September 2008

Modern town homes have become a common complaint from many neighbors who argue that their design disrupts the character of Seattle neighborhoods.

In response, Mayor Greg Nickels is proposing to update the city's Multifamily Zoning Land Use Codes for the first time since 1982 and is scheduled to deliver his revisions to the Seattle City Council early next year.

City Council member Sally Clark, chair of the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee, is unsure of what to expect from Nickels' legislation.

A cozy crowd of nearly 40 climbed aboard the 94-foot Sea Star for an Alzheimer's benefit cruise at Fishermen's Terminal last week for what became a moonlit five-hour tour.

Even with her celebrity status, the famous vessel from the Deadliest Catch TV show was held up by an unknown barge at the Ballard Locks for nearly an hour.

The Sea Star finally glided through the locks and passed the flickering lights of smaller craft at Shilshole Bay Marina under the watchful eye of Ballard's Captain Larry Hendricks, Captains Greg and Ragnhild Moncrief, and an equally famous crew from

In the late-1940s, three small Ballard High sororities - the Patricians, the Vals and the Niads - joined together to better plan social gatherings. Sixty years later, the members are still at it.

This summer saw the celebration of the class of 1948's 60th consecutive annual luncheon. Throughout the years, ex-Beavers have traveled from as far away as Chicago, Hawaii and Australia to meet with old friends and continue the tradition.

"It's a chance to see how everyone's changed," said Joanne Bell, one of the luncheons organizers and a 1948 Ballard graduate.

With ridership nearly 7 percent higher than this time last year, Metro Transit is adding two new bus routes and more service on 20 routes throughout King County, as it kicked off its September service change on Sept.

The King County elections division on Sept.

More than 100,000 tons of plastic were tossed in the landfill in 2006, according to the King County Solid Waste Division Web site, yet, Seattle residents are unable to recycle several kinds of plastics that are, in fact, recyclable.

Seattle Public Utilities lists the following plastic items on its Web site that will be picked out and thrown away if mistakenly placed in your curbside recycling collection bin:

* Bubble wrap

* Flower pots

* Bags (such as freezer, frozen food, produce, bread, garbage, and Ziploc type bags)

* Packaging or wrapp

In the Sept. 17 issue of the Ballard News-Tribune ("Missing Link to be built on Ballard Ave."), Ballard Oil owner Warren Aakervik's name was misspelled. Ballard Oil is located on 26th Avenue Northwest, not Shilshole Avenue, as stated in the article. The trail will run from 11th Avenue Northwest to 15th Avenue Northwest on Northwest 45th Street. Nothing will be built for the trail during its time on Ballard Avenue, but signs will be installed directing cyclists. This information was not clear before the story went to press.

We regret the errors.

Last Friday local protestors gathered at both West Seattle and Ballard campuses of Mars Hill Church to protest author Ted Tripp who was speaking at a Biblical Parenting Conference over the weekend.

The conference as designed to give practical advice to parents in the congregation from Tripp, senior pastor of Grace Fellowship Church in Hazleton, Pa., whose book "Shepherding a Child's heart," Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll calls "the best book I've ever read on parenting."

It was specifically Tripp's advocating of spanking that got concerned citizens like Joanne Brayden, a

With Labor Day already past and fall quickly approaching, many homeowners might be looking at their gardens and thinking about making changes in their plantings and designs. Tucked into a traditional Ballard neighborhood, Thyme Patch Park, 2855 Northwest 58th Street, is a demonstration garden and an excellent place for homeowners seeking ideas for plantings, lawns, vegetable beds, small fruit varieties, garden design and tranquility.

Boys tennis

Wednesday, Sept. 17

TJ 5, Kent-Meridian 0

Kainoa Rosa scored a 6-0, 6-0 No. 1 singles win for the Raiders last Wednesday and Nevin Ramanujan took the No. 2 match, 6-1, 6-1.

Joe Lee and Eric Kim combined for a 6-4, 6-1 No. 1 doubles win and Kyle Creek and Anthony Tomyn won the No. 2 match, 6-1, 6-1. Michael Suh and Ty Garceau took the No. 3 match, 6-1, 6-0.

TJ 5, Kent-Meridian 0