Interfaith prayer service

In response to escalating violence in the Middle East, Seattle's St. James Cathedral and the Church Council of Greater Seattle will hold an interfaith prayer-for-peace gathering this evening at 7 at St. James Cathedral at Ninth Avenue and Marion Street on First Hill. Local leaders from Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions will lead the service.

Thursday

• What happens when City Hall's microphone is passed to local hip-hop poets? You can find out when hip-hoppers sound off with "traffic jam" poetry from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on the City Hall Plaza at 600 Fourth Ave. One of the goals of the free program is to give downtown workers something to do to keep them out of afternoon rush-hour traffic.

The city's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, which has scheduled this program, also has other free cultural events year-round at City Hall. Information is online at www.seattle.gov/seattlepresents, or call 206-684-7171.

• The state Liquor Control Board has scheduled a second public hearing on a Seattle request to designate two alcohol-impact areas — one in Central Seattle and another in North Seattle — that would prohibit sales of cheap wines and malt liquor. The meeting is scheduled from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the liquor board's distribution center at 4401 E. Marginal Way S. The board is not expected to make a decision at the hearing.

The city two years ago designated two alcohol-impact areas to curb sales of cheap wines and beer at grocery and convenience stores in those areas. The restriction would also include restaurants that sell cheap wines and beer that can be taken off the premises. The city is now requesting the Liquor Control Board to formally recognize the two areas. The city has contended that such alcohol sales have contributed to public drunkenness.

The proposed area in Central Seattle is roughly from the downtown waterfront to 29th Avenue, and Interstate 90 to the south end of Lake Union. The other area includes the University District roughly from Latona Avenue North to 15th Avenue Northeast, and from the north end of Lake Union to the Ravenna area.

The public will be allowed to comment on the request at the hearing.

Getting around

The large lock at the Ballard Locks may experience some brief delays for boat traffic on Wednesday mornings over the next several weeks while marine biologists capture and acoustically tag migrating salmon in the locks, then release them. They are starting the process today, and will continue weekly for the next nine weeks, until Sept. 20. The work will be done between 6 a.m. and noon. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District, which operates the locks, expects delays to be minimal.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is accepting donations to help cover the costs of caring for unwanted litters of kittens being dropped off at the shelter. Besides money, the shelter could use donations of canned dog or cat food, a product called Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR), and "Snuggle Safes," which are microwaveable heat pads used for small animals. Those items can be purchased at local pet stores.

Donations may be dropped off at the shelter, at 2061 15th Ave. W., about one mile south of the Ballard Bridge, daily between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Information: 206-386-PETS (7387), or www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

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.