August 2009

The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center is holding a community garage sale this Saturday, Aug. 15, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the public is encouraged to bring items to sell and/or donate.

"It's a win-win," said Cindy Williams, operations manager of the Longhouse. "If you stay with your booth you keep all the money less 10-percent,which goes toward the Duwamish legal fund. Otherwise, you can drop off donated items, labeled with prices, and what we sell would all go to the fund."

Williams, the daughter of Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe, said that at the end of Saturday's sale, unsold items that were donated will be given to another charity. The Duwamish legal fund goes toward fees incurred in its battle for federal recognition of the tribe.

Hansen will be serving salmon lunches and her famous fry bread at the garage sale.

The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, 4705 West Marginal Way S.W., (206) 431-1582.

West Seattle-based Animals First Foundation threw a silent auction and raffle Aug. 9 at Vino Bello Wine Shop and Wine Bar in Burien.

A few furry critters greeted the 60 or so guests who attended to lend their support to the animal rights group that finds care, and homes, for hard-to-place dogs and cats, as well as promotes awareness about opposition to seal and whale hunting.

( Previous coverage here.)

Animals First founder is Admiral Junction resident Carina Borja. Its president is Heather Enajibi, an Auburn resident who grew up in West Seattle and attended Highline High School.

Hosting were Charlie Beck and Tony Leamer, band members of the Memphis Radio Kings. Beck is lead vocals and rhythm guitar player. Leamer is drummer, percussionist, and back-up singer. Neither performed in the musical sense, but according to many there, both added wit and charm to drum up business for the raffle and auction. Beck was a big hit with his ticket-filled apron.

West Seattle residents David and Rebecca Makuen think they have created the world's greatest burger, but they aren't settling for a mere restaurant to house their creation. They've taken their meat national.

The Makuens are the founders of BuiltBurger, a Web-based company that creates and freezes gourmet burgers, ready to be shipped out to customers around the country.

Though BuiltBurger does not have a permanent retail space, its kitchen is located in Ballard, and the company has set up its first temporary retail location in the heart of downtown Ballard.

David Makuen said the idea for BuiltBurger was formed about a year ago, springing from a passion for grilling and an inability to find a truly great burger.

"We believe that food is in its most delicious state when grilled," he said. "We were really intrigued by being able to make the world's greatest burger."

The Makuens moved from New York five years ago and have so far found Seattle much more accommodating to grilling due to the milder weather, he said.

"In New York you can grill four to five months a year," Makuen said. "You can grill pretty much year round in Seattle."

After several hearings and meetings, the city has released its “draft Director’s Rule” on Residential Parking Zone's. There will be a month-long public-comment period.

While West Seattle currently only has one Restricted Parking Zone in the Fauntleroy neighborhood, the proposed changes have been a topic of concern among some here because some areas, such as the Junction, are interested in enforcing such zones.

View the 20-page proposal here.

Questions and comment regarding the proposed rule can be directed to Ruth Harper at (206) 684-4103 or via e-mail at rpzparking@seattle.gov.

According to the draft changes, proposed criteria for establishing a new Restricted Parking Zone are as follows:

The Seattle Department of Transportation will need to decide whether or not a Restricted Parking Zone in a certain area would promote benefits or would result in adverse impacts.

She was all decked out in dress made of sea kelp and a hat made of fungus. Tiny embellishments of seedpods with little bits of clamshells and glitter worked into the bow.

A mischievous face carved out of an avocado pit that peeked out from under it. All on a wee handmade doll not four inches tall. Her niece’s red hair was used for that one.

A dead hummingbird in a tiny leaf basket on the windowsill – kept for the bones.

I love it.

This is perfectly normal in the Pearson household. And I love the eye candy, the inspiration and the stories that go along with it.

I don’t like things I can figure out right away. I think that’s why I love gardening so much, because you can never know enough about enough. Gardening is a constant learning curve full of twists and bumps and dips – and if anyone tells you otherwise, they are full of organic compost.

So, to take nature and make art from it ~ my two loves blended it into one ~ is heaven to me and Bobbe Pearson had been doing it all her life (I have been doing for half that time – but still all my life!).

With an increase in demand as high as 35 percent this year and a sharp drop in donations of baby food and formula, food banks across the city are desperate for donations.

Solid Ground is hoping a three-day initiative starting Aug. 19 by local junk removal company 1-800 RID-OF-IT Junk Removal will help the troubling situation.

Trish Twomey, Hunger Action Center Manager for Solid Ground, said there is always an increased demand for food items in the summer because school is out and children no longer have access to breakfast or lunch programs. However, this summer the situation is markedly worse, she said.

“Families in our community are hungry, and the food banks are not able to cope with the increasing need,” said Twomey. “Working families are faced with tough decisions and choices, and they are turning to food banks to cover some of their food costs. This food drive is a great way to help families feed their kids.”

Food and monetary donations are significantly lower this year, while demand is up on average 35 percent across Seattle, according to Solid Ground. Stocks of formula and baby food are also down significantly.

Metropolitan King County Council Chair Dow Constantine joined Shaun Donovan, secretary of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), on a walking tour of Greenbridge on the afternoon of Aug. 10.

Greenbridge is a White Center mixed-income community built on the site of the former Park Lake Homes public housing complex and funded in part through a federal Hope VI redevelopment grant.

“I am pleased that Secretary Donovan got a first-hand opportunity to see the community redevelopment work that HUD funding has helped accomplish in White Center,” said Constantine. “We hope this can become a model for similar Hope VI projects.

Former King County Executive Ron Sims, who is now deputy secretary of HUD, was a key leader in this effort to create a sustainable community at Greenbridge with strong connections to the broader White Center neighborhood.”

Graffiti in the skate bowl at Ballard Commons Park, which has been increasing in recent months, has cost the city $1,027 to repair in the past year.

There have been 13 work orders to clean up graffiti in the bowl in the past 12 months, said Dewey Potter, Department of Parks and Recreation spokesperson.

Six of those work orders have come since June, according to department records.

Crews have spent 30 hours in the past year removing graffiti from the bowl at a cost to the city of $34.23 per hour, Potter said.

Graffiti that included strong language and sexual images was removed from the bowl last week. It was the third removal of high-priority (obscene, hate-based or gang-related) graffiti from the bowl in the past year, Potter said.

At recent community meetings, Ballard neighbors and business-owners have expressed concerns over increasing graffiti in the area.

Graffiti on the mural at Bergen Place Park is necessitating the repainting of that mural, and $2,000 worth of damage was caused by graffiti to businesses near 17th Avenue Northwest on Market Street during July, according to police reports.

Seventeen-year-old Elijah Hall, suspected of killing Ballard convenience store clerk Manish Melwani during a July 26 robbery, plead not guilty today, according to The Seattle Times.

Hall is facing charges as an adult for first-degree murder in King County Superior Court because of his age and the nature of the crime.

According to state law, 16- and 17-year-olds charged with violent crimes like murder are automatically sent to the adult court system.

On Sunday, July 26 at approximately 6:30 a.m. it’s believed that Hall robbed the Pit Stop Express and 76 Station at 15th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 58th Street and murdered the 28-year-old clerk on duty, Melwani of Lynnwood.

During the robbery the suspect got into an altercation with Melwani. The suspect shot Melwani and fled the scene on foot.

Seattle Fire Department Medics transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, where he later died.

The 17-year-old suspect is already facing attempted robbery and third-degree assault charges in the county juvenile court system for unrelated incidents.

On Aug. 10, the Seattle City Council authorized the Department of Information Technology to begin the first phase of development of the Public Engagement Portal.  

In August of 2008, council member Bruce Harrell requested the Department of Information Technology to work with other city departments to develop a Public Engagement Portal.  The goals of the portal are to 1) engage and listen to Seattle residents more effectively, 2) optimize two-way communication between policy leaders and residents, and 3) enhance the city’s customer service system.

The Public Engagement Portal will be called My.Seattle.Gov.  An important feature at My.Seattle.Gov will be the single sign-on system, which will allow users the ability to have one simple login account to access a wide range of services available on Seattle.Gov, such as, obtaining a building permit, paying a parking ticket, paying a utility bill or finding employment.  

The expected launch date for the initial service offerings will be the second quarter of 2010.

Additional public engagement tools, including a simple online poll to capture resident’s feedback, will soon follow, according to council staff.