June 2009

After seven years in Ballard, Epilogue Books will be permanently closing their doors in mid-August, according to a press release from the owners.

They report that they were unable to reach agreeable terms on a new lease with the landlord and could not find another building in time.

"We've all enjoyed serving the Ballard neighborhood and surrounding area. Thanks to everyone for their support." said Nathan Heath, owner of Epilogue Books. "The store will close July 1 through 4 to prepare for liquidation. Clearance sales will begin on Sunday, July 5 at 11 a.m. All items in the store, both new and used, will be marked down 20 percent to 70 percent. We have more than 70,000 books that we need to sell over the next month and a half."

Everything, including the shelves, must go. The store is located at the corner of Northwest Market Street and 20th Avenue Northwest.

The recession has hit Ballard hard, with several other businesses, some long-time Ballard fixtures, forced to close.

After years of trying to purchase the old Crown Hill Elementary School from the Seattle School District, Small Faces Child Development Center officially closed the deal today.

Here is a note from Catherine Weatbrook, Crown Hill Project Manager.

"The former Crown Hill Elementary building officially became the property of Small Faces Child Development Center today, June 30, 2009, just after 2 p.m. The Crown Hill Project team, made up of representatives of 10 different groups and non-profit organizations, worked through a three year process to secure the building, and surrounding 2-plus acres for perpetual community and park use.

Seattle Parks purchased the majority of the open space, influenced both by the Neighborhood Planning Process 10 years ago, as well as by overwhelming community support.

The building, built in 1919 and added on to in 1949, will remain home to current tenants, as well as become the new home of Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society. This dynamic community asset, set next to an up and coming park, will serve as a hub in the Crown Hill Community.

Thank you to everyone who helped during this process and we look forward to the future."

Gifted, a colorful gift and card store in the Archie McPhee style, is expanding in its Ballard Avenue location.

Work on expanding the store deeper into its building has been going on for a month and will be totally completed by Seafood Fest, Gifted owner Emoret Fossum said.

When a new owner purchased the building at 5427 Ballard Ave. N.W. last summer, he decided to expand the spaces of both Gifted and Kavu, though that store will be moving in the future, Fossum said.

Fossum said she was more excited for the expansion at the time it was announced before the recession.

"It was last summer before the bottom fell out," she said. "We're a little nervous now, but hopefully it will be a good thing."

She said Gifted will use the extra room for more of the same and will have a little more room to spread out.

Mayor Greg Nickels has announced he will convene a youth violence prevention summit on July 7 with keynote speaker Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund and a nationally recognized advocate for disadvantaged Americans.

Last fall, Nickels proposed the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative with the goal of reducing incidents of youth violence by 50 percent. In his State of the City speech last February, Nickels promised to hold a summit to explore best practices and call our entire community to action.

“This gathering will bring together parents, young people and community members to motivate and support each other in our efforts,” said Nickels. “We are fundamentally changing the way we prevent youth violence. It will take everyone working together to engage our young people and offer them a better path.”

With the theme “Inspiring Hope and Making Change,” the summit begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club/Rainier Valley Teen Center, located at 4520 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Other speakers include Nickels and Mariko Lockhart, director of the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative.

Two hawks have begun building a large nest at the top of one of the towers of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad bridge across the Ballard Locks.

A resident in the apartments across the street from the bridge said the birds have been carrying large sticks to the top of the tower. They are having a difficult time building the nest because the sticks keep falling, the resident said.

Gus Melonas, spokesperson for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railraod, said bridge operators have been observing the birds with binoculars and determined that they are hawks.

The nest has been under construction for two weeks with the female bringing in sticks and the male guarding the nest, Melonas said.

The 42-feet-high bridge was build in 1913 for the Burlington Northern Railroad.

The Seattle City Council today launched a new Web site, Recession Resources for Seattle Residents, to help people cope with the current economic crisis.

The new site offers links to a variety of informational sites and resources for those seeking job training, debt assistance, help with housing issues and healthcare.

“Our goal is to make it easier for Seattle residents to find the help they need, and find it quickly,” council president Richard Conlin said. “Hopefully, these resources will make what is a difficult time for many people just a little less stressful.”

The council committed to getting this informational resource online as one of the elements of its Economic Recovery Plan embodied in resolution 31135. The complete list of topics that users will find assistance with includes foreclosures, home purchasing, safeguarding savings and retirement funds, debt service, job search and training, child care and food assistance, health care and utility bill payer assistance.

The council site essentially makes existing resources more accessible in one location.

The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center will hold the “Salmon Bake for Justice” Friday, July 3, from noon to 4 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Duwamish Legal Fund to pursue tribal federal recognition.

Prices include $20 for a salmon dinner with Indian fry bread and $5 for a hotdog, chips and drink.

The Duwamish Tribe is seeking the political self-determination federally recognized tribes enjoy. Federal recognition would place the tribe on equal footing with other Northwest tribes.

On June 3 of this year, Rep. Jim McDermott introduced H.R.2678, the Duwamish Tribal Recognition Act. The Duwamish Tribe are 600 members strong and have traced their lineage back to the members present at the signing of the Point Elliot Treaty in 1855.

The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center is located at 4705 W. Marginal Way S.W., Seattle, (206) 431-1582.

The Ballard Chase branch was robbed at approximately 9:30 a.m. June 30 and the suspect is still at large, according to a Seattle Police officer on the scene.

The male suspect was seen fleeing the scene in a green Chevy van heading westbound on Northwest 56th Street, according to the police.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 37 years old, slender in build with short brown hair and about 5 feet 8 inches tall. He was wearing sunglasses and a grey and white striped shirt.

Police said they are interviewing witnesses and reviewing the surveillance tape.

Ballard customers are asked to use the Salmon Bay Fred Meyer branch until further notice.

UPDATE: 2:55 p.m., June 30

Seattle Police spokesperson Sean Whitcomb said the suspect in this robbery is still at large and that the investigation is ongoing.

The Puget Sound Violent Crimes Task Force, led by the FBI, is taking the lead on this case, said Whitcomb.

He said when new information is obtained it would be released to the public on the Seattle Police Blottter and Twitter .

On Monday, June 29 at 8:48 p.m., a Ford Sedan was traveling southbound on Greenwood Avenue North and attempted to turn eastbound at North 100 Street.

At the same time, a motorcycle was observed by witnesses traveling northbound at a high rate of speed and struck the Ford.

The Seattle Fire Department responded to the scene and stated that both of the riders of the motorcycle had possible life threatening injuries and were transported them to Harborview Medical Center.

Traffic Collision Investigators responded and processed the scene. The investigation continues.

Home & Garden Television’s (HGTV) "Bang For Your Buck" is coming back to HGTV for a second season and is looking for fun and enthusiastic homeowners in the greater Seattle area who have recently remodeled their master bathrooms.

Renovations must have taken place no more than three years ago.

Each episode will tour three similar remodels at similar price points in the same city. A design expert will the brought in, as well as a real estate expert, to determine how the renovation impacts each home's value.

Viewers will be provided with expert advice, answers on remodeling values and inspiring ideas for design.

Taping will begin shortly, so if interested, people are encouraged to apply immediately.

Send photos of your master bathroom and request an application at BSchledewitz@highnoonentertainment.com or Brooke Schledewitz at (303) 712-3168.