The Central Area has a rich cultural life, and a rich collection of arts and cultural organizations.

 A panel discussion on Wednesday, March 2, wll bring together representatives of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (Royal Alley-Barnes), the Pratt Fine Arts Center (Ann Suter), Washington Hall (Dana Phelan), and Coyote Central (Maribeth Satterlee).  The event will be held at the Central Area Senior Center, 500  30th Avenue South.

 The panel discussion will explore the roles of cultural organizations in our community and explore ways that the organizations can reach out and become better integrated with community life.

 There will be ample opportunity for questions and answers.

 This program is sponsored by the Leschi Community Council as one of its regular monthly meetings.  All are invited.

Today, a private contractor began work on a log-tunnel at the Madrona Beach Enhancement Project — a fine holiday present for the neighborhood kids!

The log-tunnel had been part of the original design for the project in 1995, but no logs large enough to provide a wide enough tunnel were available.

The Madrona Community Council raised the money to hire Turnstone Construction to correct this omission.  Erik McCormick and Jake LaSalle of Turnstone installed the rebar framing today and grounded it in concrete.

Next week, Erik and Jake will return to sculpt and paint a log around the frame, which will be ready for play, they assure, by December 17.

Expect a good-looking log — Turnstone Construction has an impressive resume which includes the relocation and installation of the Cap’NBoots and the construction of the new penguin exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo.

Today’s Seattle Times reports the grisly story of Maurice Clemmons, his shooting of four Lakewood police officers, and of his escape which brought him for a time into the Leschi neighborhood.  See the story on http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013170137_o

What I am intrigued about, since I live only two blocks from where Maurice Clemmons was dropped off by his ride, is what path did he take to get to a local crack house.  I assume that  the person living in the house, as stated in the Times article, is no longer a resident there.  So, any clues about how he escaped the police barricade and found shelter in the “crack house”?