Students walk against war

By foot and wheelchair, Bainbridge High School students joined more than 1,000 of their area peers at Wednesday’s rally in Seattle to protest the war in Iraq and military recruitment on their campuses.

The afternoon march marked the first anniversary of President Bush’s re-election. It was organized by the group Youth Against War and Racism.

BHS principal Brent Peterson estimated that 25 local students attended the march, which went from Westlake Center to the Capitol Hill Arts Building.

“Those students who did decide to participate at this youth rally did so in a manner that was not disruptive to activities here at BHS,” Peterson said. “All students will be held to our regular attendance expectations, so if a student was absent without a parent excuse, they will be held accountable.”

Karen Ahern, who attended the protest with her 16-year-old daughter, Mariah, and a group of BHS teens, put the island representation at more than 30 students.

“Mariah came to me and said she wanted to participate. I was the token parent,” said Ahern, a veteran of anti-war protests. “It was the right thing to do and I wanted to make sure that the march was safe.”

Ahern expected there to be some problems, but “everyone was so respectful and everything was great. It was a real educational experience and a lesson in learning how to be good citizens.”

All the students who participated had energy and passion, said Ahern, and they helped older folks and each other make it up Capitol Hill.

“The students are so astute. They were all really happy with the turnout. We think at least 2,000 students were there, with a ratio of maybe one adult to nine students,” she said.

Students focused on two issues: the war in Iraq and the presence of military recruiters on campus.

“They are upset that education money is really being diverted for war,” Ahern said. “They are afraid of inheriting a huge debt from an illegal war.”

For Mariah Ahern – a reporter on the school newspaper – the protest was “definitely worthwhile to get your voices heard. Having recruiters on campus once a month is horribly unfair. This brings attention to that.”

Mariah worked until 3 a.m. the day of the rally to have a petition ready to bring with her.

The petition calls for limiting campus visits by military recruiters to a minimum number of times per school year and having counter-recruitment information available when they do visit.

In addition, Mariah and her friend Jessie Ballou founded Conscious World, an on-campus organization that shares facts about recruitment and other social issues.

“We give people information and they can act accordingly,” Mariah said.

The students’ discussions on the ferry ride back home showed Karen Ahern how well-informed they are about current events.

“They’re ashamed of our country. They feel like it might be too broken to be fixed,” she said.

— Rhona Schwartz

Facilities needs get an airing

In June, arts groups returned a resounding “yes” to whether or not more cultural facilities are needed on the island.

Monday evening, findings and recommendations from a summer-long study of facilities needs will be aired at a public meeting.

Consultant Bob Bailey presents the 2005 Cultural Facilities Feasibility Study from 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 7 in the City Hall council chambers followed by discussion with the public.

The study was conducted as a result of a 2003 needs assessment and facilities inventory by the Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council as mandated by the island’s Comprehensive Plan.

Bailey, who has more than 30 years experience in cultural resource planning, management and research, will discuss his findings which led to his recommendations.

Janice Shaw, BIAHC facilities coordinator, said that some key recommendations include: developing a cultural facility on a civic campus in the downtown core, which would include buildings atop an underground parking garage on city-owned land; aligning the future facility with the Winslow Tomorrow recommendations; supporting a school district theater with strong shared use; and supporting the proposed expansion of the Bainbridge Performing Arts’ Playhouse theater.

The new facilities would provide “flexible” spaces for galleries, offices, arts education classrooms, community events and more.

Meeting participants will be polled on what they think about the recommendations and the site and spaces planned.

The report comes from Bailey’s interviews with the island’s “leadership community” and talking with user groups about needs.

The project is funded by BIAHC with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Bainbridge Island.

For more information, contact BIAHC at 842-7901 or admin@artshum.org.

— Tina Lieu

Island cook on TV today

Daryce Walton loves to cook, and she loves the “KCTS Cooks” viewer cooking series.

The islander has submitted recipes that were chosen for the companion cookbooks, but never with the thought that she would be asked to re-create a dish on the air.

This afternoon, she will.

Sweetening this treat even more, she will cook alongside her daughter, Kim Walton of West Seattle, who also was selected to demonstrate a recipe for this special, which will air during the station’s popular pledge drive.

Formally titled “KCTS Cooks: More Favorites,” the show is a follow-up to last November’s “KCTS Cooks: Favorite Recipes,” a viewer cooking special and the most popular Cooks special in the station’s history.

“Kim is actually a much better cook than I am,” Daryce Walton said. “She can experiment and put things together really well.”

Apparently, the folks behind the Cooks series think Daryce can, too. She will prepare her Pumpkin Creme Caramel, while Kim will cook Grilled Mango-Garlic Chicken with Mango Salsa.

“I think it will be fun doing it,” said Daryce, a stained-glass artist, gardener and fair-weather golfer. “(My recipe) is like a flan. It’s quick to do, but you have to let it set overnight.”

The Waltons are scheduled to appear at around 12:14 p.m. on Saturday.

Because the program is live – except for the three pre-taped restaurant chef portions – the time is approximate and may vary up to 15 minutes, according to the show’s producers.

Cooks bring their own supplies and pans to the show and must produce two of whatever they make.

Because Daryce’s dish needs time to set, she prepared one at home on Friday. The other will be made in front of the cameras.

The cooks have 10 to 15 minutes to prepare and talk about their dish.

Saturday’s show will feature a variety of recipes prepared on the air by 13 viewers from various Puget Sound communities, including Vashon Island and Bremerton.

It will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday and will be rebroadcast at 3 p.m. later that day and again at 2 p.m. Nov. 6.

“KCTS Cooks: More Favorites” is hosted by KCTS’ George Ray. Chef Carol Dearth of Rain City Cooking School in Bellevue works alongside the cooks to help fix any mistakes, Daryce Walton said.

The “KCTS Cooks: More Favorites” cookbook will include all the recipes featured in Saturday’s special, plus more than 400 recipes contributed by viewers in Washington state and Canada.

The cookbook will be offered as a pledge premium during portions of the program.

For more information see www.kcts.org/weekend/kitchen.

— Rhona Schwartz