February 2009

A group of citizens, calling themselves the Committee for Fairness in Public Safety, have organized an initiative in an attempt to stop the city from building a new jail site.

If enacted, Initiative 100 would require the City to publicly negotiate with King County to: explore alternatives to building a city jail--including extending the current City-County jail Contract, analyze ways to decrease incarceration rates while increasing public safety, analyze whether investments in social services will lower crime and arrest rates and develop a strategy to address racial disparity in arrest and incarceration rates.

The measure would also require a public vote to decide whether to build a city jail.

Organizers have 86 days to collect 23,000 signatures from Seattle voters.

Seattle’s contract with the King County Jail to house people arrested for misdemeanor charges ends in 2012 and the city will need a place to put those offenders.

Six possible sites have been identified for consideration, including Highland Park Way Southwest.

King County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for help with catching a man suspected of robbing a convenience store in White Center.

The suspect hit the Lucky 7 store twice in less than a two week period, Jan. 27 and Feb. 7, and may have robbed a store in Seattle as well.

The robberies in White Center occurred at 1:40 p.m. and 8:15 a.m. respectively. The store is in White Center at 9618 4th Ave. S.W.

In both robberies the suspect pushed the 71 year-old female clerk to the ground then went to the cash register and stole cash and lottery tickets. No gun or other weapon was seen.

The suspect is described as an Asian male, about 5 foot 2 inch or 5 feet 3 inches tall, around 135 pounds, described as clean cut and 18 to 19 years old. He wore a New York Yankees baseball hat, and in one of robberies a hoody as well.

In the first robbery the man was seen fleeing the scene in a silver, two-door, Mercedes or BMW.

If anyone has information about these crimes or recognizes the suspect they are asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office at (206) 296-3311, or 9-1-1.

King County Council member Larry Phillips is calling on Olympia for legislation to help stabilize King County services and prevent transit cuts.

“In tough economic times, people rely even more heavily on public transit as a means to save money getting to and from work and other activities, but the latest forecasts show that service cuts will soon be unavoidable unless we find effective solutions,” said Phillips in a statement released today. “We need legislation from Olympia that will provide Metro with stability during economic downturns and the means to keep service growing with demand.”

Metro announced earlier this week it projects to face a $100 million funding gap in 2010, which could require cutting between 800,000 to 1,000,000 annual service hours, or about 20 percent of Metro’s service. This comes at a time when Metro's demand is the highest recorded.

Metro reports its ridership has grown 20 percent in the last three years.

The Ballard Blocks development, located just east of the Ballard Bridge, installed an identifying sign Feb. 18 that has the size and location to become a new distinguishing feature of the neighborhood's skyline.

The sign is located on the west side of the building, which is home to an LA Fitness and Trader Joe's, and faces toward downtown Ballard.

Trader Joe's is tentatively scheduled to have its grand opening this Friday, March. 6.

The new sign is visible from blocks away while traveling south along Leary Avenue Northwest.

The Washington Department of Transportation, King County, and the City of Seattle will host an open house Feb. 24 at Madison Middle School about the plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall.

The event will last from 5:30 to 7:30p.m. at 3429 45th Ave. S.W.

Project engineers will be on hand to answer questions about the bored tunnel and other improvements as well as how to access the tunnel from West Seattle and Northwest neighborhoods such as Ballard and Magnolia.

Last month, Gov. Chris Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims, and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced their recommendation to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bored tunnel.

The law makers plans' include a 1.7 mile, deep-bored tunnel under downtown, transit investments, and modifications to the waterfront and downtown surface streets. This is the public’s first chance since the executives’ recommendation to learn more about the bored tunnel hybrid plan, ask questions, and provide comments.

Another open house will was held yesterday Monday, Feb. 23 in Ballard at Adams Elementary School, 6110 28th Ave. N.W. from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The Washington Department of Transportation, King County, and the City of Seattle will host an open house tonight at Adams Elementary School about the plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall.

The event will last from 5:30 to 7:30p.m. at 6110 28th Ave. N.W.

Project engineers will be on hand to answer questions about the bored tunnel and other improvements as well as how to access the tunnel from West Seattle and Northwest neighborhoods such as Ballard and Magnolia.

Last month, Gov. Chris Gregoire, King County Executive Ron Sims, and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels announced their recommendation to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bored tunnel.

The law makers plans' include a 1.7 mile, deep-bored tunnel under downtown, transit investments, and modifications to the waterfront and downtown surface streets. This is the public’s first chance since the executives’ recommendation to learn more about the bored tunnel hybrid plan, ask questions, and provide comments.

Another open house will be held the following day, Tuesday, Feb. 24 in West Seattle at Madison Middle School, 3429 45th Ave. S.W. from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Lt. Steve Paulsen, of the Southwest Precinct, has reported that while December 2008 had relatively low crime statistics, in the month of January saw a spike in local crime including 147 car prowls.

The increase could be explained by warmer weather since December snow storms said Paulsen, though he does not believe that a declining economy has any impact on these incidents of theft.

Officers in the Southwest Precinct suspect that juveniles trading stolen property for drugs are the culprits, including Methamphetamine users from outside the city.

Most of the recent incidents have occurred one to two blocks off main arterioles in shopping districts.

Paulsen explained that GPS systems, more than car stereos, have become targets for car prowlers as well as laptop computers. He adds that many of the thiefs are selling the stolen property to pawn shops in White Center and Burien.

The Lieutenant urges community members to take their valuables, including GPS consoles, out of their cars when parking on the street.
There were also over 50 burglaries during January.

Two Chief Sealth High students, along with four others from Seattle Public Schools, has been selected to attend the National Academy Foundation’s Annual Gala in New York City on Feb. 24 through 26.

The prestigious event will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria, with a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra taking place at Carnegie Hall as part of the gala. Each student was recommended by their Academy teachers because of their leadership, academic success, and being highly involved in their programs.

Mohamed Mohamed, a junior at the Chief Sealth Academy of Hospitality and Tourism and Michelle Tran, also junior at Sealth's Academy of Finance program were selected

Mohamed entered the academy as a junior, taking both the INTRO and the 11th grade classes to complete the requirements.  He is one of the top students in the 11th grade Academy of Hospitality and Tourism.

Tran joined the Academy of Finance because business is one of her top options for majors in college.

Rachel Dejneka, a junior at Ballard High School, along with five other Seattle Public School students, has been selected to attend the National Academy Foundation’s Annual Gala in New York City on Feb. 24 through 26.

The prestigious event will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria, with a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra taking place at Carnegie Hall as part of the gala. Each student was recommended by their Academy teachers because of their leadership, academic success, and being highly involved in their programs.

Dejneka was selected by her teachers to represent Ballard at the Gala because of her enthusiasm and her commitment to Ballard's Academy of Finance program, according to the district.

“I want to congratulate these students for their hard work, their leadership and their outstanding accomplishments,” said Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson. “Our academy programs challenge students to meet high academic standards in all subjects, including math and science, while equipping them with knowledge and skills that will serve them well in college, career and life."

The Ballard High School boys basketball team lost their first ever KingCo 4A playoff game to Issaquah High School Feb. 17.

The sixth-seeded Beavers lost to third-seeded Issaquah 60-41, but are still alive in the double-elimination playoffs. The team will face Bothell High School in a loser-out game at 3 p.m Feb. 20 at Juanita High School.

Ballard was able to stay close early against Issaquah, down by one point at the close of the first quarter and by eight at the end of the half.

The Beavers hung in for the third quarter, but couldn't close the gap, and Issaquah was able to put the game away in the final quarter.

Ballard moves on to face Bothell, who finished the regular season with an 8-8 conference record (9-11 overall), and lost to Inglemoor in the first game of the playoffs.

Bothell and Ballard split their regular season games, with Bothell winning 45-42 Jan. 9 and the Beavers exacting revenge with a 61-39 drubbing of Bothell Feb. 9.

This is the first season the Ballard boys basketball team has made the playoffs since moving from the Metro league to KingCo 4A.