November 2007

Ballard resident Jamie Lebouf has staring contest with a large seagull perched firmly on the hood of her car parked at Golden Gardens.

A class of 9- to 12-year-olds practice at the Arc School of Ballet studio, located in the Crown Hill School building.

can't go unnoticed

The press gives highlight to tragedy, not so much charity. You won't find tragedy in this narrative.

Thursday Nov. 8 was different than evenings my husband and I had shared in recent months. Incapacitated for nearly four months, my husband was recovering from taking a fall off a motorcycle. Significant injury to his knee left him out of work.

As a self-employed truck driver, we soon learned that there were no safety nets in place for us. At least that's what we initially thought.

The city has released design plans for the much anticipated, and in some cases dreaded, "missing link" portion of the Burke Gilman Trail from 11th Avenue Northwest to the Ballard Locks.

The 1.5-mile gap has been the source of great contention among industrial business owners, the city and bicycle advocates for years.

Chris Jackins is a regular at most Seattle School Board meetings, easily spotted scribbling down notes on a yellow legal pad in his plaid, flannel shirt among district officials in ties and parents in business suits just off from work.

With no children of his own in the public schools, it hasn't stopped Jackins from dedicating much of his own time to scrutinizing district policy.

The fundraiser for the Ballard Boys and Girls Club on Nov. 10 was a success with a standing-room-only crowd that produced $10,000.

The gymnasium, where many Ballard kids first learned how to play basketball was dressed up for Lombardi's Neighborhood Italian Restaurant Garlic Festival's 20th Anniversary celebration, complete with chandeliers and a jazz band.

The city is looking for qualified candidates to fill upcoming openings on the city of Seattle's Design Review Board.

The positions will be available in April when retiring board members' terms expire.

The city is looking for professionals in the design and development fields, who have proven skills and established careers. It also needs community and business leaders with an interest in shaping new development in their neighborhoods, and a passion for keeping Seattle a "great place to live, work and play."

The deadline for applications is Dec. 10.

New spring floor gives an edge

By Dean Wong

In gymnastics, the Ballard Beavers will start challenging the top teams in KingCo this year with the help of some experienced freshmen and a brand new spring floor.

The floor enables gymnasts to jump higher to earn better scores. Ballard is the first Seattle high school with a spring floor. Garfield will have one when their new building is finished. Most Eastside schools have the spring floors.

"We finally got one," said head coach Stephanie Gundel. "Ballard finally has modern equipment.

The meeting may not have resulted in any definitive action from the seven-member City Council, but for the crowd of opponents of the proposed development in Northeast Tacoma (and a stone's throw away from the Federal Way line), the venting session must have felt cathartic.

The group of more than 100 concerned citizens of the area, including many from Federal Way's Stonebrook neighborhood, used the public forum at the November 6 City Council meeting to voice their concerns about the impending issues of burgeoning traffic, over-crowded schools and a lamentable loss of green space.

Just one young lady stood out beautifully from the rest in the 2007 WIAA Dairy Farmers of Washington/Les Schwab Tire/Wells Fargo bank sponsored 4A Girls Swim and Dive Championships at the Weyerhauser King County Aquatic Center Nov. 11.

Three different corporate groups took turns placing medals around girls necks on the awards stand for first to eighth places in the 12 events.