Gang-related violence in Seattle appears to be on the rise with a recent surge in drive-by shootings and assaults, authorities say. Such violence had been decreasing in recent years, with caseloads for gang investigators hitting 150 in 2003, then fewer than 100 in 2005. But caseloads began to climb again last year, with many reports of gang violence concentrated in Seattle's Central District....

Black-on-Black crime is a problem that "touches the very heart of the Black community, locally and nationally," says King County Council Chairman Larry Gossett.
"Justice Department statistics show that one-third of the Black men born this year can expect to spend some time behind bars and that the Black male homicide rate is seven times the White male rate," Gossett told a crowd of about 200 people at a Juneteenth community forum held Tuesday, June 19 at Rainier Beach High School. "I'm not going to surrender a whole generation of our community to the jail or grave."

Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your week...

WASHINGTON -- The number of Blacks joining the military has plunged by more than one-third since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars began, as other job prospects soar and relatives of potential recruits increasingly discourage them from signing up.
According to data obtained by The Associated Press, the decline covers all four military services for active duty recruits, and the drop is even more dramatic when National Guard and Reserve recruiting is included.
The findings reflect the growing unpopularity of the wars, particularly among family members and other adults who exert influence over high school and college students considering the military as a place to serve their country, further their education or build a career......

WASHINGTON -- Senators pushing a new immigration policy appealed Sunday to wavering supporters ahead of renewed debate on securing the borders and dealing with 12 million undocumented immigrants.
A fragile compromise was pulled from the Senate in early June, then resurrected after bipartisan negotiations with the White House. The bill awaits a crucial test vote this week. With several senators distancing themselves from the proposal, the outcome was too close to call.
"We'll see if between the two parties we have 60 votes" needed to keep the bill moving toward a final vote, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
The measure would tighten borders, require workplace verification and create a guest worker program. It also would lay out a way by which the estimated 12 million people illegally in the United States could gain legal status and work toward citizenship....

She's been an event planner and a hostess, but now Ivy Keller is adding business owner to her resume.
"I am a self motivated, driven and determined individual," Keller says.
The 24-year-old Portland native opened Ivy Keller Productions last year and now she's taking parties to the next level.
When asked how she got started she tells the story of her first party, "The Black and White Affair."

 The Seattle Skanner will host the National Newspaper Publishers Association convention in downtown Seattle, June 20-24 at the Fairmount Olympic Hotel, 411 University St.
This year's theme is "Building Coalitions for the Future."
The NNPA, also known as The Black Press, is a 65-year-old federation of more than 200 Black community newspapers from across the country.
Celebrating the 180th anniversary of The Black Press, the four-day convention welcomes publishers and editors from the Black press throughout the United States.

Read here a day-by-day diary of free community events to fill your week...

Trying to stay dry waiting for the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade to start Saturday morning are, from left to right, Jaeleb Robinson, 6, Emony Robinson, 9, Khalfani Cason, 6, and Khalfani's twin brother Kefentse Cason, 6. For more photos of the 2007 Grand Floral Parade....

Scanning the crowd at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's recent showing of August Wilson's "Gem of the Ocean," Bridget B. Sullivan saw three other African American faces and one person of Asian descent. The rest of the audience was White and elderly.