May 2007

As an artist, Ballard's Lane Hill may be known for the shows she does three times a year, or for her oil paintings of swimmers in pools, her "trademark," if you will. But she never expected to be known for creating pigs.

In the summer of 2001, downtown Seattle hosted a spectacle of pigs. 170 decorated fiberglass pigs hogged downtown sidewalks, each in the likeness of Rachel, the Pike Place Market Foundation's beloved piggybank. In 2007, in recognition of the Pike Place Market's Centennial birthday celebration, the Market Foundation is reviving this successful event.

There ought to be a law about all these earlier and earlier primary elections. If this game of "we wanna be first" keeps up soon there will be all-year elections not only for president but for every political office.

That will be chaos, mindless chaos.

Here, the primary election was moved up to August, so statewide candidates must file for office the week of June 4, not in July as in the past.

But our state Republican and the Democrat parties say voters are not important to them.

More than a year since the Seattle Department of Transportation removed public art pieces from the Ballard Bridge, it's still unclear when the sculptures will be reinstalled.

Put up in 2003, the art pieces were located atop the east and west railings at the north end of the bridge between Northwest 49th Street and Ballard Way.

Paid for mostly by city funds and an organized community group, the Ballard Gateway Committee, the series of eight sculptures representing different aspects of the community were the result of a four-year neighborhood effort to create a gateway into

The Seattle School Board is considering changing its student assignment plan for the 2008-2009 school year to a more simplified version that will enhance predictability for families and students.

The district says the current system is just too complicated. Parents are given up to 80 pages of information to read through, and rules, reference areas and boundaries vary between grade levels.

Currently, families can apply to any Seattle school and students may enroll at any time.

Beware on 15th Avenue Northwest on May 25 because for the first time since its inception, Washington State's Click it or Ticket campaign will take to the nighttime hours.

More than 75 law enforcement agencies throughout Washington will be out watching for unbuckled motorists.

On June 16 and 17, local musicians will perform at the annual Fremont Fair's "Center of the Universe" to support the fair and its mission to fight hunger, isolation, violence, homelessness and despair- advancing the vision of an end to poverty in our community.

Produced by Solid Ground (formerly the Fremont Public Association), a local human service agency providing food, shelter, counseling and care for over 25,000 homeless and low-income people throughout King County, Fremont Fair is the only major fair to benefit a non-profit human service agency in the nation.

Now in

The Scandinavian Cultural Center Council is inviting its members to submit nominations for the 2007 Outstanding Service Award.

The Ballard Beavers fast-pitch softball team achieved a big goal when it qualified for the KingCo 4A Tournament with games against Juanita and Bothell last week.

Softball has become a tradition at the school with its history of dominating the old Metro 3A league.

Fans turned out in force to support the team in the two playoff games.

At Marlene's Market and Deli at Gateway Center there is a display of one gallon tomato plants that are grown by local farmer Ed Mills.

I always buy my tomato starts here because they're so beautiful, but also because the hard part is done.

I can pretend to have a green thumb when my friends come to admire my garden, and I fool with them by saying that I can't reveal my secrets, but truth be told, those secrets aren't really secrets and that green thumb belongs to Ed and his wife Mary.

The couple has been supplying organic tomatoes, squash, zucchini, raspberries

Masters times offered

The Federal Way Masters swimming team for ages 19 and over is now offering three workout session times at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center located at 650 SW Campus Drive in Federal Way.

Monday through Friday a 5:30-6:45 a.m. and a 7-8 p.m.session are offered, with a 6:50-7:50 a.m. session taking place Tuesdays and Thursdays. A 10:15-11:15 a.m. session is offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Saturdays an 8-9 a.m. session is held at the Kenneth Jones Pool (Federal Way High School).

Members are required to join U.S.