February 2010

Due to the financial challenges presented by the current economic downturn, the City of SeaTac has decided to schedule five furlough days in 2010.
City officials negotiated the furlough days with the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO Local #3830.

Nonunion employees will also be taking furlough days. Police officers and firefighters will not be furloughed.
"We sincerely appreciate all parties coming together to best serve the citizens of SeaTac," said Acting City Manager Todd Cutts. "It is critical we work as one to understand the budgetary realities while maintaining continuity with all city services."

Three of the five furlough days are pre-scheduled, resulting in the closure of city hall and city facilities on Friday, Feb. 12, Friday, May 28, and Friday, Nov. 12.

The SeaTac Community Center in North SeaTac Park will maintain minimum staffing levels in order to remain open for the lunch program and parks maintenance will have an employee to staff the opening and closure of parks and park restrooms, and pick-up of trash at the parks.

The Northwest Flower and Garden Show now open until February 7th at the Seattle Convention Center has a huge number of displays but the emphasis from one West Seattle business this year is on practicality.

West Seattle Nursery is featuring an all edible garden that includes a surprising number of plants in a relatively small area. Called "Grow Your Own" the display features beets, carrots, basil, radishes, parsley, thyme, blueberries, garlic and even an 'espaliered' pear tree that could fit nearly anywhere. "Because it's becoming so popular to do container gardening, we decided to make it an all edible display," said West Seattle Nursery Manager Marcia Bruno.

The idea was actually inspired by one of her customers. Karen Connolly came into the nursery to buy some seeds for a project she has been working on that turned into a company. Called "Squareganics" the product is essentially box or container gardening but built as raised containers in such a way as to provide more ease of access and use.

The display features some of Connolly's products as well as other containers. You can see it on the bridge that goes over Pike Street at the Seattle Convention Center.

The Seattle Department of Transportation announced Feb. 3 that more signal improvements are underway in the Ballard area in the vicinity of 15th Avenue Northwest and Northwest Leary Way.

This work is part of the department's city-wide Intelligent Transportation System Program, which will enhance traffic flow and responsiveness to roadway conditions.

The current signal and sidewalk work is anticipated to continue through Feb. 19.

The construction work should have minimal impacts on traffic as there will only be brief interruptions when the signals are being adjusted.

Pedestrians will follow slight detours during sidewalk restoration work.

On February 2nd, there was more than the usual number of people walking around sporting a soul patch at SeaTac International Airport. Apollo Ohno sponsor Alaska Airline employees were handing out ‘Apollo Ohno soul patches’ in support of the short track speedskaters upcoming competition in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE THE SLIDESHOW

Alaska Airlines staff were all wearing the signature piece of facial hair as they encouraged riders to join in and get their picture taken.

Alaska Airlines held the promotion at SeaTac, as well as Portland International Airport, to show support for the Pacific Northwest native.

WIth four games remaining and a playoff berth hanging in the balance, the Ballard HIgh School boys basketball team took care of business Feb. 2 against Redmond, earning a 69-59 victory and keeping its hopes for a second-straight KingCo playoff appearance alive.

Senior Gary Smith led the Beavers with a game-high 21 points. Junior Salim Gloyd finished with 16.

"Our focus was excellent last night, as was our ball movement and unselfishness on offense," coach Billy Rodgers said. "I don’t think we played a complete game, but we played a very strong three quarters."

The Beavers let a 22-point lead in the third quarter narrow a bit but were able to recover.

"Redmond had been playing well, so beating them was a solid win," Rodgers said.

The win puts Ballard at 4-8 in KingCo and 6-11 overall. More importantly, it ties them with Redmond for the eighth and final playoff spot.

"There is a lot basketball to be played," Rodgers said. "We need to stay committed to an unselfish approach on offense and [make] a commitment to defense."

The Beavers are only half a game ahead of Newport and Roosevelt in the standings with a daunting season-closing stretch on the horizon.

At approximately 2:07 p.m. on Feb. 2, Seattle Police robbery detectives received a tip in an on-going pattern robbery case that led them to the 3000 block of Northwest 63rd Street.

With the assistance from the SWAT team, a search warrant was served on a residence and two adult subjects, one male and one female, were detained.

There were no other subjects located at the scene.

Robbery detectives subsequently interviewed and released both subjects pending further investigation.

This remains an active and on-going Robbery Unit investigation.

The West Seattle Herald received this tip from an anonymous reader:

I live in the white center neighborhood behind Holy Family School and I'd like you to help warn people of several attempted home break in in broad daylight. Our neighbor has a surveillance camera and it captured two teens, ages 16-17, african american, walking up and down the street and then kicking in my back door.

Nothing was stolen and they ran off. The surveillance camera also captured the suspect vehicle. Light Green 4 door Honda Accord (early 90's) license plate 598-TNI.

King county and Seattle police are involved in the case because my street borders Seattle. the case number is #10-026048 and this happened on Monday Feb 1, 2010. Today I spotted them again on my street (dead end) and I called the police but they drove off. Please alert your readers.

if YOU have a newstip please let us know via tips@westseattleherald.oom

Ed. Note: Ballard After Dark is a new online column on the neighborhood's nightlife by Ballardite Lindsey Johnson.

Ask anyone about local nightlife, and inevitably they tell you about the late-night weekend scene with crowded bars and restaurants, cabs home and sometimes that dreaded hangover.

But, what about those five nights in between the weekends when our brains crave a break from work and our regular routines? Is there something for us to do that gets us out of the house without spending a lot of money or being out late?

The answer is yes, thanks to bar trivia nights.

Many local bars and restaurants hold trivia nights during the week, a perfect way to get away from the TV, meet with friends and have some fun.

The best part? It’s cheap! Anywhere from $0 to $10 a team, with typically up to six people.

Share a plate of appetizers and a pitcher or two of beer, and walk out spending less than if you had gone to a movie.

Plus you don’t need to dress up or take a cab, and you are home in time to get a good night’s sleep.

You're sold on this idea aren't you? So, here are some tips on who to recruit for a successful team.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith gathered 60 elementary school-aged children in the gym at the Ballard Boys & Girls Club on Jan. 31 to talk about his experience with the team and answer questions related to baseball skills.

Rowland-Smith, who lives in Greenlake, organized the clinic independently of the Mariners and said he picked out the closest Boys & Girls Club to get children excited for the start of baseball season.

It is the second year that Rowland-Smith has held the clinic. Attendance last year was limited to club members, but this year the spike in participants was partly thanks to the fact that attendance was opened to the community.

Rowland-Smith signed photos after the talk.

Ballard resident Mitchell Below said it was generous of Rowland-Smith to share his time with the children and he seems to have a great way with children.

“[I came to the clinic because] my sister-in-law has an immense crush on him, and I wanted to get a photo,” said Below.

Every Feb. 28, Finns and Fennophiles everywhere honor the Finnish national epic, "Kalevala (Land of the Heroes)," compiled by Elias Lönnrot and published more than a century and a half ago.

There is particular excitement surrounding this year’s local celebration, for it marks the second musical adaptation from that source by Seattle writer Nick DiMartino.

His popular "Sampo (The Magic Mill)" was the highlight of the national FinnFest held on the University of Washington Campus in 1999.

DiMartino’s new work, "Troublemaker’s Mother," is derived from the story of “wanton lover boy” Lemminkäinen and his adoring and long-suffering mother.

This adaptation retains the classic elements of tragedy – pride, passion, betrayal, violence and death – while mining the humor beneath the somber surface.

In bringing this work to the stage, DiMartino is joined by composer Kim Douglass, director Lori Larsen and a cast of talented performers, including some returning from the "Sampo" production.