It’s Opening Day. (The real Opening Day — not this day or that day.) There’s not much else like the atmosphere of Opening Day, no matter what ballpark you’re in. It’s a feeling of universal optimism, where the Royals and the Devil Rays have as much of a chance at winning the World Series as the Dodgers or Yankees.

So, of course, I’m jumping at a chance to hang out at Safeco Field today. My job is the fan-reaction story, so check back here to get a taste of what the atmosphere at the

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Indeed it does. Check out today’s Stone Soup.

You know the story. It’s the fodder of dozens of G-rated movies: Farmboy leaves for the city for the first time. He’s nervous. He’s scared. It’s noisy. It’s crowded – more people than he’s ever seen before. He avoids the crowds but slowly lets his guard down. Soon, he realizes he’s no different than anyone else.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Stoli. He’s 4. He’s orange and white. He’s a border collie-Australian shepherd mix. And he made his first trip off his home on a six-acre farm in Eatonville for Saturday’s Most Magnificent Mutt Show in Graham.

Humans had a good time, too.

"This is a great mother-son experience," said Stoli’s owner, 33-year-old Kerri Miller. She attended the Daffodil Festival event with her son, 7-year-old Wyatt Field. "He loves this dog – it’s his best friend. I thought this would be good for both my son and Stoli."

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I know you like dogs. Who doesn’t? I’m gonna be at the Daffodil Festival mutt show. Check back later for pics and videos.

Commencement Bay Coffee Company has apparently run afoul of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and the downtown Tacoma coffee shop (and community meeting place) is in danger of closure.

According to a letter from owner Keith Pritchard, here’s what happened:

Nearly 4 years (after opening), a representative from the PSCAA appeared at our door demanding we cease operations until we receive a Notice of Construction and Approval from their agency. I told them I had never heard of their agency. I received my permits from the City of Tacoma.

Besides having installed my equipment illegally, he

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Whimsy from Fort Lewis:

I’ll be off the radar most of the day. I’m in a computer-assisted training workshop to learn about how to track Congressional earmarks.