November 2009

Television professionals in the Northwest have elected Ballard High School Video Production Program teacher Matt Lawrence to the Board of Governors of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, Northwest Region.

Lawrence has been teaching the Video Production Program since 2001.

During the last several years, students from the Ballard High School Video Production Program have won student Emmy awards in a variety of categories, as well as numerous awards from prestigious film and video festivals.

The National Association of Television Arts and Sciences serves television professionals with seminars, programs and networking, as well as celebrating excellence with the annual Emmy Awards. They also offer the National Student Television Awards and scholarships.

Dubsea Coffee, an independent coffeehouse serving organic and direct trade coffees and teas, will open its doors at 9910 Eighth Ave. S.W. at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14. The café will be the first retail business to open at Greenbridge, the 96-acre master-planned community being developed by the King County Housing Authority.

“What better way to build on the vision of Greenbridge than to offer a warm, comfortable destination where people from all walks of life can share great coffee and conversation,” said Stephen Norman, executive director of the King County Housing Authority. “Dubsea Coffee will also provide much-needed jobs in this community.”

Dubsea Coffee is located on south side of the Greenbridge plaza in the newly constructed Salmon Creek apartment building and across the street from Nia Apartments, an 82-unit complex that houses seniors and people with disabilities. To celebrate, the first 250 customers will receive a free 12-ounce drink, courtesy of Synergy Construction, Inc., the company that built the Salmon Creek building.

The metaphor of automobiles yielding to bicycles in green Seattle has in this case become a reality. The former Huling Brothers Chrysler Jeep Dealership on
4550 Fauntleroy Way SW is now Cycle University, a bicycle shop and “school.”

Craig Undem started in 2004 on 5440 Sand Point Way NE and still operates there. He said he has trained over 3,000 customers.

Undem’s website states, “We have created a large curriculum of proprietary classes, coaching and teaching methods covering everything from how-to-ride-for-the-first-time to preparing for the Tour de France.”

At his Fauntleroy grand opening Saturday, Nov. 7, Undem, a former West Seattle resident of 13 years, explained, “You go to a tennis pro to learn tennis, a golf pro to improve your golf game. I teach people how to ride. We have 12 coaches, and can help kids balance to get rid of their training wheels as well as train serious competitors.”

Pat Wells got her dog Fritz, a Corgi-Terrier mix as a rescue dog 13 years ago. He's now 15 years old. She got Fritz because her other dog had a severe separation anxiety so she got Fritz to keep her company. Her other dog is a hound mix named Isis and they are best pals.

But Fritz is special. "He's known by all the vets we've ever had as Houdini," she said, "He has the ability, and they don't know how he does it, to get out of the holding cage when I've taken him in for procedures." Perhaps it's his age, and with it the experience he's developed but, "he's drugged and all of a sudden they hear, 'click, click, click, click, click and there he is!"

A vet in White Center told Wells, "I've found his pedigree, It's Houdini." The vets all think there is something wrong with their cage. Recently he was injured and she had to take him to the vet every week because he would find a way to take his bandage off. He's a genuine escape artist. She had to spend a lot of time barricading her fenced in yard to make sure he wouldn't get out and go to the neighbors to visit. "He likes to go when he wants to go," she said.

Neighborhood Traffic Operations (NTO), a workgroup within Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is holding neighborhood traffic safety meetings in the community. These meetings are geared toward residents who are interested in working with NTO concerning speeding on their residential street.

The meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m.

The meetings will include a power point presentation, with a brief overview of different traffic calming options, what steps a neighborhood must take to be considered for traffic calming, criteria staff use to prioritize projects, and possible funding sources.

Residents will also be trained in the proper use of radar speed guns.

If residents want to enroll their street in the traffic calming program, a representative from their street must attend one of these meetings.

Schedule of community meetings:

November 10, 2009, Tuesday: Delridge - Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW.
December 16, 2009, Wednesday: Lake Union – Armory, 860 Terry Ave N
January 19, 2010, Tuesday: Central – Miller Park Community Center, Multi-purpose Room 330 19th Ave E

Glass Jellyfish Demonstration
Avalon Glassworks
2914 S.W. Avalon Way.
206-937-6369
Saturday, Nov. 14, 10-4 p.m. Glass artist Richard Lowrie is back by popular demand to share the secrets of the glass jellyfish. The public is invited to watch live glass blowing demonstrations throughout the day at Avalon Glassworks when Lowrie will sculpt these seemingly weightless forms out of hot glass. Meet the artist, purchase signed work, and watch the process. www.avalonglassworks.com.

Hearing Loss Meeting
The hearing Loss Association of West Seattle’s next meeting will be on Wednesday 18, 2009 at the West Seattle Christian Church, 4400 42nd Ave. SW. The meeting is in the Church Library which is the 2nd door south of SW Genesee St . The presenter this month is Dr. Patricia Jo Munson from Sound Associates Hearing Aid Center. All welcome with or without hearing loss. For more information contact Jack Eldridge 206.937.5996.

Parent's Night Out - Youth Game Night
Alki Kid's Place
6115 S.W. Hinds St.
206-938-0145

Seattle Public Schools’ elementary and K-8 schools will be closed from Monday, November 23 through Wednesday, November 25 for Parent-Teacher Conferences. These important conferences provide an opportunity for parents and teachers to share information, solve problems and establish relationships that directly contribute to student success. While the majority of parent-teacher conferences occur in the fall, parents are also welcome to schedule meetings with teachers at any time during the school year.

This is the first year all elementary and K-8 schools will be closed district-wide for parent-teacher conferences. The new schedule will less disruptive to student learning while also providing greater consistency and predictability for families. All SPS schools will also be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27.

The West Seattle-based Animals First Foundation gives true meaning to the expression "sick as a dog" and tries to do something about it. The foundation, which works in conjunction with with other rescue and adoption organizations, including www.petfinder.com and West Seattle resident Teri Ensly's www.furryfaces.org will hold a charity wine tasting and auction Friday night, Nov. 13, 6pm-9pm. The event takes place at Vino Bello, 636 SW 152nd St in Burien. Donations are $20. (206) 244-8466.

Through donations, the 501 (c)(3) foundation pays for expensive operations for dogs and cats, potential pets that may otherwise be "lost causes."

Thor, an American Bulldog, was surrendered a year and a half ago by its owner, a physically disabled man who was wheelchair bound. Just one day before Thor was to be put down at the pound, Animals First Foundation rescued him, and cared for him for over a year. Two months ago Thor was placed by Animals First with another disabled man who also uses a wheelchair.

For more information go to: www.animalsfirstfoundation.org, or call Heather Enajibi at (206) 331-7440.

Joe Mallahan conceded the race for Seattle mayor after the most recent ballot count at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 9 showed him falling further behind opponent Mike McGinn.

King County Elections shows McGinn with 50.88 percent of the vote to Mallahan's 48.28 percent. McGinn has increased his lead from a few hundred votes to nearly 5,000.

Seattle City Council president Richard Conlin offered his congratulations to mayor-elect and Greenwood resident McGinn in a press release:

"On behalf of the council, I want to congratulate our new Mayor-elect Michael McGinn. Michael has a great track record of working for the people of Seattle. I’m very optimistic about the partnership we have the opportunity to create between the council and the incoming Mayor. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition as he takes on his new role.

"I also want to commend Joe Mallahan and his supporters for their commitment and passion for public service. It was a hard fought race that raised many important issues that our city will face in the coming years.

Due to a lack of interest during the past six weeks, the Ballard News-Tribune will no longer be hosting its weekly Tuesday morning open house at the Neighborhood Service Center.

Reporter and Web Editor Michael Harthorne is still available by phone (206.755.8147) and email (michaelh@robinsonnews.com) to discuss story ideas and talk about what is going on in the neighborhood.

Harthorne will also be happy to meet with any interested readers upon request.