|
SFGate News Web by
Comets on Fire will celebrate the release of its latest record, "Avatar," Wednesday at the Great American Music Hall. The album was recorded at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati and Louder Studios in San Francisco. To download one of the new tracks, "Dogwood Rust," for free, go to www.subpop.com and click on "media." Local tranny-rock sensation Pepperspray is headlining the annual San Francisco Drag King Contest on Thursday at the DNA Lounge. The event, the largest drag king gathering in the country (a drag king is a biological woman impersonating a man), is a benefit for Pets Are Wonderful Support, or PAWS, which helps people with debilitating illnesses care for their pets. Go to www.dnalounge.com for details. San Francisco blues guitarist and songwriter Jeffrey Halford is playing Aug.
Winds wreak havoc on Derby Mountain fire; Interstate 90 forced to close
REED POINT-The winds came from every direction Wednesday, whipping the Derby Mountain fire into a firestorm that burned thousands of acres and forced the closure of Interstate 90.At least two homes and an unknown number of outbuildings burned in the fire Tuesday, information officer Pat Cross said early Wednesday. .
Northern Berkshire Healthcare Records-sharing program among the first in the state
NORTH ADAMS Northern Berkshire Healthcare has begun participating in a records-sharing program designed to increase the quality of care while keeping costs in check. And while the initiative may revolve around the collection and sharing of electronic data, officials emphasize that their primary focus remains on treatment. "The vision is to improve patient outcomes," said Richard T. Palmisano II, president and CEO of Northern Berkshire Healthcare. "Ultimately, what we do is about patients." Palmisano spoke yesterday at the official launch of the Northern Berkshire e-Health Collaborative, one of three pilot programs around the state that will create electronic records of patients' clinical data that can be viewed throughout the health care system. North County's program has been slowly unveiled since Aug.
How to hail a roofer
It was hailing cats and dogs last Thursday in the Twin Cities. The weather tore up a lot of homes in southern Dakota County and elsewhere, which means homeowners need contractors to make repairs. This brings out storm-chasing shysters as well as reputable companies, said Charlie Durenberger of the Minnesota Labor and Industry Department. He offered some tips as you go about making repairs. Be especially careful with roofers, he said: Some people think if you can pound a nail, you can roof a house. But installing metal flashing, which protects against leaks at joints and angles, such as next to a chimney, requires special skills. If it's not done right, your roof can leak, causing expensive damage. For all types of repairs, Durenberger advises: • Check that the company is properly licensed and see whether it has had past problems.
Female president a first for disability group
New Zealander Anne Hawker has been appointed president of international disability organisation Rehabilitation International (RI). It will be the first time a disabled woman has headed RI. DPA, the national assembly of disabled people, and the New Zealand affiliate of RI greeted news of the announcement, made yesterday in New York, with acclaim. “This is a great choice. Anne will bring the strong skills, dedication, passion and understanding of global disability issues that we saw when she was the president of DPA,” says DPA Vice-President Marion Wellington. Ms Hawker takes up the new role in 2008 from retiring president Michael Fox. ENDS
.
Drama Studio enters 20th year in business
SPRINGFIELD - The Drama Studio begins its 20th year of conservatory-style acting training on Sept. 11, when the fall semester begins at the studio's home on 41 Oakland St. in the city's Forest Park neighborhood. The studio is located next to the Forest Park Library. The studio's theme this anniversary year is "Personal Growth through Professional Training." For the past 20 years, the studio has focused on the training of teens and pre-teens, offering a wide range of acting classes that help students grow in confidence and poise as they develop their acting craft. As students advance in acting skills, they learn to take risks, work comfortably within a group, concentrate and think on their feet. The studio's conservatory-style program is unique in New England and enrollment this fall is expected to exceed 225 students.
|