June 2008

Forty-three years of tradition ended last week in one hour as demolition crews turned the Ballard Denny's into a pile of rubble to make way for a condominium.

The building with its unique roof and architectural features, designed by architect Clarence Mayhew, opened as a Mannings Restaurant in 1965 and the Denny's chain took over in 1983, continuing a tradition of 24-hour service and a place for the neighborhood to gather.

Owners BCC Mikie Ballard LLC will build an eight-story, 260-unit condominium on the site.

"I think it is sad," said Randi Hansen.

Ballard, already exceeding its 20-year growth targets by 174 percent, seems an obvious choice for a neighborhood plan update, but the community may have to wait at least a year to see who goes first.

The Seattle City Council is getting set to vote on a proposal to update and assess the status of the city's 38 Neighborhood Plans, which would include establishing a citywide Neighborhood Plan Advisory Group.

The plans were adopted by the city in 1999 and identify actions aimed at managing growth over a 20-year period in each major neighborhood.

The group would be

Parks department officials are working with local residents to start a Friends of North Beach Park group to help maintain the greenbelt.

A meeting held on June 23 was a follow up one held in May, when over 30 homeowners complained about illegal trails, encroachment on city property by residents and dumping of trash in the park.

Seattle Parks and Recreation crew chief Patrick Merriam said he inspected the park and found beer bottles, graffiti on trees and debris left in the park.

"When I walked through it, it is a unique property and should be left alone and not

The city is seeking possible new requirements for the city's un-reinforced masonry buildings estimated to number up to 1,000, most of which have not been seismically retrofitted.

A study summarizes the experience of several California cities that instituted a similar requirement over the past two decades.

Club scholarships

Seniors win scholarships

Ballard High School seniors Kevin Vitz-Wong, Amar Shah and Deisi Fernandez received scholarships from the Ballard Lions Club based on their community service and school work.

Vitz-Wong is an outreach volunteer and school liaison for Teen Link and is a founding member and president of the Student Lives Always Matter Club. He plans to attend Lewis and Clark College.

The King County Executive, along with the Sheriff, Prosecuting Attorney and judges from around the county, recently revealed that King County is facing a budget crisis of great magnitude.

This year alone, we may have to cut $20 million from the $660 million general fund. An additional deficit between $40 million and $70 million is predicted in 2009.

How will services be affected by the budget crisis?>/b>

King County government provides both regional and local services.

Masters times offered

The Federal Way Masters swimming team for ages 19 and over is now offering three workout session times at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center located at 650 SW Campus Drive in Federal Way.

Monday through Friday a 5:30-6:45 a.m. and a 7-8 p.m.session are offered, with a 6:50-7:50 a.m. session taking place Tuesdays and Thursdays. A 10:15-11:15 a.m. session is offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Saturdays an 8-9 a.m. session is held at the Kenneth Jones Pool (Federal Way High School).

Members are required to join U.S.

Get With Iit

Boating

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Ongoing

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Des Moines Flotilla No. 32 regularly offers Boating Safety and Seamanship courses in the Federal Way and Des Moines areas.

They cover the full range of boating safety subjects, including federal requirements, basic piloting, marlin spike, seamanship and boat handling.

AUBURN - It was a courageous effort that fell just short of its desired outcome last Tuesday at the South King County Ball Fields.

Leading 9-6, the Soundview of Northeast Tacoma All Star team ran afoul of an 11-run Fife/Milton/Edgewood fifth inning bombardment before dropping a 17-12 verdict to its unbeaten opponents in the championship round of the 2008 Washington state District 10 Little League softball tournament.

FME blasted out seven hits while taking advantage of SV pitching and fielding woes in the fatal fifth.

June 22 Officers responded to a call for a property theft involving a bicycle that was left unattended at a tanning salon near the 3400 block of Hoyt Rd. The victim indicated that they had parked the bicycle, a pastel green and pink 24" 'Jazz Rocket TRQ' in some arbor vitae trees along side a fence by Walgreens. When they finished the tanning session, the unlocked bicycle was gone.

June 21 Police followed up on a call to the 2400 block of Star Lake Rd. where a property theft and some damage involving a car stereo had occurred.