November 2007

In response to your recent guest columnist regarding the unmitigated growth in Ballard: the Fauntleroy community understands your angst and grieves with you the loss of your community.

The Fauntleroy community is under the same attack as the Ballard community. Existing zoning has allowed massive building projects involving teardowns of existing single-family homes and low-lying duplexes into mammoth triplexes and condo's. Concurrently, single- family homes are being purchased by builders and "remodeled" into mega-homes built lot line to lot line.

On behalf of the parents, students, staff and alumni of Seattle Lutheran High School, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the West Seattle community and it's businesses for their overwhelming support of our Auction.

On Saturday, Oct. 27, the Seattle Lutheran High School Auction "Above and Beyond" raised over $75,000. With this money, we will be able to continue our mission of educating young people in our community and teaching them the value of Confidence, Hope, Integrity and Passion.

At age 61, I became a mother.

That was in 2005 when my brother, George Niznansky, a developmentally challenged individual, moved from Pennsylvania to Seattle live with me.

As citizens of King County, we are becoming increasingly skeptical of Ron Sims' proposed sales tax increase.

The ground has broken on the first of several major mixed-use developments in and around the West Seattle Junction that are expected to change the "synergy" of the area.

Capco Plaza, a seven-story apartment/retail building under construction on Southwest Alaska Street between 41st and 42nd avenues southwest, will give the Junction more of a "downtown atmosphere," said the developer Leon Capelouto.

"This creates some synergy," said Capelouto, who owns several properties in the area. "It will really help and benefit the Junction.

Perhaps the Elliott Bay water taxi is the only segment of King County's transportation infrastructure gaining strength after the smack down voters delivered on election day to the Roads and Transit proposal.

The full King County Council acts as board of directors for the King County Ferry District, which the council formed last spring.

With hearts anchored in Alki's history, a party of nearly 80 landed at Salty's recently for a dinner, speeches, and silent auction to honor the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Log House Museum.

First at the podium was Marcy Johnsen who grew up in the 103 year-old home of hand-hewn Douglas fir. Originally a carriage house, or stable, for the Fir Lodge, now the Homestead Restaurant, it was moved 100 feet southeast to its present location.

"Dad was in Navy housing," Johnson said.

A White Center woman allegedly bit off the bottom lip of a man she had been kissing.

Laura Cutler, 44, later was charged in King County Superior Court with second-degree domestic-violence assault.

She is being held in the King County Jail.

According to King County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt.

Prepared with shovels, smiles, and song, nearly 75 students from Gatewood Elementary School, the African American Academy, Denny Middle School, and Chief Sealth High School greeted Green Belt Movement founder, Wangari Maathai, at Pelly Place Ravine recently for a tree planting ceremony.

The ceremony was just one of a daylong schedule of programs called Project Earth Care, which was part of an even larger project.

More than 350 volunteers are needed to prepare tax returns throughout King County for United Way of King County's Free Tax Preparation Campaign.

United Way of King County will operate the Free Tax Prep Campaign at 16 sites throughout King County from Jan. 15 to April 15, 2008.