Briefs

Read for justice

BI Reads for Justice, a six-month, all-community program, is underway and will run until March 2023.

The community is invited to read the first book in the program, “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning.” Throughout the six months, there will be speakers, films and community discussions.

Last spring, when some BI parents learned “Stamped” would be part of Woodward Middle School’s eighth-grade social studies curriculum, one parent asked, “Can we read the book, too?” That’s what started things off.

“Stamped” is available in hardcover, ebook, audiobook and more. There is also a children’s version. The book is available at Eagle Harbor Book Co., at the Bainbridge Public Library and online retailers.

BI Reads for Justice aims to raise awareness, increase education and spur action about injustice in society. They also aim to normalize, broaden and deepen conversations about race.

For details email bireadsforjustice@gmail.com.

Flamenco dance

Seattle-based Flamenco dancer Savannah Fuentes and singer/multi-instrumentalist Diego Amador Jr., direct from Seville, will present Rayn: Flamenco for a New World at the Bainbridge Grange Hall at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28.

Fuentes’s latest production is a new beginning for her; she has designed new costumes, set new choreography, and had a new dance floor constructed for this tour. Rayn symbolizes the fresh new start that comes after substantial rainfall while also paying homage to her Seattle roots.

Savannah and Amador have performed throughout the West Coast since 2019. He comes from the legendary Amador family, famous for fusing Flamenco with blues, jazz and salsa music. He is a powerful singer and guitarist, also playing piano, bass and percussion.

Solo art show

Donna Cohen will have a solo Art Show at Realogic Sotheby’s Realty on Bainbridge Island Nov. 4-19.

Cohen has lived all over and has done many types of artwork, but in 2015 she moved to a private forest on the Hood Canal in Seabeck. Living in the middle of nowhere on seven acres with a sunroom as a studio and no neighbors in view, she began to really live her dream. “My art has matured, I have a patience I didn’t have before. I do acrylic on canvas now. Nothing tricky or techie. Just me and paints and brushes and canvas, ” she said.

Cohen has learned so much while painting in acrylics she has a bowl of Q-tips and cotton balls and freely experiments with strokes and colors, constantly stepping back to review and either wiping the last strokes away or continuing on, or painting the whole thing over. She uses exotic and new paints and pigments from around the world. She said when you view her paintings she hopes you will connect with her strong sense of color and design, and her sense of humor and whimsy in shapes and forms.

Book signing

Anisa Ashabi will be signing her first book “Finding Chaz” at the Barnes and Noble at the Kitsap Mall in Silverdale starting at 1 p.m. Oct. 22.

Ashabi, 23, graduated from North Kitsap High School in 2017.

The book mixes humor with heavy topics such as equity and sexual harassment.

Meet mayor

Mayor Joe Deets is having open office hours Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon at CUPS Espresso on 123 Bjune Drive SE in Winslow.

Everyone is welcome to meet with him to talk about city business.

Local Poetry

Residents of Kitsap and neighboring counties are invited to submit poems for ARS POETICA 2023.

It is the 10th Annual Juried Competition — Where Poetry Meets Art.

All jury-selected poems will be offered to artists from the sponsoring galleries and other local venues to be visually interpreted in any medium. The resulting artworks, along with the poems they interpret, will then be displayed in local galleries and venues from April to June 2023. Entry deadline is Jan. 6, 2023.

For details contact Tamarah Rockwood at ArsPoeticaWA@gmail.com or go to arspoeticawa.weebly.com.

City honored

The Bainbridge Island Public Works Department has recently received full accreditation by the American Public Works Association.

An awards ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. Oct. 25 at the City Council meeting.

It is one of only nine statewide to receive the honor. The accreditation recognizes that the agency is in full compliance with the recommended management practices set forth in APWA’s Public Works Management Practices Manual. The purpose of accreditation is to promote excellence in the operation and management of a public works agency, its programs and employees.

“We have been working towards accreditation for a few years now,” said Chris Wierzbicki, Public Works director. “The pandemic shifted our focus and slowed the accreditation process down, but we have been able to re-focus and review each one of our over 400 policies. Each one of those policies need to score an excellence rating of 97 percent or more with the APWA for accreditation.”

BI police log

10-10: Missing person, Secretariat Lane NE

10-10: Residential burglary, NE Broomgerrie Road

10-10: Theft, High School Road NE

10-11: Bicycle theft, Ericksen Avenue NE

10-11: Theft from building, NE Hidden Cove Road

10-12: Traffic accident, NE Day Road E at Highway 305

10-13: Fraud theft, Maplewood Lane NE

10-13: Traffic accident, Miller Road NE

10-13: Theft, Madison Avenue N

10-14: Theft of motor vehicle, NE Day Road W

10-14: Traffic accident, Ihland Way NE at Madison Avenue N.