Must Take the PlungeThe Annual Polar Bear Plunge is Here!Thursday (1/1, 12 p.m.) It’s an age-old tradition that requires a steely resolve—and a warm robe to step into as you emerge from the wintry water. Psych yourself up and jump into Lake Washington at Matthews Beach Park (at noon) or at another favorite splashy spot….

Happy day before the day before Christmas! Leading off: In garbage police news: Ready to do some extra sorting of your trash? The new policy requiring no more than 10 percent of compostable food scraps and recyclable materials in your garbage goes into effect January 1. And the City of Seattle is fully prepared to…

Punxsutawney Phil tends to (ground)hog all the attention, but truth be told, weather-predicting woodchucks are a dime a dozen (see Shubenacadie Sam, Wiarton Willie, General Beauregard Lee). In our rainy climate, we prefer a more amphibian take on meteorology, specifically, a revered bullfrog named Snohomish Slew. 2015 marks the 10th annual GroundFrog Day celebration, in…

After two New York City police officers were shot and killed on Saturday, King County deputies are showing their support and donning mourning bands across their badges. KING 5 reports that the deputies have been instructed “to wear the mourning bands until midnight on the day of the last funeral in New York.” The Happiest…

Two historic enemies recently achieved a remarkable détente. The agreement grabbed headlines, but for many, the topic was inherently a snoozer: an alliance between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma. It might sound yawn-inducing, but it could be a harbinger of a major—and positive—shift in regional dynamics. In the new deal, the two ports will…

A proposed 95 percent tax on electronic cigarettes and other vapor products has local shops that sell e-cigarettes in a tizzy. The tax hike is part of Governor Jay Inslee’s buget plan, which was announced yesterday. KING 5 reports the American Vaping Association (yes, that’s a thing) says that Inslee’s proposal would ” nearly [double]…

Must GrooveDuke Ellington’s ‘Sacred Music’ at Town HallSaturday (12/20, 7:30 p.m.) Earshot Jazz presents the 26th annual concert, a swinging show featuring Ellington’s personal take on “sacred music.” Tickets can be purchased now at Brown Paper Tickets. Must Shop5 Boozy Presents Sure to PleasePlaying Santa for someone fond of a good drink? This bottled gift…

This time of year can start to feel like you’re trapped in a crinkling vortex of wrapping paper with “Jingle Bell Rock” on repeat. But with his new, permanent work of public art, “There Is Another Sky,” New York artist Spencer Finch reminds us to slow down and look up. The only artist commissioned to…

Theater renovations for everyone! Seattle’s Pacific Science Center just announced that it will close its Boeing IMAX Theater on January 4 in order to revamp it with new technology that GeekWire reports will be “the world’s most advanced digital projection system designed specifically for giant IMAX screens.” The Boeing IMAX will reopen in May. PSC…

Of course there’s Bertha news: Digging is slated to continue on the access tunnel above the stalled Bertha boring machine. The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that Seattle Tunnel Partners “will continue its plan to dig an access tunnel to the cutting face of the machine in preparation to raise the machine to the surface…

Somewhere in our attics or basements lurk dusty boxes containing old family photos, newspaper clippings, marriage licenses, death certificates, maybe even an 8-mm movie taken long ago—remnants of the past and orphans of the digital age. It’s a shame to abandon those precious personal effects, but a daunting task to organize them in a meaningful…

You know the feeling well: You’re limping along in the gray Seattle mist when alas–the sun breaks, the clouds clear and our favorite mountain appears. So long, blues!  Cancel that move to Los Angeles. Whether you favor Mount Rainier for its snow sport capacity this time of year or just its sweeping views from Seattle…