BERKELEY, Calif.--The Black Panther Party officially existed for just 16 years, but its reach has endured far longer.
Co-founder Bobby Seale never expected to be around to see that reach 40 years later.
"A lot of times I thought I would be dead," he said.
Seale and other former members commemorated the party's founding at a reunion in Oakland over the weekend. They held workshops on topics ranging from Hurricane Katrina to ethnic studies in higher education, as well as presentations on party history.
"Grass roots, community, programmatic organizing for the purpose of evolving political, electoral, community empowerment," Seale said. "This was my kind of revolution. This was what I was after."
The Panthers were born Oct. 22, 1966, the night Seale and Huey Newton completed the party's 10-point program and platform. At the time, Newton was a law student and Seale was working for the Oakland Department of Human Resources as a community liaison.
When they were finished, they flipped a silver dollar to see who would be chair. Seale called heads. Heads it was.

If you are at least 18 years old, a United States citizen and an Oregon resident, you have an opportunity to make changes the old-fashioned way: You can vote in the Nov. 7 general election.
It's not too late to register for the election; the deadline is Oct. 17, and a registration form can be downloaded from the Web site www.sos.state.or.us/elections/votreg/vreg.htm
Ballots will be mailed in Multnomah County on Oct. 20; they must be returned to the county elections office no later than 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. Postmarks do not count.
This year, voters will select a governor and choose among candidates for state and local offices. They also will have eight statewide ballot measures to decide on, with issues ranging from parental permission for abortion to tax deductions.
This week, The Skanner gives a brief overview of four of the eight statewide issues; the other four issues will be discussed in The Skanner's edition on Oct. 11.

Sydney Kelly learns to strip wire at the Oregon Tradeswomen booth at GirlFest, held Sept. 30 at the Portland Expo Center.

A longtime fixture in the social and professional fabric of inner North and Northeast Portland has reached a milestone this year. The Rotary Club of Albina, the most racially diverse club in Portland, is celebrating its 25th year of service to its community. The club's motto — and that of every Rotary Club in 169 nations around the world — is "service above self." This belief has guided the club as a benevolent force in the neighborhood; every year, Albina Rotarians are involved in everything from cleaning up school grounds at Tubman middle school to ensuring children are immunized to awarding college scholarships.

A business association designed to support business owners with a disability is opening in Portland.
The Differently-Abled Business Association will support entrepreneurs with disabilities who are starting or expanding their businesses. The association's office is at 2240 N. Interstate Ave., Suite 140, on the Max line.
The association was created through a partnership of the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette and East County One Stop, a community alliance of 40 agencies supporting a "one-stop" workforce development system in East Multnomah County.

The University of Washington has begun revoking admission for students whose academic performance takes a dive during their senior year of high school.
University officials reviewed applicants' final high-school transcripts over the summer and rescinded 23 offers of admission.
A form letter sent to such students states: "(We) regret that we had to take this action and hope you will find an educational alternative that meets your needs."
When classes began last week, another 180 freshmen had received disapproving letters for the "significant downturn" in their academic performance.
It's the first time the school has revoked students' admissions based on their senior year performance. "In the past, frankly, we didn't have the resources to go over (final transcripts) with a fine-tooth comb. Unless it was absolutely in your face, we weren't going to withdraw admission," said Philip Ballinger, the UW's director of admissions.
The change stems from the university's new system of not relying solely on grades to make its admission decisions.

Nadine Shanti, right, with GLY Construction, helps with the makeover of Bailey Gatzert Elementary School, held Sept. 30 by the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington. Hundreds of volunteers from area businesses and organizations helped with the project.

WASHINGTON—Highlighting candidates' race-tinged comments seems to be the campaign gotcha of this political season, even if the words were uttered decades ago.
Republican Sen. George Allen of Virginia has been fending off charges of racism for almost two months and now he's on the spot for allegedly making offensive comments about Blacks and other groups in the 1970s. His Democrat opponent, Jim Webb, has had to answer for writing dialogue in a novel that includes a common racial slur.

Last month, a caravan of Hurricane Katrina survivors and relief volunteers returned safely to Seattle after a two-week road trip to the Gulf Coast for the one-year anniversary of the hurricane.
Organized by the Social Change Caravan to New Orleans, the caravan provided displaced Katrina survivors, at no cost, an opportunity to reunite with family and friends or to move home. For most of the survivors on the caravan, it was an emotionally difficult journey, and the start of a healing process.

Seantaila Spears, left, and her son, Dante Haynes, 3, make candle holders Oct. 2 during Family Night at the Columbia City Library. Children from birth to age 11 and their families can come to the library on the first Monday of the month and listen to stories, make music and create art.