Seattle Public Utilities is mailing yellow reminder cards to 280,000 residences and business this month, reminding them how to opt out of getting phone books delivered to their front door.

Since May, the Phone Books Opt-Out Registry website registered more than 36,000 addresses that declined delivery of more than 227,000 phone books this year.

“Preventing waste by choosing the phone books you don’t want is a good example of what sustainability means,” Timothy Croll, SPU’s director of solid waste, said in a press release. “Last year, the average Seattle household got six phone books weighing more than 11 pounds. So opting out saves tons of paper — more than 200 tons per year already — and cuts down on greenhouse gas generation.”

Seattle residents and businesses can also use the website to stop much unwanted junk mail. Croll acknowledged the irony of sending out mail to encourage people to stop junk mail but he pointed out that the mailer, which will use four tons of paper, is expected to help 28,000 more households and businesses stop 168,000 phone book deliveries, saving 150 tons of paper.

The stop phone books card also provides a phone number, (206) 504-3066. The mailer and phone number can only be used for addresses within the City of Seattle. However, from the www.seattle.gov/stopphonebooks website, those outside the city can also access the CatalogChoice website and stop both phone books and junk mail. King County is expected to add access to the CatalogChoice service from its website later this summer.

The Phone Books Opt-Out Registry is funded by a fee charged to yellow pages publishers. Publishers can be fined when they don’t honor requests through the city’s opt-out program.

Sixty-three Dearborn Park Elementary School fifth graders got a chance to see what it’s like to go to college on Wednesday, spending the day at the Seattle Pacific University campus with a 17-year-old alumna of their school and recently admitted SPU student Christine Palpalotoc, who will be starting at the college in the fall.

Palpalotoc spent the day showing the kids from Dearborn around SPU and talking to them about what first led her to think about attending college. She is one of the first Dearborn Park Elementary School graduates to be admitted to SPU.

As part of SPU’s “go to college” day program, the fifth graders were divided into pairs and accompanied by an SPU education student. Throughout the day the kids got to participate in an investigative science activity, an information hunt at the SPU library, attend a music class and physical education course, and get the true college dining experience at SPU’s “all you care to eat” dining hall.

The day concluded with a presentation entitled “College Is a Plan, Not a Dream,” and a chat with Palpalotoc.

This was the seventh annual SPU “go to college” day, sponsored by the SPU School of Education, alongside the Lilly Foundation, and with contributions from a number of on campus groups and organizations.

You know the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’? While for Kathleen Cifu and her neighbors, the same is true of their cat Stormy.

Up until Thanksgiving Day, Stormy has lived in an apartment building between 13th and 14th Avenues W, near W Barrett, as the communal pet of the building. According to Kathleen, a family that moved out of a house across the street three years ago left Stormy behind, and since then “he hasn’t been interested in being anyone’s personal pet.”

“He will saunter into our apartments, but refuses to be stuck indoors, so a small group of us came up with a plan. He lives in a rather elaborate set-up under an eave off the back of my apartment building, which includes a box with a blanket that gets changed once a week, heat lamp, and a waterproof cover in the winter months and a shade screen for the summer. Even though he wishes to remain outdoors, he still loves affection and greets me in the same spot just about every day when I come home,” Kathleen wrote.

On Thursday morning one of Kathleen’s neighbors informed her that Stormy has been taken during the night, most likely by someone who didn’t realize that he was being cared for.

“We are very worried about his safety as he is not an inside cat and refuses to be.  We all take care of him and make sure he is safe and warm,” Kathleen wrote. “We provide, food, water, shelter, and heat.  We let him into the walk way leading to our doors for a time to warm him up as well.  Again, he refuses to be an indoor cat and prefers to live outside.”

“At some point last night someone must have thought he was not taken care of and he was alone because my neighbor woke this morning to find his box, his food/water bowls, his blankets, and the cat himself were all gone.  I assure you the cat has been very well cared for and he means the world to all of us.  We would like to put out the word for his safe and speedy return.  I can provide proof that he lived here as he was featured in the faculty/staff newsletter at SPU.”

Kathleen and her neighbors hope that whoever took Stormy will contact them immediately. Kathleen can be reached at kgcifu@gmail.com.

“We are very worried about Stormy and hold no grudges against who took him as we believe they were just acting out of compassion,” she wrote. “We simply would like them to know he was cared for and we hope he returns.”

For the last week and a half crews have been sporadically working on the west side of 3rd Ave W, between W Smith and W Raye streets. Though the work generally stays off the street, it occasionally slows traffic to one lane.

When crews are not working, signs from the Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle Public Utilities warn pedestrians that the west sidewalk is closed off. We called both SDOT and SPU to see what the work was and when it would be finished (it looks like crews are digging space for a paved sidewalk where there previously wasn’t one, but we haven’t confirmed this).

Neither SDOT or SPU had any records of ongoing construction at this site, and the last few times I’ve passed by there hasn’t been anyone working to question. But the temporary “No Parking” signs across the street say the work will continue from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through this Friday, May 7.

If anyone has any more information, please comment below.

Longtime Queen Anne coffee post The Grinder, located at 41 Dravus St. off Nickerson (and just around the corner from Tully’s), closed up shop on Wednesday, April 28.

In a letter posted on the door to customers and patrons, owner Kristin Wilhite, who started the Grinder after graduating from SPU 15 years ago, wrote:

“The time has come to close the doors of The Grinder. For 15 years I came to work looking forward to who I would serve that day. I worked hard to not only provide you with good coffee, but with a safe place to laugh, cry, converse and be heard.”

Kristin, who gave birth to her son Max just three months ago, wrote that while she will miss The Grinder, she is thrilled to be starting a new career as a stay-at-home mom.

In her letter Kristin expressed the gratitude she felt for her customers and friends over the years.

“I have: Witnessed relationships turn into marriages. Freshman enter SPU and graduate four years later. Shared in retirements and in promotions. Celebrated our local, now well known author. Lived vicariously through your travels and heard your stories… Watched customers become parents and parents become grandparents. Made more friendships through serving coffee than I ever could have imagined. The stories are endless!”

Kristin invites anyone with a memory to share about The Gridner, to post it on the coffee spot’s Facebook wall.

Beginning today, the soul uplifting sounds and spirit of gospel music will grace Seattle Pacific University as part of GospelFest10: A Celebration of the Gospel Music Legacy. Three days of an educational symposium, rehearsals and a dinner culminate Saturday night in a mass gospel choir concert – proving that there is so much more to Seattle than alt-indie-pop.

For $10 a person, the symposium at the First Free Methodist Church adjacent to the SPU campus features workshops and sessions in the history, literature, and ministry of the Gospel music tradition, as presented by some of the genre’s pre-eminent practitioners and scholars, including Robert Darden, an associate professor of journalism at Baylor University and author of “People Get Ready! A New History of Black Gospel Music,” (which is the subject of one of the symposium’s clinics).

Saturday’s concert will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in SPU’s Royal Brougham Pavilion, 3414 Third Ave West. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 per person. Free parking is available in the Nickerson, Ross, and West Dravus street parking lots. The event is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call 206-281-2966 or visit the GospelFest10 website.

The audience will be in for a real treat as they bear witness to some of the region’s finest gospel choirs, including JudahSong, SureHouse, The Sound of the Northwest, SPU’s gospel choir, and gospel choirs from Antioch Bible Church and University Presbyterian Church. If the memory of these stirring voices isn’t enough, a souvenir booklet will also be available for purchase.

Renown pediatric brain surgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson will be giving a lecture on health care at  1 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University today, Tuesday, April 6.

In 1987, Carson led a team of 70 in the first successful separation of craniopagus conjoined twins connected at the back of the head. During his distinguished career, he has received hundreds of awards and recognitions, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A highly regarded motivational speaker, Carson has addressed audiences from grade school classrooms to the National Prayer Breakfast. The 2009 movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., is based on Carson’s life.

This event is free and  open to the public. The lecture will be held in the Upper Gwinn Commons at SPU. For more information contact Bobbie Taylor at 206-281-2723 or btaylor@spu.edu.

(Photo courtesy of Tracy Norlen, SPU News and Media Relations Manager).

An 18-year-old woman is currently being transported by medics from the SPU campus in Queen Anne to Harbroview Medical Center, according to Seattle Fire Department PIO Dana Vander Houwen. At approximately 7:13 a.m. medics were called to 500 W Emerson St., and have been attempting to revive the girl with CPR while en route to the hospital. So far this is all the information Vander Houwen could tell us. We’ll have more details as the situation unfolds. (Thanks Silver for the tip!)

Update 10:32 a.m.: SPU’s News and Media Relations Manager Tracy Norlen has confirmed that the 18-year-old woman is a student at the school, but does not have any more information concerning her name, academic year, or present condition. She will be keeping us posted when she knows more.

Seattle Storm has found a new practice facility at Queen Anne’s own Seattle Pacific University, according to the Seattle Times . Since the Sonics organization added the WNBA Storm in 2000, they have practiced at The Furtado Center across the street from the Seattle Center. In 2005 that site was bought by the city for the new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters. Storm’s access to the facility was supposed to continue until 2010, as long as the Sonics continued to play at KeyArena. But after the Sonics were relocated to Oklahoma City and Storm was sold by the owners, the women’s basketball team had to find a new facility to practice in, SPU’s Royal Brougham Pavilion.

The deal with SPU includes a “new, professional-length court installed at the lower level of the Pavilion on Nickerson St.” the Times said. As for the Pavilion’s upper level courts, Storm will share them with SPU classes and teams. From May to September, while the university is on summer break, Storm will be the primary user. In addition, most of the material in Storm’s old practice facility has been re-purposed and reused at the new location, thanks to the joint efforts of the team and the Gates Foundation.

As part of World AIDS Day today, Princess Zulu is in Seattle to share her story of growing up an AIDS orphan.  The Zambian woman is an activist who speaks across the nation to bring world awareness to the AIDS epidemic, hunger, malaria and poverty. Her message has led to meetings with a number of world leaders and work with the ONE campaign and World Vision. Tonight’s event takes place in Beegle Hall, room 201 on the Seattle Pacific University campus at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Following Princess Zulu’s speech, there will be a candlelight vigil in SPU’s Tiffany Loop. That event will include a display of 1,000 crosses, which represent the number of people who die of HIV/AIDS every three hours. If you’ve driven by SPU today, you may have noticed the display – it’s quite a site. The event is sponsored by SPU’s ACT:S club, a student group concerned with poverty and injustice.

Thanks to sister-site, FremontUniverse for the story!

Nearly 800 Seattle Pacific University freshman and transfer students will start off the new school year by spending their first day in college volunteering all over the city. From 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, students will lead volunteers groups to fix up houses, clean parks, remove graffiti and participate in other projects at 30 different locations around town, as part of SPU’s “CityQuest,” an annual community service orientation.

Volunteers will be working at two sites in Queen Anne. At A.C.E. Language Institute at 200 West Mercer Street, they will welcome international students, assist with basic English language learning and participate in cultural discussions. At Trolley Hill Park, located at the intersection of 5th Ave N and Taylor Ave N, volunteers will help fix up the grounds by removing invasive plants and spreading gravel and woodchips (a constant endeavor that many groups have been participating in this summer).

Check out what CityQuest projects are happening this weekend in Phinney Ridge/Greenwood at our sister site, Phinneywood.com. For a list of city-wide projects, click here.

There are lots of great arts events coming up next month at Seattle Pacific University. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free, wheelchair accessible and located on the SPU campus, 3307 Third Ave West in Seattle. Free parking is available in the West Dravus Street parking lot. For more information, call 206-281-2205.

Night of Beats (5/8)
SPU’s student multicultural club, Mosaic, presents a night of beat boxing, hip-hop music and dance performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 8, in Royal Brougham Pavilion, 3414 Third Ave West.

Wind Symphony Concert (5/15)
The SPU Wind Symphony will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15, at First Free Methodist Church, 3200 Third Ave West, adjacent to the SPU campus.

Jazz Ensemble Concert (5/17)
The SPU Jazz Ensemble will perform a concert of swing, traditional, and modern jazz at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, at Seattle’s Triple Door Theatre, 216 Union Street in Seattle. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at www.thetripledoor.net.

SPU Theatre’s “See Rock City” (5/26-30)
This play follows two newlyweds through the end of World War II. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26-Friday, May 29, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, May 30, in the Backstage Theatre inside of SPU’s McKinley Hall. Tickets are $6. Call 206-281-2959, or visit www.spu.edu/boxoffice.

Senior Visual Communication Art Show (5/28-6/13)
Artwork from senior visual communication students will be on display 8a.m.-5 p.m.in the SPU Art Center Gallery, 3 West Cremona.

Thalia Concert (5/29)
Seattle Pacific University’s orchestra-in-residence, Thalia Symphony, presents music from Russia, Europe, and Asia on Friday, May 29, at 7:30 p.m. at First Free Methodist Church. Special guest Li Bo will play on the morin khuur, a Mongolian fiddle. Tickets are $15, or $10 for students and seniors and can be purchased at www.thaliasymphony.org.

Percussion Ensemble Concert (6/2)
SPU’s Percussion Ensemble will perform traditional music of West Africa and the South Pacific at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, in the E.E. Bach Theatre inside of McKinley Hall, 3307 Third West. The concert features special guest, Cascade Percussion Ensemble under director Ian Alverez.

Choir Concert (6/5)
SPU’s Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, Men’s and Women’s Choirs will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 5, at First Free Methodist Church, 3200 Third Ave West, adjacent to the SPU campus.

We often forget that we have a university right in our backyard.  The following lectures, held at Seattle Pacific University, are free and wheelchair accessible. Free parking is available in the West Dravus Street parking lot.  Enjoy!

Perkins Lecture
Reconciliation advocate and evangelical civil rights leader Dr. John Perkins will speak on Tuesday, April 7, 9:30-10:20 a.m. at First Free Methodist Church, 3200 Third Ave West, adjacent to the SPU campus.

Marston Lecture
“Toward a Theology of Mental Illness” will be the topic of the annual C. May Marston lecture given by Marcia Webb, SPU associate professor of graduate psychology. The lecture will be held Thursday, April 16, 7:30-9:30 p.m. in Demaray Hall 150. For more information, call 206-281-2003.

Shiller Lecture
Robert Shiller, New York Times bestselling author and professor of economics at Yale University, is recognized worldwide for his brilliant forecasts of financial bubbles and insights into market dynamics. He will speak from 1-2:45 p.m. on Monday, April 27, in Upper Gwinn Commons.  For more information, call 206-281-2723.

Walls Lecture
Robert Wall, the Paul T. Walls Professor of Scripture and Wesleyan Studies at SPU, will speak on “John’s John: The Tenor of Scripture in a Wesleyan Key, Part Two.” His talk will be held 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 30, in the Queen Anne Room of Upper Gwinn Commons. For more information, call 206-281-2003.

Erin O’Connell, who served in an interim capacity the past eight months, has been named the athletic director at Seattle Pacific University, President Philip Eaton announced Tuesday.

O’Connell, 35, becomes the school’s 10th athletic director and the first woman in that position since Seattle Pacific began sponsoring intercollegiate sports in 1946.
 
She worked five years as an assistant athletic director for compliance at SPU, also serving as the department’s senior woman administrator, before being named the interim athletic director in July. She succeeded Tom Box, who was promoted to vice president for university advancement after 10 years in the athletic department.

“Building on the huge accomplishments of our coaches and athletes over the years, building as well on the great leadership of Tom Box as AD over the last 10 years, we open now a great new chapter for SPU athletics under Erin’s leadership,” Eaton said. “She has earned this opportunity. She brings experience, passion, and real vision to the job. I am eager to go to work with her to create an exciting future for SPU athletics.”

For more information about Eric and Seattle Pacific University, visit their website.

Senior midfielder Meredith Teague, who led Seattle Pacific to its first national championship, was named the NCAA Division II national player of the year Tuesday by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA).  She will  be honored at the annual All-America Luncheon that is held in St. Louis on Jan. 17 in conjunction with the 2009 NSCAA Convention.

Teague recorded a team-high 14 goals and distributed 10 assists to pace the Falcons with 38 points. She previously received the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and West Region Player of the Year awards. 

The Falcons completed the campaign with a 22-1-2 record and Teague came up big when it mattered most, factoring into 13 of the 22 game-winning scores. She registered seven game-winning goals and assisted on six other game-winners. 

Wow, congrats to Seattle Pacific University’s womens soccer team! In final overtime, Janae Godoy kicked the winning goal against previously undefeated West Florida, giving SPU the NCAA Division II title — a first for the school.

“I always wondered what this would feel like and it’s feels even better than I thought it would,” said coach Chuck Sekyra, who has led SPU to the NCAA finals for six straight years, but had never won the title. Get the full play-by-play and reaction on SPU’s athletics site here. (Photo by SPU).