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BEAVERTON — About 20 people gathered at Beaverton City Park Aug. 7 to call for fast action on gun safety legislation in light of recent mass shootings. Members of Holy Trinity Parish's Social Justice Committee came to show their support.

Among them was Eileen Brennan. "Catholic social teaching is clear about the importance of human life and of settling conflicts peacefully," Brennan said. "Improved gun control is a clear path to reduction of death by gun violence in the U.S."

For seven years now, the organization has served as an incubator of new models for learning, with the goal of discovering the teaching methods best suited to foster innovation and problem solving in students. Here, artistic expression and collaborative thinking go hand in hand. According to the Construct Foundation's president and founder, Gina Condon, the arts are a vital component to teach "design thinking," a problem-solving mindset that prepares students to approach problems creatively.

Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici is inviting students from area middle or high schools to participate in the Congressional App Challenge.

The competition gives students a chance to show off their computer science and coding skills, developing an app for mobile, tablet or computer devices.

It encourages students who are part of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) programs to participate and create their own app.

Washington County resident Isidro Andrade Tafolla and the Oregon branch of the American Civil Liberties Union have filed a federal claim against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, seeking $100,000 for his humiliation, emotional distress and psychological harm after he was questioned by ICE agents in September 2017.?

The case raises troubling questions about how people of color are treated in our community. And about how "safe" a "safe haven" our courthouses are.

A federal loan of $640 million will enable residents of the Tualatin Valley Water District and several Washington County cities to get their water from the Willamette River.

The announcement this week by the Environmental Protect Agency will allow the Willamette Water Supply Project to proceed with a $1.2 billion project that will deliver water by 2026.

The loans of $388 million to the water district and $251 million to the City of Hillsboro will be repaid by their water customers. Beaverton has also purchased a share, but it's not liable for the loan.

The Environmental Protection Agency has approved two new loans, totaling $640 million, for a major water-supply infrastructure program in western Oregon.

The loan approvals, announced on Aug. 19, are part of EPA's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, or WIFIA, program and will help finance the $1.3-billion, multi-year Willamette Water Supply System program.