Seattle 1 of 11 cities selected to host anti-war protest day

Seattle is one of 11 cities nationwide tapped as a protest site on Saturday for National Day of Action Against the War in Iraq. Organizers said protesters will rally and march to demand an immediate end to the war. United for Peace and Justice issued the call for the observance, which on the West Coast also will include San Francisco.

In Seattle, the event is scheduled to start at noon with a short rally at Judkins Park at 21st Avenue South and South Norman Street in Central Seattle, followed by a march to Occidental Park in Pioneer Square for another rally.

Civic calendar

Carver's delight

Saturday: Scott Cully, who carved himself a place in Guinness World Records two years ago for carving the world's largest jack-o'-lantern (a 1,469-pound beauty entered in the Pennsylvania Giant Pumpkin Growers Association Weigh-off) will be carving again — this time a 600-pound pumpkin at Kirkland Parkplace mall in downtown Kirkland during its annual Halloween festivities. He'll be there from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the Mark's Hallmark store.

Husky homecoming

Saturday: The UW football team will host Arizona in this year's homecoming game. Kickoff will be at noon. Fans can ride Metro buses to Husky Stadium for the game for free by showing game tickets or ticket stubs. There's regular bus service to and from the Montlake campus, plus special shuttles between the stadium and eight park-and-ride lots. Details are online at transit.metrokc.gov/up/spclevent/huskyfootball.html, or call 206-553-3000.

Career fair

Monday: A number of local, county, state and federal government agencies in the Puget Sound area will be represented at the Evergreen Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration's free public-service career fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Seattle Center. The fair is open to the public. Eighty employers are signed up to talk about job openings, and workshops on professional issues also are scheduled.

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

Oct. 27, 1967: Dr. Lester Sauvage, founder of the Hope Heart Institute in Seattle, performed the first "bloodless" open-heart surgery in the Northwest on a patient whose religious beliefs did not accept blood transfusions. The patient, an 18-year-old Bainbridge Island girl, survived the operation, performed at Providence Hospital (now part of Swedish Medical Center). The patient later helped establish transfusion-free surgical programs at several hospitals in this state. Today there are about 100 recognized bloodless programs in medical centers around the country.

Source: Historylink.org