October 2007

Baumler, Mathers lead

By Dean Wong

There's tight competition for the number one singles position on the Ballard Beavers boys team and that's good news for the depth on the roster.

Kevin Baumler and Alex Mathers have been playing challenge matches to determine the top spot and both are good enough to lead the six singles positions.

Mathers has wins over his Roosevelt, Redmond, Woodinville and Lake Washington opponents.

Chances hurt by tie

By Dean Wong

A 0-0 tie game between Ballard and Redmond in girls soccer last Thursday hurt the Beaver's playoff chances with the season winding down. Two days earlier Ballard could not earn a victory in wild 6-6 shootout at Lake Washington on the road.

The tie games made the team's playoffs hopes more difficult. "We need to win the next five games," said head coach Val Seid, one day after the Woodinville game. The top six teams in the league will qualify for the post season.

Ballard has 1-2-3 record in the KingCo Conference.

The North Seattle Community College Storm, men's basketball team sponsored a "Free-Throw-Athon," on Oct. 10 to raise money for Children's Hospital. Players and coaches received pledges from friends, family, students and staff for the 100 free throws they each made.

This event helps kick off the team's season. The team's coaching staff is lead by three former Ballard High School players. Head Coach Kyle Gray and assistants Eric Ensign and Jonathan Gathers were all former Beavers.

Gray was an assistant coach at Ballard High from 2000 to 2003.

It seems in vogue these days to dismantle by initiative our electoral form of government, piece by piece. The bazarre method of that dismantling is actualy by creating more elected office holders.

Case in point this year is another initiative by hired gun Tim Eyman, but his self-indulgence for pay is not what we are aiming at today.

It is King County Initiative 25. That hardly noticed measure that will be on the ballot Nov. 6 would require the county director of elections be a non-partisan post elected by the people of King County.

Second Frontier Movement

By Kay F. Reinartz

In order to understand Ballard's development as a community it is valuable to understand the community within its historical context. In the period following statehood, 1889, Washington experienced its own version of the great American westward movement.

In three decades the number of people living in the state increased at an astonishing rate. In 1900 state residents numbered 518,013. In 1910 there were found to be 1,141,990 residents.

Tex Mex comes to us

Austin Cantina

5809 24th Ave NW

Seattle, WA 98107

789-1277

Dinner Tuesday through Sunday 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.

At Large in Ballard by Peggy Sturdivant

I made my way to the back of the 747 flight from Amsterdam to Seattle, last seat on the aisle, nearly in the galley, hoping no one would claim the single seat to my left. On the outbound flight I had become caregiver to a Ukrainian grandmother, walking her to the toilet, opening the packets of her meal - everything except praying aloud with her during take-off. It is exhausting to be so foolish as to travel to Switzerland and back for just three full days: the time zones hold nine hours hostage and the flight time exceeds 24 hours.

Bella Stead, 5, takes a leap of faith as her sister, Juliette, 3, cheers her on, at the playground at St. Alphonsus Parish Family Center, in Ballard.