After teaching music and drama at Our Lady of Fatima School for more than a decade, Jeannie O'Meara decided it was time to make a change."I needed to do what I always wanted to do," the Magnolia resident said.As a result, The Magnolia Theater is in motion.O'Meara is enrolling children for a two-month workshop starting in September. The sessions will culminate in "Aladdin," which will be staged for the public in November and December.Beyond "Aladdin," O'Meara is looking toward adding more children's workshops and plays and expanding to adult performances as well. The 48-year-old producer-director who has put on "The Grinch" and "The Littlest Angel" at Fatima has, in other venues, produced and directed "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Death of a Salesman."
Four grand marshals will preside over the Pride march and rally this year as it winds its way from Broadway and East Pike Street to Volunteer Park.
On a hot, New York City summer night in June 1969 a fed-up, burley man chucked a garbage can full of empties through a police car window. A police riot turned into a counter-riot. The Stonewall Inn melee marked the birth of the Gay Pride movement.The Stonewall Inn, a two-story structure at 57 Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, operated as a private, gay club behind an opaque, glass facade. In 1969 it was illegal to run a business that catered to homosexuals. Also, Stonewall had no liquor license but served liquor. The police had known the score on both counts, of course. Occasional raids usually resulted in the arrest of the more flamboyant drag queens and fines levied against the house. The white college kids always had time to sneak away.On June 27, 1969, events unfolded differently.
This year's two-day annual Seattle Pride event will be historic: it is expected to be the last time it is held on Capitol Hill. In the future the event will occur downtown and at Seattle Center, reflecting the city-wide expansion of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community."People must remember that Seattle Pride is not merely for Seattle, but truly is for all in King County," said Frank Leonzal, one of this year's Pride co-chairs, about the upcoming change of venue. "People must remember that our 'family' is now in several neighborhoods: West Seattle, Rainier Valley, Georgetown, etc. We are truly everywhere."
Greetings, I'm Jason Anfinsen, director and producer of the new theatrical performance "Stimulus," currently playing at Freehold's East Hall Theater through June 17. (I'm also an amateur hypnotist, and you WILL go see our show.)Let me shine the light on our production. It's an organically improvised show scored by a guitarist, under a deluge of pulsating lights, assembled from the group mind of five distinct actors. A recent defector of the celebrated Chicago improv community, I landed in Seattle earlier this year because of this city's nutritious dosage of art, cared for and curated by a powerful gang of radical thinkers, colorful characters and bright young minds. It's a social convergence where the musicians, artists, photographers, writers and actors all dance to the same beat, each with a uniquely crafted step.
Every night in King County, an estimated 8,300 people, including children, are living without a permanent home. Of these, about 4,600 are living in shelters or temporary housing and the rest are surviving outside without shelter. This is unacceptable. Beginning in 2005, King County, the city of Seattle, United Way, the faith community and many others are joining together to tackle the issue of homelessness as never before. A broad-based coalition of business, government, faith, social services and homeless advocates formed the Committee to End Homelessness King County.
So the decision has been made. The city has approved the Broadway upzone. Developers are able to build to 65-feet along Broadway, up from the 40-foot limit currently in place. For better or worse, and a good case can be made for both, we now know where we stand. Along with a reduction of the parking requirement and the removal of Broadway's split zoning, such efforts are aimed at improving the chances of redevelopment along Broadway. It is hoped that making zoning regulations easier to navigate and more flexible will create a more positive environment for developers, which will in turn improve the sagging fortunes of Capitol Hill's largest business district. Let us hope so.
Every Tuesday, for one "arrest-free" hour, police officers gather the regular hangouts, the crack addicts, jobless and homeless, to meet in an alley separating the partiers from the neighborhood residents who work during the day and sleep during the night. They talk to each other about how to kick the crack habit, stop drinking, handle their warrants, find jobs. At least that's the vision of an outreach program spearheaded by Lt. John Hayes of the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct. The program came about out of a need to address an overload of complaints about chronic crime issues in the area near Deano's Café and Lounge and Deano's Grocery on East Madison Street and 21st Avenue East.
Nearly 2,700 people and more than 1,000 dogs turned out for the Seattle Animal Shelter's Sixth Annual Furry 5K on June 12, according to the shelter's volunteer programs coordinator, Christine Titus. All proceeds from the run go to support the locally established Help the Animals Fund, which was established to give abandoned animals that are sick, injured, and/or suffering from abuse quality veterinary care in hopes of finding a good home.
The new International District/Chinatown Branch of the Seattle Public Library opened its doors with a festive community celebration beginning at noon Saturday, June 11.The 3,800-square-foot branch at 713 Eighth Ave. S. is the 16 project completed under the 1998 Libraries for All voter-approved building program.
Seattle Green Map, a new web-based map, was launched June 2 to celebrate World Environment Day.With the map, residents and visitors will be able to look up eco-friendly buildings, recycling sites, organic and natural food stores, cultural sites, community centers, trails and transit, polluted sites and more.
Every night in King County, an estimated 8,300 people, including families with children, are living without a permanent home. Of these, about 4,600 are living in shelters or temporary housing and the rest are surviving outside without shelter. This is unacceptable. Beginning in 2005, King County, the city of Seattle, United Way, the faith community and many others are joining together to tackle the issue of homelessness as never before. A broad-based coalition of business, government, faith, social services and homeless advocates formed the Committee to End Homelessness in King County.
The closing of a few QFC stores recently shook up a number of neighborhoods as they saw second class status being conferred on them by an unforgiving marketplace. The Silk Stocking QFC, Kroeger division, a long-time regional fixture in the high-end food retailing business, admitted defeat or at least disinterest in the South End. Being here, it was said, risked tarnishing the QFC brand's lustrous image for high quality. They apparently wanted no part in competing to reach the price points required, to feed the working classes. By throwing in the towel in the south end, I think they abandoned the most diverse food retail market in Seattle, and missed a tremendous opportunity.
I knocked on the solitary door saying 'Stephen Hultberg - Furniture Maker' off of Rainier Avenue South on the quiet South Mead Street. Everything was so still, I thought there must be nobody about. I had not called ahead, and I only held a scrap of paper with a vague address and a name in hand. I knew he was an artisan and I was curious to know how business was going.I had already turned back to my car when, to my surprise, the door opened and a lanky blond fellow of an indeterminable age appeared. Here stood Hultberg, looking like the quintessential craftsman.
With West Nile virus on the horizon this summer, Public Health in Seattle and King County is encouraging King County residents to report dead birds to its environmental health division.Crows and jays are particularly important to report, because they tend to die quickly from West Nile virus. Public Health will use the dead bird reports to track the potential arrival of West Nile virus in King County.