James DePriest, the former music director of the Oregon Symphony, will return to Portland for a three-day event, March 10 through 12.
DePriest returns to the podium for "Sweeping Excitement," featuring Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, on March 10 at 7:30 p.m., March 11 at 7:30 p.m. and March 12 at 8 p.m. in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Chosen by Leonard Bernstein in 1965 to become assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic, DePreist has appeared with every major North American orchestra. In 2005, President George W. Bush presented him with the National Medal of Arts, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence.

People join hands at the first-ever African Heritage Unity Celebration, on Sunday, Feb. 25 at Seattle Central Community College.  The event, which was co-sponsored by the LINKS, SCCC, the Washington State Commission on African American Affairs, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, U.W. Office of Minority Affairs, Ezra Teshome/State Farm and the Eli Lilly Company, emphasized inclusion, unity and celebration.

Students from Rainier Beach, Franklin and South Lake high schools have been working over the past five weeks to create banners that will be permanently displayed in the Rainier Beach business district.
The group of about a dozen students met twice a week with professional artist Hiawatha Davis to learn the basics of graphic design using Adobe Illustrator, and then incorporated their ideas into five designs for the 25 fabric banners. Davis is a local artist who has worked on several murals and projects in the city, including murals at Garfield High School and Bailey-Gatzert Elementary School.
The vertical banners will be mounted along light poles in the business district on Rainier Avenue South, South Henderson Street and Seward Park Avenue South beginning early next summer.
Responding to wishes from the Rainier Beach Merchants Association, the Rainier Beach Community Empowerment Coalition partnered with Southeast Effective Development to recruit youth from the Rainier Beach area for the project. The funds come from the city's Department of Neighborhoods and the Northwest Insurance Council.

OLYMPIA — Last week the Insurance, Financial Service and Consumer Protection Committee passed a bill that would add another $100 million to the existing $100 million authorized in the Linked Deposit program.
"Small businesses face many challenges today," said Rep. Bob Hasegawa (D-Seattle), who vice-chairs the Finance Committee and is the prime sponsor of the Linked Deposit Program House Bill 1512.

Dr. Warren Buck, chancellor emeritus of the University of Washington's Bothell campus, has been elected to the board of directors for Pacific Science Center.
"We are pleased to add Dr. Buck, an outstanding individual, to our already high-caliber board," said Bryce Seidl, president and CEO of Pacific Science Center. "His insights will be enormously valuable as we pursue a long-range plan to enhance our visitor experiences at Pacific Science Center."

There will be several free community readings as part of the Rainier Valley Youth Theatre's Ninth Annual Young Playwrights Festival that runs March 9-10 at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center.
The festival features readings by professional actors and advanced student actors of plays written by students from four South Seattle schools.

Sound View Home Inspector James Beck talks with a prospective homebuyer at the Homeownership 101 Seminar and Vendor Fair on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Garfield Community Center. Presented by the Seattle Urban League Young Professionals and Garfield Community Center, the seminar provided potential homebuyers with information on obtaining a mortgage, finding the right home and other important information.

The Spitfire, located at 2219 Fourth Ave. in Belltown, is a non-traditional, sleek, sports bar with 17 large plasma-screen TVs for those sports junkies. But, at the same time, the restaurant offers a trendy, chic, modern feel with decorative, colorful art and leather bar stools. Spitfire is a great place for tequila lovers and has 21 different house-recipe margaritas to choose from – take our advice and try the mango....

Carrie Holiday sings along during the musical selection portion of the The Portland Chapter, National Council of Negro Women's 17th annual prayer breakfast, "Walking the Bethlehem Road," on Saturday, Feb. 17. Eva Miles, note pictured, sang the musical selection.