December 2009

Real Change and the Finish Company are co-sponsoring a winter gear drive to help homeless people in Seattle survive the cold weather.

Donations can be dropped off at three Ballard-area locations through Dec. 20.

Drop off locations are:

– Parker Paint, 5500 14th Ave. N.W.

– Rodda Paint, 3633 Stone Way N.

– Sherwin Williams Paint, 1436 N.W. Leary Way

People living on the street need coats, warm hats, gloves, socks, sleeping bags, boots, back packs and rain ponchos.

Donations of new or useable gear only will be accepted.

Donations will be handed out on Dec. 21.

The Finish Company and Real Change are also accepting tax-deductible cash donations. One-hundred percent of the money raised will be spent to purchase the items listed above.

Send check donations to:

Real Change – Surviving the Streets Drive
c/o: The Finish Company
6363 Seventh Ave. S., Suite 220
Seattle, WA 98108

The Seattle Community Council Federation is calling on the Seattle City Council to make major improvements in open government proposals it is considering at a Dec. 7 public hearing, Dec. 9 committee meeting and Dec. 14 full council meeting.

"It is strange that these proposals would have come out of the council's 'Open Government Committee,' because as a whole they are a setback for open government," Jeannie Hale, president of the federation, said.

Hale did find some things to praise in the proposals.
She thanked the council for proposals that would: (1) Put on the Web the materials to be considered by committees; (2) Begin audio recording of special meetings and special committees; (3) Have an attorney present during executive (closed) sessions to discourage Open Public Meetings Act violations; (4) And, from an interagency committee led by the city clerk, rules and guidelines to ensure that councilmember use of social media such as blogs, Facebook and Twitter don’t violate public records, open public meetings and campaign practices laws.

Experts and other observers converged on the Alki Homestead Inn Friday, Dec. 4, for an inspection to evaluate both the fire damage, and aging condition, of the historic landmark structure’s interior and exterior. An electrical fire struck the 1906 structure Jan. 16.

The Landmarks Preservation Board, an entity of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, is the only entity with jurisdiction over the property and is very close to determining its future, whether the log structure should be repaired, or, if the damage is too extensive, torn down. Members of the Board, including volunteers of its Architectural Revue Board Sub-committee, wanted a closer look at the Inn after studying its structural engineering and contractor reports, and over 200 photographs.

Stella Chow, director, Department of Neighborhoods, was on hand simply to observe, she said. Beth Chave, coordinator, Landmarks Preservation Board, attended with colleague, Elaine Wine, the former chairman of the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board. They joined about a dozen other interested parties at the site for the tour, guided by Mark Fritch, a log home designer and carpenter who drove up from Sandy, Oregon.

A man with a history of aggressive panhandling in the Morgan Junction area was taken into custody recently after he cornered a group of teenaged girls at Starbucks. Other patrons alerted nearby officers, who arrested the intoxicated North End resident (whose charms included an injured hand that was dripping blood) for investigation of criminal trespass.

Apparently the sight of his ex at a Qwest field event was enough to trigger a man's obsession to win her back: He made 200 calls, left 10 text messages and 7 voice messages on her cell phone. He also threatened to fight the West Seattle woman's male relatives who told him to quit contacting her. An officer spoke with the North End resident who admitted he had called the woman, oh, “20-30 times.” The suspect was warned that any further contact might result in prosecution.

Southwest Pool is pleased to offer a new, specially priced program of beginning swim lessons for families, School of FISH (Fun Instruction in our Swimming Holes). Learn beginning swimming skills with your school-aged child in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

Beginning in January, 2010, School of FISH offers the discount price of $2 per lesson for a paired parent and child. Your first session (6-10 classes) is free with a voucher. This program is intended for elementary and middle school-aged children and their parents. Each child must be accompanied in the water by an adult on a 1:1 ratio.

Students in this program will learn beginning swimming skills that include water adjustment, bubble blowing, breath holding, kicking on front, back float, and using a
life jacket.

The School of Fish program will take place on Fridays from 5:30-6 p.m. The first session begins on January 8. Registration begins on Tuesday, December 8 at 12 noon. Please register at Southwest Pool, 2801 SW Thistle St., ahead of time in person, online at www.seattle.gov/parks, or by phone at 206-684-7440.

Boys basketball

TJ 66, Beamer 56

Thomas Jefferson came away from Todd Beamer's home gymnasium with a 66-56 boys basketball win over the Titans Monday, Nov. 30. The game was non-league, however, putting the Raiders at 1-0 overall and 0-0 in South Puget Sound League North Division action.
Brigham buried 30 points to lead TJ to victory, while Lanier and Radford hit nine apiece, Baklund seven, Braxmeyer five, Hicks four and Sanford two.
Davis sank 18 points to top the Beamer scorers and Coggins contributed 12. M. Aficuc and Nefi scored five each and V. Aficuc and Moore hit four apiece. Gridley and Holcomb threw in three apiece and Rhodes added one.

Decatur 58, Stadium 52

Jerron Smith hit 18 points to lead the Gators in non-league action Tuesday, Dec. 1 and Terrell Williams backed him up with 17. Jordan McCloud added 12, Peters eight and Davis four.

TJ 62, Stadium 38

Thomas Jefferson tamed the Tigers convincingly in a non-league game Wednesday.

Federal Way 79, Aub.-Riv. 41

Federal Way carried its winning ways into its South Puget Sound League North Division opener Friday.

Girls basketball

Kentlake 58, SCS 51

Class 1A Seattle Christian of SeaTac went up against 4A Kentlake Tuesday, Dec. 1 and almost came away as a winner.
Katie Collier and Lexi Peterson kept the Warriors close with 14 points apiece. Kara Kogle contributed 10 points toward the SCS cause as Doyle scored seven and Harris four.

Tyee 40, Sammamish 36

The Tyee Totems started off on the right non-league foot Thursday, edging the Totems of Sammamish by four points.

Chief Sealth 55, Evergreen 42

The Wolverines were defeated by Chief Sealth in a battle of close geographic non-league rivals Thursday.

Kennedy 82, Hazen 40

The Lancers crushed the Highlanders as the Seamount League season opened Friday.

Mt. R. 66, Lindbergh 33

The Rams doubled the final score of Lindbergh Friday.

Boys basketball

Bellarmine 63, Kennedy 62

Kennedy Catholic played Bellarmine of Tacoma in an all-Catholic non-league game Thursday, with the Lions prevailing over the Lancers, 63-62.

Mount Si 68, Foster 57

Boy, that Kennedy basketball team is good! Really, really good!

Oh yeah, tell me something new. The girls just won the 3A state title and a repeat is not out of the question.

Kennedy has only played two preseason games so far but beat some tough non-league, tune-up competition in West Seattle on Dec. 1, always tough out of the Metro with the likes of Odea (5th at state last year) and then, two days later, Dec. 3, the Lancers lost -- Wait, lost, that’s not good!

It was in this case because Bellarmine Prep is who they lost to, and it was a close game to this stalwart ball team. The Lions are a team always in the hunt for the Narrows League title and a pretty good bet to make state yearly.

So a good indicator, these first two preseason games, for the Lancers?

“I hope so,” said boys coach Don Hoffman. “The kids are excited and we need to keep practicing well, play each game like it’s your biggest game, and worry about the next one when it comes up.”

Sometimes, it takes trial by fire to reveal areas of strength and weakness.

Wednesday’s Class 3A Seamount League Mount Rainier 53-35 nonleague girls basketball victory at Class 4A South Puget Sound League Decatur definitely defined the current status for both teams.

“It was hectic, sometimes sloppy, and had a lot of fouls, but the girls gave a nice first effort,” said Ram head coach Bob Bolam. “The free throw shooting needs to be better, but we’ll take it.”

For the most part, Bolam’s observations were played out immediately in the first quarter. The opening season game opened with jitters and ragged play. Turnovers were rampant although the intensity picked up later. Guard Zerina Kapetanovic swished a 19-foot shot to get Mount Rainier moving away from a 6-6 draw. Junior post player Lyndsay Headley dished a pass to Kiana Gandy for a layup ahead of Caroline Codd’s free throw that capped off five consecutive Ram points to end the quarter.

She was spotted by a mutual friend in the Cash-n-Carry pushing a flat cart stacked with boxes of Altoids, but she wasn’t buying them for the “curiously strong mints.” I needed to know more.

Barb Smith (she of the Altoids) is co-owner of Space to Create at 1414 N.W. 70th St. Although she and co-owner Lauren Malloy-Johnson try to repurpose many materials in their arts and craft programs, Barb has a particular weakness for containers.

Space to Create is a multipurpose studio in its own building on what used to be the block that time forgot. That is until the woman behind one of the most popular English-language food blogs in the world, Orangette, opened a restaurant with her husband.

Delancey nestles between Honoré Artisan Bakery and Bella Umbrella on the south side of the block. Space to Create shares the north side with Tarasco’s and A Caprice Kitchen. Barb and Lauren are practically senior residents now that they have been open for almost four years.