FRIDAY, APRIL 11 2014 >>>

1. If someone asks, "How are you?" and you smile warmly and say, "I feel great and life is amazing," something is clearly wrong with you and you should be shunned. We mean, obviously. Life is one giant death-defying chase. Don't believe us? Catch six, thrilling real-life stories from local people who found themselves in a chase: on rollerblades, with government officials, after a murder suspect, for sexiness, for a reason to live and as fast as the speed of sound. It's called Drunken Telegraph, and the chase begins at 7:30 p.m. in Broadway Center's Studio III. Got a chase story? After the main-stage performers, audience members can take their own turn sharing stories on the spot during the "Story Slam." Do tell.

OK, if you are going to have nine bands play a show, it's awesome to start at 4:30 in the afternoon, and it's awesome to make it all ages. So, there's that going for Captain Jack Fest '14. The other thing going is it's at The Midnight Sun, which is going through some changes. But, perhaps, the most important thing is the line-up totally rules. Do I write about our 2014 Best of Olympia Best New Band winner Fruit Juice and their poppy, fantastic dance vibe? Do we write about Mosquito Hawk's sexy, tight, space-themed rock? Or do we write about Captain Algebra's punk/metal, Karp-esque skills? Man, Olympia rules.

Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly, when performed well, fulfills all of the promise of what opera can be. It is a perfect story of innocent love and betrayal. Cio-Cio-San - Butterfly's Japanese name - is one of the best-developed and most sympathetic characters in the operatic repertoire.  And the music that envelops this touching tale is rich with melody and orchestration. Opera lovers look forward to seeing it time and time again, and many a novice has come to love opera through Butterfly.  Experience Tacoma Opera's version at 7:30 p.m. in the Pantages Theater.

Pacific Lutheran University's Dance Concert 2014 is a repertory dance concert comprised of dances created by PLU student choreographers, PLU's Dance Team, and two works of professional choreography by Director Paula J. Peters and guest choreographer Mary Reardon. A variety of choreographic works featuring upbeat rhythms, strong and succinct movements, and elegant sophistication revealed through serious and comical pieces will hit Eastvold Auditorium's stage at 7:30 p.m.

5. The Portland Cello Project and Stephanie Anne Johnson - who enjoyed an extended run on NBC's "The Voice - will perform at 8 p.m. in the Blue Mouse Theater. 

LINK: Friday, April 11 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Karma is complicated. Especially when you apply it to cookies. Baking cookies for neighbors? Good karma. Buying cookies for yourself? Maybe not-so-good karma. Buying other people cookies? Probably pretty-good karma. Throwing cookies at your enemies?  Bad karma. Donating 129,210 boxes of cookies, valued at $574,472 to the men and women at Joint Base Lewis-McChord? Excellent karma.

Girl Scouts of Western Washington has excellent karma right now.

The USO Northwest Shali Center on JBLM was humming with activity Tuesday. While volunteers served those participating in a large military exercise, said 129,210 boxes cookies from the Girl Scouts of Western Washington needed to be unloaded. The event is large enough to be fondly known as Operation Cookie Drop.

USONW has an excellent partnership with Girl Scouts of Western Washington, and it was evident Tuesday as representatives from JBLM, both military and spouses, arrived at the USONW Shali Center early in the morning to load their cars with cases of cookies for their units. More than 2,600 cases were packed into waiting cars.

For the full scoop, read excerpts from the Operation Cookie Drop news release below.

Read more...

Have you checked out K Records lately? Nearly 25 years old, the indie record label has been housed in its current location - a well-loved, historic synagogue building next to the post office in downtown Oly - since 2004.

Now, K founder Calvin Johnson and crew have re-arranged the building, bringing the basement studio upstairs to the former sanctuary and opening its front doors to the public.

"I'm really excited about the new space because it's this huge open space with these really high ceilings," says Sam Gray, studio manager. "From an engineering standpoint, that's way better. You get a way better sound so you can do more creative things with the space, but also it just feels really amazing in there - the energy is really good. There's lots of light. It's really like night and day from being in the basement."

Mariella Luz, K records general manager shares Gray's sentiment and explains more about the change.

"Previously, only K Record bands recorded in the space, and now that the label has shifted focus and has emphasis on the studio - to have it open to the public and rentable - they thought they'd make upstairs more accessible," says Luz.

The upstairs was previously filled with warehouse materials and shelving that blocked the windows. Now, inventory has been scaled down and moved to the basement. It was quite the undertaking to switch everything she says, but well worth it.

"Calvin takes the ownership of this building very seriously," says Luz. "He wants to keep it as a positive place ... and seeing the space now is quite beautiful."

An open house is set for 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, during the Olympia Spring Arts Walk, with live music by The Lowest Pair at 7 p.m.

K Records is at 802 Jefferson SE. For more information, visit www.krecs.com.

SEE ALSO

2014 Best Olympian: Calvin Johnson

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 2014 >>>

1. On June 10, 2006, college friends Dylan LeValley, Greg Spooner, Brad Vickers and Jordan Hanssen stepped into a 29-foot rowboat as the only American competitors in the first North Atlantic Rowing Race, pulling across the northern ocean. From the first dreams of race planning to heaving through ocean waves, Rowing Into the Son: Four Young Men Crossing the North Atlantic takes the reader along with team Outdoor Adventure Racing (OAR) Northwest as they head out from New York Harbor, catch the Gulf Stream current and make the final dramatic push for the finish line, a narrow 50-mile wide "gate" at Bishop's Rock Lighthouse off the coast of Cornwall. Hurricane-level winds, giant eddies, passing freighters, flying fish and sharks are all elements of the journey, and the race comes to a tense head on day 17 - with another 55 days to go - as the crew realizes their food supplies are running out and they must drastically restrict their eating. This is lead rower and University of Puget Sound graduate Hanssen's intimate account of team OAR Northwest's journey, a tale you can hear first-hand when Hanssen reads passages of the book at his alma mater at 6:30 p.m. in Commencement Hall.

2. Northwest artist Camille Patha shares stories of her inspiration and experiences from her 50-year career at 11 a.m. in the Tacoma Art Museum. After her lecture, she'll lead a gallery tour our her exhibit, "A Punch of Color: Fifty Years of Painting by Camille Patha."

3. The 2014 Walk Tacoma series kicks off at noon with a 1.5 mile stroll through Wright Park and the Stadium District in Tacoma. Participants will walk with Melissa McGinnis, from Metro Parks, Bill Baarsma, former Tacoma Mayor and Caroline Swope, from Kingstree Studios, and will learn about the history of Wright Park, Stadium High School and Stadium District history. The walk will begin at the south side of Wright Park by the lion sculptures at noon. Walkers will be able to visit booths from 11:30 a.m. until noon to learn more about healthy lifestyles, healthy commutes and other walking events, and the first 200 walk participants will receive a swag bag. All Walk Tacoma events are free and there is no pre-registration necessary.

4. There's something otherworldly about Gary Lappier's photography show, "Sent From Somewhere Else," at Fulcrum Gallery. That does not mean the pictures are of fantasy scenes or that they're surrealistic or dreamily atmospheric. They are simple, straightforward, black and white shots of the B&I Market on South Tacoma Way. What is strange, sad, and mysterious about these photographs is there are no people, no movement, no signs of life in these 23 photographs of a place that is normally bustling with activity. Read Alec Clayton's full review of "Sent From Somewhere Else: The Black and White Photography of Gary Lappier" in the Music & Culture section,and then check out the show from noon to 6 p.m.

5. Pantry, the newest book of poetry by Tacoma-born poet Lilah Hegnauer, will be celebrated at 7 p.m. in King's Books. Pantry won the Hub City Press inaugural New Southern Voices Poetry Award, selected by D.A. Powell.

LINK: Wednesday, April 2 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

It's great to be appreciated.

Hundreds of service members and their spouses turned out March 15 to enjoy a Him & Her Appreciation Day at the Marymount Event Center in Spanaway, hosted by The Ranger and Northwest Airlifter newspapers, and sponsored by USAA.

The center is home to part of the LeMay Classic Car Museum, and the event was held in the midst of priceless, classic automobiles.

"I came by for the free haircut," Spc. Jason Litschauer said with a grin as Rashawnada Rowley from the Olympia Barber School clipped away.

"I think it is so wonderful to be here and meet these soldiers," commented Rowley. 

Read more...

THURSDAY, MARCH 13 2014 >>>

1. One of Tacoma's most popular events makes an epic return today. If you've never been to a 100th Monkey bash, here's what you've been missing: wine, food, art, wine, entertainment and, uh... did we mention wine? Participants bring the food and drinks - including non-alcoholic beverages, as this is an all-ages event - but the rest is provided. The Kim Archer Band supplies the music, and monkey tiles, created by artist Kristina Vallery, will be available for $5 a piece. Get in on the party from 7-9 p.m. at Freighthouse Square's Rainier Ball Room.

2. Proctor District's favorite wine bar Pour at Four hosts complimentary wine tastings. It's a beautiful thing. From 5:30-8 p.m., you may taste six Spanish wines.

3. Think running and drinking don't mix unless there's a K-9 unit involved? Not true. The Tacoma Runners - a group of T-town pavement pounders - meet ever Thursday for a 3-mile loop at a "social pace" at one of Tacoma's favorite watering holes. Tonight at 6:30 p.m. is appropriately the Runners' St. Patrick Day outing - based at Doyle's Public House. Wear green and make a damn fool of yourself.

4. The quarterly Ancient Victorys Open Mike brings back some of the 3,000 acoustic music performers from open mikes run by Chris Lunn in this state and California from the 1965 through 1990 to the Antique Sandwich Co. at 7 p.m. 

5. We've enjoyed Rebecca Lea McCarthy's performances before, most recently in Arsenic and Old Lace at Lakewood Playhouse. Turns out she's an author, too, and her second book, Writing the Diaphragm Blues and Other Sexual Cacophonies, was released in 2012. Her stage play's an adaptation of that work, described by one online reviewer as "(p)art memoir, part feminist scholarship...with just enough dirty jokes to keep it a guilty pleasure." Where the chickens fit in, we have absolutely no idea. Read Christian Carvajal's full feature on Singing the Diaphragm Blues in the Music & Culture section, then catch the performance at 8 p.m. in the 4th Wall Players Theatre in Puyallup.

LINK: Thursday, March 13 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

Need a nesting box or bulk feed for your backyard chickens? How about beekeeping supplies for your small farm? Maybe you need some soil or seed for your raised garden beds. Perhaps you want to learn about making cheese.

All this and more is now available at the recently opened Eastside Urban Farm and Garden Center in the old Curtis Lumber Building in Olympia. Olympians Brighida DeVaras and Michelle and Billy Jackson opened the 10,000-square-foot space March 3.

"We're catering to small farms and urban farms," says DeVaras. "There's just a real need for feed and garden. A lot of people are sick of going to Lowe's and buying fruit trees from California that die in a couple years."

A walk-through tour, which the staff is providing for newcomers, shows shelving made of re-purposed palettes, and thoughtfulness in every product: Dog food, horse supplies, heirloom non-GMO seeds, cheese-making kits, canning supplies, live chicks, garden beds and greenhouses, soil amendments, tools and so much more.

Soon, the back lot, which also doubles as extra parking, will have a nursery and edibles plants for sale, including 400 fruit trees and 1,000 berry vines, plus more. A bulk soil section allows shoppers to handle the dirt before purchase. Also in the works are more animals for purchase, including quail and meat rabbits.

Toward the back, an education room complete with tables and seating offers reference books to thumb through while shopping, as well as a space for classroom sessions. The topics will range from gardening, to food preservation to poultry care.

"We're offering a lot of different classes ... the full gamut," laughs DeVaras.

The first of three classes on Organic Gardening (spring session) is noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 15. The cost is $10 per session, $20 if you register for all three. Pre-registration is encouraged, but drop-ins are welcome.

For more information, visit eastsideurbanfarmandgarden.com.

EASTSIDE URBAN FARM AND GARDEN CENTER, 2326 Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.972.2933.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord residents and workers are familiar with construction and an ever-evolving landscape; here are some of the current undertakings on base.

Chicken closure

The Popeye's restaurant, located on Lewis Main, has been closed and the building will be demolished as part of the road construction and traffic plan that is transforming Pendleton Avenue and the furthering the Town Center project.

Currently, there is a proposal to construct a new Popeye's on Lewis North, but according to JBLM public affairs, no start or finish dates for that construction work have not been released yet.

New gate access to North Fort

The new "Integrity Gate," located near the intersection of DuPont-Steilacoom Road and Wharf Road will replace an older gate, located nearby at I Street, which had been deemed unsafe due to limited sightlines and visibility.

Specifically, the new gate will be at the next road junction north of the Center Drive and DuPont-Steilacoom Road intersection. As a component of this project, a traffic signal will be installed at the four-way intersection to regulate the gate's traffic flow. The Integrity Gate should be completed and operational in the early Fall of 2014.

Water Treatment Plant

CDM Constructors Inc., of Bellevue, was awarded a $77,476,628 firm-fixed price contract to design and build a Class A wastewater treatment plant to service JBLM.

The existing wastewater treatment plant is located near Solo Point off of DuPont-Steilacoom Road, about 1.5 miles south of the JBLM North gate, and is an older plant. The new plant will be able to treat 10 million gallons of water per day, which is intended to provide for the projected base population of 100,000 people by the year 2030.

The project recently received an official notice to proceed from office of the Army Corps of Engineers in Seattle, which is the contracting activity. The initial months of the project will focus on planning and design and a groundbreaking is expected to occur this summer.

Fisher House moves forward

Site preparation for the second JBLM Fisher House is expected to begin in mid- to late-March. Once that is complete, the contractor will take over and begin work. There will be a groundbreaking ceremony, according to Fisher House manager Jodi Land, but a date is yet to be determined.

The new house is slated to be a one-story structure, larger than the existing eight-bedroom JBLM house and located near the Madigan's Medical Mall. The new construction will have 12 rooms, including an on-site office, as well as a built-in storage room and oversized kitchen, living room and dining room.

See Also

Commissary Club opens at McChord Field

Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Master Plan

2nd Ranger Battalion memorial enters next phase

As you know, the new McChord Field Commissary Club Store officially opened this morning at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. According to Sgt. James Bunn of the 5^th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Victoria Rush, Defense Commissary Agency west zone 12 manager, announced the new club store is the first of its kind in DeCA and is designed to appeal to younger service members.

"The Commissary Club model offers patrons club store and traditional grocery store shopping under one roof. And the only membership card customers need is their military ID," Bruce Dubisar, project manager for DeCA's club store concept, told us last month.

As we reported, DeCA will evaluate the new format's operations and customer acceptance of the Commissary Club model over a period of time, but because it is a concept-test limited to one store, officials are want local shoppers know that there are no plans to change the format of the Lewis Main Commissary just yet.

Bunn snapped several photos this morning at the grand opening. Check them out. ...

>>> Victoria Rush, Defense Commissary Agency west zone 12 manager, announces the opening of the new McChord Field Commissary Club Store at Joint Base Lewis-McChord March 7. Photo credit: Sgt. James Bunn

>>> Col. Anthony Davit, Joint Base Lewis-McChord deputy commander cuts a ribbon, with the help of other service members, and welcomes McChord Commissary patrons into the new McChord Field Commissary Club Store at JBLM, Wash., March 7. The new club store is the first of its kind in the Defense Commissary Agency and is designed to appeal to younger service members. Photo credit: Sgt. James Bunn

>>> Airman 1st Class Eric Deleon shops around the new McChord Field Commissary Club Store for the first time at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., March 7. The new club store is the first of its kind in the Defense Commissary Agency and is designed to appeal to younger service members. Photo credit: Sgt. James Bunn

Here at the Weekly Volcano, we love to crack a few cold ones and dig through the weird world of Craigslist. From stripper poles and hobbit feet, to marijuana and awkward walking partners, we've reported our favorite finds.

It's time again for another installation of "Found on Craigslist."

Let's start with the nut that inspired the hunt for more Craigslist gems. (Thanks for the lead, Vince.)

Meet Plagiarism Paul, who lives in Elma and takes selfies while dressed in capris to help solicit some sap to do his college essay. Compensation is "up for discussion." 

Perhaps the best category - freebies! Sifting through the free toilets and other garbage, here are a couple that grabbed our eye:

Free: Righteous wood encased TV from the 80s

"Are you throwing an 80s party and short on decorations? Are you infatuated with wood encased electronics? Are you retro? Do you like to watch old music videos on a TV that would bring back some memories? What about playing your original Nintendo on this bad boy? Are you still hanging on to that old cable box from the 80s with the dial on front of it that will let you watch contraband cable channels through the lines when you hold it between channels or cram some baseball cards in behind the dial? If you're into bringing back old memories and providing yourself with hours of joy, this TV is for you! Help this TV fulfill its final destiny with one last hurrah before it heads off to the appliance recycling pile!"

Kudos for your efforts on a marketing plan, Craigslister, but something tells me you will be taking it to the recycling pile after all.

This one just has a funny headline: Large Collection of Pain used in various projects (Spanaway)

Next: We all know you can buy "greens" on Craigslist these days, but what about this bag? Any takers? Hmm? Beuler?