As a native of Seattle-but 15 year resident of rural Santa Barbara County in California-I would like to bring several points not only to the attention of reporter Kathleen Dayton ("Coyotes spotted in area," Nov. 7), but also to the paper's readers. The infringement of coyotes into the surrounding neighborhoods must not be dismissed as having benefits. Coyotes are predatory creatures. They will scavenge in open garages and pilfer garbage cans. They will gang up on large  dogs.
EXHIBIT: Laurelhurst photographer Sally Tonkin will display 20 of her documentary photos at Yesler Terrace Community Center, 917 E. Yesler Way, starting Wednesday, Nov. 28.ART SAMPLING: Two North End artists studios are featured on this year's self-guided Seattle Sampling tour: Lewing/Jensen/Mortinson, 4315 Burke Ave. N., with work by Paul Lewing, Gay Jensen and Laurie Mortinson; and Wallingford Artists, 4331 Burke Ave. N., with crafts by Diana Aurigemma.
Reggie Tanner rose from his computer with an outstretched hand and a warm smile. Tanner is the kitchen manager at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission (SUGM) Men's Shelter. Recently promoted, he and his staff have been as busy as bees preparing for Thanksgiving at the site the Othello Station-based organization operates near Pioneer Square. Cooking with, and supervising, three cooks plus shelter program participants assigned to kitchen duty keeps this burly, bespectacled man quick on his feet. Checking on orders and donations when I arrived, Tanner related his own remarkable story.He graduated from the SUGM Men's Shelter Program last November and interned in various program positions over the past year but continued to volunteer in the kitchen. Seattle born and reared, Tanner said "I grew up cooking at home with my Mom." One of three brothers, he said that he was the one always around to help, especially in the kitchen. But a few years ago he ran into difficulties and found himself homeless.
A friend called recently for a reality check: Was she cracking up or did she do the right thing when her preschooler threw a knock-down-drag-out fit over her turning off the TV, prompting her to unplug the ugly monster (the television not the kid) and haul it outside, where it sat - blissfully silent - for several days. My response: "Hallelujah, sister!" I am not anti-TV. In fact, I love a new episode of Heroes or Weeds or Entourage as much as the next couch potato. And I am absolutely not above using Arthur or Word Girl or The Sound of Music as the occasional cheap babysitter. But I will lose my lunch if I am intellectually assaulted by one more product marketed to new parents in an effort to make their babies smarter.
A friend called recently for a reality check: Was she cracking up or did she do the right thing when her preschooler threw a knock-down-drag-out fit over her turning off the TV, prompting her to unplug the ugly monster (the television not the kid) and haul it outside, where it sat - blissfully silent - for several days.My response: "Hallelujah, sister!" I am not anti-TV. In fact, I love a new episode of Heroes or Weeds or Entourage as much as the next couch potato. And I am absolutely not above using Arthur or Word Girl or The Sound of Music as the occasional cheap babysitter. But I will lose my lunch if I am intellectually assaulted by one more product marketed to new parents in an effort to make their babies smarter.
Seattle Parks and Recreation will hold more than 30 public meetings and invite responses to a community survey in late November and early December to gather input from community organizations and individuals as Parks prepares a new Strategic Business Plan. The survey will be available online at www.seattle.gov/parks on Friday, Nov. 9. Paper copies will also be available at Parks' community centers, community organizations around the city, and upon request.
The 50-Plus Readers Theatre will perform "A Holiday Hodgepodge" strarting Nov. 28 through Dec. 1 at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, 104 17th Ave. S. "A Holiday Hodgepodge" will explore the stories, traditions, and humor that surround the holiday seasons of many religious, cultural, and ethnic groups. All actors are 50 or older, and participating in Seattle Parks and Recreation's Readers Theatre Program.
DESIGN REVIEWS:1924 Rainier Ave. S. (3005701) of a three-story commercial structure containing general sale and service space, office space and child-care space. Surface parking for 48 vehicles to be provided on site. Existing structures to be demolished. The meeting will take place Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Safeco Jackson Street Center, 306 23rd Ave. S., Suite 200, in the multipurpose room.
In Seattle, arts presenters are looking for ethnic performing artists, and ethnic artists are looking for venues. Ethnic Arts Connection, a free one-day gathering of artists and presenters, provides the link. Ethnic Arts Connection will take place 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday, March 10 at Intiman Theatre, 201 Mercer St., at Seattle Center. The event is a joint project put on by several regional arts and cultural organizations.
More than 350 volunteers are needed to prepare tax returns throughout King County for United Way of King County's Free Tax Preparation Campaign. United Way will operate 16 Free Tax Prep sites throughout King County from Jan. 15 to April 15, 2008. The program is designed to help low- and middle-income families prepare their income tax forms and take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax credits while avoiding fees associated with commercial preparers.
Sometimes bad people do good things, and good people do bad. That's the moral of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, "Whistle Down the Wind." A disappointing 1996 tryout in Washington, D.C., the Broadway run was canceled and the show revamped for the current touring production. Fortunately, the sensational performances of Eric Kunze as "the Man" and Andrea Ross as "Swallow" do much to rescue this musical endeavor.
'Nutcracker' has gone from hohum to holiday classicIn 1892, when the Imperial Ballet's "Nutcracker" premièred, it was on the bottom half of the bill. Playing after a performance of Tchaikovsky's opera "Iolanta," the ballet received a lukewarm reception from the Russian audience at the Mariinsky Theatre and even from its creators. Yet today, you'd be hard pressed to find an American ballet company, large or small, not performing this sugarplum classic in December. Pacific Northwest Ballet relies on its version to sell an enormous number of tickets, including many to people who will not attend another ballet throughout the year but can't imagine Christmas without "Nutcracker." The company estimates that as many as 100,000 people come to "Nutcracker" at McCaw Hall each year.
'Nutcracker' has gone from hohum to holiday classicIn 1892, when the Imperial Ballet's "Nutcracker" premièred, it was on the bottom half of the bill. Playing after a performance of Tchaikovsky's opera "Iolanta," the ballet received a lukewarm reception from the Russian audience at the Mariinsky Theatre and even from its creators. Yet today, you'd be hard pressed to find an American ballet company, large or small, not performing this sugarplum classic in December. Pacific Northwest Ballet relies on its version to sell an enormous number of tickets, including many to people who will not attend another ballet throughout the year but can't imagine Christmas without "Nutcracker." The company estimates that as many as 100,000 people come to "Nutcracker" at McCaw Hall each year.
Local authors uncover rich history of two North End neighborhoods For one, it was a year of discovery; for the other, it was somewhat of a review. Brittany Wright is a transplant, while Ann Wendell is a Seattle native to the bone. After year-long commitments to their respective back yards, both women have released intimate, comprehensive paperbacks of both Green Lake and Ravenna neighborhoods.
On Monday, I received an invite to a party Saturday night. I didn't know the host or the newly formed band I was invited to hear. I got the invite from a friend of a friend of the host who gave permission to invite whomever.I immediately decided to go, then spent the rest of the week debating with myself.