December 2007

The city of Tukwila has a big reason to celebrate: it is turning 100 in 2008.

Most residents of Puget Sound are familiar with the sights of a summertime beach walk. The moon snails, starfish, Dungeness crabs and octopuses.

But these critters don't vanish during the winter.

We all know Christmas is for kids-and the kid in all of us.

And we also suspect that it would not really be Christmas in Highline without the annual ChoralSounds Northwest holiday concert.

This year, young people from KidSounds Northwest are joining with 65 ChoralSounds members to present "Christmas is for Children" Friday, Dec. 14, through Sunday, Dec. 16, at the Highline Performing Arts Center, 401 S. 152nd Street in Burien.

Tim Root is the new conductor for the holiday event.

to California Ave. project

Editor's Note: This letter was sent to the Seattle Department of Planning and Development with a copy to this newspaper.

Following is a list of exceptions to the proposed Project No. 3007538.

1. It violates the Neighborhood Planning Process; see recommendation 1.2 in that "the existing zoning should remain with no changes within the Admiral Urban Village."

2. There is no alley behind the east side of California Avenue, which would require commercial deliveries on the avenue impeding the orderly flow of traffic.

Mayor Greg Nickels has urged the Seattle City Council to take action by the end of the year on legislation he says could create hundreds of new, affordable homes for working families.

Nickels proposed the "Seattle Homes Within Reach" program to the Council in July, and he claims the costs of delay are mounting.

At Large in Ballard by Peggy Sturdivant

Going, going...gone

Three hundred sixty-five days in the year but not enough days for the number people being forced to leave Ballard due to economics. The condo conversion at Lock Vista will affect over 200 people; many have already left. Then there are the renters in triplexes and duplexes - most slipping away without any publicity or outcry at all.

Mary

While she cleans a kitchen that already looks spotless, Mary is wearing coat and hood, using the oven for heat.

Big drinks and little bites

Tigertail Restaurant & Bar

704 N.W. 65th Street

781-8245

Open 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily (must be 21)

By Patricia Devine and Jim Anderson

Curiosity brought me back to see home

By John Oliver

As inescapable as daylight and dark, growing up in Ballard involved going to school; for me, Adams elementary and later James Monroe Junior High, and of course Ballard High.

They were special worlds, each in their own time. At Adams I lost my sweetheart Signe. In the third or fourth grade we performed "Tom Thumb's Wedding." Signe was the bride; some other kid was the groom and I was chosen to be the pastor who married them! Well, so much for rejection.

With Thanksgiving behind us - no pun intended - and the holidays in full swing, it becomes exceedingly difficult to choose raw broccoli over that sugar cookie with the pretty pink icing.

National Bird Control crews were out in force last week hanging 35 snowflakes and putting lights on 27 trees in the business district for the Ballard Chamber of Commerce. Pictured is Brian Lopez placing strands of Christmas lights on Market Street. "It looks good, we will make adjustments to make it look better. Lots of residents enjoy seeing the trees lit up again," said Dave Cheaney, owner of National Bird Control.