Sea Gals | The Final Audition

Young women show off their mastery of a rehearsed two-song dance routine for their last chance at becoming one of this upcoming season's Sea Gals during the final audition round Sunday, April 28, 2013, in the West Club Lounge at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. The top 60 candidates from previous auditions started the day from an original pool of 180 women. The day's cut reduced the final number to around 30. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival

Performers - both musical and theatrical - await their moment in spotlight backstage during the 38th annual Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival Saturday, April 27, 2013, at The Armory in Seattle. The festival boasted over 60 traditional performing arts and craft stations, drawing acts from as far away as Okinawa, Japan. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Seattle Police Department | DUI Ridealong

Hotel hostage situation

Hotel patrons Joenia Patterson, center, her daughter Nija West, left, and Patterson's sister, Maurianna Vega, right, leave the scene of a standoff of a bank robber who had taken his girlfriend and a pitbull hostage Sunday, April 21, 2013, at the Extended Stay America on North 133rd and Stone Avenue North in Seattle. "We didn't even know anything was going on until we came out here," Patterson said. The standoff, which began around 2 PM, brought SWAT, patrol cars, negotiators and a firetruck to the scene. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

A heavily-armed member of the Seattle police moves to a better vantage point on the scene of a standoff with a bank robber who had taken his girlfriend and a pitbull hostage Sunday, April 21, 2013, at the Extended Stay America on North 133rd and Stone Avenue North in Seattle. The standoff, which began around 2 PM, brought SWAT, patrol cars, negotiators and a firetruck to the scene. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Police keep hotel patrons at bay during a standoff with a bank robber who had taken his girlfriend and a pitbull hostage Sunday, April 21, 2013, at the Extended Stay America on North 133rd and Stone Avenue North in Seattle. The standoff, which began around 2 PM, brought SWAT, patrol cars, negotiators and a firetruck to the scene. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

A heavily-armed member of the Seattle police moves to a better vantage point at a nearby building from the scene of a standoff with a bank robber who had taken his girlfriend and a pitbull hostage Sunday, April 21, 2013, at the Extended Stay America on North 133rd and Stone Avenue North in Seattle. The standoff, which began around 2 PM, brought SWAT, patrol cars, negotiators and a firetruck to the scene. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Canopy Climbers | Earth Day 2013

Dave Bayard, right, helps Lorenzo Delara, center right, into gear for his ascent at a tree-climbing event put on by the Seattle-local, eco-adventuring Canopy Climbers in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Attendees took turns ascending a 110-foot red oak named "Her Majesty." (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

From every branch, enthusiasts enjoy a tree-climbing event put on by the Seattle-local, eco-adventuring Canopy Climbers in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Attendees took turns ascending a 110-foot red oak named "Her Majesty." (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Loose ends of rope hang from upper branches during a tree-climbing event put on by the Seattle-local, eco-adventuring Canopy Climbers in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Attendees took turns ascending a 110-foot red oak named "Her Majesty." (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Seattle University freshman Olivia Kerwin laughs with a friend at a tree-climbing event put on by the Seattle-local, eco-adventuring Canopy Climbers in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Attendees took turns ascending a 110-foot red oak named "Her Majesty." (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

From every branch, enthusiasts enjoy a tree-climbing event put on by the Seattle-local, eco-adventuring Canopy Climbers in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Attendees took turns ascending a 110-foot red oak named "Her Majesty." (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Dave Bayard, center, helps unstrap Ellyn Rivers, right, following her ascent and descent at a tree-climbing event put on by the Seattle-local, eco-adventuring Canopy Climbers in honor of Earth Day on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at Volunteer Park in Seattle. Attendees took turns ascending a 110-foot red oak named "Her Majesty." (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Heightened Explosives Awareness in Seattle

The Seattle Police Department's arson and bomb squad investigates and clears the site of a suspicious package with the help of robotic technology Tuesday, April 16, 2013, near 3rd Avenue and Yesler Way in Pioneer Square in Seattle. The package, a black backpack containing what was later discovered to be a hair dryer, was removed from the scene and traffic quickly resumed. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

A police dog watches over the a cleared suspicious package Tuesday, April 16, 2013, near 3rd Avenue and Yesler Way in Pioneer Square in Seattle. The package, a black backpack containing what was later discovered to be a hair dryer, was removed from the scene and traffic quickly resumed. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Cassandra Moore | Washington's Longest Nails

Cassandra Moore, of West Seattle, said she grew out her fingernails because she personally like them that way. Before MySpace and Facebook, she had no idea there were hundreds of others who were fans of especially long nails. (JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM)

Beached Fin Whale | Burien, Washington

A lone flower, placed by a passerby, adorns a dead, rare fin whale Monday, April 15, 2013, at Seahurst Park in Burien. After washing up on Saturday, researchers believe a collision with a ship was its cause of death. The area has since been cordoned off to deter people from touching the corpse. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Beachgoers take in the sights of a dead, rare fin whale Monday, April 15, 2013, at Seahurst Park in Burien. After washing up on Saturday, researchers believe a collision with a ship was its cause of death. The area has since been cordoned off to deter people from touching the corpse. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)

Sea Gals | First Round Auditions

Over 180 hopeful women showed up for the first round of open Sea Gals auditions Sunday, April 14, 2013, at the CenturyLink Field Event Center in Seattle. Contestants were judged on dance ability, pizzazz and physical appearance. Nearly half of the attendees made the preliminary cut. (Jordan Stead, seattlepi.com)