Judge Susan Dubuisson dismissed charges against 16 defendants charged with criminal trespass during the anti-war demonstrations at the Port of Olympia in May of 2006. Judge Dubuisson found that there had been "gross negligence" on the part of the prosecutor's office in the discovery process. Seven motions were heard at the pre-trial hearing today, including a motion to compel the prosecutor's office to disclose, in camera, the identity of their "informant," who passed along legal work product from a closed list-serv used by the defendants and counsel. This dissemination of information regarding jurors, obtained by the prosecutor's office from this list-serv, led to the earlier mistrial of the port protesters in late March of 2007.

Community Youth Services in late June will host a series of youth workshops presented by renowned mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade and his Seattle-based group, the Mosaic Multi-Cultural Foundation. The four-day program, entitled Voices of Youth, Voices of Community, will provide a supportive and creative backdrop for at-risk and homeless youth to find their voices and express their dreams, concerns, and views of the world around them. The workshops will culminate in a public performance for the community.

Mosaic's network of artists, social activists and community builders work together to create cross-cultural alliances, mentoring relationships for youth, and social connections that encourage greater understanding between people and groups of various cultural and spiritual backgrounds. Their goal is to bridge some of the unhealthy divisions still found in today's communities, and to weave new social fabrics from existing ethnic, spiritual, psychological and political threads.

"A healthy, many-cultured community is like a MOSAIC in which the overall design reveals the singular beauty of each part," writes Michael Meade on the foundation's website. "In that sense, America is not a melting pot that dulls and blurs, but a mosaic, made of numerous distinct pieces, with beautiful, unexpected colors, rough edges and hidden symmetries.

Voices of Youth inspires and empowers local youth, fosters ongoing cross-generational dialogues and leads to the development of unique local forms of mentoring. Amidst changing times and all too-common violence, all are invited to witness the expression of youth and hear the voice of the soul seeking to make community again.

Even on the street.

I had the pleasure of visiting with Ruby Re-Usable recently at the Castoff Art Studio downtown, I'm still mulling over all the inspiring themes we discussed.

We checked out the Capitol Theater Free Wall (more Free Wall ) around the corner. Just in time to see part of this in progress. I also got to meet Freeplay and see some of his evolving work.

I'd like more walls to be freed for creative expression. Why not?