The White House reaffirmed its commitment to historically Black colleges and universities last week in response to criticisms that arose when the proposed education budget revealed the loss of an $85 million allotment to Black institutions. "The Administration strongly supports the critical work being done by the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities and understands that the system offers students from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to continue their education," . . .

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Up-and-coming rapper Dolla was killed in a shooting at an upscale shopping mall, and a man was arrested for investigation of murder, police said Tuesday. Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said the man killed Monday afternoon at the Beverly Center was 21-year-old Roderick Anthony Burton II, the birth name of rapper Dolla.

OAKLAND, California (AP) -- A former San Francisco Bay Area transit officer charged with killing an unarmed Black man is back in court for a hearing expected to shed more light on the shooting.

A new survey conducted by the American Red Cross shows the importance of water safety skills, with half of those surveyed saying they have had a near-drowning experience in their lifetime. The survey found that 48 percent reported a near-drowning experience, and nearly 1 in 3 said they had a near-drowning scare between the ages of 5 and 15.

Alcena Boozer greets Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who delivered the 40th Annual Collins Lecture at the University of Portland Chiles Center. The sold-out talk was on the topic of "The Transformational Power of reconciliation in Society."
Sponsored by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, the speech was preceded by an invocation by Rev. Alcena Boozer, and a musical production organized by PSU Professor of Music Darrell Grant, which included Obo Addy, Michelle Fujii, Bobby Torres, Willie Grant, the Al-Andalus Ensemble, and readings by Lawson Inada, Horace Silver, Mark Mathabane and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

The Small Business Administration has approved the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) as a micro lender for Oregon and Southwest Washington businesses, to the tune of $1.1 million and possibly as much as $3.5 million.
Part of President Barack Obama's stimulus package, the 10-year, interest-free loan is designed to help small businesses in need of capital and laid-off workers who are starting their own businesses. . . .

A bill that would require state colleges to interview at least one minority candidate for coaching or athletic director positions passed its first major hurdle on Friday.
House Bill 3118 passed the Oregon House 42 to 4 on May 1, a move that sponsor Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, says will make it so "head coaches in Oregon will represent the players and fans of university sports."
The bill was modeled after the NFL's 2003 "Rooney Rule" which also requires that teams interview at least one minority candidate for a coaching position. The bill's creator, Sam Sachs, a former Western Oregon fullback who has a Black Studies degree from Portland State University, says the results of merely requiring a minority candidate be interviewed can be seen for themselves. . . .

... A champion athlete in his youth, Ford held the basketball scoring record at Lincoln High School in East St. Louis for many years.... "He had a strong personality ... 

Soul Bowl is an annual fundraiser for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Held at Interstate Lanes, on N. Interstate Avenue, the event last Thursday brought in $12,000 for children's programs. The top fundraising team at the Soul Bowl was the crew from Kaiser Permanente, organized by Vicki Guinn, a Kaiser employee and a member of the African American Advisory Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters. From left, Guinn; Denise Wilson; Manathis Rich Jr.; Karl Franklin; Taylor Mundy, age 18; Pam Cook; and Marcus Mundy, executive director of the Urban League of Portland. On the far right is Zyonna Hardy, 7 . . .