October 2007

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.

It has been a good month for the Ballard Food Bank. Last week the organization accepted a $10,000 donation from the Ballard Rotary Club and a new executive director has been hired.

Food bank Board of Director's President Monica Greenberg was not ready to release the name of the new director, but promised to introduce her to the community in the coming weeks.

A new operations manager, Peggy Bailey has also joined the staff to run the food collection and storage part of the organization.

"The food bank is here to provide assistance to folks who need food.

Members of the Ballard Lions have been busy organizing their Golden Ears fundraiser on Oct. 5 and 6, and starting a new service club for local high school students.

While the Golden Ears Days take place annually, for the very first time, the Ballard Lions have started a Leo Club at Ballard High School.

With Lions Club membership peaking at 40, the club is targeting a younger audience.

The Seattle City Council has said it would wait one year before considering forcing nightlife establishments to obtain controversial licenses and aide by certain operating rules.

Mayor Greg Nickels had proposed last year that clubs and bars should apply for licenses and adhere to rules preventing litter, violence and excessive noise. It also required businesses to police around their property.

Seattle City Council members Nick Licata, Tom Rasmussen and David Della have proposed adding 24 traffic-safety cameras to the City's Red-Light Camera Program at a cost of approximately $1 million dollars.

The council members' recommendation follows a draft evaluation report released in July that showed a great deal of promise for the City's Red-Light Camera Program.

This report found that violations decreased by one third and the severity of collisions decreased overall at the six intersections where the cameras are installed.