Looming layoffs. Declining home values and residential construction. Mega-banks and Wall Street firms on the ropes.
The skittish national economy is beginning to give the Puget Sound jitters. And for business owners in Ballard, transportation issues add another layer of challenges and uncertainties.
The question is: What can you do about it?
The answer is: Plenty.
According to developers and landowners in Ballard the neighborhood's building boom is still going, though now with the economy slumping it's more of a firecracker than a stick of dynamite.
A number of developments in Ballard have been cancelled or put on hold due to the economy and other factors, leaving vacant lots or doomed buildings littering Ballard's landscape.
Anthony's Restaurant had been in negotiations to build a new, more casual restaurant at Shilshole Bay Marina to complement the current Anthony's already there.
Sharon Briggs at the Port of Seattle s
The Fremont Chamber of Commerce and businesses in the area are strongly protesting the city's attempt to implement parking meters and residential parking zones.
The city's push to enforce paid parking in Fremont is still strongly opposed by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce.
Reaction to the Seattle Department of Transportation's second draft to put into effect paid parking and residential parking zones remains a dud.
"The chamber has insistently said that we do not want paid parking in Fremont and we came to vote on this," said Marko Tubic, Fremont Chamber of Com
In their quest to complete the Burke-Gilman Trail's missing link, the segment running from east of the Ballard Bridge to the Ballard Locks, the city has created what some bicyclists are already calling the new missing link.
Construction on the $14 million project will begin in spring 2009 and will create a trail from 11th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 45th Street to the Locks running along Shilshole Avenue and Northwest 54th Street.
The Seattle School Board has directed Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson to begin addressing capacity classroom imbalances immediately.
The board says there a $24 million deficit in the budget for the 2009-2010 school year, which must be balanced according to Washington State law.
With years of afterthought and wanting to contribute to the awareness of breast cancer as each October went by, Giovanna Duque owner of Duque Salon+Spa+Boutique in Ballard, always had the intention to create a window at the front of her boutique dedicated to the disease.
"My maternal grandmother died in her early 50s from breast cancer and my mother died at the age of 46 of breast cancer," said Duque. "It was just a little too close to the flame for me.
Two beloved Whittier School icons retired and were honored by school children, parents and staff. After 28 years as administrative secretary, Catherine Jolly said goodbye to a gathering of fans of all ages Oct. 14 in the library. The following day custodian Terry Lindsey, 55, and students whooped it up in the lunchroom where he moved from table to table to say so long as the kids wolfed down cake served in his honor. He had been with the Seattle School district 28 years, first at Blaine, then Olympic View, and arrived at Whittier 10 years ago.
"Terry and I got along very well.
This October Ballard lost another small segment of its Nordic history.
The Swedish-Finn Historical Society moved out of its location on 17th Avenue Northwest off Market Street when the building owner decided he wanted to do something different with the space.
Even if the owner had let them stay, the nonprofit organization could not have afforded the substantial rental increase they were facing, said Syrene Forsman, president emeritus of the society.
The society has moved into a new location in the Swedish Cultural Center at 1920 Dexter Ave.
All King County employees, with the exception of essential safety and transit staff, would take 10 days unpaid furlough in 2009 under the terms of an historic agreement reached with the King County Union Coalition to help with the unprecedented $93.4 million 2009 budget deficit.
County Executive Ron Sims thanked the coalition for their desire to be part of a budget solution and their recommendation to the rank and file of 15 unions to approve the plan that will save $10.1 million next year.
"This tentative agreement is an act of compassion and strong leadership
Repairs to four column foundations for the Alaskan Way Viaduct seem to have stopped their sinking.
Bridge engineers for the Washington State Department of Transportation found no more settling during their inspection of the structure Oct.
