Last week I was actually invited to a house party for Barack Obama. Twenty freakin' months before the election.Out of curiosity and loyalty to the friends who were hosting it, I went. It was a great discussion. But amidst all the earnest expressions of Seattle liberalism, one topic remained completely, curiously absent.Before Barack or anyone else matters, we've got an election here, this year.You would never know it from either the headlines or the local political chatter, much of which already seems obsessed with next year's presidential race. But we have five city council seats, plus four seats on the county council, two Port of Seattle commissioners, four Seattle School Board members, lots of suburban positions and a host of ballot measures, including some critical transportation votes, coming up this summer and fall.Yes, summer; the primary has been moved back to August (when fewer people will be paying attention), and the filing deadline for candidates is now in early June, less than two months away.Why hasn't there been more attention? Well, local media never does a very good job of covering local elections. (Quick: When was the last time you saw a Port of Seattle race discussed on TV? And why not? It's a countywide election for a position that will oversee $442 million in public revenue in 2007.)But beyond that, in the marquee races-the citywide votes for five Seattle City Council members-2007 is not shaping up so far as a very competitive year.
The shooting death on the University of Washington campus April 2 of UW employee Rebecca Griego at the hands of her renegade ex-boyfriend Jonathan Rowan, who then turned the gun fatally on himself, has sparked intense debate about the immediate and lasting dangers of domestic violence.The fact that Griego received numerous threats, including death threats, from the obsessively persistent Rowan-and had consequently tried and failed to have a restraining order imposed on her stalker-has aroused among us a sense of rage, frustration, fear and a sickened kind of futility. In the aftermath of this shocking murder-suicide, there is a subterranean feeling that Griego's death was not possible but imminent.
By Erik HansenThe following are based on incident reports from the Seattle Police Department's South Precinct. They represent the officers' accounts of the events described.
Seattle Children's Theatre is about to host its 101st world première. Local playwright Cheryl L. West has adapted the popular Addy Walker books, by Connie Porter for the stage. "ADDY: AN AMERICAN GIRL STORY" opens Friday, April 13. The play takes audiences on a journey with its young heroine from the darkness of slavery, through the uncertainty of escape, and into the bright lights of freedom in Philadelphia. Cast is headed by Demene Hall as Mamma and Myxolydia Tyler as Addy (pictured), with Tanesha Ross, Felicia Vonshell Loud and (in multiple roles) Peter Crook, Bradford Farwell, Lance Spencer McQueen, Marianne Owen, Rachel Pate and Damion Rochester. Linda Hartzell directs. Recommended for age 8 and older. 201 Thomas St., Seattle Center. Tickets: $20-$32, 441-3322 or www.sct.org
Seattle Children's Theatre is about to host its 101st world première. Local playwright Cheryl L. West has adapted the popular Addy Walker books, by Connie Porter for the stage. "ADDY: AN AMERICAN GIRL STORY" opens Friday, April 13. The play takes audiences on a journey with its young heroine from the darkness of slavery, through the uncertainty of escape, and into the bright lights of freedom in Philadelphia. Cast is headed by Demene Hall as Mamma and Myxolydia Tyler as Addy (pictured), with Tanesha Ross, Felicia Vonshell Loud and (in multiple roles) Peter Crook, Bradford Farwell, Lance Spencer McQueen, Marianne Owen, Rachel Pate and Damion Rochester. Linda Hartzell directs. Recommended for age 8 and older. 201 Thomas St., Seattle Center. Tickets: $20-$32, 441-3322 or www.sct.org
After "Carmina Burana & Pacific" closes on April 15, Pacific Northwest Ballet's new Celebrate Seattle festival kicks into high gear. Dance aficionados are still puzzling through the programming grid. It appears to be possible to see almost everything as long as you don't want to go home for more than a quick change and a nap during the final weekend.From April 17 to April 22, PNB will present the world première of Paul Gibson's "Sense of Doubt"; the PNB premières of Robert Joffrey's "Remembrances" with Seattle soprano Jane Eaglen singing the solo, Merce Cunningham's "Inlets 2," Toni Pimble's "Two's Company" and Trisha Brown's "Carmen Overture, Carmen Entre'acte and Spanish Dance.
Roosevelt Blocks Rock! Earth Day celebration, on Sunday, April 22: Neighborhood cleanup, 9 a.m.-noon. Meet at Whole Foods Market, 1026 N.E. 64th St.; Total Recall electronics recycling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Block party, with musical performance, food and vendor demonstrations, Noon-3 p.m.; Earth Day Expo, Noon-3 p.m. Whole Foods Market, 1026 N.E. 64th St. 985-1500.Earth Day celebration , with south-shore plantings, storm-drain stenciling and street cleaning, on Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m.-noon. Bitter Lake Community Center.Friends of Ravenna Ravine Earth Day work party , on Saturday, April 21, 10 a.m-12:30 p.m. Ravenna Park, 5520 Ravenna Ave. N.E. (meet at picnic shelter near 20th Ave. N.E.). Ann Stevens, 547-1255.Yesler Creek cleanup , on Thursday, April 22, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Meet at corner of 40th Ave. N.E. and N.E. 55th St. Jennifer Lawson, 228-7937.Wallingford Playfield work party , on Sunday, April 22, Noon-4:30 p.m. Also, May 20. 4219 Wallingford Ave. N. (meet at south entrance).Earth Day , with "grass heads" crafts and "Ferngully: The Last Rainforest" movie, on Friday, April 20, 6-8 p.m. $5/family. Northgate Community Center, 10510 Fifth Ave. N.E. 386-4283.
German rayon, Italian silk and American fleece. These are just a few of the fabrics that go into garments from Baby Nouveau. Add French buttons and Japanese ribbons, and you've got something really special.Owner-designer Tammara Stroud recently relocated her home and business to Queen Anne. "I founded Baby Nouveau in 1991 as a fashion designer with babies in mind," says Stroud. "As a new mom, I needed to create comfortable yet stylish clothing for my children. Today, I'm proud that I've been able to expand in-home convenience for customers everywhere.
Lawton's Cheryl Parks focuses on individual achievement, lifelong healthPhysical education is a regular part of most school curriculums. For adults, P.E. might conjure up images of running endless laps around a field, or perhaps the infamous kickball games.For kids in Cheryl Parks' class at Lawton Elementary School, however, P.E. is more about activities like rock climbing, bowling and archery.When I first walked into the P.E. area with the lights turned off, there were lanes set up for bowling with icicle-shaped lights strung between them, providing the atmosphere of a bowling alley. A rock-climbing wall and stacks of all kinds of equipment circled the small gymnasium
Sports championship events of any sort are rare in this upper left corner of the U.S., but locals have a chance to witness one here next week. Seattle Pacific University is hosting the USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championships, a three-day affair, April 19-21, at SPU's Royal Brougham Pavilion, at Third Avenue West and West Nickerson.Other schools competing in the championship include Cornell, Tem-ple, Rutgers, William & Mary, Tow-son, Texas Women's and Centenary.
On Saturday, April 14, thousands of concerned Seattleites - and Americans across the U.S. - will gather and launch a movement (Step it up 07) to stop climate change. For more information about this movement, inspired by renowned environmental writer Bill McKibben, visit www.stepitupseattle.org Join your friends, neighbors and fellow humans to speak out about climate change and the need for government action.
Memo to the flock of starlings seated in row V: When the curtain goes up and the choir begins to sing, that's your signal to SHUT UP.Obviously, given the number of questions that the swelling music coming from the orchestra forced you to voice in louder and louder whispers, you had never attended a ballet before. And given the extraordinary politeness of a Seattle audience, you even lived to attend a ballet again.Let me now satisfy your curiosity about the proceedings occurring in front of you during the opening night of Pacific Northwest Ballet's "Carmina Burana/Pacific."As stated earlier, the rising of the red curtain generally indicates the beginning of a performance - so, the answer is affirmative, dear Starlings, in answer to your first question: "Oh, is it starting?"
'The Clean House'ACT Theatre, 700 Union St.Tuesdays-Sundays through April 29Tickets: $10-$54, 292-7676 or www.acttheatre.org"The Clean House," now playing at ACT Theatre, is by far the most popular work by Sarah Ruhl, who is currently one of the hottest playwrights in the country. Ruhl is young - celebrating her 33rd birthday this year - yet already she has had seven plays produced, won prestigious awards and been the recipient of a MacArthur genius grant that lauds her vivid and adventurous works and praises her for juxtaposing "mundane aspects of daily life with mythic themes."Be that as it may, I found "The Clean House" to be a flawed play. Its two acts seem badly woven together. The second act degenerates into mayhem even as it addresses the most poignant issues of love and death. It's as if it got away from Ruhl and she had trouble pulling it back under her contro
'The Clean House'ACT Theatre, 700 Union St.Tuesdays-Sundays through April 29Tickets: $10-$54, 292-7676 or www.acttheatre.org"The Clean House," now playing at ACT Theatre, is by far the most popular work by Sarah Ruhl, who is currently one of the hottest playwrights in the country. Ruhl is young - celebrating her 33rd birthday this year - yet already she has had seven plays produced, won prestigious awards and been the recipient of a MacArthur genius grant that lauds her vivid and adventurous works and praises her for juxtaposing "mundane aspects of daily life with mythic themes."Be that as it may, I found "The Clean House" to be a flawed play. Its two acts seem badly woven together. The second act degenerates into mayhem even as it addresses the most poignant issues of love and death. It's as if it got away from Ruhl and she had trouble pulling it back under her control.
Seattle Parks and Recreation will host the third of three public meetings on Monday, April 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on proposed improvements to Queen Anne Boulevard. The meeting will be held at the McClure Middle School cafeteria, 1915 First Ave. W.Queen Anne Boulevard is a 3.75-mile park facility that includes many sections of road surrounding the crown of Queen Anne Hill. The project will upgrade the historic Queen Anne Boulevard, including consideration of pedestrian amenities, lighting and landscaping.