Twenty-four St. Anne eighth-graders discovered recently that the local history they have studied is permanently memorialized in gravesites at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery atop Queen Anne Hill. Pam Sturgeon, St. Anne eighth-grade teacher, arranged with Isabel Egglin, Queen Anne Historical Society school and community liaison, to give the class a tour of the historical cemetery at Seventh Ave. W. and W. Raye St. in order to put some reality into their studies.
Capt. Steve Brown, who heads up Seattle Police Department's West Precinct, praised the concept of community policing at the Magnolia Community Club meeting on Nov. 8. As noted in earlier stories in the News, the plan calls for reducing the number of beats citywide from 64 to 51. In Magnolia, that means the existing two beats will be reduced to one on Jan. 8, Brown said.That worried one community member at the meeting. "We don't see a lot of police cars driving around here," the local resident said. Brown countered by saying police resources are assigned to Magnolia, a comment echoed by Terrie Johnston, who heads up crime-prevention efforts in the West Precinct. "Your Magnolia police officers feel very territorial about Magnolia," she said.
Alaina Bever plays Ancestor Laozi in the Magnolia Theatre production of Disney's 'Mulan,' opening with a 4 p.m. performance Thursday, Nov. 15, at United Church of Christ, 3555 W. McGraw St. There will be two more performances Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., with an entire new cast repeating the pattern Dec. 6-8. Call 356-1745 for details.
One of the things many people comment upon as they enter Magnolia is the beauty of the homes, the front yards and the neighborhood in general. We are indeed blessed to live in a beautiful setting where most people are accommodated in above-average homes. But if you wander slightly afield, or look carefully, where most people don't look - in urban ravines, under bridges, in alleys and in doorways - you will find an entirely different situation.
I sometimes think that every woman I know is on a diet, and if they're not on one, they're about to start one or they're just coming off one. You can tell, because they're cranky. And hungry. I've found some odd fad diets that made me cranky just reading about them. Here's a fun one called the Lemonade Diet.
As the sun sets on the money-grubbing melee we call our election process, we, the voters, have done our best, and hopefully sent our best representatives to right what many feel is the foundering ship of state.Almost every county recorded higher than 50-percent turnout for an off-year election, and some counties were as high as 66 percent - an impressive number for any election, attesting perhaps to more than a few controversial issues that faced the voters.
Too soon - too soon. I could not believe the garish wreaths festooning the Bon's parking-lot-to-store bridge. And then to hear Christmas music as I entered the emporium? Oh, no, no, no... To be clear, I know it is now Macy's, a New York City emporium, famous and infamous, but this local version does not evoke any positive or exciting aspect of the Big Apple for me. I miss the sense of the local.
It's been awhile since I've taken on the day-to-day life here and in Washington, D.C. For the past eight weeks or so I've been writing about folks who mattered to me in my past, recent and distant, and talking about the resurgence in my shaky awareness of reality - death trumping all life - because of my job in an assisted-living facility catering to once-successful and vibrant folks now suffering from dementia and/or Alzheimer's. But the world doesn't care if a columnist is watching.
Northwest Harvest, Washington's only statewide hunger-relief agency, needs donations of food and funds this holiday season. Northwest Harvest works with more than 300 food programs statewide to distribute more than 18 million pounds of food, free of charge, each year.
Magnolia's Heron Habitat Helpers has been honored nationally and has received a grant from the Kodak American Greenways Awards Program. HHH was selected for its innovative efforts to restore the habitat of the largest nesting colony of great blue herons in Kiwanis Ravine Park.
The James W. Washington Jr. and Janie Rogella Washington Foundation is offering a Spirit in the Stone Scholarship of up to $5,000 to a promising art student enrolled in a Seattle high school or college and engaged in painting or sculpture. The student must be able to demonstrate creativity and artistic potential. 
It was only an exhibition game, but for the Seattle Pacific University athletic program it was a milestone. The SPU women's basketball team's win over the University of Washington women Nov. 6 at Hec Edmundson Pavilion augurs a fine season for the scrappy Falcons, and perhaps some growing pains for the young, talent-laden Huskies. The 75-67 final score was deceptive. The game was close all the way, with 13 lead changes. Neither team led by more than five points until the final minute.
Interested in helping schoolchildren understand the science of climate change? This Saturday, Nov. 17, at 11 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m., Lisa Shimizu of KEXP 90.3 FM and The Climate Project will present a 40-minute slide show especially designed for children 8 through 12.
Caroline Slick and Bailey Travis - two fifth-grade students in one of teacher Mike Anderson's leadership classes at Catharine Blaine School - recently wrapped up a donation drive for pets at the Animal Shelter on 15th Avenue West. The idea, Anderson explained, was to come up with a community-service project. "That was the idea the girls came up with," he said of the donation drive.
The Seattle District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration is now accepting nominations for its 2008 Washington State Small Business Awards Competition. The public is welcome to help the recognition process by singling out outstanding leaders in the small-business community.