For activists around the country working to bring attention to rising asthma rates, the current state of environmental research and regulation are standing in the way of their work simply to educate local communities about the root causes of the illness.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation will be discussing several upcoming bike improvement projects in inner Northeast Portland.
On June 1 and June 15, transportation officials will hold meetings to discuss and elicit feedback about the bicycle infrastructure improvement projects. Both meetings run from 6 to 8 p.m. and will be held at Humboldt Elementary, 4915 N. Gantenbein Ave.

Portland's Jefferson High School has a new principal. Vice Principal Margaret Calvert will be taking over the position from interim-principal Toni Hunter. Calvert is taking over the position formerly held by Cynthia Harris, who had been placed on administrative leave after Portland Public Schools found shortcomings in the way the school's student body funds had been managed in May of 2010.

Last week, Metro Councilors approved changes to the regional government's representation lines.
According to staff, the new map, which shifted the government's six districts to meet the population movements catalogued under the 2010 census, won't change much in terms of daily operations.

A tentative agreement to fill Washington state's $5 billion budget shortfall includes cuts in nearly every corner of government, slashing pay for teachers and forcing other K-12 workers and state employees to take deeper hits. Budget negotiators said there simply wasn't the money available in the $32 billion spending plan to sustain current salaries, and lawmakers talked openly about the need to make equitable cuts. In total, they will reduce spending by $4.6 billion over the coming two years.

Seeznin's sports bar and grill is a community place with plenty to inspire Portlanders. To give Seeznin's the true Portland vibe, Thompson has decorated the bar with articles, photos and basketball jerseys that showcase successful, home-grown athletes  To give Seeznin's the true Portland vibe, Thompson has decorated the bar with articles, photos and basketball jerseys that showcase successful, home-grown athletes 

The mural's creator, the prominent mural artist, Isaka Shamsud-Din, has expressed interest in restoring the mural. The King Neighborhood Association is exploring grant funding

May is National Asthma Awareness Month. The CDC recently released a report which found that asthma rates are rising sharply across the nation

When it comes to budget decision making, there's an old saying: The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
And last week, when Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith held a meeting directed at African American males from the ages of 12 to 25, there were a lot of squeaky wheels.

It may seem geeky to some, but many observers say this week's Pacific Northwest 140 Conference on the wide array of social media tools – and how local businesses, nonprofits and individuals use them – could have a lasting impact on the region.