Former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice has been suggested as a possible replacement for Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Raj Manhas, who is leaving after four years as head of the district.
Manhas announced late last month that he will step down at the end of the school year. He has been widely criticized in trying to erase a $35 million budget deficit in part by closing and consolidating schools.
Manhas on Saturday said he was not being forced out.
"I have every intention of fulfilling my contract, which ends in August 2007," said Manhas, 55. "My direction comes from the school board."

Even record-breaking flooding in some areas could not deter voters in King County Tuesday, who turned out in greater-than-expected levels countywide, leading to ballot shortages in some polling locations.
Although elections officials expected only a 20 percent turnout of poll voters, they prepared each polling place with enough materials for a 60 percent turnout. Still, workers in 55 polling places ran short of ballots and provisional ballots for some precincts. 
Based on long-standing procedures for how to deal with running out of both regular and provisional ballots, poll workers provided several options to make sure every voter had a chance to cast a ballot.

Allison Skahan, 15 and Julia LaVallie, 14, both of Glenwood, Wash., talk about Spelman College with Kristin Wyckoff, assistant director of admission and orientation services for Spelman during the Portland National College Fair.

African dances, lively spirituals and beloved gospel and children's songs from Africa will be performed by the African Children's Choir, which is visiting Portland and Vancouver through Nov. 19. The African Children's Choir is a nonprofit humanitarian and relief organization dedicated to helping Africa's most vulnerable children today so they can help Africa tomorrow.

Nine high school students who have a deep interest in photography and filmmaking are exhibiting their work throughout November in an exhibition called "Seeing is Believing.". This is the inaugural exhibition of photography and filmmaking for Caldera, a non-profit organization that nurtures the creativity of underserved youth.

The Seattle Seahawks face the Oakland Raiders in a nationally televised game. The Seahawks won 12-0…

Take a peek at the design for the interior renovation of The Seattle Public Library's Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch during an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 14 at the branch, 1134 33rd Ave.
Justine Kim, library project manager and designers from Heliotrope Architects will explain the design. Library patrons can stop by any time during the open house to view the design and ask questions.

Oregon State Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown raises her arms in victory as the results of the election came in.

NEW YORK -- Ed Bradley, the award-winning television journalist who broke racial barriers at CBS News and created a distinctive, powerful body of work during his 26 years on "60 Minutes," died Nov. 9. He was 65.

Deborah Starr Hodges, left, an employee of Self-Enhancement Inc., distributes decorative cupcakes to her grandchildren Naiheem Barrett, 3, center, and Nailah Barrett, 5. SEI sponsored a Halloween "Harvest Party" for the neighborhood that included games; inflated, bouncing pirate ships; free candy; and prizes.