Stories for Dec. 29, 2007

Maybe it's time for more of America to please check your guns

Sat, Dec 29, 7 p.m.

A few days after a family was gunned down near Carnation, Cabela's polite request for customers to check their guns puts one shopper on edge.

Ludwig the red-nosed reindeer

Sat, Dec 29, 12:44 p.m.

By David Brewster

It's only a few more days before we can recover from the annual Month of Holiday Music that afflicts arts organizations in Seattle and the entire country. Benaroya Hall becomes almost wall-to-wall tinsel; theaters are all figgy pudding, all the month. But there's only so much Christmas elevator music you can play. New traditions are needed. What about Beethoven's 9th? Now there's a holiday uplifter? How did this happen? Consider this illuminating letter we received from one Harrison Ryker:

Everything in its place

Sat, Dec 29, 8 a.m.

By Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett

The traditional running-of-the-shoppers that takes place each December continues, but in Portland's retail arenas, the atmosphere is quieter than, say, downtown Seattle. One might assume this is due to the smaller retail core of the Rose City, but I have another theory: Cameron Concierge.