September 2007

The only sun that shined in Ballard Commons Park Saturday at the fourth annual Sustainable Ballard Fest weekend was this fold-out sculpture, constructed by Port Townsend artists headed by Thaddeus Jurczynski, center. Left is Eddie Griffiths of Wallingford. Right is Karen Starling, of Port Townsend. The sun sculpture opens to reveal a depiction of a sustainable eco-village. It was commissioned by the political organization, the Bakbone Campaign.

Despite the rain recently, St. Alphonsus Parish School officially opening the new playground on the first day of the school. The Rev. Rogelio Barcelona blessed the shiny, new structures, and eighth-grader Lucy Kelly cut the ribbon that opened the playground for use. The new structures were funded through the Fund-a-Dream campaign at last year's annual school auction along with sales of handmade ceramic tiles to individuals, families and local businesses.

Seattle public officials love to spend a lot of time and money "getting the pulse of public opinion, but sometimes the gap between the "show" and the "tell" is more like a yawning chasm.

Ref. 67 will cost you

By Don C. Brunell

Referendum 67, which will appear on the November ballot, purportedly targets insurance companies, but make no mistake, it's all about money - your money.

It will mean more money out of your pocket for higher insurance premiums and more money in the pockets of the attorneys who are pressing the lawsuits.

Let's be clear. People should be fairly compensated for legitimate losses as quickly as possible and, in the vast majority of cases, they are.

Ballard will not gain anything, in my opinion, from reelecting Jean Godden to the Seattle City Council.

Regarding your editorial on high rents: That's about the size of it, Jack. I fear that many of our friends and neighbors would rather there be no lower income people in Seattle, although they are probably reluctant to acknowledge that sentiment even to themselves.

After all, we scruffier sorts are prone to doing things that leave the city less "livable," such as leaving our '73 Camaros up on blocks in the driveway and wearing sleeveless undershirts out in public.

The Ballard Starbucks is an okay sort of place to go, however, the employees leave a lot to be desired.

Go in anytime and ask for grounds for your garden. Easier to have Tully's bag some up for you than those folks. They will take your name and phone number, promise the sun and the moon to have them ready for you next day. Go in next day and guess what. No grounds for your garden. Oh, I'm sorry they seem to draw flies and we don't like to bag them for that reason.

Good grief, Charlie Brown, every other Starbucks except for those in a Safeway store.

Management of the Ballard Junior Football League said they will go as far as to sue the city of Seattle if a ruling that places time restrictions on their use of the Loyal Heights Playfield is not reversed.

League president Glen Quinton and vice president Marshall Airey are challenging a decision from the city's hearing examiner, Ann Watanabe, which requires an hour between football games scheduled at the playfield to reduce traffic impact on the residential neighborhood.

"If this is about parking, then fix the parking," said Quinton. "We want to fight it.

To recognize the effect of condominium conversions on displaced renters, the city council unanimously passed an ordinance last week that penalizes developers and property owners who fail to notify eligible renters of tenant relocation assistance.

Tenants who earn at least 80 percent of median income are supposed to receive notice they are due $500 in assistance and the new ordinance just "puts teeth into that requirement," said Tom Rasmussen, chair of the council's housing committee and sponsor of the bill.

Though it is state law that developers converting rental uni

Mayor wants city hall to do most planning work

By Rebekah Schilperoort

Ballard and Crown Hill have done better than most communities at keeping track and implementation of its neighborhood plan, according to assistant city auditor Mary Denzel.

Nearly 900 residents were surveyed for an audit ordered by Seattle City Council member Sally Clark to review the mid-life progress of the 20-year plans. It included people who had helped craft the plans in the late 1990s and some who did not.

The review, released Sept.