SALEM—Gov. Ted Kulongoski on Monday signed "Jessica's Law," a measure passed during last week's special legislative session to increase criminal penalties for sexual predators who victimize young children.

The new law increases mandatory minimum sentences for offenders convicted of first-degree rape, sodomy or unlawful penetration if the victim is under 12. The new law sets the minimum sentence at 25 years.

Community activist Maggie Gibson, center, celebrates her retirement after 32 years at Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield at a party, April 22, with her daughter, Georgeann Pierce Robinson, son Larry Gibson, friends and parishioners of St. Andrew Catholic church in Northeast Portland. Gibson worked as an imaging tech and never missed a day of work.

Oregon voters face an important decision this year: Who will govern the state next?

To help answer that question,OregonPublic Broadcasting will present intimate conversations with each of the six major candidates in the May 16 primary election for governor. The program will be broadcast from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 6, and again at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 7, on OPB TV Channel 10.

Cal Ripken, Jr., baseball's "Iron Man," will be the keynote speaker at the eighth annual fund-raising luncheon for Oregon's largest cancer facility — the Providence Cancer Center. 

The keynote subject is "Positive Perspectives: Creating Hope for Cancer Patients." The luncheon, sponsored by the Prov-idence Portland Medical Foundation, will be held from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 9, in the Oregon Convention Center.

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Actor George Clooney, left, looks on as U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., addresses the crowd April 27 at a Washington, D.C. rally about the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OBAMA.SENATE.GOV

WASHINGTON--Thousands of people joined celebrities and lawmakers at a rally Sunday urging the Bush administration and Congress to help end genocide in Sudan's Darfur region.

"Not on our watch!" the crowd chanted as a parade of speakers lined up for their turn on a stage on the National Mall, the Capitol serving as a backdrop.

"The personal motivation for a lot of us is the Holocaust," said Boston-based Rabbi Or Rose of Jewish Seminarians for Justice. "Given our history and experience, we feel an obligation to stand up and speak out."

HOMESTEAD, Fla.—Immigrants, both legal and illegal, and their allies gathered Monday for marches, prayers and demonstrations on a planned national day of economic protest, boycotting work, school and shopping to show their importance to the country.

Thousands of marchers gathered in cities across the nation -- including Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Colo., New York City, Atlanta, Dallas and many more -- for Un Dia Sin Immigrantes, or A Day Without Immigrants.

Others were working Monday but buying nothing as part of the economic boycott around the country. Some planned to attend protests during lunch breaks or after work. Church services, candlelight vigils and picnics also were planned.

The deadline is fast approaching for seniors to register for the new Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage program. The complicated new system — there are 77 different coverage plans to choose from — has proven to be confusing and sometimes overwhelming to many senior citizens.

While opinions differ on how cost-effective the program will turn out to be for consumers — and how profitable it will be for the pharmaceutical industry — failing to sign up before the May 15 deadline will mean a lifetime of penalties, said Paul Iarrobino with the Multnomah County Office of Aging and Disability Services.

Humboldt PTA and Humboldt Neighborhood Association President Nancy Clark, center, holding sign, listens in Monday night at the meeting over the future of Humboldt Elementary School.