columbus day

Don't expect mail delivery today unless it's express mail. Post offices will be closed, and there will be no home delivery because most postal workers will be off for Columbus Day, a not-so-major but legal holiday set aside to commemorate the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World in 1492.

Because it's a federal holiday, most federal workers will have the day off. But most city, county and state offices will be open. Most banks and credit unions will be closed. Schools will be open, and the day will be business-as-usual for most workers.

Regional bus lines and most state ferry routes will be running on regular schedules, but the Anacortes-San Juan Islands ferries will be on a Sunday schedule. Garbage will be collected on regular schedules, and transfer stations will be open as usual. Libraries and state liquor stores will be open. In Seattle, regular parking rules apply and meter readers will be making the rounds.

Community calendar

Candidate forums

Thursday: Seattle School Board candidates for four seats in the Nov. 6 general election will participate in a forum, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the school-district headquarters, 2445 Third Ave. S.

Seattle City Council candidates will face off and share their views on city government's role in helping families meet basic human needs, 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E. on Capitol Hill. Co-sponsors include the Seattle Human Services Coalition.

Getting around

Seattle's Transportation Department says pedestrians and bicyclists will again be able to ride the Burke-Gilman Trail under the Fremont Bridge within the next week, rather than taking a detour that's been in place during bridge work. The trail from Stone Way North to Phinney Avenue North has been detoured to North 34th Street during replacement of bridge approaches and mechanical and electrical systems. Work has now progressed enough to open the trail using a temporary route through the construction site, according to the city. But there could be brief closures at times when construction equipment is moved across the trail or for other site work. All work should be completed next month.

Meanwhile, private construction near the Burke-Gilman Trail in the Lake City area will disrupt bicycle and pedestrian use of the trail between Northeast 125th and Northeast 135th streets for about 10 workdays, excluding weekends, starting today. The paved trail will be fenced off for about 400 feet north of Northeast 125th. The unpaved running and walking path along the east side of the trail will be open for use. Signs will direct cyclists to dismount and walk their bikes through that section of the trail.



Oct. 8, 1995: The Seattle Mariners edged the New York Yankees, 6-5, in 11 epic innings to advance to the American League Championship Series against Cleveland. The M's dropped the first two games of the Division Series in Yankee Stadium, then reeled off three straight wins at the Kingdome. In Game 5, Randy Johnson came out of the bullpen in the ninth inning to keep the Yanks at bay. In the 11th, Edgar Martinez hit what today is known as "The Double" to win the game. Ken Griffey Jr. scored all the way from first base, and chaos reigned at the Dome.
People lined Boston's streets to honor Christopher Columbus and enjoy the show on the 615th anniversary of his arrival in the New World yesterday as the annual Columbus Day parade marched from City Hall to the North End.

And though the weather remained unseasonably mild for yesterday's parade and celebrations for the famed 15th century explorer, it appears as though a dip in the Boston-area temperatures is on its way and will finally usher in the long-awaited fall weather.

You can expect the average temperature to hover around 69 degrees today, with a likelihood of scattered showers.



Temperatures will hover in the low 60s throughout the week. The USS Bradley and her crew of more than 200 spent this Columbus Day Weekend at the Charlestown Navy Yard.

While on shore, sailors mingled with curious onlookers and paid a visit to the New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans. They marched in the Columbus Day parade and the ship's color guard participated in the national anthem at yesterday's Patriots [team stats] game against the Cleveland Browns.

The 23-year-old ship, named after World War II Lt. Robert C. Bradley, recently returned from a six-month counter-narco terrorism deployment.



The Bradley is open for free tours today. DENVER ― Police arrested 83 Columbus Day Parade protesters including American Indian Movement activist Russell Means after fake blood and dismembered baby dolls were poured on the parade route Saturday.

At least 10 of those arrested faced charges of resisting arrest, while most faced charges of blocking a parade route or interfering with a peaceful assembly, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. The parade through downtown was delayed about an hour.

George Vendegnia, one of the organizers of the parade, said the protest and delay were planned for and caused minimal disruption.

"With this protest, it's just motivating people more to be back next year and exercise their right to participate in an American holiday," Vendegnia said.

No serious injuries were reported to either protesters or police.

Among those seen being led away in handcuffs was Glenn Morris, an associate professor of political science at the University of Colorado and one of the organizers of the All Nations/Four Directions March, a march in protest of the parade.

Denver's parade, which was started in 1907, has a troubled history of arrests and confrontations between Columbus supporters and detractors. Protesters have called him a slave trader who touched off centuries of genocide and oppression against native people. Supporters say he was a brave explorer who opened a new world and that the parade is an American holiday to be celebrated.

Colorado is credited with being the first to make Columbus Day a state holiday, which later became a federal holiday. The parade is touted as being one of the first in honor of Columbus.

Morris and other protest march organizers earlier this week said they were angered with last year's use of re-enactors of a 19th century U.S. Army Cavalry unit to carry the flag before the start of the Columbus Day Parade. They likened the use of the soldiers, who wore uniforms similar to those used during the Indian Wars of the late 1800s, to nooses used to intimidate black students in the central Louisiana town of Jena.

Vendegnia said the re-enactors did not participate this year because of a scheduling conflict.