunted him over his alleged affair with a teammate's girlfriend. "You couldn't, could you? You're not a racist but you used racist language. You snapped, didn't you?" the prosecutor asked.

But Terry rejected the argument, saying: "It's two years on, I've heard that a 100 times, a million times. If I was going to snap I would have snapped long before."

The Chelsea captain told the court he was repeating what he mistakenly thought Ferdinand had accused him of saying as they traded insults in a heated game.

In the interview with the Football Association, Terry said he spoke with Ferdinand after the match to ask him if the defender had accused him of making a racist comment. "I said to ‪Anton, 'was you accusing me of calling you a black c---?' and he said 'No, not at all.'"

In the interview Terry said: "If I had something to hide I would have whispered it into someone's ear."

Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle earlier rejected a request by Terry's legal team to dismiss the case due to "insufficient evidence."

A lip reader watching a video of the incident on Monday told the court what Terry said, including two extremely obscene words.

Terry does not deny directing a barrage of foul language at Ferdinand and referring to him as "black," but he denies engaging in racist abuse.

The highly unusual criminal prosecution over words uttered on a soccer field comes as English soccer officials fight to stamp racism out of the sport, with mixed results.

Liverpool player Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches when the Football Association, the English sport's governing body, found he had racially abused Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

The chanting of racist abuse by fans also remains a sporadic problem in soccer across Europe.

The Crown Prosecution Service is pressing charges against Terry for a "racially aggravated public order offense" because of the comments during the match between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers.

Prosecutors played a video of the incident, without sound, as the case opened Monday morning.

The alleged abuse came after Ferdinand knocked Terry down during the game, the jury heard.

When he got up, Terry made a gesture as if Ferdinand's breath smelled, and he called Ferdinand a "c---," prosecutor Duncan Penny told the court.

Ferdinand responded with the same word, saying it described Terry, not him, because Terry had had sex with a teammate's partner, the prosecutor said.

Ferdinand also made an obscene gesture related to sex as Terry ran back into position, Penny said.

Ferdinand testified that he did not hear the comments Terry made at him, but that he would have been "hurt and disappointed" if he had heard Terry call him a "black c---"

"When someone brings your color into it, it takes it to another level and it's very hurtful," Ferdinand said.

Terry maintains that Ferdinand knocked him down before the incident and that the two then exchanged "normal football verbals."

He told Football Association officials that he then repeated to Ferdinand words he thought the opposing player had said to him, Penny told the court Monday.

The maximum penalty for the offense is £2,500 (about $3,900).

That would be a drop in the bucket for a player worth millions, but a criminal conviction could lead to action against him by his team or England's Football Association.

Terry was captain of England's national team at the time of the incident but was stripped of his captaincy after a preliminary court hearing on the racism charge in February.

He remained captain of Chelsea, which went on to win the prestigious European Champions League this year.

The trial could last up to five days, court officials say.