June 2009

The Fremont Neighborhood Council is hoping to gain neighborhood support to protect an 80-year-old fire station annex that may be torn down.

The annex to Fire Station 9 was built in 1921 and has been used to prepare and store oxygen tanks since the 1980s, according to a landmark nomination for the site prepared by Susan Boyle of BOLA Architecture and Planning.

The council has posted flyers around the Fremont neighborhood asking residents to write to the Landmarks Preservation Board and attend the July 1 board meeting to support the annex building, located at 3829 Linden Ave. N.

The city is looking to demolish the structure as part of a 2003 levy that created funding to replace, upgrade and renovate 32 neighborhood fire stations.

Both the annex and Fire Station 9, built in the 1950s, would be torn down and replaced.

The annex is a 2,300-square-foot concrete structure. It is stucco clad, and the raised piers at the outer corners of the parapet reflect design trends from the 1920s, according to the landmark nomination.

The Landmarks Preservation Board will review the Fire Station 9 Annex at 3:30 p.m., July 1 in Room 4060 of the Seattle Municipal Tower.

The apartment complex located at 4532 42nd Ave. S.W. will undergo its third design review meeting on July 23.

The complex, located near the Alaska Junction, will measure six stories high and have 35 unit apartments and two levels of underground parking containing 55 parking stalls.

At the last design review session in April, the board asked that architect Roger Newell make some changes at the street level to improve the pedestrian experience and create more inviting entrances for retail.

The next design review meeting will be held on July 23, at a yet-to-be-announced time at the West Seattle Senior Center's Hattan Hall, 4217 S.W. Oregon St.

Dear Editor,

With politicians in D.C. jabbering about when the massive government stimulus will start yielding results, we’re already beginning to see the fruits of their efforts.

As the West Seattle Herald reported, King County recently received $79 million of federal stimulus. While of course welcome in today’s dire economic straits, the distribution of these funds and the very means of their procurement offer a glimpse at one of the candidates fighting to become our next King County Executive.

The acquisition of these vital funds, as well as millions more currently pending, are “part of an organized effort to maximize the benefits to King County from federal stimulus funding sponsored by council chair Dow Constantine” as reported by the Herald.

In fact, Mr. Constantine has even authored legislation to create post that will be in charge of “identify[ing] appropriate grant opportunities and communicate timelines (…) to ensure timely submission of applications” in an effort to maximize the effect of the government stimulus in King County.

Dear Editor,

With politicians in D.C. jabbering about when the massive government stimulus will start yielding results, we’re already beginning to see the fruits of their efforts.

As the Ballard News-Tribune reported, King County recently received $79 million of federal stimulus. While of course welcome in today’s dire economic straits, the distribution of these funds and the very means of their procurement offer a glimpse at one of the candidates fighting to become our next King County Executive.

The acquisition of these vital funds, as well as millions more currently pending, are “part of an organized effort to maximize the benefits to King County from federal stimulus funding sponsored by council chair Dow Constantine” as reported by the News-Tribune.

In fact, Mr. Constantine has even authored legislation to create post that will be in charge of “identify[ing] appropriate grant opportunities and communicate timelines (…) to ensure timely submission of applications” in an effort to maximize the effect of the government stimulus in King County.

The West Seattle High School Volleyball team is sponsoring a volleyball camp for high school and middle school players from July 6 to July 9. Sessions will run from from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at West Seattle High School.

The camp features Idaho Vandals Assistant Coach Steve Whitaker and the West Seattle High volleyball coaches in four days of skills instruction, games and fun.

The fee for the Camp is $120, although some scholarships and waivers are available. For more information contact head coach Gail Mowrer at (206) 935-3231 or (206) 293-5063 or e-mail mowrerpowers@comcast.net.

In a move that disappointed a number of meeting attendees, the Northwest District Council voted to make a new sidewalk on North 143rd Street near Linden Avenue North a priority over a curb bulb and rain garden at North 76th Street and Winona Avenue North near Green Lake.

At its June 24 meeting, the council had to rank three projects that qualify for the Seattle Neighborhood Projects Fund: the 143rd Street sidewalk, the 76th Street curb bulb and a sidewalk on First Avenue Northwest.

The four residents who attended the meeting showed up to push for the curb bulb project.

Neighbor Karl Arne said the intersection is busy because it is right off Aurora Avenue, and the the curb bulb could calm traffic speeds as well as manage rain water with the help of a rain garden, which Seattle Public Utilities is interested in.

"We have a lot of problems with cars zipping around that corner," Arne said.

Chelsea Samans, another neighbor, said the intersection is not just a hazard for residents but anyone who wants to use Green Lake, including many children.

"It's definitely a hazard for people trying to access the lake," she said.

The Ballard Northwest Senior Center has a free job bank to match job seekers with employers.

“This is wonderful way for the senior center to help bring together and serve our community.” Carlye Teel, senior center director. “In these tough economic times, we all need to help one another and this is one way the center can serve.”

Since its inception in 2008, the Job Bank has matched many job seekers with individuals and business employers.

Businesses and individuals who need work done and individuals who are looking for work may register with the job bank. The job bank matches the needs of each party and assists the parties to make contact.

The potential employer and employee negotiate the particulars and pay of any job.

The Job Bank is a free resource for any member of the Ballard, Magnolia, North Seattle and Queen Anne community. The registration process for both parties consists of a written application, including a criminal background check, and a live interview with the Job Bank Coordinator.

Jobs may be at an individual’s home or a business, permanent positions, temporary or one time only, both paid and volunteer.

Caspar Babypants — the new side project from The Presidents’ Of The United States Of America’s lead singer Chris Ballew — is the final band to be announced for this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest.

Caspar Babypants creates music specifically for babies and toddlers, and is an excellent addition to the festival’s family-friendly focus, said organizers.

This year’s programming includes an expanded "Hot Spot for Kids" that includes shaded tents, a host of activities including cookie decorating, youth performances, limbo, martial arts demonstrations, water balloon throwing contests and a climbing wall.

Young skateboarders will appreciate the Junction Jam Skate Demo, with skateboard demos, free skate sessions and community skate park information.

The West Seattle Summer Fest takes place July 10 through July 12 in the Alaska Junction. The event is free and offers entertainment for kids and adults of all ages.

Caspar Babypants will also be playing at the West Seattle Farmers Market on Aug. 9.

Alki Kid's Place, located downstairs in the United Church of Christ, 6115 S.W. Hinds St. offers an after school program and has begun its summer camp program for kids ages 4 through 14.

The school celebrated its one-year anniversary with a pizza party. Nearly as many beach balls as children appeared, which was fine with the kids.

For more information call Cheryl Snyder at (206) 938-0145.

The Woodland Park Zoo recently released photos of a Tawny Frogmouth chick that hatched there on June 4.

The Woodland Park Zoo is one of only four zoos to have successfully bred this species, native to Australia, in the last six years, according to the zoo.
 
The zoo reports the chick is healthy is meeting is expected developmental benchmarks at 20 days old.
 
It currently weighs 5.9 ounces. Its gender has not yet been determined.
 
Both parents continue to provide attentive care; the father sits on the nest during the day brooding the chick.
 
Zoo staff provide small supplemental feedings of pinky mice on an as-needed basis to ensure proper weight gain.
 
Its flight feathers are growing well. Frogmouth chicks can leave the nest anywhere from 25 to 35 days of age.
 
For more info, visit the zoo's blog.