826 Seattle, Greenwood’s non-profit writing and tutoring center, raised more than $171,000 at last Friday’s fifth annual People Eating and Giving event at the Triple Door.

Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service accompanies some 826 students.

826 students showing off their work. Photos by Victoria VanBruinisse.

Here’s a roundup of various neighborhood news, in no particular order.

Snoose Junction, 10406 Holman Rd. NW, closed its doors on March 9.

Tony’s Coffee Bar, 7001 3rd Ave. NW, is hosting the second in its literary series on Friday evening. “Three Washington Writers and One From Portland” is from 7-10 p.m. on Friday, March 22. Four authors will read from their works: Nicole Rosevear, Ellen Parker, Jennifer D. Munro and Erin Gilbert. The event is free; refreshments will be served. Tony’s also will be giving away free Italianos from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. that day to celebrate the literary event.

Greenwood nonprofit writing and tutoring center 826 Seattle is partnering with Couth Buzzard Books for a “Whipper Snapper’s Cabaret” Saturday night. Talented students from 826 Seattle will take the stage for poetry and singing. Joining them are jazz musician Kenny Mandell’s jazz workshop Students, spoken word artist/DJ William Higareda (MC Vajra), humor essayist Marianne Hale and “trickster/wordsmith” Holly Brown. Free; food and drinks available for purchase. The Cabaret starts at 7:30 p.m. at 8310 Greenwood Ave. N.

Phinney resident Howard Snyder, a fine art landscape photographer, has a solo photography exhibition called “Chasing Shadows, Chasing Light” at Seattle Creative Arts Center through the end of this month.

PhinneyWood reader Joey Pauley contacted us, seeking witnesses to a car accident at the intersection of North 80th Street and Linden Avenue North on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m.

This is a photo of Pauley’s red car…

And the other driver’s black car.

If you witnessed this accident, please call Joey at 206-651-5639.

A PhinneyWood reader contacted us because they were concerned about the new Greenwood Fred Meyer’s lack of recycling containers for customers to use. We contacted Fred Meyer and received this response:

Fred Meyer takes pride in the recycling program we have in each of our stores. It is part of our commitment towards a more sustainable business. We work hard to wrap up all loose ends with a new store opening as quickly as possible. Recycling stations for Customers are now available at your new Greenwood store. Thank you for shopping with us and for recycling!

Woodland Park Zoo’s new lion cubs now have full access to the entire lion exhibit from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, weather permitting. The waiting line to view the cubs in the lion shelter has been removed.

Photo by Dennis Dow, Woodland Park Zoo.

“The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Seattle” author David Volk is looking for recommendations on freebies and deals in Greenwood and Phinney Ridge for his book’s second edition, due in May. (We profiled Volk in December 2010.)

If any of your readers know about great happy hours, places to go to hear live music for free, ways to see movies for free or cheap, amazingly cheap restaurants and places to see comedy for cheap, please have them drop me an e-mail. All people who make suggestions that he uses will be named in the book’s acknowledgements, the top five win a wonderfully kitschy prize and the best one wins a free copy of the new book when it comes out.

Greenwood’s nonprofit writing and tutoring center 826 Seattle has published the third edition of its popular “What to Read in the Rain.”

The 2013 edition will officially launch on Saturday, Dec. 8, with a free party from 1-3 p.m. at 8414 Greenwood Ave. N at 1 p.m.

What to Read in the Rain can be found at bedsides in hotels across the city, where rain-delayed travelers can read poetry and fiction written by students from 826 Seattle and beloved professional authors. Highlights include Yonase Geleta’s “How to Sleep with a Triceratops in Your Room”, Chelsea Cain’s “For Your Safety” (which provides tips for surviving the dangers of Pacific Northwest travel), and Tom Robbins’ “Advice To Aspiring Writers.” It is also available from the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company.

826 Seattle, housed within the whimsical Greenwood Space Travel Supply Company, is a nonprofit writing and tutoring center dedicated to helping youth ages six to 18. With over 400 active volunteers, 826 Seattle is committed to helping young people acquire the skills they need to write well throughout their lives. 826 Seattle helps more than 2,000 students every year and has served over 13,000 students since it opened in 2005.

The What to Read in the Rain celebration will feature Northwest-inspired snacks and readings from Chelsea Cain, Peter Mountford, Jared Leising and 826 Seattle students. It runs 1-3 pm and is a free event.

Greenwood’s non-profit writing and tutoring center 826 Seattle is offering free help for juniors and seniors writing college entrance essays. Mentors will be available at a College Entrance Essay Marathon from 12-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 826 Seattle/Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., 8414 Greenwood Ave. N.

Students can register on the website, but drop-ins are also welcome. Bring finished essays that need editing, or initial ideas for an essay. Bring a laptop if you have one; or bring your essay/ideas on a flash drive or piece of paper.

Another session will be from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Ave. S.

If students need to do any follow-up work on their essays, or SAT prep, they can attend 826 Seattle’s free High School Tutoring program, from 6-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Register for that program online, or at the College Entrance Essay Marathon.

Here’s a roundup of neighborhood news we’ve collected recently.

The Ridge Pizza, 7217 Greenwood Ave. N., made its first donation yesterday to three “charity cases” it supports by naming pizzas after neighborhood institutions, then donating $1 from each pizza to that organization. In its first six months in business, The Ridge sold 700 pizzas supporting the Phinney Neighborhood Association, 799 supporting Woodland Park Zoo, and 804 supporting Fire Station 21, which will give its check to the NW Burn Foundation.

Left to right, Ridge co-owners Chris Gerke and Chris Navarra, Jim Bennett from Woodland Park Zoo, PNA Executive Director Lee Harper, and Charles Turner and Stephen Eney from Fire Station21. Photo by Mike Veitenhans.

Tara Berg, owner of Hazel Salon & Organics at 5817 Phinney Ave. N., tells us she and her staff raised $298.75 by doing feather and glitter hair extensions at last Friday’s Summer Streets event, to donate to the Seattle Animal Shelter. Hazel Salon is also matching that amount and sending it to PAWS.

Nonprofit writing and tutoring center 826 Seattle, 8414 Greenwood Ave N., is getting ready for school to start again, and with it, an influx of students needing help with homework. After-school tutoring begins on Monday, Sept. 10. Students ages 6-18 can receive one-on-one help from volunteers from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and high school students only can receive help from 6-8 p.m., including SAT prep and help writing college applications.

You can register for tutoring online, or pick up a registration form at the center, inside Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.

Speaking of 826, Naked City Brewery is once again hosting a special fundraiser for them. Naked City has brewed a special beer, called 826 Luminosity, which is a dry-hopped golden ale made with pale and honey malt and Palisade hops. All proceeds from pints of 826 Luminosity sold on Sunday, Aug. 26, will go directly to 826’s programs, plus $1 from every pint sold on Aug. 24-25.

Lettuce Link is asking neighbors to plant an extra row of veggies to donate to food banks. For more information on the ‘Grow-a-Row’ campaign, check out Lettuce Link’s blog, and to donate, contact Jessica Sherrow, the Lettuce Link Summer VISTA, at jessicas@solid-ground.org 206-694-6746, ext. 2.

Woodland Park Zoo recently announced it will premiere its own winter lights festival this holiday season. WildLights will run from Nov. 23 through Jan.1, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. nightly (closed Dec. 24-25).

Rendering by Todd Nordling Concept Design.

Approximately 375,000 energy-efficient LED lights will recreate wild animals and wild places in two and three dimensions along the zoo’s pathways and North Meadow. An animated display of nature’s wonder will be woven into the zoo’s famous greenery inspired by exotic destinations from across the globe, including “Northern Lights,” “The Water Hole” and “Jungle Lights.” Zoomazium, the zoo’s indoor nature play space, will be open for play and performances. While the zoo’s animals will be tucked in for the night, the Day Exhibit, a showcase of reptiles and amphibians, will be open, offering another indoor venue for the chilly evenings.

Other highlights will include visiting reindeer, the Historic Carousel (additional fee), entertainment and festive refreshments for purchase.

Admission to WildLights will be $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for children ages 3 to 12 and free for toddlers ages 0-2. From December 14 to January 1, admission will increase to $9.50 for adults. This is an after-hours ticketed event so regular zoo membership privileges will not apply. WildLights will be a rain or shine event ‒ there will be no ticket refunds.

Tickets to WildLights will go on sale in the fall and will be available online at www.zoo.org/wildlights daily. Night-of-event tickets will be for sale at the zoo’s West Entrance only, if not sold out.

Greenwood nonprofit writing and tutoring center 826 Seattle is hosting its annual “Dance Your Cash Off” fundraiser on Thursday, June 21, at Fremont’s Nectar Lounge.

Last year’s event raised $25,000 to support 826 Seattle’s free programs for students ages 6-18. Organizers hope to raise at least $28,000 this year.

You can register to form or join a dance team, and be ready to dance for five straight hours. You must raise at least $150 in donations (which makes you eligible for prizes). Fun costumes encouraged.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. on June 21, dancing begins at 6 p.m. The Grand Prize will be awarded after 11 p.m. Joe & Nancy Guppy of Seattle Channel’s “ArtZone” are hosting, and DJ El Toro of KEXP will spin tunes.

Speaking of 826 Seattle fundraisers, the organization raised more than $170,000 at its May 4 “People Eating & Giving” event, where authors Sherman Alexie and Jess Walter talked with John Roderick of The Long Winters about their support for 826.

Left to right: John Roderick, Sherman Alexie, Jess Walter.

Twelve prominent Seattle authors will have brunch with the public on Saturday morning to raise money for literacy programs. Hosted by Seattle7Writers and Elliott Bay Book Company, the Book Club Brunch begins at 10 a.m. Saturday upstairs at Greenwood Square, 8420 Greenwood Ave. N.

Proceeds benefit 826 Seattle and Powerful Schools.

Book Club Brunch features nationally acclaimed and bestselling Northwest authors:

• Jim Lynch, discussing his new novel “Truth Like the Sun”
• Garth Stein, author of “The Art of Racing in the Rain”
• Heather Barbieri, author of “The Cottage at Glass Beach”
• Randy Sue Coburn, author of “A Better View of Paradise”
• Laurie Frankel, author of “The Atlas of Love”
• Jennie Shortridge, author of “When She Flew”
• Kit Bakke, author of “Dot to Dot”
• Erica Bauermeister, author of “Joy for Beginners”
• Dave Boling, author of “Guernica”
• Stephanie Kallos, author of “Sing Them Home”
• Indu Sundaresan, author of “Shadow Princess”
• Tara Austen Weaver, author of “The Butcher and The Vegetarian: One Woman’s Romp Through a World of Men, Meat, and Moral Crisis”

Seattle7Writers is a nonprofit organization that promotes local literature and literacy organizations. All of the writers’ books will be available for purchase at the event, and a percentage of book sales will benefit the literacy programs. Authors will sign their books.

Tickets are $50 online, and includes brunch, mimosas, and a $30 tax-deductible donation.

The entrance to Greenwood Square is on North 85th Street, by the Metro bus stop.

Writing and tutoring center 826 Seattle is one of 788 non-profits around the country to receive a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant.

826 Seattle will use the $36,000 grant to support its “Creating a Community of Young Authors” project. The NEA is giving a total of $24.81 million in art grants.

From the press release:

Research clearly shows that writing skills are imperative to success in our knowledge-based economy and that the world needs critical and creative thinkers to tackle the complex challenges we face as a planet. While schools focus their limited resources on math, science and reading, the task of engaging children to think creatively falls increasingly on the shoulders of organizations like 826 Seattle.”

“We believe that 826 Seattle’s Community of Young Authors project is an essential investment in the lives of our young people, and our community,” said 826 Seattle founder Teri Hein. “We’re proud of our efforts and of the young people, volunteers, supporters, board and staff who made it possible.”

826 Seattle is located inside its fundraising arm, Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., at 8414 Greenwood Ave. N. It provides free tutoring for children ages 6 to 18.

826 Seattle and the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. are once again hosting their annual “Pluto Day” event, where they celebrate the dwarf planet and lament its demotion from full planet status.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a “dwarf planet,” despite vigorous opposition by Pluto lovers in Greenwood.

Pluto Day starts at 12 p.m. Saturday at the space store at 8414 Greenwood Ave. N. A sign-making workshop will be followed by a march beginning at 1 p.m. Marchers will travel north on Greenwood Avenue North sidewalks, cross at North 87th Street, then head back 2-1/2 blocks to rally in front of Neptune Coffee at 8415 Greenwood Ave. N.

Keynote speakers include Alan Boyle, journalist and MSNBC.com science editor, who will give arguments for and against Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet.

The first “Pluto IS a Planet” protest was on March 15, 2008. You can see YouTube video of that first protest. Last year’s Pluto Day march and rally drew more than 30 “protesters.”

Here’s a roundup of recent business and other news.

Istanbul Kebab has opened in the space formerly occupied by Pita Grill and King Falafel, at 8317 Greenwood Ave. N. (Thanks to Lauralee for the tip and photo!)

418 Public House (formerly the Reading Gaol), at 418 NW 65th St., is now open to people under the age of 21 until 8 p.m., and even has a kids menu. A Phinney Ridge resident tells us that 418 serves excellent Mexican food, and has a selection of rotating taps.

The Greenwood Senior Center is having a special early Valentine’s Day luncheon featuring the Cornucopia Band, at 12 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10. Cost is $5, plus a donation for the Greenwood Food Bank. RSVP at 206-297-0875.

826 Seattle, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center at 8414 Greenwood Ave. N., is getting ready for its winter/spring workshop season.

We will be offering a wide range of Saturday and school holiday creative writing workshops for students between the ages of 7 and 18.

Our innovative workshop leaders have created a host of dynamic workshops, from fairytale riffs to rock music reporting, faux travelogues to found poetry, graphic illustrating to persuasive writing, and more!

There’s something for everyone, so sign up here and get inspired. We guarantee your imagination will be stretched well beyond what you thought were its furthest limits.

826 Seattle was thrilled today to learn that two custom-made and hand-painted bass guitars were sold at auction for $8,501 each, with all the proceeds going to the non-profit tutoring and writing center.

Jeff Ament, bassist for Pearl Jam, asked his favorite guitar maker, Mike Lull, to build the guitars, then Ament painted them. They were each valued at $5,500. Below is the guitar Ament called “Green Noise.”

The guitars were auctioned through the CharityBuzz website. As soon as the auction ended this afternoon, 826 Seattle sent out this tweet:

THANK YOU to everyone who helped support today’s auction. You’re ALL rockstars to us. Final bids? $17,000. Holy. Moly. We are SO GRATEFUL.

826 Seattle later told us each guitar sold for $8,501, for a total of $17,002.

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament and guitar maker Mike Lull have created two bass guitars that are currently being auctioned online at CharityBuzz, with all proceeds going to 826 Seattle, Greenwood’s tutoring and writing center hidden inside the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.

As of Monday afternoon, “Green Noise” (signed and hand-painted by Ament, with an estimated value of $5,000) was going for $2,200; bidding ends at 12 p.m. (Pacific Time) Thursday.

“Red Splatter” (signed and hand-painted by Ament, with an estimated value of $5,500), was going for $2,450; bidding ends at 7 p.m. (Pacific Time) Thursday.