September 2009

To gather further public input from families, Seattle Public Schools has expanded the schedule of community meetings to review proposed attendance area boundary maps that, if adopted, will play a significant role in where students will attend public school in Seattle.  

The updated schedule adds opportunities in the central, northeast, and southwest parts of Seattle. 

The proposed maps will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at a work session of the Seattle School Board to be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the John Stanford Center auditorium.  

After reviewing comments, the district will formally introduce recommended boundary maps—including any revisions—at the School Board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The School Board will vote on the recommended boundary maps on Nov. 18.

(Editor's note: This notice was originally published online August 31, 2009.)

It’s true, this October the Ballard News-Tribune is leaving the office on Market Street that it has inhabited for 34 years. But, we are not leaving the community we have served for more than a century. Not even close.

While our base of operations will officially be the Robinson Newspapers publishing offices in Burien, we will NOT be covering Ballard from Burien.

The Ballard News-Tribune reporters, ad sales staff and online editor will remain in the neighborhood, working out of homes, coffee shops and parks – wherever we can plug in a computer to best serve you, the readers.

In addition, reporters will have weekly scheduled hours where members of the community will have the opportunity to meet with them and talk about what is happening in the neighborhood and what kinds of coverage they would like to see. Be sure to check www.ballardnewstribune.com for information on that week’s meeting starting in October.

Speaking of www.ballardnewstribune.com, have you seen our new Web site?

Seattle School District members meeting at Madison Middle School yesterday presented to the public a $448.1 million operations levy and two versions of a capital projects levy, one costing $240 million and the other $30 million more.

The school district predicted the average homeowner—or someone who owns a $375,700 home—would pay $745 in annual property taxes to support these levies and the existing Building Excellence III levy. The same homeowner would pay an estimated $779 annually by 2013.

Both of these proposed levies will go to a vote Feb. 9.

Among the two levies, the operations levy supports about a quarter of the district’s basic budget. This levy covers essentials like textbooks, bus transportation, student activities and instructional assistants.

“The operations levy is a very important part of how schools are run and paid for,” said Steve Sundquist, the School Board Director representing West Seattle.

The capital projects levy, known officially as Buildings, Technology and Academics III (BTA III) would replace BTA II, which runs through 2010 and totaled $178 million.

The 21st Annual Fishermen's Fall Festival takes place this Saturday, Sept. 26 at Fishermen's Terminal.

The festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is meant to provide the public with an opportunity to meet commercial fishermen and learn more about their industry.

It also is a chance for the public to learn more about Fishermen's Terminal, the seafood industry and the North Pacific fishing fleet.

The Fishermen's Fall Festival raises funds for the Seattle Fishermen's Memorial.

It will feature live music, survival suit races, a lutefisk eating contest and plenty of activities for children.

Despite its Sept. 30 deadline to vacate the Port of Seattle owned property at Terminal 107, 4700 West Marginal Way, residents of the homeless encampment Nickelsville said they will not move without going to a permanent location, which is yet to be found.

According to a post on the Nickelsville Web site dated Sept. 22, the tent city will also celebrating its one-year anniversary on Friday.

On Saturday, Sept. 26 residents will celebrate with a party at 3 p.m. at Terminal 107.

More from the Nickelsville post:

"The bad news is that the Port still wants to sweep us next Wednesday, Sept. 30. While we are grateful for Port Commissioners Tarleton and Creighton for meeting with us last week, no permanent location has been found for us to move to.

Without a permanent location, Nickelsville will not move.

If you believe homeless people should have a place like Nickelsville in Seattle, this is your week to take a stand. You are needed Sept. 30. Please check in at the camp any time after first light next Wednesday.

More than two years of effort from east Ballard residents is finally paying off this week with the installation of a traffic circle at the intersection of Northwest 60th Street and Ninth Avenue Northwest.

Dawn Hemminger, president of the East Ballard Neighborhood Association, said she has travelled through that intersection by car and bicycle everyday for the past five years and had many close calls.

"People going north and south think it's a freeway, and people going east and west think it's a freeway, so nobody stops," Hemminger said.

In 2007, neighborhood resident Erin Alving applied for a city grant to create a traffic circle at the intersection.

The money was granted, but the large size of the intersection and the offset nature of the streets leading up to it caused hesitation on the part of the Seattle Department of Transportation, Hemminger said.

She said the Department of Transportation then looked at other traffic calming measures, such as chicanes and speed bumps, but they were unpopular because they would cause a loss of parking.

Alving got worn out spearheading the project, and the Department of Transportation dropped the it, Hemminger said.

Erin Philbeck placed fourth overall in the girls race and Alex Bowns placed sixth overall in the boys race in the Ballard High School cross country team's Sept. 23 meet.

Philbeck and Bowns have led the Beavers in all three meets this season.

Philbeck finished the 3.05-mile course in 20:46. The rest of the scorers for the Ballard girls were 16th-place Natalie White, 20th-place Alyson Fromm, 24th-place Rochelle Erskine and 31st-place Hannah Murphy.

According to Paul Merca with the Ballard cross country team, coach Bruce Drager decided to have the girls team, except for Philbeck, take the race easy in preparation for the more important Bellevue Invitational Sept. 26.

Bowns finished with a time of 16:52. The rest of the scorers for the Ballard boys were ninth-place Aaron Hamilton, 12th-place Jesse Bengtsson, 24th-place Victor Bailey and 26th-place Ryan Kelly.

The meet took place at Kamiakin Junior High School, and Ballard faced runners from Juanita, Issaquah, Redmond and Woodinville.

The Bellevue Invitational takes place at 4 p.m. on Sept. 26 at Lake Sammamish State Park.

The Seattle City Council wild hold three public hearings on city budget issues to give residents the opportunity to share opinions and offer input for the council’s 2010 budget process.

According to a release from Jean Godden, chair of the council's Finance and Budget Committee, the public is encouraged to let their voices be heard, particularly during a time when the city is facing a $72 million budget shortfall.

Public Hearings are scheduled for:

Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Whitman Middle School, 9201 15th Ave. N.W., 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct 14 - Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S. Massachusetts St., 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 26 - Seattle City Hall Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 2, 5:30 p.m.

Sign-up to speak starting at 5 p.m. The public hearings will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. More information on the budget can be found at www.seattle.gov/council.

The Seattle City Council wild hold three public hearings on city budget issues, including one in Ballard, to give residents the opportunity to share opinions and offer input for the council’s 2010 budget process.

According to a release from Jean Godden, chair of the council's Finance and Budget Committee, the public is encouraged to let their voices be heard, particularly during a time when the city is facing a $72 million budget shortfall.

Public Hearings are scheduled for:

Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Whitman Middle School, 9201 15th Ave. N.W., 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct 14 - Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S. Massachusetts St., 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 26 - Seattle City Hall Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 2, 5:30 p.m.

Sign-up to speak starting at 5 p.m. The public hearings will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m. More information on the budget can be found at www.seattle.gov/council.

The Ballard High School volleyball team's three-game win streak came to a close Sept. 23 against previously winless Skyline.

Skyline beat the Beavers in three straight games to take the match 3-0 and hand Ballard its first loss of the season.

Skyline won by scores of 25-19, 25-20 and 25-22.

Lisa Day led the Beavers with nine kills and six aces. Madelyn Voelker added five kills and 10 digs. And, Monique Marques tallied 14 assists.

After Ballard (1-1 conference, 3-1 overall) won its third game in a row Sept. 21, coach Tami Reese said the team still had improvements to make and she did not want to see them get comfortable.

That message rings true for the team after the loss to Skyline as they prepare to take on Bothell at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Bothell High School.