LOS ANGELES—The ensemble drama Crash pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Academy Awards history, winning best picture over the cowboy romance Brokeback Mountain, which had been the front-runner.

SANTA ANA, Calif.—The inmates had to heat the letter to draw out the message, written in invisible ink. When they did, their orders were clear.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--A Tennessee lawmaker is trying to persuade the state to build a drug treatment clinic specifically for people addicted to methamphetamine.

State Rep. Judd Matheny, a Republican from Tullahoma, said the projected $10.1 million cost would save taxpayers in the long run by keeping some offenders out of prison.

GARY, Ind.--Entertainer Harry Belafonte renewed his criticism of President George W. Bush and Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan urged education reform during the recently concluded 2006 National Black Peoples Unity Convention.

Seattle—An overflow crowd of more than 275 people filled the County Council chambers and lobbies Monday as the Metropolitan King county council approved an ordinance to change the county's official logo.

While the city gets ready to bore a 5.5-mile tunnel 120 feet under Portland's east side, minority contractors should be sharpening their pencils to compete for at least $26 million in construction contracts.

The Portland City Council last week approved a $426 million construction project for the eastside Big Pipe, which will divert untreated sewage and stormwater from the Willamette River.

The company hired to do the project, Kiewit/Bilfinger Berger, has identified $53 million in "opportunities" for local subcontractors, and of that, at least $26 million could go to minority- or women-owned businesses, said Bill Mariucci, the company's project director.

The campaign to repeal Portland's public campaign finance program failed to collect the required number of valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Stars of the human and celestial variety competed for the attention of students visiting the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry's Kendall Planetarium on Feb. 24.

A group of shoppers moves impatiently through the checkout line at the supermarket. Two women of African descent wearing colorful headscarves reach the front of the line, where the cashier, a White woman, tells them they can't purchase non-food items with the card they're using.

Northeast Portland-area state legislators Sen. Avel Gordly, Rep. Jackie Dingfelder and Rep. Steve March will conduct a joint Town Hall meeting on Saturday, March 4.