A big chunk of downtown Everett has been transformed into a spanking new arts district that should bring new life to this former lumber mill town.

The Daily Herald reports the new Schack Art Center anchors a three block arts district in the city. It's a multipurpose facility with a sleek, urban feel that will have a kiln and flame working studio, professional and student exhibit spaces and multipurpose classroom.

Joe Lovano and his band, Us Five Live - is performing live in an 88.5 KPLU Studio Session today at 12:15 p.m. KPLU's Abe Beeson hosts.

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire puts one long running environmental controversy to bed Friday. She’s traveling to Centralia to sign into law a phase out of coal-fired electricity generation in the state. But meanwhile, another coal controversy is heating up in another part of Washington. It has to with a big new export terminal planned for north of Bellingham.

Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

• Catholic Order Which Runs O'Day H.S. Files Chapter 11
• Panel Approves New 520 Bridge
• Funnel Cloud Appears Over Skagit County
• NFL Draft: Titans take Locker; 'Hawks go for Alabama lineman

Christian Brothers Catholic Order Files for Bankruptcy

The Christian Brothers, a Catholic religious order that runs schools in Seattle and across the country, has filed for bankruptcy. It is the second Catholic order in the United States to do so because of sexual abuse claims.

Editor's Note: In the first round of the NFL Draft Thursday, former Washington quarterback Jake Locker was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the No. 8 pick. The Seahawks chose James Carpenter, a tackle from Alabama, with the 25th overall pick.

If you watch any part of the NFL Draft over the next few days, chances are you'll hear the words "war room" to describe the place where team leaders huddle together to make their player selections.

The seemingly careless use of such a serious military term is a pet peeve of KPLU sports commentator Art Thiel. And he wants to start a campaign to abolish the use of the phrase in sports.

Starbucks Corporation isn't required to disclose the names of potential plaintiffs in a lawsuit accusing it of illegally requiring job applicants to reveal past marijuana convictions.

That's what a California appeals court ruled this week. The Seattle-based coffee giant was accused in a 2005 lawsuit of violating a mid-1970s California law that bars employers from asking job seekers about minor marijuana convictions that are more than two years old.

I got a sneak preview of the new Seattle headquarters of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Wednesday evening, courtesy of Bill Foege, one of several Bills there.

Foege’s title at the Gates Foundation is “senior fellow.” But that doesn’t really tell you much, except to imply he’s old. It certainly doesn’t tell you how tall he is. He’s a very tall senior fellow.

More importantly than what I think, Foege appears to have been one of the key inspirations for Bill and Melinda Gates’ philanthropic mission. That’s basically what Melinda Gates said yesterday to the philanthropy’s staff after introducing those attending to their new home.

Read more:

Here's what's making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

• Last Blast of Winter Today?
• Summer Ferry Surcharge Starts This Weekend
• Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound Under Investigation
• Starbucks Profits Up 20%;  Microsoft to Release 3Q Numbers Today

Really? Warmer, Drier Weather Ahead

It's almost May, but parts of western Washington could still get snow today. But that could be the last of it.

Movies are a big business for states. Washington is one of 44 that offer financial incentives for people who decide to film here. But that incentive might disappear in June.

More than 1,000 uninsured people are expected to receive medical care in Tacoma on Saturday.

It's the first large-scale free-clinic event in Washington state, which has about 850,000 uninsured residents. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. It's sponsored by the National Association of Free Clinics and the Washington Free Clinic Association.

The effort to reduce obesity is taking aim once again at sugary drinks.  A coalition of health groups is asking the public to try-out “Soda-Free Sundays.”

There’s pretty solid evidence Americans, on average, are drinking a lot more soft drinks and other sweetened beverages than they did a generation ago.  Back in the 1990’s, for example, soft drink sales surpassed milk.

KPLU-Humanosphere’s event at Seattle Town Hall — Can Seattle Save the World? – was clearly a huge hit, drawing in an estimated 700 people on Tuesday night. Yes, the title was a bit goofy. We intended it so.

Obviously, people here care a great deal. Global health, global poverty and social justice are hot topics in this community, which I dubbed off-the-top-of-my-head “do-gooder central” at the event.

If you’ve ever danced around a Maypole, you’re taking part in a ritual that goes back 1000’s of years, before the invention of the nuclear family but after the invention of alcohol and sex.

Boeing’s CEO says it was likely sloppy work, not a design flaw, that resulted in a hole in a Southwest Airlines jet. On April 1st, a Boeing 737 developed a 5-foot tear in the roof while in flight.

Seattle wants to know what teenagers have to say about city government. It’s looking for thirteen to nineteen-year-olds for the Seattle Youth Commission.