Oil-spill planning

The state Department of Ecology has scheduled two workshops this week — one today in Tacoma and one Thursday in Seattle — to seek the public's help in updating the agency's oil-spill-response plan for the Puget Sound area.

A goal of the agency's plan is to minimize the effects of an oil spill to sensitive areas along beaches, shores or waterways.

Today's workshop in Tacoma is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Sheraton Tacoma's first-floor ballroom, 1320 Broadway Plaza.

The Seattle workshop will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Bell Harbor dining room at Pier 66, 2211 Alaskan Way on the downtown waterfront.

The Ecology Department's Web site is http://www.ecy.wa.gov.

Seafair's almost here

Tickets are on sale for reserved spaces at some of Seattle Seafair's major events, including the gated logboom area on the shores of Lake Washington for the hydroplane races and the reserved bleachers for the Torchlight Parade.

Two-day passes into a gated logboom for the hydro races Aug. 5-6 are discounted from single-day ticket prices. Also, boaters can reserve a spot in prime viewing area near Seward Park. There also will be a party barge — Seafair calls it a "boatless logboom" — for nonboaters. The barge will be anchored 40 feet offshore.

There even are tickets for reserved bleacher seating in downtown Seattle at the Torchlight Parade on July 29.

Ticket and event information is online at seafair.com, or call 206-728-0123.

• Northgate's new public library, community center and park complex will open to the public Saturday with a community celebration starting at noon. The complex is at Northeast 105th Street and Fifth Avenue Northeast in Seattle.

• A book-signing event, open to the public and featuring a number of noted Northwest authors, is on the schedule for the nonprofit Pacific Northwest Writers Association's summer writers conference. The conference opens Thursday and continues through Sunday at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, 17620 International Blvd.

The book signing will be from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Information about the conference is online at www.pnwa.org.

Can you help?

You can volunteer to cut and donate your hair to be made into quality wigs for cancer patients who have lost hair due to treatment.

A local campaign is being initiated on Thursday. Wigs will be distributed to women through the American Cancer Society network of national wig banks.

Information about the project is online at www.beautifullengths.com, or call 800-642-3754.

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.