Parents & kids

Ten years after adopting catchy slogan, police warn to buckle up

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012, 11:21am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- When the primary seat belt law went into effect in June of 2002, approximately 82 percent of Washington drivers wore seat belts. Today we celebrate a seat belt use rate of 97.5, marking the seventh consecutive year of more than 95 percent of Washingtonians buckling up.

The medical costs of an unbuckled motorist average $11,000 more per collision than those who buckle up according to data from Harborview Injury Prevention Research Center. After the adoption of the Click it or Ticket project, with the primary seat belt law enforcement, the number of traffic deaths dropped from 658 in 2002 to 455 in 2011 (preliminary data WTSC).

"Ten years ago we hoped that we could make an impact on the number of traffic fatalities if we could increase seat belt use," said Dr. Beth Ebel, Director of the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center and University of Washington Associate Professor of Pediatrics. "Now we have one of the highest seat belt use rates in the nation. We have prevented thousands of serious injuries and deaths. Buckling up is the routine."

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Share scores award for Backpack Program

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012, 8:20am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Officials from Share announced their organization was selected to receive the 2012 Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Community Leadership Award for the Columbia River Region.

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Dozer Day set for this weekend in Vancouver

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Monday, May 14th, 2012, 10:17am

Dozer Day, which gives kids an opportunity to operate heavy construction equipment and enjoy many other excavation-related activities for less than the cost of going to the movies, is set for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 19-20.

Under the guidance of the Nutter Foundation, Dozer Day, has grown to over 20,000 attendees and raises over $100,000 for local children's charities.

Buy tickets online.

Location: CEMEX - Fishers Quarry (directly off SR-14 at the 192nd exit. Corner of Brady Rd. and 192nd Ave.)

Email: intern2@nutterfoundation.org

Phone: 360-759-2300

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Fort Vancouver National Trust to host fourth teen vocal competition auditions

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012, 9:35am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Registration is open for auditions for this year's Sing Fourth Teen Vocal Competition presented by Davidson Insurance and Liberty Northwest Insurance Company.

Auditions will be granted to the first 45 Clark County high school students who contact contest organizers at the Fort Vancouver National Trust at 360-992-1804 or events@fortvan.org. Auditions begin at 1:30 p.m. June 9. Contest information, including the registration form, is available on the Trust's website.

A panel of judges will select 10 finalists who will compete in the Sing Fourth Teen Vocal Competition presented by Davidson Insurance and Liberty Northwest Insurance Company, which takes place on the Vancouver Toyota main stage during Independence Day at Fort Vancouver presented by Bank of America, at the Fort Vancouver National Site. The Sing Fourth Teen Vocal The competition begins at noon on July 4.

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Volunteers still needed at Columbia Springs' invasive species invasion

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Thursday, April 26th, 2012, 9:43am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Join Columbia Springs for a community service day this Saturday.

Staff at the 100-acre environmental education center located at the historic Vancouver Trout Hatchery are recruiting volunteers to help defeat the assault of invasive plant species with a monthly Invasive Species Invasion from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28.

All volunteers are welcome, including kids younger than 14 with parental supervision and teens younger than 16 with parental permission. Snacks and tools will be provided. Participants are asked to bring sturdy shoes, appropriate outdoor work clothing, a water bottle, and their enthusiasm for helping the community.

The focus for this Invasive Species Invasion will be on manual removal of English Ivy to save native trees and restore the forest floor.

To sign-up or for more information, send an email or call Mariah Acton at 360-882-0936 ext. 230.

Columbia Springs is at 12208 SE Evergreen Highway, Vancouver, WA 98683.

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Union High School team headed to National Science Olympiad

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012, 9:59am

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Students from Evergreen Public Schools squared off April 14 against teams from across the state in the Washington Science Olympiad state tournament, held at Eastern Washington University. The team from Union High School (UHS) earned an invitation to the National Science Olympiad Tournament to be held next month in Orlando.

UHS placed second overall with a team comprised of 19 talented science students, including top five finishes in 13 of the 23 events and three gold medals. The 23 various Science Olympiad events are in the areas of physics, chemistry, earth space science, biology, and engineering, and fall into either building or studying events, both of which require many long hours of preparation spanning the entire school year in order to excel.

The team is captained by seniors Minerva Zhou and Catherine Nguyen, and coached by Union High School teachers Susie Ridgway and David Lemberg. The pair of coaches bring many years of combined experience and success in coaching students through the Science Olympiad program.

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America's oldest walking event hits Vancouver streets April 28

Submitted by KATU Communities Staff

Monday, April 2nd, 2012, 8:00am

America's oldest walking event hits Vancouver streets April 28

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Hundreds of families and business leaders will join together April 28 at Vancouver Landing in Vancouver in the March of Dimes' annual March for Babies -- the nation's oldest walk fund-raiser and the only one honoring all babies -- those born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.

James and Holly Hanset are walking in SW Washington for their son, Holdyn, who was born at 24 weeks gestation -- about four months too soon. He weighed only 1 pound, 8 ounces. James and Holly were told by multiple neonatologists they should consider not resuscitating as Holdyn was at such a high risk of defects and lifelong complications.

"We decided that Holdyn should at least be given a chance," James said. "We spent the next five months living in the NICU."

Though they still have struggles, James says they now have one of the sweetest toddlers anyone could ask for.

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