July 2009

After their first meeting with Seattle Department of Transportation and acquiring more than 30 planters earlier this month, the East Ballard Community Association has made progress on its “beautification project” that they hope will create more character and unity in the neighborhood.

Last April, the group hosted an Adopt-A-Street and Planting party where five or six different plants where chosen and placed in the curb bulbs at the crosswalk in front of Blowing Sands (14th and 58th.)

“This is sort of a planning scheme that will allow people to identify themselves as members of East Ballard,” Shannon Dunn, member of East Ballard Community Association and the 14th Avenue Steering Committee previously told the Ballard News-Tribune.

Hoping to replicate the plantings in planters at each end of the the gravel medians along 14th Avenue Northwest, thee group set up a discussion with Darren Morgan, field operations manager with the Seattle Transportation Department's Urban Forestry, to find out what their options were.

Hundreds of community members gathered together at the South Park Community Center July 20 to ask questions about the murder in their community on Sunday morning.

Around 3 a.m. on July 19 an unknown suspect entered the home of two women, ages 36 and 39, in the 700 block of South Rose Street. He attacked both with a knife, killing one. The second victim is undergoing medical treatment at a local hospital.

"What we saw yesterday was one of the worst things we’ve ever seen," said Interim Police Chief John Diaz. "This was a horrific crime conducted by a coward.”

The suspect is still at large. Police have released a sketch of the suspect and ask that citizens call the homicide unit at (206) 684-5550 with any information, or King County Crime Stoppers at (206) 343-2020 or send a text to “crimes” (274637).

The suspect is described as a black male in his late 20's or early 30's, 5 feet 9 inches tall with a thin muscular build, a thin moustache and “nappy” hair

"This investigation is of the highest priority to this department and to the city,” said Police Chief Nick Metz.

Seattle Public School is hosting several bridge programs during the summer, including at West Seattle and Chief Sealth high schools, to help eighth-grade students prepare for their transition to ninth-grade and a new high school environment

Studies show that ninth grade is the most significant year in determining students’ futures, according to the school district. Students who participate in high school summer bridge programs receive higher grades in their high school language arts and math courses than those who did not.

In addition, students often feel more of a connection to their fellow students, teachers and their new school as a whole. Some summer bridge programs provide students with the opportunity to take language arts, science and math classes, earning academic credit while also learning about the high schools they will be attending. 

The colony of Humboldt penguins at the Woodland Park Zoo will be treated to five-gallon “fishsicles,” a block of ice with small fish, such as herring and smelt, on Wednesday, July 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Why would penguins at Woodland Park Zoo be cooled off during a heat wave? According to the zoo, Humboldt penguins is a species that lives in one of the harshest and driest desert habitats on earth.

Fishsicles are part of the zoo’s ongoing enrichment program to help enhance the lives of the zoo’s animals, promote natural animal behavior, keep animals mentally stimulated and provide added enjoyment for visitors.

Enter through Woodland Park Zoo’s West Entrance at North 55th Street and Phinney Avenue North. If late, proceed to the new penguin exhibit near the restaurant.

On August 18, voters in the King County Primary Election will have an opportunity to support or reject the Seattle City Council approved “green fee” on shopping bags when they vote the city’s Referendum 1.

The American Chemistry Council, which includes plastic bag manufacturers, has contributed $500,000 to the campaign opposing the referendum, Citizens Against the Grocery Bag Tax.

Adam Parmer, the campaign’s manager says that the proposed legislation does not account for the 91 percent of Seattle residents who already reuse and recycle their shopping bags. He believes that the more voters learn about the referendum the more they will oppose it.

"It’s a poorly thought out measure and it’s going to end up costing tax payers millions in the middle of a recession,” said Parmer. “It is not going to have the positive impact we're led to believe it will."

Referendum 1 would require grocery, drug and convenience stores to collect a 20-cent fee for every disposable shopping bag provided to customers. Stores with annual gross sales of under $1,000,000 could keep all of the fees they collected, to cover their costs.

Environmental concerns and labor rights were the primary issues driving the endorsements by the 34th District Democrats, according to chair district officer, Tim Nuse.

Endorsements were made at a July 8 meeting attended by 200 members.

Nuse explained that the choice of candidates was based on finding someone “politically savvy enough to actually get something accomplished on those issues.”

They also sought a candidate with compassion and experience, someone who “can create support services if someone suddenly finds themselves without a job or without a home,” said Nuse.

The 34th District Democrats had previously endorsed Dow Constantine for King County Executive.

Nuse explained: “There is only one candidate in the race that will prove our needs and has a proven tract record of showing that: Constantine.”

The Democrats gave a dual endorsement to current Mayor Greg Nickels, as well as Mike McGinn.

“When it comes to the mayor’s race, we’re looking for someone who understands the complexities of city government and how it affects West Seattle,” said Nuse.

The shelter, known as Nickelsville, has been posted a 72-hour notice to vacate by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

Residents of a south Seattle homeless nearly 4-acre encampment on state-owned property at 2nd Avenue Southwest and West Marginal Way in Seattle were hoping Gov. Chris Gregoire would let them stay.

The encampment moved onto the state-owned property June 6. According to a press release from the state, for the past six weeks, the state has worked closely with King County, the City of Seattle and both the Church Council of Greater Seattle and the Lutheran Public Policy office of Washington State to develop a long-term solution for the members of the encampment.

Paula Hammond, Washington Transportation Secretary, negotiated a two-week extension with the Church Council of Greater Seattle for the camp to leave the site by July 20, which organizers failed to abide by.

After a 15 -minute delay during the complicated task of tallying votes from a variety of categories like talent, speaking, and community achievements, six judges crowned Georgia Mitchell as the new Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen 2009-2010.

Well, actually, the current Hi-Yu queen, Margo Femiano, placed the crown upon the head of the ecstatic Sealth High School graduate and Arbor Heights resident. Her reign begins in October for one year.

The Senior Court Princesses coronated were Kelly Nealson and Veronica Pupava. The two other candidates in the finals were Kelsey Bills and Julia Hodges.

The two-hour 2009 Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu Scholarship Program Coronation, plus intermission unfolded at 7 p.m., Monday night, July 20 in the West Seattle High School auditorium. Many seats were filled with proud parents, grandparents, siblings, and students who seemed at times to belong to a fan club of each of the six candidates judging from the waves of loud applause.

On Wednesday, July 22, up to 10,000 spectators are expected to line the streets for the Greenwood Seafair Parade.

The children’s division of the parade gets underway at 6 p.m., with the main parade starting at 6:30 p.m.  

Parade participants will assemble along Greenwood Avenue North between North 105th and North 95th streets, which will be closed to traffic at 4:14 p.m.

The parade route will close to traffic at 5:30 p.m.  The parade begins at Greenwood Avenue North and North 95th Street heading south on Greenwood Avenue North to North 85th Street, then west on North 85th Street to Sixth Avenue Northwest where the participants will disperse to the north and south on Sixth Avenue.

The Seattle Department of Transportation advises motorists to plan on traffic congestion throughout the area for
several hours.

For traffic on major city streets, check SDOT’s real-time traffic Traveler’s Information Map at www.web5.seattle.gov

Last month saw the start of grading work to prepare the foundation for the new Denny International Middle School and the new galleria. The contractor removed the remaining portables and the new gas service was turned on.

This month, July, work will continue on the foundation, utilities and the retaining walls, according to Pauline Sugarman, project assistant - for the Building Excellence Community Outreach for Seattle Public Schools. Work will begin on the commissioning of the new boiler
as well as the installation of the improvements to Chief Sealth including electrical and mechanical upgrades to the classrooms.

A modernized Chief Sealth High School is scheduled to open in fall 2010. A new Denny International Middle School is set to open in the winter of 2011.

Sugarman warned that parents or neighbors of the school may be impacted by the sights and sounds of construction.

Visit the Seattle Public Schools Building Excellence  BEX Web site to see
construction photos, news, updates and more to keep you up-to-date on the construction progress.