December 2008

The Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), seeks an artist or artist team for a unique project-based artist residency in one of the bridge towers on the Fremont Bridge.

The selected artist(s) will undertake an in-depth exploration of the historic bridge and create an art project in response to the experience. The residency includes access to a workspace in one of the bridge towers.

Ask professional driving instructor Daniel Lilleness what the difference is between teaching 15-year-olds and teaching senior citizens, and he will declare, "The young ones you can't get their foot on the brake and the old ones you can't get their foot off the brake. It's that easy."

That blunt, public response earned him some belly laughs from his audience of over 60 senior citizens at a recent all-day class held at the Mt. Olive Lutheran Church basement in Ballard.

Sifting through loads of ads on Craigs List or having difficulty defining a search for what you are looking for at Google can always be frustrating.

Don't let the endless search wear you down.

An up and coming Web site called TeachStreet has defined the hunt for those looking for that class, coach or instructor that use to seem so unattainable.

Also looking out for teachers, TeachStreet is out there to help those on the search for students who want to learn the tricks of any trade.

Inspired a year and a half ago when he was searching for a motorcycle

What do NATO, the recent Cougar-Huskie football game, lip balm, a famous Hollywood actor, and hickory have in common? All have been touched by bacon flavorings courtesy of young entrepreneurs Justin Esch and Dave Lefkow of J&D's Down Home Enterprises in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood. Their motto is "Everything Should Taste Like Bacon" and put their money where their mouth is.

They offer Bacon Salt, Bacon Lip Balm, and Baconnaise, their latest product. Their imaginative promotional concepts sell the sizzle.

The Ballard High School girls' basketball team's impressive defense was not enough to overcome a sputtering offense as the Beavers lost two in a row to start conference play.

Ballard head coach Derek Fulwiler said the defense played well enough to win both those games, but the struggling offense failed to convert some easy baskets.

"We're getting good shots," he said. "But for one reason or another they're not going down."

Ballard dropped to 1-3 overall, 0-2 in the conference, with last week's 43-34 loss to Inglemoor and 37-34 loss to Lake Washington.

On a dark night over Germany in 1986, Ballard-raised Monty Reed, then 21 years old, jumped from a plane at 800 feet with several hundred others. The first 700 feet were smooth sailing for the U.S. Army Airborne Ranger during his training mission, but that last 100 feet was a killer, almost.

"I feel blessed that I'm even alive," said the robust engineer who broke his back and ankle in the fall. He said another parachute came underneath him, creating a vacuum of air above and preventing his parachute from staying open.

While a winter chill was in the Alki air, a small fleet of Christmas-lit craft paid a visit to Seacrest Dock Saturday night. A small crowd clustered around a bon fire on the beach behind Alki Crab & Fish and more huddled on the pier just after 5:00pm. An Argosy ship, The Spirit of Seattle, led about six small motor and sailboats across the bay. Live Christmas carolers, the Northwest Girl choir Vivace, and taped holiday classic songs cut through the wind and landed on the ears of the landlubbers. They continued on to Pier 55, then planned a return to Lowman and Alki beaches later that evening.

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has taken a strong position on the proposed options for replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and sent that message in a letter to local and state officials.