Oregon State School Superintendent Susan Castillo headlines the Portland City Club's Friday Forum this week, when she will discuss the state of public education in Oregon.
The event takes place from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Luncheon tickets are $20 for the general public, $16 for City Club members;

The hustle and bustle of city life paused for a moment Thursday to honor an act of courage and defiance that helped to make America a better place for everyone. Dec. 1 marked the 50th anniversary of the day that Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat on a Montgomery, Ala. bus to a White man.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore.,  has laid out a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. What do you think? Do you support Rep. Blumenauer's plan?

NEW ORLEANS—The proposal was controversial from the beginning: Focus resources on rebuilding New Orleans' less-damaged neighborhoods first and carefully study whether it makes sense to repopulate areas that were flooded the worst.

LOS ANGELES—Entering middle age, Chico Brown lives in the world of children. He greets them at school, settles their fights, listens to their problems, watches them finish their homework, coaches their basketball teams, offers them rides home, reads their letters.
He has four of his own children too, most of them nearly grown. But "they didn't know me," he said — or most of their lives, he was in prison.

Christa Bell, the Seattle and National Grand Slam Poetry Champion, recites her work Dec. 2 at the Poet Populist Reading at North Seattle Community College. Bell was joined by Seattle Poet Populist Pesha Joyce Gertler and Poet Populist finalist Nancy Dahlberg.

Seventy-fifth birthdays only happen once, and the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle has decided to celebrate in style.
Television and radio host Tavis Smiley will be the featured speaker at the league's upcoming 2005 benefit breakfast, which will mark its 75th anniversary in the city.
The breakfast is set for 7:30 to 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9, at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, 800 Convention Place in downtown Seattle. Tickets cost $70, $80 or $100 depending on location; call 206-461-3792 ext. 3009 or e-mail [email protected] to reserve a spot.
Time magazine selected Smiley as one of America's 50 most promising young leaders. Newsweek profiled him as one of the "20 people changing how Americans get their news" and dubbed him one of the nation's "captains of the airwaves."

EVERETT—Boys score lower than girls in key areas of the state achievement test that will ultimately determine who graduates from high school.

OLYMPIA—Washington's child welfare agency has asked Gov. Christine Gregoire for nearly $20 million to improve foster care, adoption support and other services.

The recent "Evening of Enchantment," held Dec. 3 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, celebrated 50 years