Urban League of Portland Chief Executive Officer Vanessa R. Gaston is leaving Portland for a new job in Nevada.

Gaston has accepted the position of assistant director of social services for Clark County, Nevada, said Charles Wilhoite, Chair of the Urban League of Portland Board of Directors. Gaston begins her new duties in Las Vegas in July.

"Vanessa has been a tremendous leader for the Urban League, and she will be sorely missed," Wilhoite said.

EUGENE—Anti-Christian cartoons in a University of Oregon student newspaper, The Insurgent, has riled students, local Catholic organizations and now involves national cable TV commentator Bill O'Reilly.

Many say the cartoons in the March issue overstep the First Amendment, and they want U of O President Dave Frohnmayer to step in.

The conservative O'Reilly says Frohnmayer is a coward who should be fired and that the issue is one of hate, not free speech.

Vicki Phillips

The two proposed academies for young men and women in Jefferson High School will be delayed for a year and will open in September 2007, said district Superintendent Vicki Phillips.

Time is running out for Oregon to stem the "overwhelming" problem of alcohol and drug abuse, according to a government report.

The report, prepared by the Governor's Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs, provides an overview of alcohol and drug treatment programs in Oregon and recommendations for the 2007-2009 legislative session.

"The data show that time is running out for Oregon to act," said Council Chair Ann Uhler, of Tigard. "For example, foster care has increased by 45 percent over the past four years due to a huge increase in drug- and alcohol-related arrests."

VANCOUVER, Wash.—With an eye on startups and established companies looking to expand their product lines, services and target markets, Black Entrepreneurs of Clark County will present "Generating and Marketing Profitable Ideas" at its free monthly session, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Jim Parsley Community Center, 4100 Plomondon St. in Vancouver.

WASHINGTON—Senior executives at Fannie Mae manipulated accounting to collect millions of dollars in undeserved bonuses and to deceive investors, a federal report charged Tuesday. The government-sponsored mortgage company was fined $400 million.

The blistering report by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, the result of an extensive three-year investigation, was issued as Fannie Mae struggled to emerge from an $11 billion accounting scandal.

Lt. Col. William Holloman III, USAF (Ret.)

Visitors to the Museum of Flight over Memorial Day weekend, May 27 through 29, will have the rare opportunity to view a Boeing B-17 bomber up close and meet local members of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen of World War II — the contingent of African American aviators who won wide acclaim during the war.

Federal officials have approved two requests from the state that will improve access to health care for more than 30,000 children enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Another 8,800 of Oregon's poorest adults enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan Standard benefit package also will benefit.

"When more of our citizens have health insurance, health care is more affordable for all of us," said Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

A new peace park on the east side of the Steel Bridge will be dedicated on Memorial Day by Mayor Tom Potter and Veterans for Peace.

Ceremonies will begin at noon Monday, May 29, in the Rose Quarter Memorial Coliseum, where the World War II and Korean War memorials are located. Another ceremony will be at the Portland Memorial Peace Park, corner of North Interstate Avenue and Oregon Street.

Richard Howard, Father, Musician, Poet, Dies at 74Portland resident Richard Howard passed away at…