
Soup & Bread's setup: Local chefs, artists, musicians, and other notables each donate a pot of soup, bakeries donate their bread, you bring cash to make a donation to a worthy cause, and everyone eats. (Seattle native Martha Bayne started S&B in Chicago; now she takes it on the road, and there's also a new cookbook.) Tonight, the soup comes from Sitka & Spruce, Taylor Shellfish, and many more, along with beer from Georgetown Brewing Company (yes!); then there's a show featuring the Coconut Coolouts and Pony Time. All the proceeds go to the Betsy Hansen Cancer Fund, to help out the beloved co-owner of Radar Hair and Records. Soup, bread, Coconuts, and helping—plus you'll "leave bolstered by the positive vibes emanating from your being."
Bring a spoon.
Soup & Bread: The Betsy Hansen Edition, Sunday Feb 12, 6 pm, 2724 1st Ave S, Ste A, 402-4549, all ages, free (suggested donation).

Gay marriage approved by the Washington State Legislature! Prop 8 again found unconstitutional! (With implications for this state's coming marriage referendum!) And... Santorum!?!?
It's been another big week, and we'll be wading through all of it—and taking your calls—this morning on Weekday.
That's 94.9 FM starting at 10 a.m.

Remember the December 12, 2011 West Coast Port Shutdown protests? The flying flares, the stun grenades, the claims of police brutality (by a clergyman!), the edited SPD video that was released shortly afterward to show, in the words of one police spokesman, that the port protest was "not peaceful"?

"We're envisioning a two-day celebration, involving a parade of people hand-carrying the pole from the waterfront and raising it on Sunday, and then a smaller, more intimate celebration of John's life on his birthday," says Connie Sue Martin, a lawyer associated with the John T. Williams Totem Pole Project.
But now that plan is in jeopardy of falling apart. Martin says that the memorial fund is roughly $60,000 short of its $160,00 fundraising goal, which includes $15,000 stipulated by the city to ensure the pole's future maintenance. "If we need that cash on hand, if that's a sticking point with the city, the project's a no-go," she explains. "With all the events planned for the Seattle Center for its 50th anniversary year, we have a very small window of opportunity for raising the pole this year."
"So we're in a big fundraising push right now," she adds.
In light of their lack of funds, private firms have stepped up and offered their pro-bono services to get the pole installed on schedule. "We have an architectural firm working on site design and permitting, and a construction company willing to dig a telephone-pole-sized hole for the totem's base," Martin says. "We're hoping the city will work with us on this."
Martin is scheduled to meet with city and Seattle Center officials at 3:00 pm today to ask for a concession from the city that would allow them to continue fundraising for the endowment once the pole is raised.
Gizmodo yesterday reported on the new trashcans London is installing in time for the Olympics:
For London 2012, new bombproof trash cans that have dual giant LCD screens and Wi-Fi hotspots will brighten up the dreary London fog.
I'm not in love with the idea of LCD screens on trashcans—one more thing that will stop tourists dead in their tracks on busy city sidewalks—but I totally adore the idea of wi-fi hotspot trashcans. It's a smart way to double up on two important urban necessities. One of these necessities has always existed, and one of them developed over the last decade. This is something I'd love to see in Seattle.

And clearly, its 100-plus attendees had high hopes: Before the meeting, small groups of people traded war stories about the Seattle Police Department, discussed concerns about what happens next with the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation and what its findings mean for people of color, and expressed frustrations with OPARB, the civilian office in charge of reviewing the quality and efficacy of the police department's Office of Professional Accountability—which in turn reviews and investigates allegations of police misconduct (in other words, the watchdog's watchdog*).
City council member Bruce Harrell further drummed up people's expectations as the meeting began. "There are no taboo subjects here tonight," Harrell said. "I want you to ask the tough questions. I want to know: Does OPARB have the kind of street cred you’d like them to have? Do they effectively review the OPA or have they gotten off the path of true accountability?"
And the he handed over the microphone to our expert facilitator, Dr. Rothman, and everything promptly went to shit.
*Because Seattle loves its watchdogs smothered in extra process.
Last week, The Stranger was cc'd on a furious email chain involving residents of the Cascade Neighborhood, who were seemingly irate and ready to sue members of the Cascade Neighborhood Council over (from what I can tell) changes to the council's by-laws and $1,700 in funds that some residents believed were being mismanaged or misappropriated. It was a little hard to follow, as emotions were heated and there were email accusations of people being "CRAZY, CONSPIRACY THEORY PEOPLE, INTERWINING THINGS, NON PARTICIPANTS," and other people chiming in with "I'm confused," and "wow Sean The Stranger thanks!" (when we were finally added to the clusterfuck of emails).
I tried to follow up with several members on the chain and didn't hear back. Now today brings the news that the entire Cascade Neighborhood Council has resigned via email:
The purpose of this memorandum is to announce the resignation of the full Executive Committee of the Cascade Neighborhood Council, provide context and reasoning for the resignation, direct questions to the intermediary, and allow personal resignation from each officer.
We came to the Cascade Neighborhood Council because we care about our neighborhood and the council was a great opportunity to contribute in a positive way. At first this effort was focused on having a neighborhood center; after that we utilized new forms for fulfilling our mission of creating and strengthening connections between the people of the neighborhood, without the use of a primary facility.
A whole lot more after the jump...
Gay marriage! Cheryl Pflug! Porn in libraries! Mitt Romney's singing voice! Komen kraziness! It's been quite a week, and we'll be processing it all—plus taking your calls—this morning on Weekday.
That's 94.9 FM, starting at 10 a.m.

From this week's I, Anonymous:
You are a regular patron of my place of employment. I always knew you were a priest of some sort, but I didn't know until recently that you are the archbishop leading the Catholic Church's fight against gay marriage in Washington.
It just so happens that I am a gay man who was sexually abused by a priest from the ages of 7 to 10. And yet, despite my visceral revulsion to everything you symbolize, despite the fact that I am retraumatized every time I am forced to be in the same room with you and your collar, and despite the fact that my partner of 17 years thinks I should spit in your face and tell you to go fuck off and die, I will continue to afford you the same courtesy and respect I would any other person who walks through that door.
Because I was raised to be a good Christian.
Get into the commenting fray here.
The volcano and the city. The image is perfect.
As we all know, Pioneer Square has been suffering from a nonfatal brain injury (or something) for years. But Mayor Mike McGinn would like you to know that city officials are busy nursing it back to health. Take it way, Mike:
Yesterday we met with the Pioneer Square Revitalization Committee and community members to report back on our progress so far and discuss ongoing challenges. We reported on recent accomplishments and projects launched in Pioneer Square:
North Lot Project: Introducing more market rate housing to Pioneer Square has been a priority in the community for decades. The long-planned North Lot redevelopment project will produce 513 units of housing, just in the first phase. Our Office of Economic Development (OED) is investing $1.7 million in equity and $7.2 million in low-cost debt financing via New Market Tax Credits to help move the project forward.
First Hill Streetcar: Access to high-capacity transit has long been a neighborhood priority as well. Recently the City confirmed that the new First Hill Streetcar will serve Pioneer Square with a stop at South Jackson and 2nd Avenue South. Construction begins later this year.
King Street Station: ...Three construction phases have been completed, including: station roof replacement and clock tower repair; Jackson Plaza rebuilt; and renovations to Amtrak’s new operations and administration areas. Next up is building and clock tower seismic retrofit, mechanical/electrical/plumbing systems distribution, and select interior and exterior restoration including the restoration of the ornamental plaster in the main waiting room. Construction began in March 2011 and will be completed in spring of 2013.
More on how Pioneer Square's gettin' healthy over here.

Note that one is the "official commemorative issue" and the other is the "official collector's edition."

Terrific news: Lynn Shelton's Your Sister's Sister—her first film since the beloved Humpday—has been announced as the opening night film for the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival. From the official press release:
Your Sister’s Sister, written and directed by Seattle’s Lynn Shelton and starring Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt and Mark Duplass, will be the centerpiece of SIFF’s 38th Opening Night Gala and Red Carpet Experience, which will offer an exclusive screening of the film before it hits theatres this summer through IFC’s Sundance Selects.
I saw Your Sister's Sister last autumn and really enjoyed it. Of course the acting's lovely (especially Rosemarie DeWitt, who you might know from Mad Men) and the whole thing's based around a sisterly relationship of a type I've never before seen on film. (That sounds salacious, but it's more of a humane and idiosyncratic thing.)
Congratulations, Lynn Shelton and SIFF!

If so, you are sought. Sent to Last Days by Hot Tipper King Randall:
I met a really nice guy Wednesday when out sledding down Drunken Dream Denny. His name is Mike. I was hanging with my peeps. He was hanging with his. I let him ride my sled. I ran into him later that day down the street, he was building this snowman.
Still with our separate posses, we went our own ways for the day. I thought, if I see him one more time, I'm gonna ask him out. It never happened. I know Last Days isn't really about hooking up, but, come on! Look at that snowman! Can you find the Mike who built this in Thomas park?!
Snow, snow, snow. And so the question will be asked: What grade would you give the mayor? Also: The SOPA protest, the Kastama announcement, and Rob McKenna on gay marriage and women's health.
All of that, plus your calls, on this morning's Weekday. (10 a.m. on 94.9 FM.)
Responding to a barrage of criticism, city officials gave a reprieve today to a homeless meal program that feeds hundreds of people a week under the downtown freeway.
Officials will no longer force Operation Sack Lunch (OSL) to move to an indoor location by February 29—a move the project's leaders had insisted would shut them down—and have instead given the program six-months to find a new location with indoor and outdoor components. "We had gotten feedback from the community and we wanted to take that feedback into consideration, so we thought it was necessary to do the six months," says Danette Smith, director of the Seattle Human Services Department.
The decision—both to boot OSL from the freeway and the extend the timeline—came from Smith, who had reportedly described the current conditions under the freeway as "undignified, inhumane, and disrespectful," according to Operation Sack Lunch's website.
"I used those terms to describe how I felt at times in my own personal journey and the way other people may feel," Smith explained today. "I just ask that we be mindful of the impact it has on the people receiving the services."
The latest from the Emergency Operations Center:
With ice and snow continuing to cause challenging travel conditions, the City of Seattle is encouraging people to get home before dark if possible. After dark, icy conditions may worsen and ice will become more difficult to see.
Sunset today comes at 4:50 p.m., so plan accordingly. The rest of the release is in the jump:
Sent by Slog tipper Sarah, who assures me it's not photoshopped:
Closer look in the jump:
Seattle wants it's citizens to play in the parks instead of the streets, but city parks don't have HILLS. Not hills like Denny Hill—a monster that you can fly down with just about anything from a laundry basket to a lunch tray, or, sheesh, even an old garbage bag. I don't think I've never seen so many people having fun in Seattle. I mean, outdoors... I mean, within city limits.
I bet it goes on all night... More photos after the jump!


Slog tipper Valerie writes:
I was just walking up Queen Anne Ave. N., watching the sledding festivities on what may be the steepest street in Seattle. It's closed to traffic today, obviously.
I just watched four Seattle police officers tape off the hill, right under a happy gathering of sledders—mostly college students and people in their twenties. I asked a couple of the officers why, and was told "one of my chiefs ordered it." He wouldn't tell me which one.
This doesn't seem like the most sensible policing tactic ever to me—more like a Grinchy city liability pro-forma sort of thing. I told the officers that, if they can give feedback to their commanding officers, the public safety hazard re: sledding on QA Ave today is at the bottom of the hill, not the top. I saw one young daredevil sled right in front of (admittedly very slow) traffic at the notoriously confusing intersection of QA Ave and Roy at the bottom of the hill. Yellow police tape down there could dissuade that sort of behavior—most sledders are using common sense and there is a certain amount of peer pressure for people not to act like idiots.
Sending the police out to establish rules that no one sees the sense in following is weird messaging. I'd bet a lot of money that the sledders will come back in a few hours when the police are gone.
I have a call in to the SPD asking if this is, in fact, happening on Queen Anne—and if so, what the purpose is. My guess is it has something to do with this.
Earlier today the Seattle Department of Transportation was bragging about taking on mother nature. Now, for its afternoon activity, it's taking on human nature:
Seattle deployed a fleet of 30 plows, de-icing trucks, and graders to remove snow from approximately 750 miles of priority roadways in the city today. Residents are discouraged from traveling to help keep roads open and safe for emergency vehicles, transit and snow removal.
Road crews continue to focus on plowing and salting major arterials and transit routes for emergency vehicles and buses. If you must drive, be prepared with tire chains, warm clothes and sturdy footwear. Be aware of the potential for icy or slippery conditions.
On residential streets, residents should be cautious about accumulated ice and snow which will not clear until temperatures rise above freezing for an extended period.
Melting snow can overwhelm storm drains by filling them with ice, leaves and accumulated street debris. Clogged drains can result in flooding and hazardous road conditions. In Seattle, there are about 80,000 storm drains — far more than city crews can clear quickly. Residents are asked to clear storm drains on their streets if it can be done safely.
Please use caution if sledding today. In 1989, a 12 year old girl was killed in a sledding accident in Magnolia.
Discovery Park, Camp Long, Carkeek Park and Seward Park are open for snow play.
A program offering free meals to homeless people outside is in jeopardy. From the Operation Sack Lunch website:
Mayor McGinn and his new Seattle Human Service Director from Atlanta, Georgia, Danette Smith, have decided to close this invaluable resource to our entire community on 02/29/2012. The reason for this closure? Ms. Smith has told the outdoor meal providers that although we are well meaning, it is undignified, inhumane, and disrespectful to serve hungry people in an outside setting. These citizens, most of whom are unable to access a nutritional meal with more conventional means, will be forced to go back to dumpsters for leftover food. Ms. Smith has not accepted our invitation to serve with us at the site, nor will she speak with the people whom she will be denying lifesaving food.
OSL reportedly feeds about 200 homeless people a day and 6,000 different people per year. They're asking for your help contacting the mayor's office and city council so the city will reconsider. There's more from them here.
UPDATE at 5:00 PM: I've sent two requests this afternoon to the mayor's office seeking comment, but I haven't heard anything back. I'll post more when I hear more.
A few months ago, I was eating lunch at a vegetarian restaurant in the I.D., and among my fellow diners were a large group of septuagenarians-and-above, all Caucasian, seated around a big round table for a celebratory lunch that I soon learned via eavesdropping was for one of the guest's 80th birthday.
I was delighted to have a group of loud-talking oldsters within earshot, certain I'd get some stealth insight into the idiosyncratic things old people talk about when they're together.
Instead, I was given a lesson in making assumptions, as the group of elders proceeded to discuss the exact same things I discuss with my friends. Specifically, how it's fun to watch Hoarders until it gets too depressing, and how a shared acquaintance of the group seemed to be making the shift from fun-kooky to crazy-kooky.
It was illuminating.
I was reminded of this event by another eavesdropping episode from last week, when I was at my favorite weird downtown underground sports bar the Tap House Grill and found myself seated next to a woman who entered the restaurant proclaiming that she must have a seat with a view of the entire room, as she had been in a restaurant that was bombed in Israel. She then proceeded to torture the waitstaff, eventually marching up to the manager to announce that she and her party had been seated and waiting for someone to take their order "for 25 minutes!" However, the email into which I'd typed her entrance-enhancing Israel proclamation was time-stamped, and revealed they'd only been seated nine minutes. (Which is still too long before a proper greeting, but far from 25 minutes, so I immediately found the manager's contact email on the venue's website and let him know the lady's memory of time was skewed, and not to take it out on the waiter.)
The end.
Slog tipper Adam writes:
I figured y'all would want to see this video of Seattle drivers doing a terrible, terrible job in the snow yesterday. Filmed on First Hill at Boren and University.