11-08-2024  6:31 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

In Portland, Political Outsider Keith Wilson Elected Mayor After Homelessness-focused Race

Wilson, a Portland native and CEO of a trucking company, ran on an ambitious pledge to end unsheltered homelessness within a year of taking office.

‘Black Friday’ Screening Honors Black Portlanders, Encourages Sense of Belonging

The second annual event will be held Nov. 8 at the Hollywood Theatre.

Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson Wins Governor’s Race in Washington

Ferguson came to national prominence by repeatedly suing the administration of former President Donald Trump, including bringing the lawsuit that blocked Trump’s initial travel ban on citizens of several majority Muslim nations. 

African American Alliance On Homeownership Turns 25, Honors The Skanner Cofounder Bernie Foster

AAAH's executive director Cheryl Roberts recalls how the efforts of Bernie Foster led to an organization that now offers one-on-one counseling for prospective home buyers, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention services, estate planning, assistance with down payments and more.

NEWS BRIEFS

Maxine Dexter Elected to Fill Earl Blumenauer's Seat

Blumenauer: “I can think of no person I would rather have take my place” ...

Dan Rayfield Elected Oregon’s Next Attorney General

Rayfield thanks AG Ellen Rosenblum and is honored "to follow her footsteps." ...

Elizabeth Steiner Statement on State Treasurer Victory

Treasurer-elect Steiner makes history as the first woman ever elected Oregon State Treasurer. ...

Merkley Statement on the Passing of Bob Sallinger

“Bob was a trusted voice, advising me on ways to safeguard the state’s natural wonders and wildlife and fighting against climate...

Troutdale Library Now Renovation Complete

Library provides refreshed experience for patrons with new, comfortable seating and carpeting ...

In Portland, Oregon, political outsider Keith Wilson elected mayor after homelessness-focused race

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Voters in Portland, Oregon, have elected political outsider Keith Wilson as their new mayor, following a campaign in which he capitalized on years of growing frustration over homeless encampments, open drug use and quality of life concerns to outperform three City Council...

Freshman Democrat Val Hoyle wins reelection to US House in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle has won reelection in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District. The freshman incumbent defeated Republican Monique DeSpain, an Air Force veteran who has never held elected office and pitched herself as an “outsider” candidate. ...

Missouri takes on Howard in non-conference play

Howard Bison (0-1) at Missouri Tigers (0-1) Columbia, Missouri; Friday, 8 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -18.5; over/under is 150.5 BOTTOM LINE: Missouri hosts Howard in non-conference action. Missouri went 6-11 at home last season...

Oklahoma visits Missouri for the first matchup of old Big 12 rivals in the Southeastern Conference

Oklahoma (5-4, 1-4 SEC) at Missouri (6-2, 2-2), Saturday, 7:45 p.m. EST (SEC Network) BetMGM College Football Odds: Missouri by 2 1/2. Series record: Oklahoma leads 67-24-5. What’s at stake? Oklahoma and Missouri, who first played each other...

OPINION

Why Not Voting Could Deprioritize Black Communities

President Biden’s Justice40 initiative ensures that 40% of federal investment benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, addressing deep-seated inequities. ...

The Skanner News 2024 Presidential Endorsement

It will come as no surprise that we strongly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. ...

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer: 2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is...

The Skanner Endorsements: Oregon State and Local Ballot Measures

Ballots are now being mailed out for this very important election. Election Day is November 5. Ballots must be received or mailed with a valid postmark by 8 p.m. Election Day. View The Skanner's ballot measure endorsements. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

AP VoteCast: How Donald Trump built a winning 2024 coalition

WASHINGTON (AP) — Big shifts within small groups and small shifts within big groups helped propel Donald Trump's return to the White House. The Republican candidate won by holding onto his traditional coalition — white voters, voters without a college degree and older voters —...

Judge strikes down Biden administration program shielding immigrant spouses from deportation

A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens. The program, lauded as one of the biggest presidential actions to help immigrant families in years, allowed...

In an Israeli settlement named after Trump, residents see opportunity after the election

RAMAT TRUMP, Golan Heights (AP) — Israeli residents of “Trump Heights” are welcoming the election of their namesake, hoping Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency will breathe new life into this tiny, remote settlement in the central Golan Heights. During his first term,...

ENTERTAINMENT

Book Review: A man searches for meaning in Mike Fu's unnerving debut novel, 'Masquerade'

Meadow is coming up on 10 years living in New York, and he’s still adrift. His boyfriend ghosted him, his current residence is actually a housesitting gig, and his bartending job isn’t exactly filling his parents with pride. But this summer, strange things keep happening that will make or break...

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will feature Ariana Madix, T-Pain, 'Gabby’s Dollhouse' and pasta

NEW YORK (AP) — A eclectic group of stars — including reality TV's Ariana Madix, Broadway belter Idina Menzel, hip-hop's T-Pain, members of the WNBA champions New York Liberty and country duo Dan + Shay — will feature in this year's Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Music...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Nov. 10-16

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Nov. 10-16: Nov. 10: Blues singer Bobby Rush is 90. Actor Albert Hall (“Ally McBeal,” ″Beloved”) is 87. Country singer Donna Fargo is 83. Lyricist Tim Rice is 80. Actor Jack Scalia is 74. Director Roland Emmerich (“The Patriot,”...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Why people with disabilities in Nairobi are looking beyond public transport to navigate busy city

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Caroline Mwikali lost her ability to walk at age 13 after an illness. She quickly learned...

The Berlin Wall: A divide that once shaped German women's lives still echoes today

BERLIN (AP) — Like many other young women living in communist East Germany, Solveig Leo thought nothing about...

Russia blasts Ukraine with more aerial attacks as part of an intensified campaign

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles, bombs and drones battered three regions of Ukraine in targeted nighttime...

Yemen's Houthi rebels shoot down what they say was a US drone as American military investigates

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen's Houthi rebels shot down what they described as an American drone...

Russia blasts Ukraine with more aerial attacks as part of an intensified campaign

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles, bombs and drones battered three regions of Ukraine in targeted nighttime...

Districts in Pakistan close parks, zoo and schools as residents choke on record-breaking smog wave

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Authorities in a broad swath of eastern Pakistan closed all public parks, zoos and...

MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Geno Auriemma marvels at what his colleagues accomplished this season.

In six short years, Oregon State coach Scott Rueck took a program that needed open tryouts to fill its roster six years ago to the women's Final Four.

First-time college head coach Mike Neighbors needed three seasons to lead Washington to an improbable tourney run.

Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman rewarded the school's 10-year wait its greatest season.

And on Sunday, those three first-time Final Four participants will join Auriemma's perennial powerhouse in Indianapolis on the sport's biggest stage.

Click through the slideshow below to see pictures of the teams during their recent wins. 

 

"I remember in 1991, when we went to the Final Four and we were the first team from north of the Mason-Dixon line to ever play in the Final Four, and it was like we had somehow landed on the moon," Auriemma said during a national conference call with reporters Wednesday. "Now 20-some years later, you have three teams in the Final Four for the first time — and not three teams that were knocking on the door and finally got there. These are three teams that by all measures, only the kids on those teams and only the coaches expected them to be there."

Inside the programs, there also were questions.

Rueck acknowledged later Wednesday that when he took over at Oregon State, he wasn't sure if the Beavers could even crack the top half of the Pac-12 in six years — much less play on the season's final weekend. And after one of his top players, Sydney Wiese, was injured early this season, he again wondered whether his team could achieve its ultimate goal.

The NCAA's selection committee didn't make things any easier by setting up a contest against powerhouse Baylor on its pseudo-home court, in Dallas.

"There was still — I can't lie and say — I mean, there was still a little bit of doubt, can we get all the way to this level?" Rueck said. "You know things need to go your way a bit."

But Oregon State overcame all of those obstacles and will now face the unbeaten and the three-time defending champion Huskies on Sunday.

The Beavers might not have even had the toughest road to Indy.

Washington, which had only reached one Sweet 16 in the previous 19 seasons, upset second-seeded Maryland on its home court, upset third-seeded Kentucky on its home court and then had to beat perennial Pac-12 power Stanford in Lexington, Kentucky, to earn a ticket to Indy.

The Huskies won them all with a rotation of seven to eight players and for a coach who once took a $58,000 pay cut to pursue his dream of coaching college basketball and will now face Syracuse, a team also getting acclimated to the Final Four environment.

"There are a lot of responsibilities that we're not used to having to go through," Neighbors said. "It kind of started here yesterday (Tuesday). We had a press conference here that was full of cameras and reporters. We haven't even had one of those here and we know that's going to magnify us. So it is a little bit beneficial that we're not facing an opponent that's been through that and will be going through it the first time as well."

Syracuse's climb might have been even steeper.

Auriemma, who played the Orange in the old Big East Conference, credited Hillsman with bringing the program from "nowhere" to the precipice of playing for a national championship.

How bad was the program? Auriemma said even the people in Syracuse didn't know it existed.

After spending a lot of time talking to men's coach Jim Boeheim about his vaunted zone defense, Hillsman instilled it into the women's program and nobody can quibble with the results.

Syracuse beat a school-record five ranked teams this season, reached its first Sweet 16, then upset top-seeded South Carolina in the regional semifinals and Tennessee to get a ticket to Indy.

"When we started this journey to get to this point, we've always talked about winning championships," said Hillsman, the second black male to coach in the women's Final Four. "We never shied away from that, and I start every media day here at Syracuse by saying I want to go 48-0 and I want to win a national championship."

Auriemma, whose team is the heavy favorite to win an unprecedented fourth straight, wants No. 11.

But even he is impressed with what's happened around him.

"I think this is a great message to everybody: Stop focusing on what Connecticut does and start paying attention to what a lot of these other schools are doing, and you will see that there's a lot of great stuff going on out there," he said. "It just sometimes doesn't get the attention that it deserves because it's easy to write about Connecticut."

 

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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