http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100627/NEWS01/706279920
Everett Public Library's summer reading program encourages teens and other kids to read by giving prizes such as swim passes, tacos and even a bike.
There's also a chance to meet with Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson.
Summer Reading Program 2010 will run through Aug. 28.
The library hopes teens and kids keep up their reading during summer vacation and planned the program as a fun and easy way to keep kids' noses in the books.
At the end of the summer, the library plans to reward the young readers with prizes according to how many books they finish: a pass to the Forest Park Swim Center for the first 12 books they read, a taco from Taco Time for the second set of 12 books, a coupon for a free kid's meal from Denny's Restaurant for the third set and a book for the fourth set.
“This is an intensive reading program; if the children finish the program early by Aug. 7, they get an invitation to a party at the library and they can meet the mayor,” said Emily Dagg, youth services and outreach manager at the Everett Public Library.
All kids and teens are eligible.
“Our goal is to encourage children to keep up their reading skills during the summer vacation, so when they return back to schools they haven't lost their reading skills,” Dagg said.
Everett Library also offers reading programs that focus on a specific age group. Among them is Read with Me, which encourages parents to read aloud to their kids and infants; prizes for that program include a ticket to Imagine Children's Museum.
Reading program sponsors include Target, which gave $2,000 for prizes; Denny's; Taco Time; and the Swim Center.
Last year, the library had 2,400 kids and teens participate in the summer program. Children have to come to the main library or the Evergreen Branch Library and fill out the registration card.
For more information: go to www.epls.org. For information on programs offered by Sno-Isle Libraries, follow the links at www.sno-isle.org.
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The plus side of minus tide. By Ahmed Fawzi Herald Writer
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100625/NEWS01/706259906
EVERETT — You can skimboard, walk your dog, dig for sand shrimp or eat lunch in the sun on Snohomish County beaches.
And you can do it all for free.
Cascadia Community College student Riley Davis, 20, said, “The sand here is different than the sand in many other places. You can walk, and do a lot of activities, you can enjoy the tide from 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m.”
And this is the time to do it.
Some of the lowest tides for the year are occurring and the occurrence is drawing crowds to Snohomish County beaches.
People like Davis and Marty Ferguson, 24, who attends the University of Washington, come every day during the low tide to enjoy the morning sun.
“I come here as much as I can when I’m not working,” Davis said. “I just enjoy the skimboarding in the tide.”
“It’s not only nice during the daytime, but also it’s nice at night,” Ferguson added. “The lights from the port make it pretty.”
The beach tempted some people to leave the city and come for a walk. Robert Reese, 34, brought his 5-year-old nephew Noah to Howarth Park to help him walk his four dogs.
“I drive 10 miles to come here, but it’s worth it,” Reese said.
Bill Reasons also likes to come to Howarth Park with his dog Sookie, who likes to run.
“This is a nice place and nice time to do this,” Reasons said. “I do this two times a week if there is a good low tide. It’s a quiet place and people who come here are friendly.”
The low tides also brought Carl Oxwang, 66, of Snohomish, to the beach.
“I like it when it’s low tide,” he said. “I dig for a sand shrimp when I need it.”
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
EVERETT — You can skimboard, walk your dog, dig for sand shrimp or eat lunch in the sun on Snohomish County beaches.
And you can do it all for free.
Cascadia Community College student Riley Davis, 20, said, “The sand here is different than the sand in many other places. You can walk, and do a lot of activities, you can enjoy the tide from 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m.”
And this is the time to do it.
Some of the lowest tides for the year are occurring and the occurrence is drawing crowds to Snohomish County beaches.
People like Davis and Marty Ferguson, 24, who attends the University of Washington, come every day during the low tide to enjoy the morning sun.
“I come here as much as I can when I’m not working,” Davis said. “I just enjoy the skimboarding in the tide.”
“It’s not only nice during the daytime, but also it’s nice at night,” Ferguson added. “The lights from the port make it pretty.”
The beach tempted some people to leave the city and come for a walk. Robert Reese, 34, brought his 5-year-old nephew Noah to Howarth Park to help him walk his four dogs.
“I drive 10 miles to come here, but it’s worth it,” Reese said.
Bill Reasons also likes to come to Howarth Park with his dog Sookie, who likes to run.
“This is a nice place and nice time to do this,” Reasons said. “I do this two times a week if there is a good low tide. It’s a quiet place and people who come here are friendly.”
The low tides also brought Carl Oxwang, 66, of Snohomish, to the beach.
“I like it when it’s low tide,” he said. “I dig for a sand shrimp when I need it.”
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
Blind Iraqi boy ready for the joys and challenges his future holds. By Andy Rathbun and Ahmed Fawzi Herald Writers
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100623/NEWS01/706239808
SNOHOMISH — The young Iraqi child doesn't remember color or light.
He was blinded before he arrived in America, the victim of a horrific attack when he was 2.
Now 7, Muhammed “Hamoody” Jauda might change his name to something more American. He uses his legal guardians' last name — Smith — but is far from settled on a first. He kind of likes Simon.
“We're waiting, because we want to make sure he makes a good decision, what he really wants,” Julie Robinett Smith said. “He was telling me last year it was Dylan.”
In many ways, Hamoody has become a typical American boy since arriving in Snohomish in 2006. He just finished first grade at Riverview Elementary, loves shooting Nerf guns, goes to church at Bethany Christian Assembly in Everett and keeps a baseball glove draped from his bedpost.
But he also makes calls home to Iraq, keeping in touch with his Shiite family. He hopes one day to go to Kuwait to visit them, but he said he has no intention of going back to Iraq itself.
“I don't want to remember all the bad times,” he said.
“There wasn't a lot of bad times,” Julie Robinett Smith said. “Just one.”
The attack happened in 2005. Sunni insurgents shot his mother, killed his uncle and turned a gun on Hamoody at close range.
His right eye was a complete loss. He now keeps the empty socket covered with a flesh-toned bandage. He lost vision in his left eye. It was replaced with a brown life-like prosthetic.
He came to the Smiths through Healing the Children, a Spokane-based international aid group that provides medical treatment to children from poor countries. His stay lengthened from one year to three as doctors rebuilt his face.
By the time he turned 6, the Smiths were as attached to him as he was to them.
Randy and Julie Robinett Smith won approval from his Iraqi family to become his legal guardians. All agreed he would have a better chance of survival here. In 2008, the U.S. government granted him asylum.
He now calls the Smiths Mom and Dad and wants to become a U.S. citizen after he turns 18.
“I just thought it would be a little bit cooler,” he said.
Hamoody also has adapted to life as a blind child.
He runs upstairs to his room and can walk straight down aisles at Fred Meyer, barely using his cane as he makes a beeline to the toy section.
Mary Ann Graham helped him develop those abilities through her role as a Snohomish School District teacher for visually impaired children.
Now about to retire, she has taught him how to navigate the world.
She calls him “exceptional.”
She showed him how to buy groceries and read Braille. He's at 60 words per minute, reading above a third grade level. She also helped him develop a sense of echolocation. He uses sound like a bat, identifying large objects — people, cars, pillars.
Graham said she's not sure what would have happened if Hamoody had stayed in Iraq.
“He would not have had the opportunity for the schooling, and to develop the skills” that he has, she said.
Graham and the Smiths agree the boy still faces challenges. He is scheduled for more surgery in July, to keep damaged nasal passages open.
Someday, he also will have to convince people that he can cope in a sighted world.
Robinett Smith said Hamoody is up to the task, happy and fierce in his approach to life.
And he's ready to take risks. It's OK if he gets hurt, Hamoody said.
“I just tough it out.”
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455; arathbun@heraldnet.com.
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
SNOHOMISH — The young Iraqi child doesn't remember color or light.
He was blinded before he arrived in America, the victim of a horrific attack when he was 2.
Now 7, Muhammed “Hamoody” Jauda might change his name to something more American. He uses his legal guardians' last name — Smith — but is far from settled on a first. He kind of likes Simon.
“We're waiting, because we want to make sure he makes a good decision, what he really wants,” Julie Robinett Smith said. “He was telling me last year it was Dylan.”
In many ways, Hamoody has become a typical American boy since arriving in Snohomish in 2006. He just finished first grade at Riverview Elementary, loves shooting Nerf guns, goes to church at Bethany Christian Assembly in Everett and keeps a baseball glove draped from his bedpost.
But he also makes calls home to Iraq, keeping in touch with his Shiite family. He hopes one day to go to Kuwait to visit them, but he said he has no intention of going back to Iraq itself.
“I don't want to remember all the bad times,” he said.
“There wasn't a lot of bad times,” Julie Robinett Smith said. “Just one.”
The attack happened in 2005. Sunni insurgents shot his mother, killed his uncle and turned a gun on Hamoody at close range.
His right eye was a complete loss. He now keeps the empty socket covered with a flesh-toned bandage. He lost vision in his left eye. It was replaced with a brown life-like prosthetic.
He came to the Smiths through Healing the Children, a Spokane-based international aid group that provides medical treatment to children from poor countries. His stay lengthened from one year to three as doctors rebuilt his face.
By the time he turned 6, the Smiths were as attached to him as he was to them.
Randy and Julie Robinett Smith won approval from his Iraqi family to become his legal guardians. All agreed he would have a better chance of survival here. In 2008, the U.S. government granted him asylum.
He now calls the Smiths Mom and Dad and wants to become a U.S. citizen after he turns 18.
“I just thought it would be a little bit cooler,” he said.
Hamoody also has adapted to life as a blind child.
He runs upstairs to his room and can walk straight down aisles at Fred Meyer, barely using his cane as he makes a beeline to the toy section.
Mary Ann Graham helped him develop those abilities through her role as a Snohomish School District teacher for visually impaired children.
Now about to retire, she has taught him how to navigate the world.
She calls him “exceptional.”
She showed him how to buy groceries and read Braille. He's at 60 words per minute, reading above a third grade level. She also helped him develop a sense of echolocation. He uses sound like a bat, identifying large objects — people, cars, pillars.
Graham said she's not sure what would have happened if Hamoody had stayed in Iraq.
“He would not have had the opportunity for the schooling, and to develop the skills” that he has, she said.
Graham and the Smiths agree the boy still faces challenges. He is scheduled for more surgery in July, to keep damaged nasal passages open.
Someday, he also will have to convince people that he can cope in a sighted world.
Robinett Smith said Hamoody is up to the task, happy and fierce in his approach to life.
And he's ready to take risks. It's OK if he gets hurt, Hamoody said.
“I just tough it out.”
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455; arathbun@heraldnet.com.
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
Everett police dog Porter reports for duty. Newest recruit to Everett’s finest ready to sniff out crime. By Ahmed Fawzi, Herald Writer
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100623/NEWS01/706239856
EVERETT – A new officer is joining Everett police. Porter is a German shepherd who will patrol city streets on his four paws, sniffing out crimes and tracking criminals.
Porter, with his handler officer Tim Collings, will join the city’s four other police dog teams.
Last week Porter and another five police dog teams from other cities completed their training at the Everett Police Department South Precinct. Their graduation means they are now certificated to start their work in Everett, Renton and Seattle.
The officers and their dogs received 540 hours of training over the past 15 months.
“Porter got a range of five to 20 hours of training per week depending on the type of training,covering basic obedience, tracking, building searches, evidence searches, suspect apprehension,” Collings said.
Everett police Officer Suzanne Eviston, who led the recent training program, worked in training dogs for about 25 years, since she was a young girl in Canada.
Seattle police sent three dogs and their partners, and assistant trainer Officer J. Moyer, through the recent program.
Everett is also one of the few agencies that provides police dog training.
“Dogs are really important for the police officers while they help them make their duty easier,” Moyer said. “The record they get depends on the area and how busy it is, but the dogs are always very successful tracking human scents.”
Seattle police dogs found a couple of hundred suspects so far this year who never would have been caught if it was not for the dogs, he said.
Every dog has a different personality and technique.
Because of that, “every dog should be with his one officer who is trained specifically for this dog, because every dog is unique,” Collings said.
Dogs begin training when they are 18 to 24 months old, Eviston said. They live and work with their human partners until they are 9 or 10 years old.
“The dogs start to work with us directly after graduation, but the training is always going with the dogs, They always need to learn more,” Eviston said.
The dogs’ graduation is not the end of their training. They train all the time.
“The dog, like any employee, like a judge, like a lawyer, like any human,” Moyer said, “the more experience they get, the better they get.”
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
EVERETT – A new officer is joining Everett police. Porter is a German shepherd who will patrol city streets on his four paws, sniffing out crimes and tracking criminals.
Porter, with his handler officer Tim Collings, will join the city’s four other police dog teams.
Last week Porter and another five police dog teams from other cities completed their training at the Everett Police Department South Precinct. Their graduation means they are now certificated to start their work in Everett, Renton and Seattle.
The officers and their dogs received 540 hours of training over the past 15 months.
“Porter got a range of five to 20 hours of training per week depending on the type of training,covering basic obedience, tracking, building searches, evidence searches, suspect apprehension,” Collings said.
Everett police Officer Suzanne Eviston, who led the recent training program, worked in training dogs for about 25 years, since she was a young girl in Canada.
Seattle police sent three dogs and their partners, and assistant trainer Officer J. Moyer, through the recent program.
Everett is also one of the few agencies that provides police dog training.
“Dogs are really important for the police officers while they help them make their duty easier,” Moyer said. “The record they get depends on the area and how busy it is, but the dogs are always very successful tracking human scents.”
Seattle police dogs found a couple of hundred suspects so far this year who never would have been caught if it was not for the dogs, he said.
Every dog has a different personality and technique.
Because of that, “every dog should be with his one officer who is trained specifically for this dog, because every dog is unique,” Collings said.
Dogs begin training when they are 18 to 24 months old, Eviston said. They live and work with their human partners until they are 9 or 10 years old.
“The dogs start to work with us directly after graduation, but the training is always going with the dogs, They always need to learn more,” Eviston said.
The dogs’ graduation is not the end of their training. They train all the time.
“The dog, like any employee, like a judge, like a lawyer, like any human,” Moyer said, “the more experience they get, the better they get.”
Ahmed Fawzi: 425-339-3449, afawzi@heraldnet.com.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Parking problems plague students and faculty alike
Ahmed Ahmed
Clipper Writer.
Students and staff are once again complaining about the lack of parking spots and while Campus Security has some new solutions, the Everett Police Department, by adding new two-hour limits on some parking spots, is causing problems.Nafeesa Imtiaz is one of many students who says they have had a hard time circling the college parking lot, searching for a parking spot. The college should find a solution for this problem, she says.The problem has been exacerbated by new two-hour parking signs on some streets around the college. Sergeant Jim Phillips, from the Everett Police department, said the zoning had changed to allow residents more access to park in front of their own homes.Stacie Sabourin, assistant manager of Lona Vista, the complex on the other side of Whitehorse Hall, says parking problems not only annoy students but EvCC's neighbors.Sabourin says she has a hard time preventing students from parking their cars in the complex's parking spots on a daily basis.Bob Wright, director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management, said parking alternatives are available. Wright said his department has noticed that there are not enough carpool spots, so "we are going to expand the carpool parking spots to be about 36 spots instead of 10 spots."Wright added that students can contact Monica Morgan of the Ride Sharing Person, to find someone from the same neighborhood who has a similar schedule to carpool with.a"Also, we provide bike lockers for those who are requesting them," says Wright, who adds that students can also take advantage of free parking at the Everett Transit center and catch buses that will drop them off right in front off Whitehorse Hall.Darryl Dieter, the director of Institutional Research, and political science instructor said that everyone should share in reducing carbon emissions and look for alternatives to driving.Dieter suggested that the college should raise the price of the parking, which is currently about 45 cents per day, to encourage people to consider alternatives.Parking rates are scheduled to rise in June according to Wright, though by how much is still unknown.
http://www.clipperonline.info/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=5d5f35a2-68e9-4ce0-8535-0da8d23bef9b#4
Clipper Writer.
Students and staff are once again complaining about the lack of parking spots and while Campus Security has some new solutions, the Everett Police Department, by adding new two-hour limits on some parking spots, is causing problems.Nafeesa Imtiaz is one of many students who says they have had a hard time circling the college parking lot, searching for a parking spot. The college should find a solution for this problem, she says.The problem has been exacerbated by new two-hour parking signs on some streets around the college. Sergeant Jim Phillips, from the Everett Police department, said the zoning had changed to allow residents more access to park in front of their own homes.Stacie Sabourin, assistant manager of Lona Vista, the complex on the other side of Whitehorse Hall, says parking problems not only annoy students but EvCC's neighbors.Sabourin says she has a hard time preventing students from parking their cars in the complex's parking spots on a daily basis.Bob Wright, director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management, said parking alternatives are available. Wright said his department has noticed that there are not enough carpool spots, so "we are going to expand the carpool parking spots to be about 36 spots instead of 10 spots."Wright added that students can contact Monica Morgan of the Ride Sharing Person, to find someone from the same neighborhood who has a similar schedule to carpool with.a"Also, we provide bike lockers for those who are requesting them," says Wright, who adds that students can also take advantage of free parking at the Everett Transit center and catch buses that will drop them off right in front off Whitehorse Hall.Darryl Dieter, the director of Institutional Research, and political science instructor said that everyone should share in reducing carbon emissions and look for alternatives to driving.Dieter suggested that the college should raise the price of the parking, which is currently about 45 cents per day, to encourage people to consider alternatives.Parking rates are scheduled to rise in June according to Wright, though by how much is still unknown.
http://www.clipperonline.info/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&ustory_id=5d5f35a2-68e9-4ce0-8535-0da8d23bef9b#4
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Preparedness classes planned for Island County
Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The programs are designed to provide disaster preparedness education to people on Camano and Whidbey islands.
“Map Your Neighborhood” helps build and strengthen disaster readiness among neighbors, emergency management officials said in a press release.
Neighborhoods that are prepared for emergencies and disaster situations help to save lives, reduce the severity of injuries and trauma and reduce property damage, they said.
In addition, working together as a team and contributing as an individual develops stronger communities and improves the quality of life in the community.
“Map Your Neighborhood” involves nine steps to take immediately following a disaster. These include how to develop an inventory of neighbors’ skills and equipment that can be tapped in an emergency, how to map your neighborhood and identify areas of concern such as gas meters, propane tanks and water shutoffs, and how to provide extra help for people who may need it, such as the elderly.
The emergency management department also provides “Third Thursday Training,” for people interested in learning about emergency planning, response and recovery efforts.
Discussion topics in coming months are: Introduction to Incident Command System, June 17; Introduction to National Incident Management System, July 15; Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, Aug. 19.
Classes start at 9 a.m. and will finish around 4 p.m., with a half hour for lunch. The classes are scheduled for room B130 of the Island County Emergency Operations Center, which is located in the county annex at 1 NE 6th St, Coupeville.
Reservations are required; e-mail dem@co.island.wa.us.
Disaster Preparedness classes are set for the second Wednesday of every month, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Island County Commissioners’ Hearing Room, at Sixth and Main, Coupeville.
Tsunamis are the topic for July 14. Other topics include earthquakes, floods, winter storms, power outages, readiness, planning and communications.
The course is free for anyone who has the desire and enthusiasm to become better prepared.
More info
For more information or reservations, go to http://tinyurl.com/ Island-County or e-mail dem@co.island.wa.us.
The programs are designed to provide disaster preparedness education to people on Camano and Whidbey islands.
Neighborhoods that are prepared for emergencies and disaster situations help to save lives, reduce the severity of injuries and trauma and reduce property damage, they said.
In addition, working together as a team and contributing as an individual develops stronger communities and improves the quality of life in the community.
“Map Your Neighborhood” involves nine steps to take immediately following a disaster. These include how to develop an inventory of neighbors’ skills and equipment that can be tapped in an emergency, how to map your neighborhood and identify areas of concern such as gas meters, propane tanks and water shutoffs, and how to provide extra help for people who may need it, such as the elderly.
Discussion topics in coming months are: Introduction to Incident Command System, June 17; Introduction to National Incident Management System, July 15; Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, Aug. 19.
Classes start at 9 a.m. and will finish around 4 p.m., with a half hour for lunch. The classes are scheduled for room B130 of the Island County Emergency Operations Center, which is located in the county annex at 1 NE 6th St, Coupeville.
Reservations are required; e-mail dem@co.island.wa.us.
Tsunamis are the topic for July 14. Other topics include earthquakes, floods, winter storms, power outages, readiness, planning and communications.
The course is free for anyone who has the desire and enthusiasm to become better prepared.
More info
For more information or reservations, go to http://tinyurl.com/ Island-County or e-mail dem@co.island.wa.us.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Boat owners urged to complete registrations
The state Department of Licensing recently mailed postcard reminders to all vessel owners. The postcards replacing the familiar paper notices do not list the WN number or the hull identification number. This necessary information for registering a vessel is located on the boat, current registration and vessel title. Ways to renew include visiting the auditor’s office at 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett; going to the Department of Licensing website at www.dol.wa.gov and clicking on “vehicle & boat registration”; or by signing up for the online renewal notice at the same website, printing the notice and mailing it with payment to the County Auditor’s Office.
For more info, contact the Department of Licensing at 360-902-3770. You may also contact the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office Licensing Division at 425-388-3371.
New public crowed powered media
New public crowed powered media is a web site gathering information from people from everywhere all over the world and collect news from unconventional sources twitter boost et videos , flicker photos or any similar source, the reporter or the person who share in this side do everything the reporter should do, choose his story, organize it on the website, and publish it, he can do a video, or create a slideshow. the website has it's editors who edit and organize the whole website. the website is a great information collective.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Video Editorial.
If we looked at this video editorial http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/01/24/opinion/1247466680941/op-ed-advanced-pressure.html
Which is nice to watch while it is an editorial video that include story with an opinion.
It is effective editorial story that it has been done by presenting everyone saying his opinion about AP classis; always the presentation is better than reading because it makes the audience more connected with the story as it give the story more accuracy.
Actually in this video I didn’t find any thing ineffective.
Hair everywhere , a fashion slideshow.
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/04/07/style/04082010BIGHAIR_11.html
In this slideshow we will find it 11 slides about the big hair as it is titled. The slideshow shows that the big hair became familiar and everywhere.
The slideshow is not very clear and doesn’t need caption, and it can be in any newspaper under fashion.
Imagine! I'm on Twitter now!!!!
At last I joined Twitterand I followed my twitterfrom this blog, which is similar to Facebook, but it more practical than Facebook. I felt that there is another community is joining Twitter, it's different and better than facebook for who want to educate and improve his journalism skills, it has a lot of info and keeping you up to date all the time.
from now I'll try to find the time to write or at least publish what I write on it
from now I'll try to find the time to write or at least publish what I write on it
A nice blog in seattlepi
I have chosesn a blog to write about it, which is World soccer ( http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldsoccer/ ) the blog is interested in writing about soccer around the world and analysing games champions , plans and polices soccer games,and champions; the most strong piont in this blog that it is focusing on the analysing more than writing about soccer which makes it different.
the blog is one of the seattlepi.com's blogs which is a way to make it under the eyes of a lot of readers.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Today's the deadline to mail your census form
Everett, Herald __Today is the deadline for anyone who has yet to turn in their 2010 Census form, and then people with clipboards will start knocking on doors and helping people fill out the forms.The U.S. Census Bureau reminds all households that don’t want to hear knocks on their doors to mail back their forms today. After that, the in-person follow-up phase will begin May 1.
Census Bureau plans to deploy more than 600,000 census takers door to door to count households that failed to mail their forms back.
Those households that have not received a Census form or have misplaced have until April 19th to visit 2010.census.gov/2010census/index.php to find out where to pick up a form, or have questions answered.
Households may also fill out a form over the phone by calling the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center hotline for assistance seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Phone assistance is available in several languages.
For English, call 1-866-872-6868; Spanish: 1-866-928-2010; Mandarin and Cantonese: 1-866-935-2010; Korean: 1-866-955-2010; Russian: 1-866-965-2010; Vietnamese: 1-866-945-2010; TDD (hearing impaired): 1-866-783-2010.
The U.S. Census Bureau also announced that 68 percent of households have mailed back their census form nationally; 69 percent in Washington, 69 percent in Snohomish County; and 64 percent in Everett. The county with the highest return rate is Jefferson County, with 76 percent.
The U.S. Census Bureau saves about $85 million in operational costs for every percentage point increase in the nation’s mail-participation rate.
It costs the government just the price of a postage stamp when a household mails back the form. It costs the Census Bureau $57 to follow up in person with a non-responsive household.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Census and Arabs in the area I live in
Census going well in county
Some non-English speakers experienced some confusion, but overall return rates for forms are high.
Herald__ Everett.
Some Iraqi immigrant
s living in north Everett weren’t sure what the official-looking envelope was all about when it arrived in the mail a few weeks ago.
So they tossed it in the trash. Had they known more about the U.S. census, they said they wouldn’t have done that.
Now, they’re hoping for some help from Arabic speakers in order to fill out the questionnaire that goes out to U.S. households every decade.
“I received the form but I thought it one of the junk mail and advertisements,” said Ali Al-Abdallah, 41, in Arabic. “I get them everyday, so I threw it away.”
Despite the confusion among some recipients, Snohomish County was on pace to meet or beat its 2000 census participation rate of 73 percent, regional Census Bureau figures show. The county’s mail-in participation rate was 64 percent, the same as the national rate. Island County was at 68 percent. Everett was lagging behind other metropolitan areas in the state.
The Census Bureau’s goal is to beat the 72 percent national return rate from 2000.
Census information is important in deciding where to spend more than $400 billion each year for public hospitals and schools, job-training centers, bridges and other federally funded projects. It’s also used to determine each state’s number of representatives in Congress.
According to the U.S. Constitution, all residents are to be counted. For every person counted, $1,400 of federal tax funds are sent into the local community each year. That’s $14 million for the decade, for just 100 people.
Many immigrants do not know that they are to be counted. This hurts them — and their local communities.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re a citizen or not, we don’t even ask that question,” said Deni Luna, a media specialist for the census.
Nationwide, there are census workers who speak 100 different languages, Luna said. If someone locally cannot interpret, national resources are available. Information on the census Web site, www.2010census.gov, is offered in 59 languages.
“We are getting increasingly diverse,” Luna said. “The interesting thing about the Northwest area is that we have fairly even numbers. We don’t have any predominant racial minority.”
There are other reasons besides language or culture that people don’t fill out the forms.
They include people who are in trouble with law enforcement, haven’t paid taxes or have other reasons for not wanting the government to know where they are.
“What we want to assure them is that the census is absolutely safe, that the information is kept private, even from the president or any other government agency,” Luna said.
The information stays confidential for 72 years. After that, it’s available for research.
Abdallah Al-Badry, 35, another Iraqi living in Everett said he had no fears about filling out the form, but wasn’t quite sure how to do it.
“I don’t know how to write it,” Al-Badry said in Arabic. “We need a census worker who speaks Arabic to explain everything about that form and why we should fill it out.”
Census workers may soon be knocking on his door to help him answer the questions.
The Census Bureau will be will receive forms until April 22.
After that, workers are ready to head out to visit address where residents haven’t returned forms. They could stay on the job until July, depending on how much work they have to do. The government is still hiring for temporary census positions.
s living in north Everett weren’t sure what the official-looking envelope was all about when it arrived in the mail a few weeks ago.So they tossed it in the trash. Had they known more about the U.S. census, they said they wouldn’t have done that.
Now, they’re hoping for some help from Arabic speakers in order to fill out the questionnaire that goes out to U.S. households every decade.
“I received the form but I thought it one of the junk mail and advertisements,” said Ali Al-Abdallah, 41, in Arabic. “I get them everyday, so I threw it away.”
Despite the confusion among some recipients, Snohomish County was on pace to meet or beat its 2000 census participation rate of 73 percent, regional Census Bureau figures show. The county’s mail-in participation rate was 64 percent, the same as the national rate. Island County was at 68 percent. Everett was lagging behind other metropolitan areas in the state.
The Census Bureau’s goal is to beat the 72 percent national return rate from 2000.
Census information is important in deciding where to spend more than $400 billion each year for public hospitals and schools, job-training centers, bridges and other federally funded projects. It’s also used to determine each state’s number of representatives in Congress.
According to the U.S. Constitution, all residents are to be counted. For every person counted, $1,400 of federal tax funds are sent into the local community each year. That’s $14 million for the decade, for just 100 people.
Many immigrants do not know that they are to be counted. This hurts them — and their local communities.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re a citizen or not, we don’t even ask that question,” said Deni Luna, a media specialist for the census.
Nationwide, there are census workers who speak 100 different languages, Luna said. If someone locally cannot interpret, national resources are available. Information on the census Web site, www.2010census.gov, is offered in 59 languages.
“We are getting increasingly diverse,” Luna said. “The interesting thing about the Northwest area is that we have fairly even numbers. We don’t have any predominant racial minority.”
There are other reasons besides language or culture that people don’t fill out the forms.
They include people who are in trouble with law enforcement, haven’t paid taxes or have other reasons for not wanting the government to know where they are.
“What we want to assure them is that the census is absolutely safe, that the information is kept private, even from the president or any other government agency,” Luna said.
The information stays confidential for 72 years. After that, it’s available for research.
Abdallah Al-Badry, 35, another Iraqi living in Everett said he had no fears about filling out the form, but wasn’t quite sure how to do it.
“I don’t know how to write it,” Al-Badry said in Arabic. “We need a census worker who speaks Arabic to explain everything about that form and why we should fill it out.”
Census workers may soon be knocking on his door to help him answer the questions.
The Census Bureau will be will receive forms until April 22.
After that, workers are ready to head out to visit address where residents haven’t returned forms. They could stay on the job until July, depending on how much work they have to do. The government is still hiring for temporary census positions.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Egyptian in The USA.
After I spend more than 8 months here in the USA, I think I have the right to tell everyone about my experience with the American cultures.
I have the right to tell what I see, what I learned and what I teach, what I took and what I gave.
I have the right to tell what I see, what I learned and what I teach, what I took and what I gave.
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