Seattle Aquarium temporary closure

The city-owned aquarium will be closed tomorrow through Sept. 16 so construction crews can tear down the vacant east end of Pier 59 on the downtown waterfront.

A two-year city project to upgrade parts of the aquarium already has started. The part of the building being demolished used to be occupied by a restaurant and the Seattle IMAX Dome Theater. The aquarium will reopen Sept. 17.

There's a new ramp to a temporary entrance to the aquarium, at Pier 60. The temporary entrance will be in place about two years during a renovation project at the aquarium.

Back-to-school reminder

Students in public-school districts throughout the state are returning to class this week. School buses will be rolling, and drivers should be alert for youngsters.

Can you help?

The Seattle Public Library is seeking volunteers for three of its programs, including a tutoring program for students at several of the library's branches.

Homework Help volunteers are needed to assist students at the Columbia Branch, 4721 Rainier Ave. S.; Delridge Branch, 5423 Delridge Way S.W.; Lake City Branch, 12501 28th Ave. N.E.; and Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch, 1134 33rd Ave.

Volunteers help students understand homework assignments, provide guidance in solving math problems and improve study techniques.

Individuals interested in volunteering for the Homework Help program should contact Anne Vedella, volunteer-services coordinator, at 206-386-4664 by Friday.

The library system also needs volunteers for a program that offers immigrants and refugees an opportunity to practice conversational English. The English-as-a-second-language program will meet on Wednesday evenings starting Oct. 12 at the Rainier Beach Branch, 9125 Rainier Ave. S.

As facilitators, volunteers plan and lead small-group discussions on everyday topics. Prospective volunteers can attend an orientation at the Rainier Beach Branch from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14. Call 206-386-4649 to register.

A third library program that needs volunteers is a program that helps Spanish-speaking library users practice conversational English. Volunteers must be bilingual.

Sessions will be held weekly starting Oct. 25 at the Lake City Branch. An orientation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the North East Branch, 6801 35th Ave. N.E. Call 206-386-4614 for information.

Traffic watch

Interstate 5's southbound lanes in the Arlington area will be shut down tonight and tomorrow night, from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following mornings while construction crews install five 4-ton concrete girders over the southbound lanes.

Once the new girders are in place, crews will begin building the bridge deck for the south half of a new and wider Smokey Point Bridge. Highway 531 over Interstate 5 also will be reduced to one lane from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Crews will start closing lanes on southbound I-5 at 8 p.m., working toward full closure at 11. Traffic will be detoured off at the 172nd Street interchange (exit 206) and back onto I-5, allowing passage past the closure point at a slow pace.

Here & Now is compiled by Seattle Times staff reporter Charles E. Brown and news assistant Suesan Whitney Henderson.

To submit an item, e-mail herenow@ seattletimes.com or call 206-464-2226.