When the Rev. Mary Overstreet-Smith heard the news that Hurricane Katrina had struck the Gulf Coast, no doubt clouded her mind.

If an earthquake or other devastating, citywide emergency occurred today, would Portland be prepared?

At least 2 percent of Oregon's students are homeless: They are never sure where they are going to spend the night — in a shelter or motel, at a park or in a car.

Several unions, environmental groups and justice organizations will gather at the World Trade Center at noon Saturday and parade through downtown Portland to commemorate National Human Rights Day.

Oregon State School Superintendent Susan Castillo headlines the Portland City Club's Friday Forum this week, when she will discuss the state of public education in Oregon.
The event takes place from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Luncheon tickets are $20 for the general public, $16 for City Club members;

The hustle and bustle of city life paused for a moment Thursday to honor an act of courage and defiance that helped to make America a better place for everyone. Dec. 1 marked the 50th anniversary of the day that Rosa Parks refused to yield her seat on a Montgomery, Ala. bus to a White man.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore.,  has laid out a plan for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. What do you think? Do you support Rep. Blumenauer's plan?

NEW ORLEANS—The proposal was controversial from the beginning: Focus resources on rebuilding New Orleans' less-damaged neighborhoods first and carefully study whether it makes sense to repopulate areas that were flooded the worst.

LOS ANGELES—Entering middle age, Chico Brown lives in the world of children. He greets them at school, settles their fights, listens to their problems, watches them finish their homework, coaches their basketball teams, offers them rides home, reads their letters.
He has four of his own children too, most of them nearly grown. But "they didn't know me," he said — or most of their lives, he was in prison.

Christa Bell, the Seattle and National Grand Slam Poetry Champion, recites her work Dec. 2 at the Poet Populist Reading at North Seattle Community College. Bell was joined by Seattle Poet Populist Pesha Joyce Gertler and Poet Populist finalist Nancy Dahlberg.