August 2009

Sailing the waters once again, the Nordic Spirit was launched on Sunday, Aug. 30, east of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, in commemoration of the 1909 sail of the Viking.

Its launch was near the site where the new Nordic Heritage Museum will be built.

Hundreds gathered at the event to listen to speakers reflecting on Nordic history in the Northwest.

The Nordic Heritage Museum restored the Nordic Spirit, a Viking-style boat in tribute to the 1909 Viking.

Throughout 2009, Seattle has been commemorating the Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition led by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs.

Upon the Nordic Spirit’s arrival at Fishermen’s Terminal, the vessel was dedicated by Ballardites and special guests, such as Washington State Sen. Ken Jacobsen. The day was filled with activities for kids, refreshments and music from Seattle’s Norwegian Male Chorus and Norwegian Ladies Chorus recalling the music from 1909.

Lincoln Graham takes a walk every day down to Cafe Lladro for a cup of coffee and every day Guinness, his Irish Wolfhound, goes with him.

Guinness weighs 201 pounds and if he stood on his hind legs would dwarf most people since as Lincoln explains, "If he puts his paws up on your shoulders he's over seven feet tall, they are the longest dog breed."

He is a pure bred, AKC registered and came from a breeder out in Carnation about four years ago.

"They were bred in Ireland to hunt wolves," explained Graham.

Guinness even at his size and weight is a "lap dog," said Graham. "He backs into you and sits down, his front legs are on the floor and his back legs are up in the air and his rear end is on your lap and he'll sit there until he's ready for you to move. When I got him he was 16 weeks old and weighed 38 pounds so he's always been good sized."

The walks are preceded by an announcement that Guinness recognizes.

Seattle Department of Transportation paving crews will repair a segment of the Duwamish Trail along SR 99 in South Park, from South Trenton Street, to South Henderson Street, starting Tuesday.

They will repair the pavement where it has been damaged by tree roots. The trail will be closed while they work, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 1 to Thursday, Sept. 3. When the trail is closed, bicyclists and pedestrians can use nearby side streets.

A reminder that the Seattle Public Library system will be closed Aug. 31 through Sept. 7

All Library locations will be closed Monday, Aug. 31 through Sunday, Sept. 6 due to citywide budget cuts.

Also, note that Monday, Sept. 7 is the Labor Day holiday and all libraries will be closed. Regular Library operations will resume Tuesday, Sept. 8.

No library services will be available during the one-week closure. Learn more here.

No library computers will be available. Here is a list of north locations with free internet access: http://www.spl.org/closure/computer_access_north.pdf.

The systemwide closure, along with other cuts, will help the library meet a two percent budget reduction - about $1 million, according to the city, and the closure will save approximately $655,000.

To leave a comment for the city librarian or the library board, call 206-233-3905.

A reminder that the Seattle Public Library system will be closed Aug. 31 through Sept. 7

All Library locations will be closed Monday, Aug. 31 through Sunday, Sept. 6 due to citywide budget cuts.

Also, note that Monday, Sept. 7 is the Labor Day holiday and all libraries will be closed. Regular Library operations will resume Tuesday, Sept. 8.

No library services will be available during the one-week closure. Learn more here.

No library computers will be available. Here is a list of south locations with free internet access: http://www.spl.org/closure/computer_access_south.pdf.

The systemwide closure, along with other cuts, will help the library meet a two percent budget reduction - about $1 million, according to the city, and the closure will save approximately $655,000.

To leave a comment for the city librarian or the library board, call 206-233-3905.

Rolling in grills, blasting music and providing great eats donated by local restaurants, the Vision Greenwood Park Committee hosted its second of three public meetings at the current Greenwood Park on Sunday, Aug. 30.

The committee presented Site Workshop’s four alternative park designs depicting many of the popular ideas that were brainstormed by the community in July.

“We’re in the second step of the process,” Mark Brands, Site Workshop architect said. “We’ve got a range of options, each option shows the two acquired residential lots and the unacquired parcels that could potentially be a part of the future solution.”

In 1999, Seattle Parks and Recreation first purchased 2.2 acres for the park, which was the former home to Otani Greenhouses. In 2000, the community applied for and received a Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund grant to develop a site plan for the park.

The 2000 Pro Parks Levy provided $1.2 million to implement the plan and build the park. In August 2003, the new park opened.

On Friday, Aug. 28 at approximately 1130 p.m., the suspect and victim got into a fight in front of a pub in the 2300 block of California Avenue Southwest.

The suspect pulled out a hand gun, and pistol-whipped the victim, causing facial lacerations and possibly a broken nose. During the assault, a round apparently went off into the air, leading witnesses to believe that the victim had been shot. Seattle Fire responded and treated the victim on scene, he was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

The suspect ran off a short distance and tossed the hand gun away. A witness identified the suspect to the responding officers, and showed them the location of the gun. The suspect was arrested, and the gun was recovered.

The suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of assault.

MovieCycle, a used, buy, sell and trade store for movies has plans to open this weekend at 2240 N.W. Market Street.

“Ballard’s a hot spot and we wanted a place where we thought this concept would work,” Tom Pane, owner of MovieCycle said. “We’re hoping it’ll be a socially interactive space with a lot of people popping in, browsing around, talking about movies and talking each other’s ears off about movies.”

Pane, a Redmond resident, said he and his wife may become Ballard residents soon enough and hope the store will be a great community-building place.

The store will be managed by Jeremy Keyes, who Pane suggested would be a great face for the store.

Pane, who owns a few movie rental shops on the east side, said this will be a new concept to both Keyes and himself.

“We’re planning on opening maybe this weekend, that’s what we’re shooting for, but as you can see we have a lot of work to do,” Keyes said, eyeing the interior of the space that was cluttered with boxes and shelves.

The store will provide new and old movies, television shows, collections and more. Hours will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. everyday.

A couple weeks ago, Rep. Jim McDermott held a “democrats only” meeting, which many of us thought was to be an open-doors town hall.  We were dismayed but not deterred. 

I, along with others, including congressional candidate Steve Beren, peacefully protested outside and engaged in debate – mostly about government healthcare.  I was reminded by my ideological opponents that I am both a shill for the Republican Party and a gigolo for the healthcare industry.
 
I write this piece not to win points against McDermott’s faithful following, but hopefully to win over those sitting on the fence, or who do not want to get into the smack-down fray of local and national politics. 

Congressman McDermott declared at his meeting that “This is war!”  I agree entirely, and I appeal to those sitting on the sidelines to get involved.  The very notion of our constitutional republic is on the chopping blocks. 

McDermott is a lightning rod for an ideological movement, which if successful will bankrupt this country and take away our liberties.  A dramatic statement?  Yes.  True?  You be the judge…