Chefs from retirement facilities to compete

Evergreen Place retirement community, 1414 Monroe Ave. N.E., Renton, is hosting the Washington state regional competition in Holiday Retirement's International Iron Chef Competition from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Holiday Retirement is a retirement company that prepares and serves meals to more than 300 facilities in the U.S. and Canada.

At the event, eight chefs from Holiday's retirement facilities across the state will compete in creative cooking. Each will be given a large basket of ingredients, two burners and cooking utensils and will have 45 minutes to complete two entrées for a panel of Renton-area judges.

Winners from each region will advance to the final competition in the fall. Light refreshments and door prizes will be available to the public. For more information, call 425-226-3312.

Civic calendar

Fossil Workshop

Thursday: Dig It! The Fossil Workshop will have its grand opening this Thursday at Everett Mall, 1420 S.E. Everett Mall Way. The workshop will offer three Jurassic sand quarries where visitors can dig up real fossils and minerals. More than 8,000 real fossils ranging from 5 million to 600 million years old will be featured. Visitors are allowed to keep items they "discover." Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Information: www.digitfossils.com or 425-218-1589.

Chicken Knowledge

Saturday: Seattle Tilth will host a class on raising chicks into healthy and productive egg-laying hens. The class takes place at Good Shepherd Center, Room 140, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $32 per person or $25 for Seattle Tilth members. Advance registration and payment are required. Information and registration: www.seattletilth.org or 206-633-0097.

Traffic Watch

Today-Saturday: All lanes on Mercer Street will be open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. between Queen Anne Avenue North and Fifth Avenue North. Before and after those hours, traffic may be reduced to one lane and on-street parking will be restricted because of street-improvement work.

Here & Now is compiled by Seattle Times news assistant Allison Espiritu. To submit an item, e-mail herenow@seattletimes.com or call 206-464-2226.

June 7, 1866: Chief Seattle, the leader of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, dies in north Kitsap County at Old Man House. He opposed Native American attempts to dislodge settlers during the Indian Wars of 1855-1856; in response settlers named the region's central city in his honor.

Source: Historylink.org