Keep children from kindergarten to high school safe this school year by making sure all immunizations are up to date.
"Immunizations are a very safe and effective way to keep children performing at their best and to prevent dangerous diseases, some of which cannot be cured," said Dorothy Teeter, interim director and health officer for Public Health-Seattle & King County.
Besides increasing the risk of getting a disease, a child who is not fully immunized may be excluded from attending school or day care during an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, possibly lasting weeks. An infected child can also spread an illness to others, like those whose immune systems are suppressed, pregnant women or infants.
"In recent years, we've had outbreaks involving schools that could have been prevented with vaccines," said Betsy Hubbard, Public Health's immunization supervisor. "In one measles outbreak, half of the cases involved school age children who were not appropriately immunized. These outbreaks are dangerous and disrupt the lives of local families."

Che'lon McLennan, 9, picks a book Aug. 12 at the fifth annual Educational Resource Street Fair, sponsored by the Peoples Institutional Baptist Church and many other community groups. The fair, which was held between East Yesler Way and East Spruce Street, distributed school supplies to more than 500 students.

The man accused of shooting six women, one fatally, at Seattle's Jewish Federation offices has indicated he wants to plead guilty, his attorney said last week, but a judge continued his arraignment a week to help the attorney determine whether he is competent to make such a plea.
Naveed Afzal Haq is charged with aggravated first-degree murder in the death of Pamela Waechter, 58, director of the Jewish charity's annual fund-raising campaign, and with five counts of attempted first-degree murder in the attack at the federation's downtown offices on July 28.

Akari Jack, 17 months, plays with a hula hoop at the Garfield Campus Field Day on Aug. 11. The…

The Puget Sound Blood Center is sponsoring a joint blood drive and bone-marrow registry on Friday,…

African Americans are twice as likely as Caucasians to suffer a first-time stroke, and the American…

The Washington Transportation Plan Update 2007-2026 is ready for public comment

A Public Open House is coming to Vancouver. Come plan Washington's transportation future!

DETROIT--U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled Thursday that the U.S. government's warrantless domestic eavesdropping program is not only illegal, but unconstitutional, and ordered an immediate halt to it.

WASHINGTON--On a street once known as Murder Row, a teen center founded to steer youths away from drugs and crime has become an outpost in another crusade -- a nationwide push by anti-abortion activists to expand their foothold in heavily Black and Hispanic inner cities.

Pat Hurst watched expressionless as Jeong Jang prepared to putt on the 18th hole Sunday.

Hurst had already wrapped up her round at the Safeway Classic, a 4-under 68 that gave her the lead.

Jang was a shot back, but her birdie putt was less than 18 feet away. If she sank it, a playoff would be necessary.

"I kept thinking I didn't want to miss on the low side," Jang said. "But I did."

Jang finished with a 70 for a 9-under 207 at Columbia Edgewater Golf Club in Portland, and was the runner-up at the tournament for the third time -- one shot back of Hurst.

"I just keep trying and keep trying," she said.

Kim Saiki shot a 67 on the 6,377-yard, par-72 course to finish tied with Jang. Saiki was also second in Portland to Chris Johnson in 1997.

Juli Inkster had a 70 to finish two strokes back at 208.

"I had a pretty hot start. I birdied three of the first four holes, I think, and I just kept it steady after that," Hurst said.

Actually, she birdied four of the first five holes to finish with seven and wasn't hurt by three bogeys after starting the day in a group one stroke behind the leaders.