More than 500,000 people in Washington who want to open a checking account won't be accepted because they don't know how to manage their finances.
But a partnership between the nonprofit Consumer Counseling Northwest and area financial institutions could change that with a program called "Get Checking."
The program guarantees a bank account for individuals without checking accounts and is helping people enter the financial mainstream.

Martin Luther King County Council President Larry Gossett will speak at 6 p.m. at the Jan. 9 Community Coalition for Contracts and Jobs meeting at the Central Area Motivation Program, 722 18th Ave. in Central Seattle.
Gossett recently was elected by King County Council members as the legislative body's leader for 2007.
The coalition's agenda includes an update on the legislative effort to revise the state construction bid/procurement law RCW 39, Sound Transit's upcoming meetings and related Sound Transit issues, the city of Seattle initiative and the trucking consortium.

As part of the city of Lynwood's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, Juan Williams, senior correspondent for National Public Radio and Fox News political analyst, will speak on "The Changing Face of America: Working Together for the Future," at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 12, at the Lynwood Convention Center, 3711 196th St. S.W.

TriMet is hosting an open house to provide information on the Portland Mall bus relocation plan, which moves all buses off of Southwest Fifth and Sixth avenues for two years during light rail construction.
The open house will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Oregonians who have no prescription drug coverage are signing up for a state program open to nearly everyone.
The Oregon Prescription Drug Program is the state's bulk-purchasing pool for prescription medications and offers savings up to 60 percent for uninsured citizens.

The Seattle area will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend with several events. The civil rights leader's birthday is Monday, Jan. 15; he would have been 77 years old. Dr. King was killed in 1968, but he is remembered every year for the example he set in the struggle for equality. The following events are planned:
Friday, Jan. 12
• Seattle Community Colleges MLK celebration with keynote speaker King County Executive Ron Sims. Includes a musical tribute and reading by elementary school students. Noon to 1:30 p.m. Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1634 19th Ave.
• "Strange Fruit: A Nina Simone Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King," featuring jazz vocalist Mercedes Nicole. 7 to 9 p.m. Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave.

Stan Shields rehearses with a fellow actor Monday at Town Hall before performing in "365Days/365 Plays" with the Josh Beerman theatre group.  The theatre group is part of a project by 52 Seattle artists and theatre groups performing playwright Suzan-Lori Parks' world premiere of the "365 Days/365 Plays" year-long cycle. While the plays themselves are very short, from three lines to three pages, taken as a collection, they explore the wide range of political and cultural themes found in Parks' full-length work.

Amy Qiu and Hadley Wilhoite collaborate on a clay project in the Portland Children's Museum. Children can sculpt a unique creation, then fire and paint the sculpture. The museum is located at 4015 S.W. Canyon Rd. in Portland.

Bishop W.G. Hardy Jr, (center), delivers a message during the New Highland Christian Center rededication celebration recently.  From left to right, State Sen. Avel Gordly, Garfield DeBardelaben,  Joy Leary and Multnomah County Chair Diane Linn.

Ben Ruffin, a top adviser to former Gov. Jim Hunt and a past chairman of the UNC Board of Governors, died of an apparent heart attack.
Ruffin, of Winston-Salem, was reared in Durham and worked his way through N.C. Central University by sewing in a tailor shop. He was a special assistant to Hunt on minority affairs and was the first African-American to lead the UNC Board of Governors, which oversees the 16-campus university system.
He was known as a powerful orator, a snappy dresser and a leader with a quiet, dignified style. He spoke at two of our Martin Luther King Breakfasts.