August 2007

D'oh! At 2 a.m. Thursday, an officer was driving on the South Park Bridge, when she noticed donuts scattered all over the road. A delivery driver then ran into view and said that a man had hijacked his pastry truck. The driver wasn't sure which way the thief had gone, but the officer was able to follow the donut trail until it ended near Highway 599. A short time later, an officer driving on Delridge spotted the truck speeding through a construction zone with its headlights off. The driver finally stopped-on flattened tires-in the High Point neighborhood.

Incoming freshmen at Seattle Pacific University will be available for volunteer work in the Ballard community on September 22 as part of the school's CityQuest program.

"The main purpose is the get students involved in a service activity," said CityQuest Coordinator Jennifer Sampson.

Seattle Pacific University's CityQuest has a mission is to engage the culture and change the world.

At Large in Ballard by Peggy Sturdivant

"Create a link in our Chain of Connections," read the flyer next to the basket of Sharpies outside the Ballard Market. An employee at the table by the shopping carts further explained that in honor of Town & Country's 50th anniversary (Bainbridge location, not Ballard) all six stores were inviting customers to decorate a rectangle of canvas to become part of a chain.

I was struck by the cleverness, using actual linked fabric to symbolize the chain of connections, while also celebrating a small chain of local, independent markets.

The Woodland Park Zoo's red panda hides in the trees of his exhibit area. The raccoon like panda has long, soft fur and a bushy tail with rings. Unlike its more famous cousin, the giant panda, the red panda eats fruits and berries. The number of red pandas remaining in the wild is unknown.

One of the most popular stands at SeafoodFest last weekend was the rock climbing wall where there was one hundred dollars in cash waiting at the top for who ever could get there first.

Beautiful evenings at sunset inspire games, such as this football game at Golden Gardens.

Zero Waste will save city $50 million tab

By Richard Conlin

On July 16, the City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 30990, establishing the parameters for a Zero Waste Strategy for Seattle.

The Zero Waste Strategy is based on a policy framework that treats waste as a resource. Under this program, the city will rebuild its existing transfer stations and not invest $50 million or more in a new waste transfer facility adjacent to the Georgetown neighborhood.

Local non-profit Sustainable Ballard celebrated its fourth birthday recently by reviewing several energy and environmental successes of the past state legislative session.

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, was the key speaker at the event held at the Sunset Hill Community Club.

Nightlife legislation approved last week by the Seattle City Council contains no mention of a regulatory license but does include beefing up current city tools for maintaining peace between residents and noisy clubs.

The legislation, which was sparked a few years ago by several high profile violent incidents and reignited over a recent shooting at a club downtown, but the council has not acted on the mayor's request for authority to close clubs he thinks are creating public problems.

The new law applies to bars and clubs serving alcohol after 10 p.m.

In traditional cultures, extended family, friends, and community surround the new family after a baby's birth. They assist with everyday tasks, such as going for that dreaded midnight walk with a sleepless infant. It's a uniquely modern-era phenomenon for a mother (or father) to be alone with a baby.

Yet, sometimes the sheer act of getting out the door - with baby carrier, pacifier, stroller, diapers, wipes, toys, and any other essential gear - can feel like a feat of strength, not for the uninitiated.