Local News

Your guide to the latest news from around the Northwest

Year of the Snake: If you’re looking to celebrate the Lunar New Year, head to Hing Hay Park in Seattle’s Chinatown International District for dragon and lion dances, a food walk, a children’s costume parade and music. Festivities are from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. today.

People born in the Year of the Snake — this year, 2001, 1989, ’77, ’65, ’53, ’41 — are described as intuitive, introspective and refined, according to Zodiac lore. (And no, there’s  no mention of a propensity toward scaly skin or the desire to sun-bask.)

Female bartenders competed in Speed Rack 2012 in L.A. for the title of fastest female bartender. The Seattle competition takes place Sunday. (Photo by Jennifer Lane Oakley)

Cocktail contest means high-end liquor on the cheap: Cocktail aficionados should head to Belltown and Capitol Hill for a four-day cocktail extravaganza that starts today. Select bars are offering happy hour prices and special events, including a Brazilian Carnival themed party at Vessel tonight and a rum-tasting event at Rumba on Monday.

The featured event is “Speed Rack” — a contest to find the fastest female bartender in the Northwest — on Sunday at the Century Ballroom. Proceeds benefit breast cancer research.

Home invasion in North Seattle: On Friday afternoon, three masked men confronted a surprised homeowner when he returned home, tied him up and threatened to kill him while the burglars robbed the home of cash and other items. The homeowner, who was not injured, was able to free himself after the suspects fled on foot. Police are asking for tips on the identities or whereabouts of the suspects.

Most-read stories this morning on seattletimes.com:

1. Hunt for ex-officer centers in snowy CA mountains
2. Ballard crossing guard hit in same place where daughter was struck in 2001
3. Seattle’s new elementaries would be among state’s biggest, most expensive
4. Review: Microsoft’s Surface Pro | Brier Dudley’s Blog
5. Behemoth storm drops 2 feet of snow on Northeast