Columbia Citizens

Live locally.

Consult your community calendar.

• Sustainable South Seattle (Wed),
• a library lesson about email (Thu),
• a mosaic project (Thu),
• children's storytime (Fri),
• a low-key running group (Sat),
• a treasure hunt (Sat),
• an urban gardening workshop (Sat),
• a Hitt's Hill work party (Sat),
• library storytime — in Vietnamese (Sat),
• a visit with Harriet Tubman (Sat),
• a community garden meeting (Tue),
• Healthy & Active Rainier Valley Coalition (Wed),
• and Citizens post more events all the time!

In the calendar, you can click through to each event's online information. If a local event is missing, please send a Citizen's alert.

We're keeping Monsters vs. Aliens one more week. Get your little Easter bunnies out to see it.

Opening this Friday, 4/10, is Duplicity, a fun, stylish, entertaining thriller with hunk Clive Owen and the ever-transcendent Julia Roberts. It's fun, fun, fun — perfect for Easter weekend. Duplicity will play for one week only.

We're also bringing in a quiet little charmer, Two Lovers, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow, about a young man in New York with a romantic decision to make. A sweet little film with subtle truths. Nice to know they still make them like that. Two Lovers will also play for one week only.

See you at the movies.

Email 1 class Thursday April 9th from 10 to 11:30 am. Come to this class if you would like to get a free e-mail account and practice using it. Call (206)386-1908 to sign up, or stop by the library.

Vietnamese storytime! Saturday April 11th from 1:30-2 pm. Thư viện công cộng Seattle tổ chức giờ đọc truyện bằng tiếng việt cho trẻ em! (The Seattle Public Library is hosting Vietnamese Story Times for young children!)

A Visit with Harriet Tubman Saturday April 11th from 1:30 to 2:30 pm. Karol Brown brings Harriet Tubman to life in an engaging, spellbinding portrayal that includes songs and stories containing messages of hope, unity and brotherly love.

Homework Help Monday from 5:30-7:30 and Tuesday-Thursday from 5-7 pm. Volunteers will be at this branch to assist students on a drop-in basis throughout the school year, with the exception of school holidays.

Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome.

• Thu — (theater) Mad Rad, Gran Rapids, Fresh Espresso, DJ Swervewon
  (lounge) Sue Quigley Band
• Fri — (theater) Dirty Hollywood (Motley Crue Tribute) w/Special Guests Chrome Molly (ACDC Tribute)
  (lounge) Bill Derry
• Sat — Dirty Hollywood with guests Chrome Molly
• Sun — (theater) Taarka with Elephant Revival, Katy Reichlin
  (lounge) open mic night with Martin Goldstein

full details here

community garden at Rainier Community Center

There will be a community meeting on Tuesday, April 14th from 5 to 6 pm to discuss ideas for a new community garden in the loop east of the playground next to the Rainier Community Center. The meeting will be at the center, 4600 38th Ave S.

There is an Eagle Scout who can start building beds on April 25th and that same day is the Rainier Valley Day of Service so the turn around time for early planning is pretty short.

If you can help get the word out about this meeting that would be great!

Sustainable South Seattle

Spring has sprung and members of Sustainable South Seattle (S3) have been busy as bees working to make our neighborhoods better places to live, work, and play.

Please join us at our April 8th meeting to share your thoughts about how to improve walkability of south-end neighborhoods, and help plan events celebrating the beginning of Light Rail service (starting in July!)

S3 April Meeting: walkability and ST Light Rail opening, Wednesday 6-8pm, Columbia City Library

For a full list of upcoming S3 events, check out our site

90@90 Sale at Columbia City Gallery

90 pieces of original art for sale at $90 apiece from April 15-25. A great opportunity to buy that special piece you've been waiting for!

Gallery Hours: Wed-Sat (12-8pm), Sun (10-6pm)
Contact: Kathy Fowells, Gallery Manager, 760-9843

Come to a free Musikgarten class for babies!

Tuesday April 14th at 9:30 am, come join us for singing, rocking and bouncing songs, and dancing. For babies newborn to 18 months with caregiver. Contact Ann to reserve your space, 722-8962. Classes located in the Seward Park/Columbia City neighborhood. See www.annsmusikgarten.com for more info.

Are we all socialists now?

A critical look at the first 100 days of the Obama presidency

Activists and authors Guerry Hoddersen and Eric Chester will examine President Obama's election and policies from a leftwing perspective at a community forum on Friday, April 24, 7:30pm at New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave S.

Eric Chester, the Socialist Party's vice-presidential candidate in 1996, is a former member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and has written extensively on third party politics. Guerry Hoddersen worked for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in Mississippi, is a well-known feminist essayist and has traveled widely in Latin America on behalf of the Freedom Socialist Party.

Doors open at 6:30pm. Door donation is $3. Snack plates served for a $6 donation (work exchanges available). Sponsored by Freedom Socialist Party. Wheelchair accessible. For information or childcare call 722-2453 or email moc.gnirpsdnim|elttaesPSF#moc.gnirpsdnim|elttaesPSF.

Register for summer arts camps

The Rainier Valley Youth Theatre & Maria Glanz present four summer arts camps from July 6-August 31 for youth ages 5-7 & 8-17.

Camp themes include: "Imagination Station: for the kid who loves trains", "Fishy Tales", "Goblins, Animals & Gargoyles: for kids who think scary is fun" and "SummerSTAGE: Family Tales in the Rainier Valley". For more information and to register, call 276-6471 or email moc.liamg|dduj.znalg#moc.liamg|dduj.znalg

urban gardening workshop

Learn to grow more in less space!

Saturday April 11th, 10–11am
Orca K-8 greenhouse, 5215 46th Ave. South

• Indoor seed starting do's and don'ts
• Learn the many benefits of container gardening
• Smaller spaces result in smaller costs
• How to create a successful container garden with easy edibles
• Organic maintenance and pest control
• Learn about companion planting for your containers or your traditional garden.

Please RSVP to gro.sloohcselttaes|nitrameb#gro.sloohcselttaes|nitrameb

Retroactive Kids' Wikli sale

Here's what's on sale this week at Retroactive Kids. Remember to mention this post to get your discount!

• 20% off all Plan Toys
• 10% off all books
• 20% off Career Kids
  • Professional Cartoonist Kits
  • Professional Hollywood Costume Designer Kits

And remember kids always get 10% off when they pay with their own money!

Thank you for supporting local businesses! Retroactive Kids — 932-3154

Listening Mothers group has a couple spaces open

The next Listening Mothers group in Columbia City runs for eight weeks and is for Moms and babies (newborn to six months). [http://www.listeningmothers.org The Listening Mothers program draws from brain science, attachment theory, and knowledge about emotional development to create a unique program that helps establish a strong foundation for a long lasting bond between babies and their parents.

Professionals facilitate the groups, including psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and doulas, all of whom are especially trained in infant social-emotional development. There are usually no more than seven Moms and their babies in a group, giving Moms an opportunity to get to know each other, feel supported, participate and share their experiences of being a mother.

The next group starts Friday April 10th at Seattle Home Maternity Service from 1-2:30pm. To register and secure your spot go to www.listeningmothers.org.

read more...

Columbia City in the news

• The Times reports that development along light rail has stalled, including a few Columbia City projects.
• If you're a paying subscriber, the PSBJ will tell you all about St Gobain's departure.

Hillman City Posts

• Welcome Galileo and Sarah M Burgess.

• Site members can update their own posted comments, send private messages, upload small files, and have broader write-access across the wiki. It's easy to join.

• Dusted off the 2008 news and moved it to the news archives.