WASHINGTON--Hurricane Katrina convulsed the United States with its massive destruction. Now Democrats believe it could wreak havoc again in a tide of voter resentment that could sweep Republicans from power.

On the verge of Katrina's one-year anniversary, Democrats from New Orleans to New Haven, Connecticut, to New York are launching a coordinated political assault on the Bush administration's response to the devastation that struck the Gulf Coast.

It comes ahead of November congressional elections that could swing power from the Republicans to the Democrats in the House of Representatives and Senate.

Democratic lawmakers began arriving in the stricken region Thursday, making a stand that will culminate Monday when about 20 House Democrats convene in Bay St. Louis, Miss., for a town hall meeting. Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana plans to deliver the Democratic response to President George W. Bush's Saturday radio address.

The Skanner has been named the recipient of a first-place A. Philip Randolph Messenger Award in the Responsibility category

LaMont Williams of Portland pauses during the recent Providence Bridge Pedal, held Aug. 13. This event, which crosses every bridge in the city, is the second-largest recreational cycling event in the country.

One of America's most venerated traditions is the game of baseball. While baseball has…

The Police Activities League of Greater Portland tees off its fifth annual Benefit Golf Tournament…

WASHINGTON—America's growing diversity has reached nearly every state.From South…

Keep children from kindergarten to high school safe this school year by making sure all immunizations are up to date.
"Immunizations are a very safe and effective way to keep children performing at their best and to prevent dangerous diseases, some of which cannot be cured," said Dorothy Teeter, interim director and health officer for Public Health-Seattle & King County.
Besides increasing the risk of getting a disease, a child who is not fully immunized may be excluded from attending school or day care during an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, possibly lasting weeks. An infected child can also spread an illness to others, like those whose immune systems are suppressed, pregnant women or infants.
"In recent years, we've had outbreaks involving schools that could have been prevented with vaccines," said Betsy Hubbard, Public Health's immunization supervisor. "In one measles outbreak, half of the cases involved school age children who were not appropriately immunized. These outbreaks are dangerous and disrupt the lives of local families."

Che'lon McLennan, 9, picks a book Aug. 12 at the fifth annual Educational Resource Street Fair, sponsored by the Peoples Institutional Baptist Church and many other community groups. The fair, which was held between East Yesler Way and East Spruce Street, distributed school supplies to more than 500 students.

The man accused of shooting six women, one fatally, at Seattle's Jewish Federation offices has indicated he wants to plead guilty, his attorney said last week, but a judge continued his arraignment a week to help the attorney determine whether he is competent to make such a plea.
Naveed Afzal Haq is charged with aggravated first-degree murder in the death of Pamela Waechter, 58, director of the Jewish charity's annual fund-raising campaign, and with five counts of attempted first-degree murder in the attack at the federation's downtown offices on July 28.

Akari Jack, 17 months, plays with a hula hoop at the Garfield Campus Field Day on Aug. 11. The…