July 2008

The northbound Nickerson Street/Emerson Street onramps to the Ballard Bridge will be closed 24 hours a day through July 19. The closure is necessary because of repaving work on Elliott Avenue and 15th Avenue West.

Seattle Department of Transportation is rerouting traffic to the southbound ramps leading to 15th Avenue West. From there cars will be directed south on 15th Avenue West to West Dravus Street. This will turn drivers north on 15th Avenue West.

Construction on the Ballard Corners Park may begin in a few weeks now that a contractor has been selected.

WS Contractors bid $117,000 to do the base elements on the park, located at Northwest 62nd Street and 17th Avenue Northwest.

The base elements include: erosion control; selective clearing; importing fill material; curbing; a new automatic irrigation system; along with trees, shrubs and ground cover.

"It's an exciting step," said Friends of Ballard Corners Park co-chair David Folweiler.

Work on the parks other features will go out for re-bid

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries have begun mailing dividend checks to 100,000 employers as the final step of a process to return excess funds from the state's workers' compensation system.

Another 28,000 employers will receive credit toward their next workers' compensation premiums.

money to operate

By Dean Wong

Players with Ballard Junior Football are eager to start practicing next month, but organizers are busy raising funds to pay for the costs of running the for the non-profit program.

"We're looking for support for our program, " said Lisa Schwartzenberger, Ballard Junior Football's fundraising chair.

Money is needed to pay for uniforms, scholarships, equipment and field maintenance.

The program averages 150 children, ages 6 to 14 each season. Both boys and girls play football and also

The Ballard High School football program is holding another camp for young people on July 21, 22, 24 and 25 at Loyal Heights field.

Players in fourth to ninth grades are invited to participate.

"What did we do before we had the block party on the 4th of July?" I asked a neighbor in the waning hours of that day.

"Was there a before?" she responded. "I don't remember."

For most of the older children, the years before the first annual Kid's Parade, Block Party, and Talent Show are hazy - actual memories replaced by photographic placeholders. But we can agree, the majority of the original children were four years old that first year.

It is a wrenching conversation few 20 year olds can imagine.

AUBURN - Markus Montelongo masterfully marshaled up a lights out pitching gem, muffling Kent batters on a brilliant, six-inning complete game one-hitter with 13 strike outs to guide the Federal Way National All Stars to a title on Saturday, June 28, at the South King County Ball Fields.

Artistically painting a perfect performance for four innings, the National ace struck out out five consecutive batters in one stretch while guiding unbeaten Federal Way past Kent, 5-0, in a championship round game of the 2008 Washington State District 10 Little League baseball 10-11 age tournament, e

Soundview's pitching was reason enough for them to overcome an early error and propel this Northeast Tacoma/Browns Point area charter to the championship game of the Little League District 10 Junior All Stars, after its 3-2 win over Federal Way American in the winner's bracket final at Brannon Park in Auburn Wednesday, July 2.

Soundview moves to the championship game, being in the driver's seat for going to state.

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.

The instruction is free, although there is a nominal fee for the student text and work books.