Here are a few highlights of what’s happening around Phinney Ridge and Greenwood this weekend. Check out our Events calendar for more.

Friday is the last Phinney Farmers Market of the season. The market is open from 3-6 p.m. in the upper parking lot of the Phinney Neighborhood Association, 6532 Phinney Ave. N. Get your fresh fruit, veggies, meat, flowers, ice cream, pizza, soup and more.

Eric Apoe and Tommy Dean perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono Café, 8310 Greenwood Ave. N. And at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, it’s a benefit cabaret for Ruby Smith, daughter of Couth Buzzard co-owner Theo Dzielak, to help pay for her cancer treatment costs. The evening includes music, comedy, poetry and dance. Hosted by Victoria Millard, with Ginny Reily (Blues guitar), Hejira (Middle-Eastern improv music), Elisa Gamel (belly dancing), Ronin with Larry Crist & Theo Dzielak (jazz and poetry), and “The Smiths.”

At Empty Sea Studios, 6300 Phinney Ave. N., Emma Beaton and Nic Gareiss perform as part of the Next Gen Folk Series beginning at 8 p.m. Cost is $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Parents of children ages 4-6 can sign up their child for a four-week Story Drama Class at the Phinney Neighborhood Center. Class runs from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Saturdays from Oct. 22 – Nov. 12. Cost is $50. Three theater and education professions will help children explore a book through drama. Contact Nicole at niferguson@hotmail.com to sign up.

For a little Halloween action, check out the Pumpkin Bash at Broadview Thomson Elementary School’s Bitter Lake Annex, 13040 Greenwood Ave. N, from 6-8 p.m. Saturday. It’s for ages 2-10. Each game ticket costs 25 cents. Choose from more than 25 carnival games, live entertainment, face painting, candy and prizes, two large jump toys, and a cakewalk. There will be a special room just for preschoolers. Please bring a can of food for the food bank.

Autumn Fest at Woodland Park Zoo this weekend pays tribute to gray wolves with special keeper talks, enrichment treats for the animals, information tables staffed by Wolf Haven and Grizzly Bear Outreach Project, coloring activities for kids and a discovery station with facts on wolves. It’s all included with zoo admission.

On Sunday, come to the Seattle Farm Co-op 3rd Annual Harvest Barter Fair from 5:30-9 p.m. at the PNA. There you can join in a family potluck and a square dance, barter local goods, take part in a book release party for “The Urban Farm Handbook” by Ballard resident Joshua McNichols, and learn more about a new Seattle bartering website. The party is open to all participants who bring a food product to barter, or you can buy a bottomless $10 pint to benefit Seattle Farm Co-op.

Don’t forget that the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes tonight at 7:30 p.m. until Oct. 31. Check out The Seattle Times story for more information on how to get around town during the closure.

And next week, Seattle Public Utilities will start picking up trash an hour earlier because of the Viaduct closure. So make sure your garbage, recycling and compost bins are out by 6 a.m. on your normal pickup day. This applies only to residential customers in Northwest Seattle, north of the Ship Canal and west of I-5.

A Seattle woman and her brother will receive $18,500 for helping police arrest Kevin Todd Swalwell, who was convicted in a string of arsons in Greenwood two years ago, including the massive fire that destroyed an entire building housing four restaurants next to Taproot Theatre.

From the SPD Blotter:

A Seattle woman and her brother will receive an $18,500 award for giving authorities information that helped lead to the arrest and conviction of the Greenwood Arsonist. NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm Foundation will present the award in partnership with the Seattle Fire Department and the Seattle Police Department on Monday, October 24, at 10:30 a.m. at the Taproot Theatre Company, 204 N. 85th St. Seattle.

Key Officials Attending: Paul McDonagh, Assistant Chief in Special Operations, Seattle Police Department; Chief John Nelson, Fire Marshall, Seattle Fire Department.

In May of 2010, Kevin Todd Swalwell pled guilty to setting 10 fires in Greenwood and one fire in Shoreline. A judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison. A tip led authorities to arrest Swalwell. Between June 19 and November 9, 2009, 19 fires were set in the Greenwood area causing an estimated more than 2.2 million dollars in damage. At that time, an Arson Task Force was formed between the Seattle Fire Department, The Seattle Police Department. Swalwell could only be connected to 10 of these fires. One of the fires caused $2 million in damage to the Taproot Theatre and four restaurants on Oct. 23 and one person suffered non-life threatening burns during one of the fires.

The Arson Alarm Foundation offered a large reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist. The reward led the brother and sister to come forward with information that assisted investigators in solving the case. “Arsonists hurt all of us by destroying lives and property and by driving up insurance rates,” said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. “We are pleased to award citizens who come forward to help investigators solve these damaging and potentially fatal crimes.”

Arson is a deadly and costly crime. Nationally, arson kills hundreds of people each year, injures thousands and destroys hundreds of millions of dollars in property while putting firefighters at needless risk. Arson also is a difficult crime to solve. FBI statistics show only 17 percent of all arson offenses result in arrests. Anyone with information about an arson or suspicious fire is urged to call the Arson Hotline (800-55-ARSON) or local authorities. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for an award. NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm Foundation offer an annual $10,000 Arson Award Fund for Washington residents who provide tips to authorities that result in the arrest or conviction of arsonists. The Arson Alarm Foundation has awarded more than $100,000 to Washington citizens over the past 12 years. NW Insurance Council and Arson Alarm have sponsored the Arson Award Fund since 1978.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office has charged 29-year-old Jesse K. Drugger with one count of Child Molestation Second Degree and five counts of Indecent Exposure, for exposing himself to children in several areas of Seattle, including in Greenwood on Holman Road.

Drugger’s bail was increased today from $100,000 to $250,000. He remains in jail.

By Next Door Media Intern Mwiza Kalisa

For the past 20 years, Couth Buzzard Books has been a center for the community. The bookstore at 8310 Greenwood Ave. N., which sells new and used books, is a place where people not only go to browse books, but to socialize and listen to live music and poetry.

But now, Couth Buzzard needs the community’s help. This Saturday, Couth Buzzard Books & Espresso Buono Café is hosting a benefit cabaret for Ruby Smith, daughter of Couth Buzzard co-owner Theo Dzielak and Kate Smith. Ruby was recently diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

“Since [August] our lives have been very different; it’s very moment to moment,” Dzielak said.

Friends and family want to raise money for the 17-year-old’s treatment expenses. Dzielak says that the benefit cabaret grew out of “civil strength.” As a community organizer and performer, Dzilak has contacts in the arts community, most of whom offered to perform on Saturday. Dzielak used to organize house cabarets in the 1990s.

“When I opened this place I knew that had to be an important part of the vision, not just to sell books but to have community events,” he said.

Couth Buzzard gives the neighborhood an opportunity to showcase their talents. The bookstore has writing workshops, open mic nights and music events.

“It’s become a community gathering place for the neighborhood,” he added.

Kenny Mandell, a music teacher and performer, has known Dzielak since the store re-opened in 2009 after closing its original location at North 73rd Street and Greenwood Avenue a year-and-a-half earlier.

“I think why we became friends is because of a similar philosophy; engaging the local community through art,” Mandell said.

Mandell, who performs every first Friday of the month, has developed a jazz following at the bookstore. When he learned of Ruby’s illness he said that it had a profound effect on his life.

“I think it’s critical that people need to help each other, we’re all in this together,” he said. “If we don’t help each other out it’s a sad statement.”

There has been a tremendous amount of support from the community. Mandell sent out 100 e-mails to his own mailing list and is among the group of performers who have stepped forward.

“I think Theo’s vision goes way beyond selling books; it’s much more inclusive of the local community,” Mandell said. “I just hope to see people opening up their hearts and helping out in whatever way they can.”

Kate Smith says that the communities they’ve been working with for many years are indeed coming forth.

“It’s the community that’s going to save us. It sounds so simplistic but it’s true,” she said. “There’s no better proof of that than what has happened with our daughter, Ruby.”

Smith has heard from people in California, where Ruby was born, and from friends who are located as far as Scotland.

Ruby, a Senior at Nathan Hale High School, plays bass and loves to write. The 17-year-old has posted honest journal entries through CaringBridge, an organization that offers websites to people facing serious medical conditions.

Victoria Millard, the host on Saturday, has known Ruby since she was 2.

“Wherever Kate and Theo have lived they have created community around them,” she said.

Millard is the board president of Ear to the Ground, a clown and physical theater company.

“I think that’s what we’ve learned in our work, that laughter is medicine,” Millard said.

Millard and Smith worked together at Children’s Hospital as clowns for 11 years.

“If you can laugh even at the darkest things it’s a way to keep the spirits up and it does make a difference in health and outcome,” she said. “That’s what we’ve learned through our work in the hospital and that’s what I’m hoping to do to help now, not only for Ruby but for Kate.”

Millard says that Ruby’s family has created community in ways that are important to sustaining human life.

“Movies are great, listening to music is great, but there’s something about a small intimate experience of musicians who are playing just for you,” she said. “They’ve given artists a place to express themselves, to be able to do their work in a non-commercial way. They’ve reached the neighborhood through art and have brought people into their home, because they know that art makes people happy and it’s vitally important.”

The benefit cabaret is this Saturday, Oct. 22nd, starting at 7:30 p.m., at 8310 Greenwood Ave N.

Luscious Skin Spa and several other retailers around North 65th Street and Phinney Avenue North have all chipped in for a basket of goodies that they’d like to donate to a deserving family for Thanksgiving, and they’re looking for nominations.

Mari Mamikunian, owner of Luscious Skin Spa, tells us the family doesn’t necessarily need to be someone in dire financial straights, but perhaps just someone who supports the community in many ways and should get some kind of recognition for it.

All of the businesses are participating including Rudy’s, Beachcomber Kid’s Cuts, Agora Foods, Luscious Skin Spa, Hip Zephyr, Home Espresso Repair, Frock Shop, Mae’s Cafe, Will’s Espresso and Cassandra Johnson with Sweet Pea housecleaning service. So there’s something for the whole family to enjoy: haircuts for Dad, a facial for mom, haircuts for the kids, breakfast for the whole family, a treat from Agora Foods, Hip Zephyr and the Frock Shop, espressos from Home Espresso Repair and to top it all off a 2 hour house cleaning!

Please send your nominations for a deserving family to Mari at brigitt12@yahoo.com by October 30. You will be notified if your nominated family was selected in mid-November just in time for Thanksgiving. Thank you helping us to select a family!

Balderdash Books & Art, 8536 Greenwood Ave. N., will close at the end of May 2012.

Owner Vanessa Ormiston tells us the used bookstore is for sale, and she hopes someone will buy it before she closes.

A number of factors have contributed to my decision to close, some business related and some personal, but I do believe that Greenwood can support Balderdash Books if a new owner steps in. I will start closure sales in the early spring and I encourage my customers to invite family and friends to help them spend down their credit. I will also have the annual Buy 1 get 1 FREE Cookbook sale in November and the 25% OFF Holiday sale in December. I will be updating my stock until I close. I will also be taking books in for credit (you can use your credit towards 50% of a purchase) until early spring but I am advising customers to not bring in more than they can spend in the last 3 months. At the end of May it will be the 7th year Balderdash Books has been in business and I believe the 25th year in total for the bookstore. Thank you Greenwood!

Oregon-based Umpqua Bank opened its Phinney Ridge branch today at 7120 Greenwood Ave. N.

When I stopped by in the late morning, staff members told me there had been a steady stream of people coming in.

Umpqua Bank’s selling point is a strong tie to the community and a bank that feels like a homey community gathering space.

At the Phinney Ridge branch, the table in the middle of the bank is filled with small bags of free coffee beans (fair trade and roasted specifically for them in Oregon) and merchandise from a small, local retailer. That retailer changes every quarter. This quarter it’s Zak & Zoe dog boutique, which is just a couple blocks down on the corner of North 74th Street and Greenwood Avenue North. All merchandise is for sale, and Umpqua gives all the money to the highlighted retailer, without taking any cut.

Zak & Zoe’s products for sale.

The iCafe is a desk with two computers and a printer for anyone to bank online or surf the Internet. A free coffee and tea bar will feature fresh cookies from a local bakery every Friday, and has a paper and paperless community information board. Anyone can submit a community event or pictures through the website.

“We’re not just a bank,” Universal Associate Jackie Sapp said. “We like to think of ourselves as a bank and a store and a coffee shop.”

The teller’s row looks more like a hotel lobby than a traditional bank. In fact, all Umpqua associates go through Ritz Carlton customer service training. Two small rooms provide privacy for those opening up new accounts.

“The idea here is that it kind of looks like a hotel,” Sapp explained. “We like to say you’re ‘checking in’ not ‘checking out.’”

Each branch has a Neighborhood Narrative on the wall. The Phinney branch highlights the nearby Phinney Neighborhood Association.

If all the tellers are busy or you prefer to speak to someone on the phone, pick up the old-fashioned silver phone in the corner and press one button to be connected directly to customer service, the loan or investment departments, or even Umpqua’s president’s direct line. (If he isn’t in his office, his secretary will answer.)

Each employee gets paid for 40 hours of volunteer work on company time. A large computer screen near the front door shows you the number of hours that employees have volunteered, and where. The screen also provides a list of local volunteer opportunities.

Phinney Ridge branch staff hold up “We Heart” signs, promoting Umpqua’s contest to see which neighborhood gets the most “love letters.” The winning neighborhood could win $10,000 for a neighborhood project, and winning businesses could win $1,000. Staff members from left: Michele Livingston (region manager), Jake Mueller (universal associate), Jackie Sapp (universal associate), Jo Figurelli (store manager), Carol Gaouette (area manager), Chris Sailus (mortgage loan officer) and Andrea Tuttle (universal associate).

The Phinney Ridge branch is Umpqua Bank’s fourth Puget Sound area location since July, and branches in West Seattle and Ballard will open by the end of the year.

(Disclosure: Umpqua Bank is a PhinneyWood sponsor.)

Chuck Millsap, the wildly popular P.E. teacher at Daniel Bagley Elementary School near Green Lake, which also pulls students from the Phinney-Greenwood neighborhoods, has won the Washington State Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year award.

The award was presented by the Washington Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance last weekend.

Congratulations Mr. Millsap!

The Phinney Neighborhood Association is hosting information sessions about its new program “PNA Village: Aging in Place.” Sessions are at 7 p.m. on Thurs., Oct. 27; Thurs., Nov. 17; and Tues., Dec. 6; at the PNA, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., in Room 3 of the Blue Building.

The idea of the Village is to provide community services that allow people to age in their own homes, without having to move into a retirement home or assisted living. The PNA Village would be a new level of PNA membership, and would come with access to a network of helpers for small talks and larger projects, community activities, information and referrals. Services will be provided by PNA staff and community volunteers, including other PNA Village members.

The program is modeled after a Boston program that started in 2001. Since then, about 50 Villages have begun or are being planned. The PNA Village is for people 50 and over.

Check out the website for more information, or call Joanna at 206-297-0875 or email at village@phinneycenter.org.

A new do-it-yourself shop is moving into downtown Greenwood. Made Sewing Studio, 8408 Greenwood Ave. N., will charge sewers an hourly fee to use the shop’s array of sewing equipment — from dress forms and cutting tables to sewing machines and sergers — while staff provides help if needed.

Made is moving into the spot formerly occupied by Steven Cole Salon. It plans to open Nov. 1.

Made Sewing Studio is between The Pig ‘n Whistle and Cobblestone Furniture.

The shop also will have a fabric store and “stash” consignment area, where “fabric hoarders” can unload some of the material overwhelming their sewing room at home.

“Sewing can be a lonely sport, so I’m looking forward to providing a place for people to gather and learn and sew together — without having to lug a sewing machine to a friend’s house or sew on the living room floor,” Owner Carisa Brunner said in a press release.

Brunner learned to sew at the age of 8. She attended the London College of Fashion’s graduate program, then spent one season working in the Seattle Repertory Theatre costume and craft department. She then received her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Seattle University.

Brunner wants Made Sewing Studio to be a resource for sewers and crafters of all skill levels. The store will offer a wide range of classes, including: Intimates: Fancy Panties; Knits: Day to Evening Vest; Patternless Sewing: The Maxi Dress; Fabric Basics; Alterations; Fitting Basics; Fashion Styling and Accessorizing; Jean Sew Along; Home Made: Gumdrop Pillows; and Kid Made: Masks Workshop for children 6 and up.

The Phinney Ridge branch of Umpqua Bank is opening at 7120 Greenwood Ave. N. Wednesday morning. The branch will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Branch Manager Jo Figurelli tells us that staff will have free coffee and goodies for anyone who stops in tomorrow morning.

This is the bank’s “soft” opening. Umpqua Bank will hold its grand opening celebration on Friday, Nov. 18.

(Disclosure: Umpqua Bank is a PhinneyWood sponsor.)

Update Wednesday 10 a.m.: The 29-year-old suspect will have a bail hearing today at 2:30 p.m.

Earlier: A man suspected of exposing himself to children in at least five separate incidents, including one in north Greenwood, was arrested early this morning at his Kenmore home.

According to the Seattle Police Department Blotter, detectives investigating the case discovered that the man had been taking part in the Occupy Wall Street protests at Westlake Park, so they circulated a flyer with the suspect’s picture to protesters and police there.

The suspect was booked into King County Jail this morning for Investigation of Indecent Exposure.

Our friends at the Capitol Hill Blog tell us that SPD detectives had been monitoring the suspect’s Facebook page to learn his whereabouts.