Providence Center on Aging offers "The Secrets of Living to be 100," a four-part course on living longer, healthier lives. The course will be offered at the St. Vincent Medical Center and at Portland Medical Center.
At the Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, the course will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, July 13, 20, 27, and Aug. 3.

Irma Thomas, the "Soul Queen of New Orleans," will sing "The Star Spangled Banner" during the fireworks show following the final performance of the Waterfront Blues Festival on July 4.
Thomas will bring her southern warmth and gospel-tinged voice to the festival at 8:45 p.m. and will close with the festival's grand finale, the national anthem, at 10 p.m. as the fireworks display begins.

In honor of Black Music Month, Gulf Coast artists such as B.B. King, Irvin Mayfield and Patti Austin, visited the White House to cast a spotlight on some of the better-known classics.
New Orleans trumpeter Mayfield performed "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and Austin performed a selection of her own and Ella Fitzgerald's numbers.
President George W. Bush issued a proclamation declaring June "Black History Month" and recognizing African American artists throughout history who have enhanced and shaped the national conscience.

New federal Medicaid requirements will require 450,000 Medicaid recipients in Oregon to show proof of citizenship when they enroll in the Oregon Health Plan.
But Gov. Ted Kulongoski said the state will make certain that no one who is eligible for Medicaid in Oregon will suffer harm.
"Despite the fact that these new rules will impose a significant burden on the state, we will make certain that the health, safety and well-being of our neediest citizens will not be jeopardized," Kulongoski said.

The proposal calls for siting one 620-bed facility in the North Willamette Valley region, one 360-bed facility south of Linn County on the west side of the Cascades, and at least two non-hospital-level 16-bed secure residential treatment settings east of the Cascades.

Billionaire financier Warren Buffett's recent giveaway of $37.1 billion — mostly to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as two other foundations — fits right in with the City Club's topic of the July 7 Friday Forum: "The Business of Philanthropy: New Trends in Stewardship."
Three of Oregon's largest foundations — the Oregon Community Foundation, the Collins Foundation and Meyer Memorial Trust — must wrestle with new developments in giving and receiving every day, and their directors, Greg Chaillé, Jerry Hudson and Doug Stamm, will discuss those developments.

Kids and parents alike will have something to smile about when the Portland Beavers and Portland General Electric join forces next month to present Score One for Safety at PGE Park, corner of Southwest 18th Avenue and Morrison St.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 29, with the first pitch of the Beavers game vs. the New Orleans Zephyrs set for 7:05 p.m.
This educational and interactive event brings together local nonprofit organizations and government agencies to teach children and their parents the importance of being safe.

The American Red Cross, the Portland Beavers, Jammin' 95.5 FM and Shari's Restaurants are collaborating to present the Celebrate Freedom Blood Drive from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 1, at the Portland Donor Center, 3131 N. Vancouver Ave.
During summer, the blood supply often is just days ahead of patient need. The Red Cross is trying to collect as much blood as possible before the Independence Day holiday to help ensure a stable supply.

An Army lieutenant who has said he'd rather go to prison than Iraq did not deploy with his unit when it left last week for the Middle East, Army officials said.
1st Lt. Ehren Watada, 28, of Honolulu, who joined the Army in March 2003, has said he would be willing to serve in Afghanistan or elsewhere, but has concluded that the war in Iraq is illegal and immoral.

An aspiring basketball star talks hoops with a Portland Police Bureau officer at the All-American B-Ball Clinic at Irving Park. To learn more about the clinic and other summer activities at the park.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIRST STEP SPORTS ACADEMY