I am missing something here. President Barack Obama just went to Europe and Iraq and made speeches saying that he would be deferential to Communist China, that he would meet without conditions with the leadership of Iran and that he wanted to open up a new relationship with the Islamic world. ...

Last week, the Bennett College for women community came together to provide information on sexual assault awareness. We were aligned with the many who recognize the month of April as sexual assault awareness month.  Indeed, president Barack Obama issued a proclamation on April 8 marking the month and making important comments on issues that are raised when we look at sexual assault....

Hats off to Paul Allen! The Trail Blazers owner stuck around to achieve a winning lineup of managers, coaches and players. The Skanner admires his staying power and the work of Trail Blazers president, Larry Miller and general manager, Kevin Pritchard...

My father was larger than life to me. A man of modest beginnings, Wendell Wallace had the faith to move mountains, and move mountains he did. In the late 1960's I witnessed him break down the walls of racial prejudice. The congregation of Metropolitan Church of God marched to our new church location on 12th & Skidmore...

Services were held at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church on March 27, for Dock Thompson, who passed away March 19, at age 99...

The versatile actor/ comedian/ singer/ musician/ writer/ producer/ director got his start in showbiz in 1989 when he went on stage on a dare on open mic night and tried his hand at standup. After spending time on the comedy circuit, he joined the landmark Fox sketch comedy series "In Living Color," creating some of the show's funniest and most memorable moments. . . .

Despite a slow economy, starting up Traiel's Food 4 The Soul was what Jermaine Atherton felt was the right thing to do.
"I always felt comfortable here," says the entrepreneur, who also is president of P.O. Soul Entertainment, a gospel recording company. "It was the right thing and it was in God's plan." ...

Jesse Beason, executive director of the Portland Community Land Trust, sat down to speak with The Skanner about where the organization is headed, how it has weathered the economic downturn and whether or not the Land Trust's clients can still get loans...

Former congressman and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume spoke in Vancouver, Wa. last week at Fort Vancouver High School.
Before the speech, he sat down for a discussion about criminal justice reform, responsibility, the economy and class in America...

The head of the UN's body charged with combating piracy has advocated establishing a UN force to fight the piracy problem off Somalia's coast—but the problem may be more complex than simple banditry on the high seas. A spokesman for the pirates, who reportedly use the autonomous region of Puntland as their base, told Al Jazeera some of the ransom money will be used to help clean up waters off the Somali coast ravaged by years of toxic waste dumping.