Commissioner Erik Sten thinks part of the city's unexpected $19 million surplus for this year should go to family-friendly projects aimed at affordable housing and improving city schools. As Portland's City Council nears a vote Nov. 29 on what to do with the surplus, Sten wants to set aside $2.5 million. Among his ideas: $1 million in grants for parent and community groups that spruce up their neighborhood schools or organize outreach activities. Also on his wish list: $600,000 in temporary rental assistance for low-income families with schoolchildren, and $500,000 in a revolving second-mortgage fund for homeowners with families. The Portland Schools Foundation's executive director, Cynthia Guyer, says Sten's ideas are worthy because they would help Portland families stay in the city.

Some founders of a student Gay-Straight Alliance are disappointed that the 3-year-old group recently changed its name to the Human Dignity Club. Students at The Dalles Wahtonka High School dropped the word "gay" from the club name at the start of the school year to be more inclusive, says the club's student president, Hans Bergner. Local community members, many of whom originally opposed the alliance's formation, like the change, Bergner says. But some alliance founders, such as 19-year-old Paul Wagenblast, a 2005 graduate of The Dalles Wahtonka High, say the group has always been inclusive. They think the name change makes the perhaps-unintended statement that "human dignity" is acceptable in The Dalles, but "gay" dignity is not.

From Murmurs' Irony Desk: Former WW intern Josh Silverman, whom readers might remember as the "thief" nobody stopped when he "stole" his own bike seven times in broad daylight ("Steal This Bike," WW, Aug. 23, 2006), actually had his own bike stolen recently. Somebody ripped off Silverman's $300 Giant mountain bike from outside his Southwest Portland home on Halloween. An added irony: Soon after the theft, he discovered that a website on which he'd registered his bike as an added safety measure was actually a scam set up to collect personal information for marketers.

While Portlanders slog through this week's deluge, three of our soccer-playing fellow citizens enjoyed a more salubrious posting: at the Beach Soccer World Cup on the sands of Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Unaware of this excellent event? Well, us too; frankly, we're royally pissed we didn't apply for press credentials. Three of our own Portland Timbers—forwards Yuri Morales and Ronnie Silva, along with goalie Bayard Elfvin—took to the sand for Team U.S.A. in this fully sanctioned annual 16-nation tournament. The Yanks beat Poland 4-2, with Bayard reportedly turning in a sizzling performance for 6,000 bikini-and-Speedo-clad fans. Unfortunately, losses to Japan and Brazil brought the trio's soul-trying brush with international competition to an end. Videos and photo galleries (yes!) can be found at fifa.com.

Caption contest: Let your inner caption-writer go wild with this rich photo of Lars Larson and an elk. Send your captions to hstern@wweek.com and watch this space next week to see who wins gift certificates to the Equator Coffee Cafe for the best entry.