A Women for Obama gathering welcomed U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, last week at the home of Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler and his wife Katrina Wheeler. Pelosi was in town to galvanize support for the presidential candidate.
Photo by Julie Keefe

In Mexico, Nov. 1 – Dia de los Muertos – is a daylong celebration and remembrance of loved ones who have passed away. Special displays are built with candles and sweets and photos of the departed ones.
In North and Northeast Portland several special events are planned around the Day of the Dead, but there's a family that helps the entire community cope – and also commemorate – every man, woman and child who departs this world, every day of the year....

Short of a legal miracle, Carolynn Smith may be permanently legally separated from her two youngest grandchildren on Oct. 30. Smith has been fighting the Department of Human Services Child Services for over four years for custody....

Juniors and seniors in Portland High Schools, subjected to a barrage of advertising and sales pitches regarding their future, are allowed at least one filter – they are allowed to tell their school not to give their contact information to military recruiters. One military recruiter says it is has little difference in the military's ability to attract students. Staff Sgt. Darwin Trotter of the Portland Army Recruiting Battalion says it forces his recruiters to make more face-to-face contact with potential recruits....

Unveiling its first round of significant evening program changes, KBOO Community Radio, 90.7 fm, has cut its soul music programming, but added a nightly hip hop talk show and a Friday night slot for guest artists....

Recently deceased artistic genius Charles Tatum and very-much-alive jazz genius Thara Memory will both be honored at the Charles Tatum Memorial Jam at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m....

Beleaguered U.S. automakers are seeking federal help beyond the money available for them as part of a financial industry bailout and a loan package to fund more fuel-efficient cars, the White House said Tuesday....General Motors Corp is pursuing $5 billion to $10 billion....

Tyrone Willingham was fired Monday as Washington's coach after failing to restore the Huskies to national prominence. Two days after Washington fell to 0-7, athletic director Scott Woodward said Willingham will step down at the end of the season.

Rebels advanced toward Congo's eastern provincial capital of 600,000 people Tuesday, sending tens of thousands of terrified civilians into a makeshift shelter as Congolese troops and U.N. tanks retreated. The sudden influx tripled the size of the camp in Kibati in a matter of hours...

Pat Wright and the Total Experience Gospel Choir, who on Sunday celebrated their 35th Anniversary, joined several other performers at the Fourth Annual Gospel Extravaganza at St Mark's Episcopal Cathedral....