January 4, 2017 The Skanner Page 5
News
Events & Announcements
Community
Calendar 2016
cont’d from pg 4
admission. Free admission for students. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Town Hall, Great Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave, at Seneca St.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7
FRIENDS OF FREELAND LIBRARY USED BOOK SALE: Large selec-
tion of great books for all ages at bargain prices. All proceeds
benefit the Friends of the Freeland Library. 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the
Library, 5495 Harbor St., Freeland.
Seattle Briefs
DFI Warns of Debt Collection Scam
Organizers will co-host the first planning meeting
to celebrate the upcoming 25th Anniversary Celebra-
tion for The African American Business Directory
and Lottie Cross, Publisher.
Publishing is not an easy category in this hyperac-
tive media world. And, according to many, Seattle is
not the most recognized city for Black businesses.
What combinations and successes have brought
Lottie Cross and her many supporters to this amaz-
ing milestone? Is this a lesson for all communities,
for all entrepreneurs?
The open meeting and discussion will be held from
– from 10:30 to 2:00 PM on Saturday, January 21,
2017 at the Seattle Public Library – Douglass-Truth
Branch, located at 2300 E. Yesler Way.
Key issues for the meeting:
• 2019 Dates
• Venue
• Archives / Stories
• 25th Anniversary Edition (Print & Digital)
• Financial Planning
• Marketing Planning
• Hospitality
• Crew
• Strategic Partners
• Sponsors
Light refreshments will be
d ay ! • L i ke u s o
served.
n F
• to
y
If you would like in-
formation about the
current issue of the
directory or specif-
ic publishing details,
don’t hesitate to contact
TheSkannerNews
Lottie Cross at aabd@
outlook.com or (206) 324-
3114.
ac
ebo
o k • learn • co
m
The Washington State Department of Financial In-
stitutions (DFI) has received a complaint of what ap-
pears to be a debt collection scam.
The consumer reported receiving threatening calls
from a company claiming to be “GM & Associates.”
GM & Associates threatened to garnish the consum-
er’s wages if the consumer did not pay on an alleged
debt with Riverside Financial. The consumer request-
Publisher to Host Planning Meeting,
Celebration for African American
Business Directory
it
The Washington County Developmental Disabili-
ties program has opened registration for Powerful
Tools for Caregivers, a six-week educational series
for people caring for a child with an intellectual or
developmental disability.
The classes take place on Wednesdays, Jan. 25
through March 1, from 10–11:30 a.m., at the Washing-
ton Street Conference Center, located at 225 S First
Avenue in Hillsboro.
This educational series is designed to help unpaid
family caregivers take care of themselves while car-
ing for a child with an intellectual or developmental
disability. Participants will learn how to reduce per-
sonal stress, communicate their needs effectively in
challenging situations, deal with difficult emotions,
and make tough caregiving decisions.
The class is appropriate and beneficial for parents,
siblings and other unpaid caregivers who are caring
for a child living in their family home.
There is a suggested donation of $30 to help defray
the cost of the book, but payment is not required to
attend the class.
Class size is limited, and registration is required by
calling (503) 846-3132.
30TH ANNUAL MLK CELEBRATION: Please join us for the annual
King County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. Now in its
30th year, the MLK celebration recognizes the impact that Dr.
King had on our community and our nation. The 2017 celebra-
tion will be held at noon at the 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth
Ave.
LADIES NIGHT OUT AT COUNTRY VILLAGE: Grab your best friend
and come out for an evening of relaxed shopping. Be sure to
pick-up your PASSPORT and earn stamps with every $10 or more
purchase. Then enter your stamped PASSPORT to win special
gift baskets. 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Country Village Shops, 23718 Both-
ell Everett Highway, Bothell.
in y o u r c o m m u n
Educational Series Targeted
Toward Caregivers of Children
with Intellectual or Developmental
Disabilities
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12
•
nts
community connections and ways in which partici-
pants will be connected to access to capital and finan-
cial literacy.
The SBA will award the prizes to organizations
through the online competition platform, www.chal-
lenge.gov. The competition is open to all for-profit
and non-profit entities and organizations, and they
must have an account in the System for Award Man-
agement (SAM).
The submission period opens December 29, 2016
and will end on Feb. 12, 2017. The SBA anticipates that
winners will be announced no later than March 14,
2017.
ed proof of the debt but GM & Associates refused to
provide any. The consumer reported never obtaining
a loan with Riverside Financial.
DFI warns consumers to never give any nonpublic
person information, such as social security number,
credit card, or bank account information to any in-
dividual, website, or company without first verify-
ing their identity and license status. Consumers can
determine whether a financial services company
or individual is properly licensed to conduct busi-
ness in the State of Washington by using the “Verify
a License” feature on the DFI’s website at www.dfi.
wa.gov. Consumers can also check license status with
the Department of Licensing at www.dol.wa.gov.
GM & Associates is not licensed by DFI. They are
also not licensed as collection agency by the Washing-
ton State Department of Licensing.
If you received a loan from a lender or owed money
to a business and someone other than the lender or
business is now attempting to collect from you, the
collection activity may be subject to the federal Fair
Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). If you receive
a communication from a party claiming that a debt is
owed, you should request a “written validation no-
tice,” which must include the amount of the debt, the
name of the creditor you owe, and your rights under
the FDCPA. If you have questions regarding debt col-
lection laws, contact the Federal Trade Commission at
1-877-FTC-HELP, or online at www.ftc.gov.
If someone threatens to garnish your wages, contact
your employer, or uses threatening, intimidating, or
offensive language, report such actions to state and
federal regulators. See below for how to contact the
appropriate state and federal regulator.
Washington State residents only: If you suspect
illegal or fraudulent activity involving a financial
product or service, please contact the Department
at 1-877-RING-DFI (746-4334), or online at www.dfi.
wa.gov.
If you feel you have been the victim of a scam please
contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-
HELP (382-4357) or online at www.ftc.gov; or contact
the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (855) 411-
CFPB (2372) or online at www.consumerfinance.gov.
You may also wish to contact the Office of the Attor-
ney general at www.atg.wa.gov.
If you feel you have been the victim of a scam involv-
ing the internet please contact the Internet Crime
Complaint Center online at www.ic3.gov.
If you live in another state, go to this webpage to
find the regulator in your home state. http://mort-
gage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org/consumer/Pag-
es/AgencyContacts.aspx.
If you feel you have been the victim of a financial
scam and are concerned about your personal finan-
cial information, contact your banking institution
and the three major credit bureaus. Procedures for
contacting the credit bureaus are available on the
FTC’s website at www.ftc.gov.
EMPLOYMENT WORKSHOP: RESUME BUILDING: This soup-to-nuts
presentation will help you understand what employers are
looking for and how to provide it. Come learn how to build your
successful resume. 1:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m., Ballard Library, 5614
22nd Ave. NW.
eve
Briefs cont’d from pg 4
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11
lo c a l n e w s •
Aji Piper 16, waits to be introduced at the #Earth2Trump Roadshow of Resistance, Monday January 2nd at Washington Hall. The
roadshow is stopping in 16 cities on it’s way to protest the presidential inauguration Jan. 20. Aji Piper, a young environmental activist
is a plaintiff along with several other young people in a law suit against the Trump (originally the Obama) administration for failing to
adequately protect them and future generations from the harmful effects of climate change.
nt •
#Earth2Trump Roadshow of Resistance
ARTVENTURE: TOY TRANSFORMATION! WITH MICHELLE HAGE-
WOOD: How do toys reflect who we are? Bring a toy or dig
through a collection of oddities to build a new doll, vehicle or
something else fun. Free. 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Henry Art Gallery,
4100 15th Ave. NE.
30 AMERICANS FREE COMMUNITY FESTIVAL: Come celebrate 30
Americans with art-making, music and performances! Free. 10
a.m. – 4 p.m., Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma.
me
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
SUNDAY, JANUARY 8
