Bruce Harrell has been off my radar, I sure hope he is sincere in wanting citizen input ("Councilman frustrated over limited feedback," Sept 3). My experience with (council members) (Richard) Conlin, (Nick) Licata, and (Jan) Drago is that they are very good at blowing me off via email.
Kevin Johnson
Ballard
Why, oh why, must you devote a page each week to Peggy Sturdivant's reminiscing about THE EAST COAST? This is the BALLARD News-Tribune, not the Nantucket News, last time I checked. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of people in Ballard who grew up here, went to school here, and still live here who are actually out and about the streets of Ballard, who might have something interesting to report. If we want to read about the East Coast, we'll buy THEIR newspapers.
Objecting to a scenic photo in this newspaper (August 27) of a man walking on the train tracks near Carkeek Park toting his kayak, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway engineer contacted the News-Tribune to complain.
"I liked the picture, but people are going to look at that and think it's OK to walk across those tracks," said the engineer who has been with Burlington Northern for eight years, and asked to remain anonymous.
He pointed out that there have been many fatalities on the two rows of track between Carkeek and Golden Gardens parks as people find short cuts to access those beaches.
"The guy in the picture was holding a kayak which blocked his view, and the tracks curve there," he said. "From the pedestrian overpass where the photo was taken you can see how far south?
The Seattle Department of Transportation is proposing to enforce paid parking and residential parking zones on otherwise free streets in some areas of Fremont.
The proposal came as a surprise to the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and some residents, who fear that it will create unwanted impacts to the neighborhood and businesses.
Next week, the Seattle City Council will vote on new legislation that would pave the way for more sidewalk cafes in the city by simplifying the application process for businesses looking to construct outdoor seating, which, some worry, could reduce the opportunity for public input.
The sidewalk caf/ bill reduces fees for outdoor seating, speeds up the processing time for applications and shifts the permitting process from the Department of Planning and Development to the Department of Transportation.
But, the bill removes much of the public oversight now required for side
The Phinney Neighborhood Association has come one step closer to securing the John B. Allen School as a permanent home when Mayor Greg Nickels last week pushed to make $2.5 million available to the non-profit organization.
Last Tuesday, Nickels submitted legislation to the city council to make the $2.5 million in city funding available to the association. With a 27-year history in the Seattle School District owned John B.
The Ballard High School football team opened its season Sept.
The city is looking to implement a program next spring in the downtown core that would replace dumpsters in alleys with plastic garbage bags, and if successful there, it may be expanded to other neighborhoods, including Fremont.
Mayor Greg Nickels' office and Seattle Public Utilities worked together to create the dumpster-free alley proposal.
There is currently a vacancy for a resident on the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board, to serve until June 30, 2009.
The seven-member Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board protects the historical and architectural values and significance of the district by regulating all proposed changes to the external appearance of buildings, structures and public rights-of-way located within the district boundaries.
Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed $8.6 million to fund the completion of the controversial and long awaited "Missing Link" portion of the Burke Gilman Trail over the next two years.
The last remaining segment of the popular multi-purpose trail would be paid for with 2009-2010 proposed budget funds
"Bicyclists, walkers, runners and skaters will enjoy one complete trail all the way from Puget Sound to the top of Lake Washington and beyond," the mayor said.
