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Last chance to see sloth bears until 2014

You have one more chance to visit the sloth bears at Woodland Park Zoo this weekend (September 15-16). After that, Randy and Tasha, the zoo's resident sloth bears, will be off-exhibit until 2014 while construction begins on the new Asian tropical forest exhibit. Here are some bear facts from the zoo: Randy, the 16-year-old male sloth bear, came to the zoo in June of 1996. Tasha, a 7-year-old female, has lived at Woodland Park Zoo for just under a year. She made…

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Abacus West

Next week, a new after-school math enrichment program will open in the Good Shepherd Center for kids ages five through 12. Abacus West puts a new twist on mathematics using an ancient calculating tool, the Japanese abacus (soroban). Once students get comfortable using the beaded calculating tool, they're taught to develop a "mental abacus" (anzan), and in doing so, the kids enhance their mental calculating skills. According Abacus West founder Vinaya Kulkarni, "Along the way students develop their focus, concentration, confidence,…

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Diplomatic plates

Congratulations goes to Maria Hines, owner of Tilth here in Wallingford and the Golden Beetle over in Ballard. Maria was one of over 80 chefs appointed by the U.S. State Department to the newly-created American Chef Corps under the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership with the James Beard Foundation. This means Hines and her peers will create meals for foreign dignitaries or, when necessary, will travel abroad to engage in public diplomacy programs. The announcement was made at the U.S. State Department last Friday,…

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Public Meeting about I-5 Noise Reduction

On Thursday, September 13, at 7 p.m. there will be a public meeting on reducing noise from I-5, co-sponsored by the Eastlake Community Council, Wallingford Community Council, and Portage Bay/Roanoke Park Community Council. The meeting will take place at Pocock Rowing Center (3320 Fuhrman Ave E.).  Rep. Frank Chopp, Rep. Pedersen, Rep. Clibborn, a staff person for Senator Murray, and WSDOT representatives will be in attendance.  This is an opportunity for the community to ask about plans for completing I-5 noise…

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Hunting an Anniversary

If you see a group of people sprinting up the street, a map in hand, you may say to yourself: "what is a map?" Ah yes, gather the young ones around and we shall tell tale of the way things once were, in a time before GPS, when people found their route with a paper-based contraption known as a "map". Need to zoom in on an area? Just double-tap and say "here, I'm talking about here". The reader only need lean…

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After Rain, Miyabi

Rain Sushi on 45th has closed, but last we heard, there were two bidders still vying to take it over. Yesterday, we discovered who was the winner: Hi, my name is Mutsuko Soma. We got Rain spot. Our Restaurant name will be Miyabi on 45th. This is second restaurant of Miyabi at Tukwila*. Also collaboration with Kamonegi. We will be open Nov 4th 2012. It will be North west Japanese. Not much sushi, but good hand made buckwheat noodle (aka soba). 相馬 睦子…

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Eat Me!

It's that time of year again: the Wallingford Orchards are hanging heavy and sweet with fruit: plump plums, crunchy apples, badonka donk pears, all within reach. But should you reach for them? Therein lies the conundrum: is fruit that grows from a tree planted by a private citizen but hanging over a city-owned sidewalk community property or private property? Are the property rights of a plum derived from its roots or its airspace? What about fruit growing from a tree planted…

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