October 2009

The Seattle Christian boys soccer team continues to ride close to the top of the heap, having run its record to 8-2-1 in the 1A Emerald City Conference after destroying Bellevue Christian, 4-1, on the nice Valley Ridge turf field offset from the Tyee High School campus Thursday.

Coach Kevin Gunhus talked to the boys after this win that has them sitting second in their league with a big game looming, if not for league finish, but for morale and confidence as the state playoffs draw near – against Overlake Christian.

“That was a very good 80 minutes, a great effort all around,” said Gunhus, in his third year coaching Warriors soccer. “You played well together.”

The passing was exquisite much of the game, now labeling their competition in this one good may be an understatment because BCS is 1-8 this season, far back of the pack and with no chance of the playoffs with only three games left for the season.

Great spirit and perseverance in Monday's South Puget Sound League volleyball match rekindled a Thomas Jefferson 3-1 close escape win at Federal Way.

TJ finished the season at 2-6 in league and 6-6 overall with a sweep of the other Federal Way School District high schools.

"We were out of synch a lot and hurting without our back row leader April Crozier, who was hit in the head within the first 10 points," observed Raider head coach Megan Melver."We missed her leadership, but we slowly and steadily chipped away by continuing to do the little things well. We went back to basics. Our seniors did a great job of leadership."

Excellent plays mixed with unforced errors were featured in a back and forth battle for supremacy in the first action packed game. Federal Way led 12-11 and used front row heroics to extend its margin to 15-11 only to have Jefferson jolt the Eagles for three consecutive points capped by a combined block from Megan Levesque and Unique Tau Faasau.

There are still spots open for the Ballard Boys and Girls Club winter basketball season.

The league, for boys and girls third through fifth grade, starts on Dec. 17 and runs through March.

The cost is $60, including a $15 Boys and Girls Club membership.

Boys and Girls Club Athletic Director Billy Rodgers can be contacted for more information at 206.783.5775 or wrodgers@positiveplace.org.

The sign-up form, along with more league information, can be downloaded with the link at right.

Dear Editor,

I don't get it.

Elevated SR 99 in Downtown Seattle would perish in an earthquake, but the multimillion-dollar, eight-lane planned elevated Sodo SR 99 over Spokane Street is an engineering triumph that would overcome any series of vast earth tremors.

Do earthquakes only demolish road structures that obscure great views of the Emerald City waterfront?

I really do not understand.

Richard L. Dyksterhuis
Bitter Lake

After the fire that damaged its Greenwood building last week, Taproot Theatre continued its production of "Enchanted April" at the Seattle Children's Theatre, its Road Company continued as scheduled, and its Acting Studio will be holding all classes as usual, though in new locations for those normally taught in the theater.

In the first business days after the fire, Taproot Theatre’s production staff prepared to move the costume shop, scene shop and production offices, which were previously located in the Greenwood theater, to Piper Village. That development’s owner, Gary Brunt, has donated space to Taproot Theatre in its interim time.

According to a press release, Taproot Theatre learned Oct. 27 that the fire did enter the theater building.

"As the days go on, our gratefulness to the Seattle Fire Department increases," Taproot expressed in the press release. "Over 100 firefighters worked tirelessly and risked their lives to protect the theatre on Friday."

The Taproot staff said they would like to thank everyone for the incredible support and encouragement, both in the immediate aftermath of the fire and in the present.

Ballard may be known as a Scandinavian enclave, but one North Beach family is creating a new generation of Francophones right in their own backyard.

Isabelle and Sean Kuhlmeyer haven been operating La Petite Maison, a French immersion preschool, in the home of a north Ballard neighbor for the past year and a half.

The Kuhlmeyers decided to start the school when Isabelle, who is from France, was pregnant with her son Cedric and was having no luck finding a place for him to learn the language before he was 2.

"He has to be able to say, 'Hey, that's my ball' in French on the playground," Isabelle said of Cedric, who will be visiting his cousin in France regularly.

There are a few French immersion preschools and daycares in Seattle, but none close to Ballard, and the Kuhlmeyers said they weren't quite what they were looking for.

Isabelle said they did not want a 25-child school in a commercial space.

La Petite Maison is the realization of that desire. There are five to six children on any given day in the home of the neighbors, who are on a multiyear tour of the globe.

It has been a great pleasure, over these last few years, to meet fellow gardeners throughout the world via the Internet. Without this wonderful Worldwide Web, I probably wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now.

Every so often, one of my blog posts, or my wacky product ideas attract someone who wouldn’t necessarily be interested in miniature gardening per se, but the cute idea, or the new item, shows up on their radar, and a door is opened.

Last month, I had the opportunity to speak with Lynette – a cloche collector in California. It was my Mini Moss Terrarium blog that did it, she saw the wee cloches and they were a must for her collection and thus emails started.

And Lynette always ended her emails with “Roses will always bloom again.”

My roses were still blooming in September when we were emailing back and forth, so I commented at one point, that my roses were, in fact, blooming again. I then got the unique chance to hear the story behind Lynette’s signature line.

On Tuesday, Oct. 27 at approximately 2:30 a.m., officers responded to Swedish Hospital Emergency Room in Ballard, where staff reported that they were treating a gunshot victim. The adult victim had gunshot wounds to his left hand and thigh, according to Seattle Police.

The victim reported that he and his friend were walking to the AM/PM near Aurora and Northgate, when an unknown person confronted them and demanded money. The victim claimed that when he told the suspect he had no money, the suspect produced a handgun (victim and witness were unsure of the type of gun).

The victim alleged that a struggle ensued between he and the suspect, and the gun discharged, shooting him through the hand and thigh. The suspect fled the scene with the weapon; no money or property was taken.

Officers thoroughly searched the area of the alleged crime scene, finding no evidence to support the victim’s claim. There were no 911 calls in the area referencing shots being fired.

The victim nor witness could not provide a suspect description.

On Oct. 27 at approximately 8:40 a.m., Southwest Precinct officers responded to a call of a stabbing in the 4500 Block of Delridge Way S.W.

The call stated that two 17-year old males were in a heated argument when the suspect stabbed the victim with a kitchen knife. Officers arrived and arrested the 17-year old suspect.

The Seattle Fire Department responded and treated the victim for wounds to his back and leg. The victim was then taken to Harborview Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries. The suspect will be booked later into the Youth Services Center for investigation of assault.

The Department of Neighborhoods is hosting workshops to inform and educate community groups on developing Neighborhood Matching Fund project proposals.


Topics covered will include the new 2010 Neighborhood Matching Fund guidelines and applications, successful outreach strategies, and coordinating with other city departments and government agencies.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund provides funding to neighborhood groups for community projects.

One of the workshops will be held in the West Seattle area and will focus on large projects, those ranging from $15,000 to $100,000.

It will take place on Thursday, Jan. 21, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way S.W.

The fund currently allocates $3.2 million per year.

Other workshops:

Tuesday, Nov. 17, 6-7:30 p.m.
Ballard Library – 5614 22nd Ave. N.W.
 
Thursday, Nov. 19, 6-7:30 p.m.
Beacon Hill Library – 2821 Beacon Ave. S.
 
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 6-7:30 p.m.
Douglas Truth Library – 2300 E. Yesler Way
 
Saturday, Dec. 5, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Rainier Valley Cultural Center – 3515 S. Alaska St .
 
Thursday, Jan. 7, 6-7:30 p.m.