WWW . thEsKANNEr . COM
J ANuArY 4, 2012
s EAttLE , W AshiNgtON
V OLuME XXXiV, N O . 1
25
CENts
i nSide
Family Events
page 2
Queen Latifah
page 3
Jobs Available
C hallenging P eoPle to S haPe a B etter F uture n ow
page 3
Plunge!
state
redistrict
ing Fight
New minority-majority
district passes in King
County
PHOTO BY SuSan Fried
A
Friends Ellen Diaz, Dennice Jordan and Mary Margaret Kopcho emerge from Lake Washington on New Years Day
after immersing themselves during the 10th Annual Polar Bear Plunge at Matthew’s Bear. Each participant received
the 2012 Official Patch of Courage for braving the frigid waters.
Children’s health Program Wins
Supporters hope state lawmakers won’t make cutbacks in services
A
pple Health for Kids,
Washington’s
health
coverage program for
children, has won $16.9 million
from the federal government –
money earned for the state’s
efforts to connect more children
to health care.
The program’s elated support-
ers say that getting and keeping
kids insured means healthier
families, and helps our state
allocate scarce health dollars
wisely.
Washington’s children are
more likely to have health cov-
erage than children in 39 other
states because of Apple Health
for Kids’ affordability and
streamlined enrollment prac-
tices.
The U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
awarded the money, a perform-
ance bonus, to Washington and
22 other states with health cov-
erage programs that are doing
outstanding work to enroll eligi-
ble children.
This is the third year in a row
that Apple Health for Kids has
earned this federal recognition.
indeX
News ........................2,4
Calendar ....................2
A&E .............................3
Bids/Classifieds............3
“This is something to cele-
brate,” said Jon Gould, deputy
director of the Children’s
Alliance. “In a few short years,
advocates for kids and lawmak-
ers have built Apple Health for
Kids into a national model for
children’s health coverage.
“This honor is richly deserved
– and it’s another reason for leg-
islators to protect Apple Health
for Kids when they return to
Olympia in January.”
The state Legislature created
Apple Health for Kids in 2007
for families with no other
options for affordable coverage.
It quickly became vital to ensur-
ing family stability during the
recession.
Between 2006 and 2010, near-
ly 165,000 children lost health
coverage via their families’
employers. During that time,
Apple Health for Kids enrolled
208,000 more children. The pro-
gram now covers more than 4
out of every 10 children in the
state (733,000 children).
Gould noted that affordable
children’s health coverage com-
See KidS on page 2
s of Jan. 1, Washington State has
gained its first majority-minority
congressional district and Latino
majority legislative district.
Activists are cheering a new voting map
that could result in new voting – and law-
making – power for communities of color.
United for Fair Representation, a coalition
established to educate and encourage com-
munities of color to be involved in the redis-
tricting process, turned out 600 Unity Map
supporters to almost all 18 redistricting
forums around the state.
“Thanks to the commission for taking into
account the changing demographics of the
state, and for offering people of color in
Washington the opportunity for meaningful
participation in the democratic process,”
said Celestino Gallegos, board member at
Latino Community Fund.
The new 9th congressional district is just
over one half minorities, at 50.3 percent,
including Southeast Seattle, Bellevue, North
Tacoma and South King County.
The final redistricting plan also establish-
es four majority-minority legislative dis-
tricts: the 15th in Yakima county and 11th,
33rd and 37th in south King county.
Supporters say Washington’s gain of a
new 10th congressional district can be
attributed to the growth of minorities, now
one fourth of the statewide population.
The
Washington
Redistricting
Commission heard a tidal wave of testimo-
ny from communities of color throughout
the state about the need for the new district
lines to reflect the growth of communities of
color over the last decade.
The 15th legislative district will serve an
unprecedented 54.6 percent Latino majority
population.
“Let the record show that in 2011 we
stood up – Black, Brown, Asian Pacific
Islander, Native Americans, more – and said
in one unified voice that we will be repre-
sented, our voices will be heard, we will
never again be taken for granted and we
See COngreSS on page 2
to survive, Declining Churches unite
Tacoma Churches Unite to Survive
By Steve Maynard
The News Tribune
TaCOMa, Wash. (AP) – Something was
different this Christmas for members of two
declining Tacoma congregations that share
the same faith and fate.
They knew unless a dramatic change took
place, their two churches would run out of
money and die. More than 180 combined
years of history and tradition would be lost.
Instead of giving up, the people of Sixth
Avenue and St. Paul’s United Methodist
churches let go of their buildings and
merged into a larger, growing congregation.
This holiday season, there’s a new sense
of joy and hope, members say. At services
Saturday for Christmas Eve and Sunday for
Christmas Day, the two groups from oppo-
site sides of Tacoma will celebrate their first
Christmas together as a merged congrega-
tion.
Margaret McGrath, 84, a member of Sixth
Avenue Methodist for 50 years, said she is
happier, hopeful and more relaxed.
``We’re not worrying about if the bills are
going to get paid,’’ she said. ``I think we’re
alive and well.’’
See uniTY on page 4