A grass-roots effort under way to rename Portland Boulevard for civil rights heroine Rosa Parks passed its first milestone Wednesday when the proposal was aired at a Portland City Council meeting. The council unanimously passed a resolution to change the North Portland street's name to Rosa Parks Way.
An enthusiastic contingent of supporters filled council chambers for the hearing. The plan was conceived by the Albina Ministerial Alliance — a coalition of local clergy — and is being championed within the council by City Commissioner Dan Saltzman. A vote on an ordinance to make the name change official could come up before the council as soon as next Wednesday, Oct. 25.
"The hearing was overwhelmingly positive," said the Rev. W.G. Hardy, of Highland United Church of Christ, who testified at the hearing. "There was an excellent turnout, good representation from the community."
Hardy said the choice of Portland Boulevard is a good one for a range of reasons, not the least of which would be its symbolic intersection with several streets, including Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

It's time to sharpen the pencil: Ballots from Multnomah County soon will be appearing in a mailbox near you.
Multnomah County will send out general election ballots beginning Oct. 20; they must be returned to the elections office no later than 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. Check the division's Web site, www.co.multnomah .or.us/dbcs/ elections/, for locations of drop-off boxes. See part 1 on October 5 for measures 39-42, and part 2 on October 12 for measures 43-45. This week, The Skanner completes its overview of the statewide ballot measures. Two of them — Ballot Measures 46 and 47 — are similar, and supporters and opponents tend to discuss them at the same time. As a result, we are looking at them together, as well.

The Chief's Forum, a policy advisory group for Portland's chief of police, is seeking nominations of neighbors and officers who helped their communities become safer places to live and work.
The annual awards and recognition ceremony will take place Monday, Dec. 11, in the auditorium of the Portland Building. Deadline for all nominations is Nov. 13.
"There are many groups and individuals out there who go above and beyond in making their neighborhoods safe for residents and children," said Chief Rosanne M. Sizer. "Yet, because of their good nature and devotion to serve, these people don't know how many lives they impact.

Leticia Young, left, Alexander Young and Darleen Young pick up some health information at the Family Health and Kidney Expo, held Oct. 14 at Qwest Field. The event offered opportunities for free health screenings and information on kidney disease and other health issues.

Resolving to stop the spread of HIV, local Black leaders will host a forum Sunday, Oct. 22 to engage community members in the fight against a disease that disproportionately impacts them.
Titled "HIV in Seattle's Black Community — A Call for Leadership NOW!" the forum will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center's Multipurpose Room. The free event is open to the public; additional information is available on the Web at www.metrokc.gov/health/apu/blc.
African Americans and foreign-born Blacks make up 22 percent of new HIV/AIDS cases in King County, yet only represent 6.5 percent of the population. Nationally, 68 percent of all women infected with HIV are Black, and African Americans represent half of all new cases.
"Until we have a vaccine or a cure for HIV, prevention is our best plan of action," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "I commend our local leaders for owning the growing problem of HIV in the African American community and stepping up to work for a lasting solution.
"Ending this epidemic requires a community-wide response based on knowledge, action and compassion," Sims added.
Participants will:
• Hear Dr. Maxine Hayes, M.D., Washington state health officer, discuss how HIV disproportionately impacts the health of African Americans in King County.

"What country tested a nuclear device the other day?" PBS award-winning talk show host and best-selling author Tavis Smiley asked a group of Seattle high school students. After a student answered correctly — "North Korea" — Smiley pulled out a $20 from his pocket and handed it to the surprised high school senior. "The first thing about being a leader is you have to be aware. In order to be aware, you have to be awake to the world around you," Smiley said.

OLYMPIA—More high school students are graduating and fewer are dropping out, according to a new report released by state education officials.
About 74 percent of students in the Washington class of 2005 graduated within four years, an improvement of about 4 percent over the previous year. Officials said the numbers reflect both an improvement in student retention and a change in the way the state keeps track of dropout rates.
"It's better school systems, better educational opportunities for students and better information systems," said Lisa Ireland, data and research analyst for the state school superintendent's office.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority members Jozette Chambliss, left, Katrina Hunt, Leona Dotson and Chanda Oatis visit the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Delta Upsilon Omega Chapter Exhibit Area in the newly renovated Douglass-Truth Library, during its Grand Re-opening Ceremony on Oct. 14. In 1965, the local chapter of AKA donated books to what was then called the Negro Life and History Collection. The chapter holds an annual Library Tea to raise funds for the collection — now called the African American Literature Collection — that has grown to contain close to 9,200 items.

SPOKANE—A settlement has been reached in a discrimination lawsuit by Hispanics against a small north-central Washington school district, and a lawyer said only the amount of damages remains to be determined.
Both sides have signed a sweeping consent order that requires a number of steps to prevent discrimination in the combined junior-senior high school in Brewster, north of Wenatchee, said Darrell L. Cochran of Tacoma, who brought the case about a year ago.

Former police Chief Derrick Foxworth has filed a notice of intent to sue the city, claiming he was unfairly demoted and reprimanded because he's a Black man who was in a relationship with a White woman.
Foxworth — who now holds the rank of commander — also claims that city officials were aware of his relationship with the police clerk, which occurred earlier in his career.