May 2009

Legislation has been introduced to reform the County’s public records disclosure process by King County Council members Bob Ferguson and Reagan Dunn that aims to increase transparency and openness in government while reducing the possibility of costly lawsuits.

In the past several months, King County has been involved in two high-profile public records cases, potentially resulting in more than $1 million in costs that may be imposed by the courts.

In January, the Washington Supreme Court held that the trial court had not imposed steep enough penalties against King County for failing to provide documents concerning the public financing of what is now Qwest Field. The maximum penalty if applied would be more than $800,000. The County is appealing the case.

More recently, King County settled another case for $225,000 over a request regarding the 2004 governor’s election.

With masks on and capes flapping, 10 girls from Greenwood Elementary will accompany a group of grade school girls dressed as Seattle’s everyday superheroes as they fly across the finish line at the New Balance Girls on the Run 5K next weekend.

The event will be hosted at Warren G. Magnuson Park on Sunday, June 7 at 9 a.m. Girls on the Run is a non-profit organization that operates an after-school fitness and empowerment program for pre-teen girls.

“It's a 10 week program and the girls meet twice a week with their volunteer coaches that facilitate the curriculum,” said Amber Swim, program coordinator for Girls on the Run. “They build up their endurance to run or walk the 5K at the end.”

The girls train together to walk or run the non-competitive 3.1 mile event which takes place at the end of the 10 weeks.

Established in 1996 by Molly Barker in Charlotte, N.C., it has spread across the nation, opening up a council in Puget Sound in 2002 founded by Jeannie Higgins.

Recently I was driving home from work and noticed that the fence around Ballard Corners Park had been taken down. The next day, I went over to check it out and sure enough, it is now “open for business.”

Despite my earlier concerns about traffic flow near the park (The importance of being involved”), I am pretty excited that the park is there. It is really great to have watched the efforts of a concerned group of people turn into something that is a benefit to the community.

When I first arrived in Ballard, I would often pass by the large vacant lot behind a lonely abandoned house. Soon after, I noticed there were signs proclaiming that this was not merely a vacant lot but was soon to be Ballard Corners Park.

First they demolished the house, then last summer they began landscaping it and this winter and spring they have been working on the finishing touches, including expanding the park further out into the street and building the wacky concrete living room set benches.

(Editor's note: This letter was sent to the grocery store operator PCC Natural Markets with a copy to this newspaper.)

Dear PCC:
 
Please consider the site of the soon-to-close Crown Hill QFC for a new PCC. 
 
I trust that PCC is keenly aware of the northwest Seattle gap in your Seattle coverage.  Although another large gap exists in north/northeast Seattle, residential density in the northwest quadrant trumps north/northeast.
 
Surely you have a ton of data on past, current, and future grocery coverage in the area.  Greenwood Market is on borrowed time due to impending Fred Meyer expansion.  Ballard Market is one and a half miles from the Crown Hill site.  Trader Joe's is two miles south, a similar distance from their Queen Anne store as to the Crown Hill site. 

Whole Foods will probably open about four miles south - but Ballardites are loathe to cross the bridge. 
 

Dear Editor,

Last year there was much conversation and controversy regarding the Denny’s Restaurant as the corner of 15th and Market. It was described as an outmoded, crummy, architecturally faulty building that would be replaced with a nice, new six-story mixed-use building that would serve as a beautiful “gateway” to Ballard.

The developers did tear the old Denny’s down in a matter of a couple days.

For the past several months, we’ve seen nothing but an old concrete foundation, piles of rubbish, garbage and many weeds, surrounded by a decrepit-looking fence.

How long will it be before we get to see this magnificent new structure? We certainly don’t need the “open space” we have there now.

Jack R. Ellison
Seaview

Ballard resident, Tyler Dittman has been elected one of three new members who will serve on the American Red Cross’ Board of Directors. He will be serving a three-year term alongside Laura Rehrmann, Mark Hendricks and re-elected Dave Collier, who will serve as chairman of the board.

Dittman, a University of Washington alumni who received an undergraduate degree in biology and received his law degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, is now an attorney for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He manages drafting, negotiation and compliance aspects of contracts for the foundation’s operation departments.

His personal interest in regional and national preparedness was inspired by the Red Cross’ response to Hurricane Katrina, leading him to find a way to engage communities to prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Involving himself in the Red Cross Professionals in Action (PiA) program, Dittman became very active in the program since it’s inception in 2006. He served as chair in 2008.

The Seattle City Council’s Transportation Committee held a public hearing Wednesday at City Hall to take testimony on amendments made to the proposed Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) legislation and comments ranged from praise to requests for additional changes.

The council’s amendments include limiting permit sales to four per household, providing RPZ permits for businesses around the seven Central Link Light Rail Stations, changing the threshold for establishing an RPZ to 35 percent non-resident vehicles, and requiring a public hearing be held prior to decisions on RPZ’s being made.

There is currently only one RPZ in the area, located in Fremont.

Eastlake resident Roxanna Davila expressed concern toward the amendment allowing businesses to have RPZ permits.

“I think that there does need to be a good balance between businesses and residents,” she said. “But as I was reading through the changes being proposed it seemed as though the emphasis was switching over to businesses and away from protecting that balance.”

The Seattle City Council’s Transportation Committee held a public hearing Wednesday at City Hall to take testimony on amendments made to the proposed Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) legislation and comments ranged from praise to requests for additional changes.

The council’s amendments include limiting permit sales to four per household, providing RPZ permits for businesses around the seven Central Link Light Rail Stations, changing the threshold for establishing an RPZ to 35 percent non-resident vehicles, and requiring a public hearing be held prior to decisions on RPZ’s being made.

There is currently only one RPZ in West Seattle. This zone is located near the ferry dock in Fauntleroy.

Eastlake resident Roxanna Davila expressed concern toward the amendment allowing businesses to have RPZ permits.

“I think that there does need to be a good balance between businesses and residents,” she said. “But as I was reading through the changes being proposed it seemed as though the emphasis was switching over to businesses and away from protecting that balance.”

Sunny Kobe Cook, author, speaker and award-winning entrepreneur, will be the featured speaker at the monthly Ballard Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday, June 10.

The founder and former chief executive officer of Sleep Country USA, will share advice from her book, "Common Things Uncommon Ways." The book is about improving business through employee recognition and motivation. 

Chamber luncheons are held from noon to 1:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club, at 6413 Seaview Dr. N.W.

The cost is $20 for members and $22 for non-members. Reservations are required and can be made through the chamber office at 784-9705 or info@ballardchamber.com. 

More about Sunny Kobe Cook:
Cook began her career as a secretary and gained popularity with the company she founded in 1991, Sleep Country USA. Serving as both chief executive officer and company spokesperson, she was featured in the store’s radio and television advertisements for many years.

With the pending re-opening of the Ballard QFC, closed for rebuilding since December 2007, the Crown Hill location is slated for closure.

Kristen Maas, with the real estate division of QFC corporate, said the lease for the QFC located at 15th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 85th Street will expire in August.

QFC is working with the landlord to possibly extend that deadline until the new store at 24th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 57th Street opens in the fall.

A Crown Hill QFC employee said the store is closing because it barely makes a profit and has too much competition in the area.

The store received a 25 to 30 percent boost in sales with the closure of the Ballard location, and it is expected it will lose that with the opening of the new Ballard store, the employee said.

The Crown Hill location, situated between the Holman Road and Ballard QFC locations, across the street from a Safeway, and down the road from the Greenwood Fred Meyer, is also a factor, the employee said.