July 2009

The planned replacement development for the Greenwood Fred Meyer was sent back to the drawing board after the Northwest Design Review Board didn't see enough options at the July 13 early design guidance meeting.

The board is requiring that the $77 million project be submitted to a second early design guidance meeting because they felt the designers presented only one viable plan for the project, not three, as is required.

Project architects GGLO presented three design options, though little time was spent on the first two options, which were rejected as not viable by both the design review board and the public.

Plan A was a 40-foot-high, 170,000-square-foot big box store with surface parking along Northwest 85th Street and some extra retail space.

Plan B was a big box store of the same size along 85th with a parking garage to the north. Morrow Lane would be lined with retail, and housing would be placed on top of the garage.

The King County Council has cut positions in its own staff and those in its executive-branch agencies and froze hiring for non-essential county services to help preserve most of the critical human services “lifeboat” programs in the 2009 King County budget.

This budget amendment, sponsored by council members Bob Ferguson, Dow Constantine, and Larry Gossett, enables the county to fund $1.5 million in lifeboat programs without spending any of the reserves set aside to help close the anticipated shortfall in the 2010 budget.

“With sales tax collections in decline and the prospect of more hard times ahead, we must take immediate, decisive action to protect critical public services,” said Council Chair Dow Constantine, a co-sponsor of the plan. “Last year’s budget used the ‘lifeboat’ concept—granting only partial-year funding to some programs to encourage the state Legislature to approve new revenue sources. The Legislature didn’t provide any new funding, so this proposal shifts existing revenues to maintain key human services programs.”

Seattle Firefighters from Engine 29 will be at Alki Beach on Friday awarding children who are properly wearing helmets while bicycling, skateboarding and inline skating.

This summer, the Seattle Fire Department is once again teaming up with SAFE Kids Pierce County and fire and police departments in King, Pierce and Thurston counties to reward kids who are wearing their helmets while bicycling, skateboarding and inline skating. Firefighters will encourage children to wear their helmets by rewarding them for making a safe choice.

Firefighters will hand out Safety Citations to children who are properly wearing their helmets.The program will continue through the summer at Fire Stations throughout the City. Each citation entitles the child to a free child-size sandwich at participating Subway locations.

The goal of the program is to reduce the incidence of childhood head injuries.

As she prepares to leave Madison Middle School, former principal Dr. Jill Hudson spoke to the West Seattle Herald about the eight years she spent there and what she’ll miss the most.

“There’s such energy and enthusiasm in a middle school environment,” said Hudson. “Every day is a new learning experience.”

Hudson has seen significant changes at Madison since she first started working at the school. Family involvement has increased among the school’s diverse population and Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) test scores have steadily increased, even earning Madison a “School of Distinction” award.

“We are closing the gap,” Hudson said, “with more students of color achieving than before.”

Furthermore, Hudson is very proud of the staff at Madison today.

“They are truly lifelong learners and provide an exceptional learning experience for our students,”said Hudson.

Hudson will be leaving Madison Middle School to accept a position as principal of Nathan Hale High School. Henterson Carlisle will step in as interim principal of Madison Middle School.

Protesters gathered outside the Woodland Park Zoo’s largest fundraiser of the year July 10 to lobby for the release of the zoo’s three elephants.

Members of Sound Animal Rights Alliance and Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants, as well as other animal rights activists, waved banners and signs outside the north entrance of the zoo as zoo guests arrived for the Jungle Party.

The Jungle Party, which draws about 900 guests and raises $1 million to $2 million for the zoo, has been protested the past four years, said Gigi Allianic, spokesperson for the Woodland Park Zoo.

According to a press release from Sound Animal Rights Alliance, the group would like to see the zoo’s three elephants, Watoto, Bamboo and Chai, released to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

The zoo is wrong to breed captive elephants, and the group maintains that the zoo is dangerous for the elephants because of the possibility of contracting the elephant herpes virus, according to the press release.

The Seattle City Council was presented with and approved legislation this afternoon proposing that the West Seattle Bridge receive a secondary name after former city council member Jeanette Williams.

Williams served on Seattle's City Council from 1970 to 1989 and passed away in 2008 at age 94. Current city council member Tom Rasmussen had served as her legislative aide for 10 years and is now sponsoring the legislation to name the West Seattle Bridge in her honor.

“I think it’s important for people to know (West Seattle’s) history and who is responsible for making our city a better city,” said Rasmussen.

Williams played a key role in the development of the new bridge. She was chair of the transportation committee when the old draw bridge was destroyed and felt it was her responsibility to fix West Seattle’s transportation problem once and for all.

While Rasmussen says many doubted her, Williams frequently lobbied in Washington D.C. to secure federal funding which eventually contributed $60 million to the $150 million project.

Friday night around 9:30 was the latest in an ongoing problem in the 10700 block of Greenwood Avenue North. A young man who likes to play when his parent is away was taken into custody after many complaints. On this evening, as officers arrived, the suspect was pointing what turned out to be an air rifle down the street. He complied when officers ordered him to drop the weapon. The suspect and four companions—all in the mid-to-late teens--came outside with their hands up. Numerous citizens have complained about the get-togethers, which occur regularly at the host's home when his father is out of town. Two of the teens will be investigated for reckless endangerment. The others were released to parents.

While responding to a separate incident, an officer became concerned about the welfare of an elderly, bedridden woman. It was obvious she required ongoing care, yet she would not allow her husband to come near to provide assistance. Officers made several phone calls to family members to try to find a resolution: One daughter said work issues prevented her from helping but that she was trying to get licensed so that the state would pay her to care for her mom. A son living in California “made no indication he would be able to immediately assist.” A voice mail was left for another son who lives in this area. Adult Protective Services has been notified of the situation. The current caregiver—a 60-year-old stepdaughter—was going to be unable to provide help for awhile, as she was the reason for the officer's visit in the first place: She was booked into King County Jail for investigation of domestic violence assault: the 82-year-old stepfather was bleeding--she had no injuries. (As a side note, elderly mom was “very angry” about the arrest and blamed her husband for the fracas.)

(Editor's note: This letter refers to a column written by a Ballard News-Tribune online columnist, which does not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper.)

Dear Editor,

I would like to applaud Brian LeBlanc and your newspaper for having the courage to stand up against the location of the new Knotty Bodies Espresso (read the column here). In this region, and in these times, it is very rare to see the press support the side of the religious.

That you have done so not only speaks to your integrity but also to how incredibly insensitive and wrong this new espresso stand's location is.

As you point out, the location is directly across the street from a church and elementary school. I would also add that there is a convent on the church grounds that houses up to eight nuns. While I'm sure many in Seattle will debate whether we should be considerate of the church and nuns, I doubt anyone would debate that having a place like this within feet of hundreds of elementary school children is simply wrong.

Even non-Ballardites might agree that King’s Hardware is one of the coolest bars in Seattle. Step inside to an ambiance reminiscent of a remote ski-town bar.

Antiquated paintings of mountains, antler horns, deer heads and other taxidermy cover the walls. A shelf mounted on the wall proudly displays a beer can collection, like a coveted library.

On the ceiling, sailboat steering wheels and old wagon wheels serve as light fixtures. For a moment, one forgets the hustle and bustle of an over-crowding neighborhood. You feel at ease. Order a drink, sit back and relax.

The location was actually a hardware store open for more than 50 years. Three years ago, partners in crime Linda Derschang, and Ballard residents Jeff Ofelt and Wade Weigel took up the space and remodeled it into a bar – hence the name, King’s Hardware.

The décor preserves the classic, old Ballard feel – exposed brick walls, wooden booths, mementos from the old hardware store, even some parts of the wood flooring is from an old Ballard bowling alley, as well as antique finds from local businesses Restore and Earthwise.