Seattle-Metro News and Events for May-June 2014

PHOTO: Interim Seattle Police Chief Harry Bailey and Mayor Ed Murray with Bostonian Kathleen O'Toole, newly nominated for the top job in the Seattle Police Bureau. If approved she would be the first woman in the position. Read full story here. Susan Fried photos

Local Students Read from Their Writing at Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library will host two nights of readings from local students participating in the Writers in the Schools program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 22 at the Central Library, Level 4, Washington Mutual Foundation Meeting Room 1.

The programs are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $5 after 5 p.m.

The May 21 program will feature readings from elementary school students, and the May 22 program will feature readings from teens.

Writers in the Schools, a program sponsored by Seattle Arts & Lectures, works with public school students at elementary, middle, and high schools in Seattle and the Puget Sound region. Through the mentorship and innovative instruction of professional creative writers, students develop their voices, tell their stories, and turn imagination into ink.

For more information about the programs, call the Library at 206-386-4636.

Film Festival Opens in Renton

The Seattle International Film Festival returns to Renton for a fourth year, with a special opening night screening Thursday, May 22, and gala reception following at the RentonPavilionEventCenter.

SIFF in Renton is sponsored by the Renton Community Marketing Campaign, a partnership that includes the City of Renton, RentonSchool District, RentonTechnicalCollege, ValleyMedicalCenter, Renton Chamber of Commerce, and Renton Visitor's Connection. These entities have been working together for 12 years to promote Renton as a great place to live, work, play, learn, shop, visit, and, now, see world class cinema.

For tickets and more information, visit www.siff.net. 

‘What Unions No Longer Do’ Book Reading

Jake Rosenfeld will talk about his new book, “What Unions No Longer Do,” from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, May 29at The Seattle Public Library, Capitol Hill Branch, 425 Harvard Ave. E.

Library programs and events are free and open to the public. Registration is not required.

 “What Unions No Longer Do” looks at historical and contemporary influences on wage rates and pay equity.

Rosenfeld is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Washington and co-director of the Scholars Strategy Network and a faculty affiliate of the Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, the West CoastPovertyCenter and the HarryBridgesCenter for Labor Studies.

For more information about the programs, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or Ask a Librarian.

Celebrate Salish Sea Native American Culture at Deception Pass State Park

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to attend the Ninth Annual Salish Sea Native American Culture Celebration with the Samish and Swinomish tribes, at Deception Pass State Park on Fidalgo Island, between the cities of Oak Harbor and Anacortes.

The celebration runs from noon to 4 p.m., Saturday, June 7, at the BowmanBay picnic area on the Fidalgo Island side of Deception Pass State Park, 41020 State Route 20 in Oak Harbor.

The Discover Pass is not required to attend this event. Saturday, June 7, is a State Parks “free day.” Visitors are not required to display a DiscoverPass to access state parks on free days.

To get to the Bowman Bay area at Deception PassState Park, use the park’s entrance at the junction of Rosario Road and State Route 20. The entrance is north of the DeceptionPassBridge, by PassLake.

The event is accessible to persons with disabilities. For special accommodations requests, call 360-902-8626 or 360-675-3767 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service at 800-833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.

‘Supporting Startups And Investing In The Community’ June 12

The Seattle Public Library is hosting a town hall session from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 12 to explore how the Library can expand its technology, instruction, research and service offerings. The session will be held at the Seattle office of Internet marketing firm Moz, 1100 Second Ave., Suite 500.

The event is free and open to the public and is particularly geared to startups, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and members of the creative and lifelong learning communities. Please RSVP by Friday, June 6 at http://bit.ly/SPLTownHallRSVP.

“Supporting Startups and Investing in the Community” will feature a keynote presentation by Moz co-founder Rand Fishkin, the “Wizard of Moz.”

One of the Library’s five service priorities is to enhance technology to provide discoverability and increased access to materials, information, services and interactive experiences.

This event is presented in partnership with Moz and The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636.

Parks Summer Tennis League Caters To Youth Beginners

Seattle Parks and Recreation continues its play-based tennis league for youth with little or no experience playing tennis on June 23rd at 15 community centers across the city.

This summer’s “Quick Start” league will consist of two age brackets: 7-8 year-olds playing on a 36-foot court (a standard court is 78 feet long) and 9-10 year-olds playing on a 60-foot court. All equipment and supplies will be provided. The league fee is $35 per player for the eight-week program. This year’s 2014 Quick Start Tennis League is proudly sponsored by BECU.

Practices/matches are on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., depending on age. QuickStart Tennis starts June 23 and concludes on Aug. 13 with a jamboree fun play day at the new Tennis Center Sandpoint. Sign up at one of your neighborhood community centers or online using your SPARC account. Parent participation is highly encouraged, as this is a family game! For more information, please contact Jeannie Shek, SeattleParks and Recreation, at 206-684-4764 or jeannie.shek@seattle.gov.

Volunteer coaches and parent managers are needed! This helps keep league fees low. Volunteers can be tennis enthusiast, parents, fans or anyone that loves helping kids succeed. No tennis or teaching experience is required – just a passion for working with kids! There will be two FREE QuickStart volunteer on-court trainings on Saturday, June 7, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the Tennis Center Sandpoint and Monday, June 16, from 6:30-9:30.p.m. at the AmyYeeTennisCenter.

For more Seattle events check out The Skanner News community calendar