November 2009

Zhen Williams, 9, questions Gina McCauley about her “Snooter-doots” a the Bridge Park Retirement Residence craft show Saturday, Nov. 14. Bridge Park is located at 3204 Southwest Morgan Street.

Thursday, Nov. 19, Bridge Park holds its Italian Buffet Dinner & Dance. Just $5 per person. RSVP (206) 938-6294.

Also, the Residence holds its Holiday Open House Dec. 13. Child prodigy Val Wold, 11, will play piano, and there will be a variety of desserts.

Furry Faces Foundation staged their 2nd annual Catsino event at Beveridge Place Pub near the Morgan Street junction on Saturday November 14th and it was well attended.

Proceeds from the event go to benefit the organization which describes itself as "an animal loving, social group of folks whose motto is ‘having fun…while raising money for animals.’ "

They provide support for people who may need assistance to care for their companion animals, and in doing so, provide the community with a vehicle for compassionate social assistance.

This years event saw several hundred participants, who each paid the $25 entry fee to play a variety of imaginative casino style games all hosted by area businesses. Prizes, also donated by area businesses were awarded via a raffle system to those who, by the end of the event had amassed "Catsino Bucks" to buy lottery entry tickets.

The sponsors this year included these businesses:

Brewery Craps hosted by Beverage Place Pub and Exact Schooner
Roulette & Wheel of Fortune hosted by Hotwire Coffee
Pig Craps hosted by Animals First Foundation
Dem Bones Dem Bones Blackjack hosted by Pet Elements

The screening of West Seattle Filmmaker Jamie Chamberlin’s ZZ Top documentary, “Double Down Live,” drew a crowd, and applauses, at the Feedback Lounge Thursday night, Nov. 12. He is pictured with, L-R, Laura Boos and Sarah Eberenz, fans of the filmmaker, and the band’s legendary leader, Billy Gibbons, pictured on-screen above.

Last January, at a reading I was doing at the Hugo House, a woman with a faux fur coat, cat eye glasses and a fluffy hat approached me to say, “I love your work. We’re going to be friends.”

Within a minute, I found out she was at the reading as a way to celebrate her divorce, which was finalized that day. My husband had recently agreed to move out, and I was desperate to talk to someone who had traversed this messy thing called divorce.

I grabbed her hand and said, “I need to know you.”

“I know,” she smiled. “I will be your divorce buddy.” She then introduced me to her friend, who she had kidnapped and brought to the reading because, “She needed to come.”

The friend smiled and said, “I met Misty when she offered me warm chocolate from her bosom.” And, this was my first encounter with the Fabulosities, a group of amazing women I am honored to know.

A couple of months after the reading, I found myself walking around my home in a daze.

Bob Warden, a local attorney intentionally entered the Southwest Community Center today just after 12 pm carrying a concealed weapon purposely to challenge the Seattle Parks and Recreation Rule banning firearms on Park property. He was asked to leave by Lisa Harris who was handling security for the Department.

Warden had sent a letter out to numerous media outlets and admitted he was surprised by the response. Several television stations were on hand as well as numerous still photographers and other writers. In fact his planned entry time was delayed as he conducted an impromptu press conference on the walkway outside the center.

Police were on hand to arrest Warden if he did not comply with the rule. Warden pointed out that State Attorney General Rob McKenna has stated that state law pre-empts local authority to adopt firearms regulations, unless specifically authorized by law.

Just under 30 years ago, Mike Gain started a small realty business with his high school friend Roger Cayce. They had learned the business and wanted to go out on their own. As soon as interest rates skyrocketed into the high teen's, (1980) when the economy was tanking, Cayce and Gain was formed. " we could not have started at a worse time," Gain says with a grin. Their new venture began with trepidation, a couple of desks and a few chairs in a small office on California Avenue.

Over time and with plenty of overtime, the two forged a reasonably successful enterprise.

They "knew the dirt" (a realty phrase for the land). Mike's humble approach to selling houses worked. "We knew we did not have all the answers," Mike said, but he and Roger worked hard to find them.

They developed a reputation as the "go to" guys. They got smart, they treated clients fairly and hired Realtors who would do the same. Mike is a big believer in giving credit to the people on street. Credit to those men and women in the field. Cayce and Gain grew well, but needed to expand.

Mike and Roger aligned with Prudential in 1996.

The Sea-Tac International Airport/SeaTac City Center light rail station will begin service at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19.
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray made the announcement Friday morning, Nov. 13, inside the new station at International Boulevard South and South 176th Street.

Sen. Murray called light rail the "crown jewel of our transportation system."

"(The opening) will fulfill our promise that travelers from anywhere in the world will be able to step off a plane at Sea-Tac, board light rail and be in Seattle in 36 minutes," Murray declared.

Murray also touted the convenience of light rail for those who work or live near the station.

With new service from the station, the light rail system will be extended 1.7 miles south from the Tukwila station at International Boulevard and South 154th Street. Tukwila to Seattle light-rail service began in July.
Officials hurried to get the new station open in December to accommodate holiday travel and visitors to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver B.C., set to open in February.

The Seattle Police Department have a person of interest in custody this morning that they believe is related to a number of the recent arsons in the Greenwood neighborhood, Police Department spokesperson Renee Witt said.

The individual was apprehended at 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 13 near a warehouse fire at 158th Street North and Aurora in Shoreline.

The police do not have reason to believe the person of interest was involved in the Shoreline fire, Witt said.

Police are currently questioning the person of interest to determine his or her level of involvement in the string of 14 arsons that have occurred in the Greenwood area since June, Witt said.

The Police Department will be releasing further information later today.

UPDATE:

The suspect apprehended early Nov. 13 near the Shoreline fire is Kevin Todd Swalwell, a 46-year-old male, according to the Seattle Police Department. He has since been taken into custody.

According to police, he was interviewed by detectives and booked into the King County Jail for investigation of arson.

Just under 30 years ago, Mike Gain started a small realty business with his high school friend Roger Cayce. They had learned the business and wanted to go out on their own. As soon as interest rates skyrocketed into the high teen's, (1980) when the economy was tanking, Cayce and Gain was formed. " we could not have started at a worse time," Gain says with a grin. Their new venture began with trepidation, a couple of desks and a few chairs in a small office on California Avenue.

Over time and with plenty of overtime, the two forged a reasonably successful enterprise.

They "knew the dirt" (a realty phrase for the land). Mike's humble approach to selling houses worked. "We knew we did not have all the answers," Mike said, but he and Roger worked hard to find them.

They developed a reputation as the "go to" guys. They got smart, they treated clients fairly and hired Realtors who would do the same. Mike is a big believer in giving credit to the people on street. Credit to those men and women in the field. Cayce and Gain grew well, but needed to expand.

Mike and Roger aligned with Prudential in 1996.

By Bruce Harrell, Seattle City Council member and Energy and Technology Committee chair

In a move to keep City Light’s borrowing costs low and maintain its commitment to conservation, the Seattle City Council passed a 13.8 percent rate increase which will begin in January 2010.

While I fully support the council’s commitment to conservation and protection of the utility’s borrowing status, I believe the needs of the people and businesses should always come first.

I preferred a lower increase of 7.9 percent that could have given the utility the necessary funds to operate efficiently, improve its debt service coverage ratio to 1.6 and restored $1 million that was cut by the mayor for conservation.

We must continue to drive the costs of its operations down in order to protect the people from unreasonable rates.

However, even with a 13.8 percent increase, Seattle City Light offers power at 6.42 cents per kilowatt hour, which is one of the lowest rates in the region.

The average monthly bill of $44 will increase $6 per month. By comparison, the U.S. average is 9.7 cents per kilowatt hour.