TUESDAY, FEB. 3 2015 >>>

1.  With all the discussion about food these days, there has been is very little interest in the hands that pick it. The documentary Food Chains draws much needed attention to the oppressive conditions faced by many farm workers in the nation's tomato industry. Food Chains exposes the human cost in our food supply and the complicity of the supermarket industry. Catch the film at 1:45 and 6:30 p.m. in The Grand Cinema.

2. Missionaries to the inland Northwest created the earliest and most substantial archives of Plateau Indian culture. Trevor J. Bond, head of Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections at Washington State University, will examine how collectors with varied motivations amassed American Indian cultural materials at 4 p.m. on the second floor of Collins Library on the University of Puget Sound campus.

3. Pierce County residents can learn how to grow their own food during the 2015 Edible Gardens Workshop series, which runs from February through November. The free series of monthly workshops, which are sponsored by Pierce County and the Pierce Conservation District, teach beginning gardeners how to plan a garden, prepare the soil, plant seeds, and harvest the food they've grown. Each workshop is designed to help students throughout the growing season by addressing what needs to be done in the garden that month. The classes combine presentations with hands-on activities. At 6 p.m., it's all about fruit trees in the Washington State University Extension Puyallup building.

4. If hearing the sound of your own cackling voice echoing off the walls of your shower stall has you craving the sound of something a bit more harmonious, check out the local songbirds at Victory Music Open Mic in the Antique Sandwich Co. from 7-10 p.m. It's guaranteed to be jam-packed with gorgeous sounds and humbling verses, as the South Sound's greatest up-and-coming acoustic musicians bare their souls impromptu-style.

5. Moby Grape was one of the most versatile San Francisco rock bands to emerge out of the summer of love. Sadly, through a combination of inner turmoil and bad management decisions, the mighty Moby Grape broke up in 1969. However, their debut album is still considered one of the best of all time by many critics, in part because of the nimble fingers of guitarist Jerry Miller. Miller was named one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone above Eddie Van Halen, Johnny Winter and Randy Rhoads. The Tacoma native has enjoyed a rich career sharing the stage with countless musicians including members of the Doobie Brothers and Carlos Santana. Miller hosts an open jam at 7 p.m. in Dave's of Milton.

Don't drink and drive, buckle up and have a plan. These are just some of the things said to soldiers during a safety brief.

For the most part it works. However, there have been incidents where a soldier does not listen to their leadership or friends and accidents occur.

In an effort to help prevent soldiers from driving under the influence, the Better Opportunity for Single Service Members run the Designated Driver Program within a 15-mile radius of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. This is a volunteer-based service, which servicemembers give up their time to help other soldiers. It provides service members a safe ride home when drinking, instead of getting behind the wheel and causing harm to themselves or others.

Soldiers needing a ride first need to contact them at 253.208.9169 for a ride. The BOSS volunteer will then pick up the servicemember. Finally the soldier is returned safely to the barracks at no expense.

Since the program is run by servicemembers, it is only available Friday, Saturday and on training holidays from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.

"However, we make special exceptions for New Years, Brewfest, St. Patrick's Day, Oktober Fest and other popular holidays which typically promote alcohol consumption," said Spc. Jennifer R. Helm, BOSS president with the U.S. Army JBLM Garrison.

The volunteers take their responsibilities as designated drivers very seriously in order to ensure all the soldiers are picked up and taken care.

"Many of our volunteers stay past the 3 a.m. cutoff just to ensure everyone gets home safe," added Helm.

"We love the BOSS van program," said Maj. Jay I. Cash, provost marshal, JBLM. "It's good when servicemembers on JBLM contact the BOSS for a ride because that just means the likelihood of JBLM or civilian police coming into contact with an impaired servicemember behind the wheel of a motor vehicle is significantly reduced."

"So, when it's working at its best we don't even know they're there except when they pass thru the gates." He added, "This is classic battle buddy program for which the military is known for."

Servicemembers caught on or off post drinking and driving may face legal actions, fines, have on post driving privileges suspended or possibly ruin their military career.

Cash said that on post penalties for DUIs mirror that of the state of Washington as well as a couple of mandatory DoD requirements.

In order to highlight the program Cash shared the BOSS number with local departments in the event they have impaired service members needing a ride.

"The police community thinks that this is an excellent program which saves service members lives and career ... if used," said Cash. "The decision to drive drunk is generally made while impaired. If servicemembers were to make a plan to use the program before they even leave for the night I believe it would be even more successful."

For more information on the Designated Driver Program call BOSS at 253.967.5636.

Sgt. Sinthia Rosario is with the 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

MONDAY, FEB. 2 2015 >>>

1. The Tacoma Sister Cities International Film Festival kicks off tonight with Crossed Destinities, a Moroccan film in honor of sister city El Jajida, Morocco, which screens at 7 p.m. in the University of Puget Sound Rotunda. The French film set in Morocco follows Abdelkhalek and Rachida as they play host to their college friends, invited to spend the weekend at their beautiful beach house but don't know who sent the invitations bringing them all together. The group of 40-somethings begin to recall stories of their past and reveal to each other, and themselves, veiled truths and long hidden secrets with a central thread of mystery weaving through the story. A Moroccan cultural program will kicks off the night at 6:15 p.m.

2. In 2013, filmmaker Isaac Olsen (Quiet Shoes, Ich Hunger) and his friends started Strapping Young Productions, a company to promote Olsen's projects and local bands Red Hex, Trees and Timber, and the Dick Rossetti (former disc jockey at 107.7 The End) fronted Jilly Rizzo. Today, Rossetti and Olsen find themselves under a new umbrella, the online weekly radio show, "Underwhelmed." Kicking off at 6 p.m. on nwczradio.com, and every Monday from 6-7 p.m., the two will present "unshitty/shitty music played, revelry and neat segments like ‘Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes" and "Ten 30 Second Commercial Free Music Sweeps.'" Tonight's episode will feature an interview with The Clash, local calls bullshit on the Seahawks, NFL and all 12s in general, top tunes from Toto, The Germs, Tit Nuns, Chaka Khan and many more. ...

3. Get out your dancing shoes and join in the whimsy of a country western shuffle dance, hosted by the Evergreen Country Dancers from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Olympia Elks Lodge.

4. Don't stay home and watch TV - come listen to TV. Trumpeter Mike Lewis and friends are going to blow up your favorite TV theme songs in the Jazz Lab at 8 p.m. at Rhythm & Rye.

5. The Shelly Ely Band will fill The Swiss with blues at 8 p.m.

LINK: Monday, Feb. 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SUNDAY, FEB. 1 2015 >>>

1. We could have loaded today's 5 Things To Do with double entendres based on the concept of Super Bowl snacks and deflated balls. Instead, click here for several Super Bowl parties in the South Sound.

2. Pearl Django performs at 11 a.m. in the Museum of Glass. Pulling inspiration from the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, Pearl Django has a signature Hot Club style marked by the band's expert string work, steady pulse of rhythm guitar and unmistakable swing that reaches out to audiences of all musical sensibilities.

3. These days, South Sound pubs offer more activities than a cruise ship. Tides Tavern wants to make it crystal clear its 12th Annual Tapmaster program isn't about chugging yards of beer then taking a flying leap off the dock into the harbor. Instead, the popular watering hole in Gig Harbor wants you to enjoy its 16 taps through the month of February. Get to know each beer. Ask the beers questions. Ask the bartenders questions. If by happenstance you drink all 16 beers in the 28 days, the Tides will give you a nifty T-shirt and add your name to the wall of fame.

4. We all know what it feels like to be stuck in a job we hate, where managers lead by harassment and double down on strategies that didn't work the first hundred times. Imagine you're trapped in a low-rent Chicago sales office with five alpha males, each struggling to sell Florida swampland before apathetic corporate overlords drop the axe. If you're looking to feel better about your working life, David Mamet's 1983 drama Glengarry Glen Ross is a great place to start. The Lakewood Playhouse stages the play at noon due to some big game on the tube. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of Glengarry Glen Ross in the Music & Culture section.

5. Tacoma's humorous zombie art show returns but at a new location - Destiny City Comics. "Tacomapocalype 4: Back to the Future" focuses on "Zombies Vs. 80's Time Travel Movies." Check out the local zombie art from noon to 6 p.m.

LINK: Sunday, Feb. 1 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

SATURDAY, JAN. 31 2015 >>>

1. On May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m., where were you? Memories of the 1980 Mount Saint Helens eruption informs our knowledge of clear and present danger in the shadows of our dragons next door. That fact is made unnervingly clear by a new exhibit in Tacoma's Washington State History Museum opening at 10 a.m. today. Kudos to whoever had the dramatic idea of funneling audience members past a mockup of a 1980 living room, complete with vintage color TV. The television is running an episode of KOMO 4 News from that spring afternoon. The broadcast transports middle-aged viewers back in time while acclimatizing younger museum visitors. From there it's on to a display of mind-boggling physical destruction, in which a tree has been warped into a claw and the pyroclastic impact of tons of blazing mud crumpled a metal truck door like an aluminum soda can. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on "Living In The Shadows: Volcanoes of Washington" in the Northwest section.

2. Eugene native and brewmaster Trevor Howard opened Hop Valley Brewing Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. Indeed, he and his father, Ron Howard, Jonas Kungys and Chuck Hare chose Friday the 13th. Good luck has only come their way, as Hop Valley has undergone incredible growth. Drop by the Pig Bar inside South Bay Dickerson's BBQ and get an early start on the brewery's six-year anniversary by sipping a healthy Hop Valley line-up, win prizes and get in on some tasty ribs from 6-9 p.m.

3. The Soul Revue at 6:30 p.m. in Jazzbones will encompass the breadth and variety of soul over the generations. Featuring the songs of everyone from Aretha Franklin and Etta James to Frank Ocean and Janelle Monae, the Soul Revue will be covering selected bits of evolution from the world of soul music and all its various permutations. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on the Soul Revue in the Music & Culture section.

4. If you can say one thing about Rogues Gallery (formerly Jipsea Party), it's that they're clearly devoted to the mad energy of their spectacle. Their gypsy punk is a familiar enough style, but they infuse it with a fervency and a momentum that raises them above some of their other drunken Eastern European devotees. Catch the band with Wages of Sin, the Bog Hoppers and Micah Subar at 8 p.m. in Bob's Java Jive.

5. Jimmi Davies is a coppersmith, motor head, artist and friendly face around Olympia. But perhaps he is best known for his music - with Oly legends The Dirty Birds and his latest project, straight up rock and rollers Resident Kings. Davies and the new line-up for the Resident Kings play Olympia's Rhythm & Rye with C Average and Marching Suns at 9 p.m. Rock and roll is here to stay.

LINK: Saturday, Jan. 31 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

FRIDAY, JAN. 30 2015 >>>

1. It's not surprising to learn that Y La Bamba's records have been produced by the disparate likes of the Decemberists' Chris Funk and Los Lobos' Steve Berlin. The ornate instrumentation calls to mind the revivalist classicism of the Decemberists, as well as the Latin rock of Los Lobos, but the presence of both producers at various points highlights the range and varied output of Y La Bamba. While they are more than comfortable being classical with their interpretations of folk and world music, they thrive in that middle ground, where nothing is too easy to describe, let alone predict. Read Rev. Adam McKinney's full feature on Y La Bamba in the Music & Culture section, then catch the band with People Under the Sun, Skinwalker and Black Wolf at 9 p.m. in The New Frontier Lounge.

2. Brian Skerry travels the world photographing marine life. His images are stunning; his stories mesmerizing; his job awesome. He's an acclaimed National Geographic photographer who captivates his audiences with the same enthusiasm and excitement with which he captures his subjects. Skerry's award winning underwater photography will demonstrate the mystery of our ocean's depths. His powerful presentations showcase award-winning imagery and thrilling wildlife encounters, inspire reverence for the marine realm, and offer hope for protecting the vitality of our world's oceans. See his work at 7:30 p.m. in the Washington Center.

3. Folk music used to be synonymous with hicks, hillbillies, rednecks and traveling hobos. But not anymore! These days folk music is a marriage of soothing folk riffs and classical strings! Hee-Haw Ma! Violinist Maria Sampen is giving this genre a good name in our books in her upcoming recital Inspired by the Folk: The Romance Between the Violin and the Fiddle. The performance will include a world premiere, a piece evoking the Jewish fiddle tradition, and works that combine Western classical music with folk traditions from America and Romania. Roger Briggs, composer, conductor, artistic director of Whatcom Symphony Orchestra, and faculty member at Western Washington University, will be in the Schneebeck Concert Barn for a world premiere of his composition Tune My Heart. Let yourself be cradled by the calming tunes of folk and traditional music at 7:30 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Barn.

4. If you have a taste for Cuba's sexy island groove, get ready to shine up your dancing shoes, because a new age of Cuban-American détente is upon us. Soñeros Adonis Puentes and fraternal twin Alexis were already well known at home before their arrival in Canada 17 years ago. Since then, both have been nominated separately for Latin Grammys. Among other triumphs, Adonis played South by Southwest in Austin and, with Ruben Blades, at Lincoln Center. He describes his all-acoustic, dance-friendly vibe as "joyous hedonism." That sounds pretty damn buena to us, asere. Catch Adonis Puentes at 7:30 p.m. in the Rialto Theater.

5. From the cacophonous pounding of the drums that open Golden Gardens' Bellflower EP, you'd be excused for thinking that a Spector-esque wall of '60s sound was coming your way. As it is, that sound almost immediately gives way to a gothic, Nick Cave-esque haze. Churchly piano and '80s synths waft in, accompanied by the ghostly vocals of lead singer Aubrey Bramble. Golden Gardens make the type of music that you might hear on the Heathers soundtrack, or in the dorm of that beautiful, moody girl down the hall - you know the one. The band performs at 8 p.m. in Deadbeat Olympia record store.

LINK: Friday, Jan. 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

This just in from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Public Affairs Office ...

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - JBLM's Directorate of Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation along with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is providing three free opportunities for football fans to watch the biggest game of the year.

- Warrior Zone, on JBLM Lewis North, will be open at 10 a.m. and hold a Madden NFL ‘15 tournament beginning at noon. Former Seahawks player and pro football hall of famer, Walter Jones, will be there signing autographs and watching the game with Service members. There are more than 50 high-definition TV's to catch all of the action. (Admittance to the Warrior Zone is restricted to those 18 years and older.)

- Nelson Recreation Center, on JBLM Lewis Main, will also host a Madden NFL '15 tournament and provides a 20-foot projection screen. Doors open at noon.

- Carey Theater, on JBLM Lewis Main, is the family friendly viewing location for those football fans with family members younger than 18 years old. The audio system combined with the digital 15- by 24-foot digital screen will provide a live in-the-stadium atmosphere for the family football fans. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, JAN. 29 2015 >>>

1. Since his stage debut way back during World War II, Willie Nelson has laid claim to being one of our greatest singer-songwriters. He's beloved across genres and by people of all political stripes. Simply put, he's an icon, a living legend, and deservedly so. What you may not know about him is he recorded his first song, "No Place for Me," in Vancouver, Washington, where he worked as a disc jockey for KVAN. This was only a few years before he wrote "Crazy," arguably one of our greatest country songs. It's been said, in fact, that Patsy Cline's cover of "Crazy" is the biggest jukebox hit of all time, but that was no beginner's luck. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on Willie Nelson in the Music & Culture section, then catch Nelson's 8 p.m. show at the Emerald Queen Casino.

2. A public memorial service honoring the life of Babe Lehrer - Tacoma businesswoman, philanthropist and arts advocate - will be held at 4 p.m. in the Pantages Theater. Honor Babe's energy, spirit and tireless involvement to her community.

3. Seattle's Cody Beebe & The Crooks make rock music that is inspired by the frontier attitude of the American Heartland. When you hear their music, you hear the West's Americana and blues roots. However, rather than eclectic, the music comes off with a directness and unpretentious nature characteristic of their hometown's rock and roll. Having recently performed at The Gorge's Watershed Music Festival and having shared stages with acts as diverse and accomplished as Buddy Guy, Stevie Nicks, Austin Jenckes, and Allen Stone, CBC rolls into Jazzbones for a 6:30 p.m. show with Ayron Jones & The Way, Tango Alpha Tango and Jared James Nichols.

4. Audrey Marrs played a significant role in Olympia's music scene in the '90s rocking in bands Mocket and Bratmobile, before graduating from The Evergreen State College in 1999. She became a filmmaker, and with Charles Ferguson, documented the Iraq War and decisions made by the Bush Administration in No End In Sight. The duo won a fair share of awards. Marrs and Ferguson teamed up again, this time for the 2010 film Inside Job, an expose of the 2008 global financial meltdown. The duo won the 2011 Best Documentary Film Oscar. Marrs returns to Evergreen as part of the Willi Unsoeld Seminar Series and will give a free, public presentation - and show a 3-minute clip of her current film on climate change - at 7 p.m. in the Evergreen Longhouse.

5. Barleywine Revue is just awesome. The band writes and performs contemporary, relevant bluegrass and Americana music while paying homage to the traditions that have come in generations before ... think Bill Monroe meets Bill Withers. Oh man, that's fresh! Catch the band at 8 p.m. in The Swiss Restaurant & Pub.

LINK: Thursday, Jan. 29 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28 2015 >>>

1. For those outside the ska scene, it can be a little bit of a struggle to keep the various "waves" in check. Are we up to 20 waves, by now? In any case, there's no denying the influence that The Toasters had on the ska scene through their developing of third wave ska, which added punk elements into the well-defined skiffle and brass of the ska sound. Now more than 30 years into their career, The Toasters stand tall as godfathers of what would come to dominate the skanking dance floors of the '90s. Their performance at 8 p.m. in the Deadbeat Olympia record store is one that cannot be missed. The Fun Police and Skablin will also perform.

2. Two new exhibitions have open at Kittredge Gallery on the campus of the University of Puget Sound that center on drawing, the creation of imagined or ideal spaces, and the act of perception. The Large Gallery features an exhibition of graphite drawings by Michael Schall selected from several different bodies of work. Formerly based in Seattle, and now living and working in Brooklyn, Schall uses his tightly controlled, graphite drawing style to analyze and comment on the intersection of the natural and man-made. The exhibition in the Small Gallery, Parlor Games: Parallax, is a new participatory installation by Timea Tihanyi exploring the nature of the creative process by drawing together ideas from art, science, and philosophy. Check out both exhibits from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

3. The "BARE: A Boudoir Exhibition" at B2 Fine Art Gallery features sketches and drawings by Northwest Mystics artist Guy Anderson, a photography collection by Paul Dahlquist combined with a variety of contemporary works by artists Alex Clayton, Marsha Glaziere, Marianne Hanson, Nina Mikhailenko, Ron Schmitt and Ric Hall from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Portland artist James Allen finds inspiration in the ephemera of the common objects we encounter everyday altering objects such as books, magazines, photos, and postcards to create new experiences through existing media. He earned a BFA in 2000 from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and was featured in the book, Art Made from Books: Altered, Sculpted, Carved, Transformed. Listen to explain his "Book Excavations" process at 6:30 p.m. in the Collins Memorial Library at the University of Puget Sound.

5. Narrows Brewing Co. has a new website design. Let's celebrate by attending Luke Stanton's "Singer/Song Writer Showcase" from 6-8:30 p.m. inside the brewery's taproom. Beautiful view, beautiful music and beautiful beers.

LINK: Wednesday, Jan. 28 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

In the event of a school-based emergency or crisis, preparedness, effectiveness and fast action are critical. For schools in rural areas, these concepts take on even more importance due to geographic location and other important factors.

However, with appropriate readiness, training and key partnerships, school administrators, rural law enforcement and other emergency responders will be at the ready to react and manage the emergency situation at hand.

The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC), which is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Training and Education Division (NTED), partnership of academic institutions, is bringing an instructor-led, Department of Homeland Security-Certified Course to our region for just this very purpose.

The course, AWR 148 Crisis Management for School-Based Incidents: Partnering Rural Law Enforcement and the Local School Systems, will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Gig Harbor Civic Center Training Room, 3510 Grandview St., Gig Harbor. This course will provide participants a groundwork of knowledge and skills to establish a school-based emergency response plan along with a crisis management team. Key learning and skill building will be accomplished through information sharing and training.

In addition to school administrators, other stakeholders, such as those who work in the fields of emergency management, emergency medical services, fire services, governmental administrative, law enforcement, public safety communications and public works are also encouraged to join and attend this course.

In order to participate and attend this class, registration is required. Convenient online registration is available here. All interested parties must be registered by the registration deadline date at 5 p.m. Feb. 6.

There is no charge to attend the course.

The mission and vision of the RDPC is to create an environment where rural communities across America will have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to enhance the safety, security and quality of life for their citizens.

The RDPC also provides a robust selection of self-paced online training programs, resources, helpful links and much more.

To learn more about the RDPC organization and for more information about their educational and informational offerings or to request training, visit them at www.ruraltraining.org or contact The Center for Rural Development at 606.677.6000.