Seattle University Women’s Basketball players Cydnee Ceballos and Jasmine Johnson help pass out backpacks at the 11th Annual Rainier Back 2 School Bash, Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Plaza at Rainier and Henderson.  Hundreds of families showed up for an afternoon of free activities that included a free backpack and school supplies. The event was sponsored by nine organizations including The Rainier Beach Community Empowerment Coalition, an alliance of local businesses, organizations and community members. Susan Fried photo

“The Incredibles” at Bellevue Outdoor Family Games and Movie Night

The public is invited to celebrate superheroes at a free screening of “The Incredibles” at the Once a Hero, Always a Hero-Outdoor Family Movie Night at Highland Community Park, 14224 Bel-Red Road, Friday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m.
The event, sponsored by Bellevue YMCA and Highland Community Center, will provide opportunities to meet Bellevue fire and police heroes, and participate in pre-movie activities, including sack races, game shows, mini golf, arts and crafts, face painting and other activities for superheroes of all ages and abilities.

Bring blankets and chairs, enjoy the activities and then settle in around 8:30 p.m. to watch the movie on a 16-foot screen. Admission is free, and free popcorn will be provided by Regal Bella Bottega.                    

RSVP at the YMCA Welcome Center by calling contact Bellevue YMCA  at 425-746-9900 or Highland Community Center at 425-452-7686.

Fall ‘Back to School’ Kid Activity Grants

Seattle’s Neighborhood Matching Fund available to support back-to-school activities

Program awards up to $1000 for neighborhood-initiated projects

Is your school or neighborhood planning an activity to celebrate the fall “back-to-school” season? If so, your group may qualify for support from Seattle Department of Neighborhoods  Neighborhood Matching Fund program. Its Small Sparks Fund provides matching dollars of up to $1000 for neighborhood-initiated projects that promote community engagement.

Activities could include a back-to-school barbeque, autumn festival, or recruitment for parent organizations, but the ideas are endless. The application is online at seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/webapplication.htm, and the deadline to apply is at least six weeks before your activity. To learn more about the Small Sparks Fund call 206-733-9916 or visit our website at seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/smallsparks.htm.

Final Life Jacket Sale at Evans Pool Saturday, Aug. 16

Seattle Parks and Recreation will sell low-cost life jackets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16 at Evans Pool, 7201 E. Green Lake Dr. N.  This is the last sale of the season.

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death among children ages 1 – 14 years old. Wearing life jackets saves lives. Washington State law requires children ages 12 and younger to wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket or life vest on vessels shorter than 19 feet, and there must be a life jacket on board for each person older than 12.

The cost for life jackets, sizes infant to youth large, is $20. Teens to adult size XXXL is $30.  The life jackets are comfortable, high quality vests in fashionable colors. All sales are final. Seattle Parks cannot offer refunds or returns.

Customers younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Fitters will be on-site to help people choose the correct size. The person for whom the jacket is being purchased must be present for proper fitting.

Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase a stylish, Coast Guard approved jacket!  For more information, please email Diane Jones, diane.jones@seattle.gov.

Seattle: Sign Up Your Child for Kindergarten Today

It’s time for children who turn five before Aug. 31, 2014 to sign up for kindergarten for the next school year.
To sign your child up for Kindergarten, it is important to bring:

Your child’s birth certificate

Proof of your address (rental agreement, purchase agreement, or utility bill)

Your child’s immunization records

Two emergency contacts, including addresses and phone numbers

Several districts have collaborated to produce checklists for families to use to get an idea of what skills and activities are typical in our Kindergarten classrooms. These checklists are available in the following languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Cambodian, Arabic, Marshallese, Somali, Oromo, Tigrigna and Amharic.

Parents and families should contact their local school district for kindergarten registration information.

Auburn School District – Phone: 253-931-4900

Federal Way Public Schools – Phone: 253-945-2001

Highline Public Schools – Phone: 206-631-3153 and 206-427-2905

Kent School District – Phone: 253.373.7235

Renton School District – Phone: 425-204-2300

Seattle Public Schools – Phone: 206.252-0760

Tukwila School District – Phone: 206-901-8000

PHOTO: Singer Kevin “KJ” Jones and Planet Fly were one of six bands that played Sunday, Aug. 10, at Jefferson Park on Beacon Hill as part of the 34th Annual Peace Concerts Series.  Some of the other bands included The 350’s, Contempo, NRG and Funky2Death.  The concert series continues through Sunday, Sept. 21, with concerts at Volunteer Park on Aug. 24; Magnuson Park on Sept. 7 and Gas Works Park on Sept. 21.  All concerts are on Sunday noon until 6 p.m. and admission is free and open to all ages. Susan Fried photo

Option For Washington Consumers Having Difficulty with Health Coverage

Any consumer experiencing payment issues with their health care coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder has the option to pay their health insurer directly.

Issues with Washington Healthplanfinder have prevented payments from being correctly applied to customer accounts or distributed to insurance companies. It may also continue to result in customer notices from Washington Healthplanfinder requesting payment or insurance companies being unaware of completed payments.

Consumers who are currently experiencing payment problems may take the following steps:

n   First, contact the Washington Healthplanfinder Customer Support Center at 1-855-923-4633 to ensure they are aware of your issues.

n  Clearly communicate any medical emergencies or urgent prescription needs to the Customer Support Representative.

n   If you have called in previously, please provide your issue “ticket number” to the representative.

n  Next, you may submit your monthly premium directly to your health insurer. 

n  If you enrolled in a Qualified Health Plan after April 1, 2014, you’ll need to submit supporting documentation to prove you’re eligible for a special enrollment period. Both enrollment information and monthly payments for these customers will not be sent to the insurance company until this information is received and reviewed by Exchange staff.

If you’re having trouble using your coverage, contact the Insurance Commissioner’s Office at 1-800-562-6900.

Seattle African American HistoryMakers Included in Groundbreaking Archives Move to the Library of Congress

The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African American video oral history archive (www.thehistorymakers.com), is proud to announce that effective immediately the Library of Congress will serve as its permanent repository.

This unique collection of thousands of hours of interviews captures African American life, history and culture as well as the struggles and achievements of the black experience.

The HistoryMakers’ collection comprises 2,600 videotaped interviews with African Americans in 39 states, 380 cities and town.

The interviews, which average three to six hours in length, span across subject areas ranging from science, politics and the military to sports, music and entertainment.

It also boasts a long list of notables, including President Barack Obama, who was interviewed when he was an Illinois state senator, General Colin Powell, child advocate Marion Wright Edelman, baseball legend Ernie Banks, entertainer/activist Harry Belafonte, poet/writer Maya Angelou, historian Lerone Bennett, Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke, movie producer Reuben Cannon, historian John Hope Franklin, and many more.

For more information on The HistoryMakers and its video oral history collection, visit www.thehistorymakers.com.

Find more events in Portland and Seattle on The Skanner News' Community Calendar