December 2008

On a dark night over Germany in 1986, Ballard-raised Monty Reed, then 21, jumped from a plane at 800 feet with several hundred others. The first 700 feet was smooth-sailing for the U.S. Army Airborne Ranger during his training mission, but that last 100 feet was a killer, well, 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 which created a vacuum of air above, preventing his parachute to stay open.

Mayor Greg Nickels has awarded over $281,000 in matching funds to 24 neighborhood projects in Seattle, including three in the Ballard area.

The money is going toward the supports of Seattle neighborhoods who proposed projects depicting public art, race and social justice, youth development and climate protection.

The three Ballard groups, the Seattle Housing Authority Residents Preparing, Olympic Manor Community Club and Friends of Salmon Bay Park, took the awards because their projects support building stronger bonds in the community.

Since 1988, the Smal

The nonprofit Emergency Feeding Program of Seattle and King County says requests for emergency grocery bags is up over 25 percent over last year, while donations to the program have remained essentially static.

As the holiday season approaches, it is unclear whether there will be enough food available to meet the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors.

Think of every child's fantasy play land - what would it entail? Toys, games, stuffed animals, and dress-up clothes, perhaps. Such a land exists at Ballard's Clover.

Inspired by a friend's toy shop in San Francisco, Ballard resident Sarah Furstenberg brought her inspiration to Seattle to open her own store.

Even through an adult's eyes everything is colorful and whimsical. You want to become a kid again so you can touch, play, and explore.

The shop is divided into various sections full of things that pique the interest of kids and parents alike.

The Ballard Terminal Railroad is a three-mile long short line railroad that runs from Northwest 40th Street in Fremont through Ballard along the waterfront to their yard near Ray's Boathouse restaurant.

It is one of three lines operated by the Ballard Terminal Railroad Co., which also operate the Meeker Southern, a five-mile long short line railroad running between Puyallup and McMillan, and have just won the bid from the Port of Seattle to provide freight rail service on the Eastside Rail Corridor that runs between Renton and Snohomish.

A short line railroad is one that

Ever wanted to teach a skill but thought you weren't qualified enough?

The Business Access and Transit Lanes installed on the 15th Avenue West corridor will not be enforced until they are fully operational and the Seattle Police Department, Seattle Department of Transportation and the community have worked through issues regarding the lanes, said a notice from West Precinct Police Capt. Steven Brown.

Brown said there will be an educational and warning period before the police department begins to enforce the restrictions created by the new transit lanes.

The Seattle Department of Transportation will be diverting Burke-Gilman Trail traffic within the segment that runs from Golden Gardens parks to Northwest 60th Street starting Monday, Dec. 15 to replace a section that has been damaged by horsetails plants.

The cost of the fix is estimated at about $45,000, said LeAnne Nelson, a transportation department spokesperson.

"It's about 450 feet of trail and this is something we have not run into before with our trail projects," said Nelson.

Signage will clarify the brief detour, according to a city release.

The horsetail plant is native to both North America and Europe and is one of only a few Equisetum survivors from the dinosaur era. Horsetails are very strong and reproduce by spores, horizontal rhizomes and tubers that along this section of the trail are growing up through 3 to 4 inches of asphalt.

The fix is to replace this section of trail with concrete, more costly but structurally strong enough to stay put in a horsetail growth area.

My block is a canine thoroughfare, from slinking Greyhounds in plaid jackets to fluffy red Pomeranians. I watch the parade of kids and dogs throughout the day. But one Sunday the face of a woman caught my eye from the kitchen window. The woman was struggling to carry a big black dog and clearly in trouble.

The dog was limp, spilling over her arms like an upside down bowl. She set him down on the sidewalk. He could stand although his spine seemed strangely arched. Obviously the woman needed to rest. My tea kettle whistled.

Ballard

Bad Albert's Tap and Grill

5100 Ballard Ave. N.W.

782-9623

Happy Hour: 3 to 6 p.m. daily, $1 off appetizers, beers and well drinks on special.

www.badalberts.com

Thursdays, 8 to 10:30 p.m. No cover

Taste of the Blues, featuring Annieville Blues and her special guests

Sundays, 5 to 8:30 p.m. No cover

Bill Chism, Jazz and guitar