February 2010

Tukwila's Museum of Flight will welcome Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III to speak at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 8.

Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for museum members. For more information, call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org
As pilot in command of the US Airways Flight 1549 that was dubbed the "Miracle on the Hudson," Captain Sullenberger has been hailed as a national hero for his quick thinking and outstanding aviation skills that saved the lives of 155 passengers and crew on Jan. 15, 2009.

The Ballard High School boys basketball team may have made the KingCo 4A playoffs for the second year in a row, but it will have to wait at least another year for its first playoff victory.

The Beavers followed up a loss to Skyline earlier this week with a 63-46 loss to Eastlake Feb. 19 to end their run in the double elimination playoffs.

Eastlake built up an early 10-2 lead with a couple of threes and excellent defensive pressure and had a double-digit lead midway through the first quarter.

After senior Gary Smith, one of Ballard's two leading scorers, went down with an ankle injury in the opening quarter, senior David Doerr provided a spark off the bench, converting a three-point play and upping Ballard's intensity.

Freshman Seth Berger's three-pointer cut the Eastlake lead to six to end the first quarter.

Unfortunately for Beaver fans, that was the closest Ballard would get.

By halftime, Ballard was down 15 thanks to some poor shooting and a lack of offensive rebounding, coupled with a tough Eastlake defense.

Ballard resident Michael Wallenfels was providing a soundtrack for passersby Feb. 20 at Ballard Commons Park during of a stretch of very un-February-like weather.

Wallenfels said he started street performing because he could use the money but also for the music.

"I love playing," he said. "I love singing. You play by yourself, and you wonder if it's any good."

Playing in public is fun and allows for audience feedback, he said.

Wallenfels said he originally picked out his spot on the southeast corner of the park because he was new to street performing and too nervous to set up closer to downtown Ballard.

He said the spot has foot traffic from the Ballard Library and the park, but there is enough space that people have the choice to walk by without engaging him.

He said he has tried performing on Market Street, but found traffic was too loud.

Wallenfels, who has been playing music for about six years, performs covers and originals on his acoustic guitar and harmonica.

John Prine, Bob Dylan and instrumental blues are usually crowd pleasers, he said. And, children really seem to like the harmonica, he said.

Seattle Department of Transportation crews are taking advantage of the unusually good weather to remove slide debris from the 6000 block of Beach Drive Southwest and temporarily place an ecology block catchment wall in the parking lane. Crews have rescheduled their work so they will continue on Beach Drive tomorrow, Feb 23 instead of waiting until Feb 24 to resume work.

The crews plan to work at the site today and again on Wednesday, weather permitting, with the goal of reopening two lanes--one lane in each direction. A flagger will assist traffic while the crews are working.

There was a slide in the 6000 block of Beach Drive SW on January 12 and additional sliding occurred a few days later. The City of Seattle is working with property owners on a long-term solution to stabilize the slope.

The Herald first reported this story on January 13th here and since that time, Beach Drive has been partially blocked, with only one lane open to north and south traffic.

Former Ballard business owners Sigmund and Raymond Eriksen were sentenced Feb. 20 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to two years of probation and must pay a $20,000 fine and perform 240 hours of community service each for two felony charges of Embezzlement or Conversion from an Employee Pension Benefit Plan, and one felony charge of Falsification of Records of an Employee Pension Benefit Plan.

The two men formerly owned Lunde Electric, an electrical contracting firm. They were convicted in October 2009, following a seven day trial and two days of jury deliberation.

The men were acquitted of nine counts, and the jury failed to reach a verdict on other charges.

At the sentencing, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour said any businessman who talks with the Eriksens will realize they would be a fool to engage in similar conduct and run the risk of a felony prosecution and conviction.

According to testimony at trial and records filed in the case, Lunde Electric adopted a 401(k) retirement plan for their nonunion employees in 1995.

Employees could pay a portion of their salary into the plan, and the company would match 50 percent of the employee contribution.

Three members of one family—mom, dad, and son—ended up in King County Jail last week after a family disturbance. But only dad's arrest was related to the initial reason for the visit. Officers had to call for “fast backup” when mom tried to prevent officers from entering the home and then pushed an officer and interfered with arrest of her son. Son struggled with officers and failed to obey police orders. Both mom and son face investigation of obstructing a public officer. Dad faces investigation of domestic violence assault.

The 24-year-old woman was not happy that her husband had been involved in a second drunk driving incident. But as he was arrested on two DUI warrants totalling $27,500 initially, she directed her anger at the officers for the way they took her husband out of the house, following them outside, demanding their business cards, and yelling, “I don't f*&@'n care that cops are getting shot.”

Morey Skaret, famed raconteur from West Seattle's Fauntleroy district is home recovering from gall bladder surgery at Highline Medical Center in Burien. Former Captain of ocean going wartime supply ships for the U.S Navy and peacetime Seattle Police Captain he is doing well.

Ray Rice, long time resident of West Seattle's Fauntleroy district now resides on Burien's Three Tree Point . He is used to strange sights, like sea lions, eagles, daredevil wind surfers and orcas along the shore but this one tops them all.
The driftwood stump he spotted, he dubbed a "Tyranosourpuss Wreck" out wading in the surf. He has seen logs shaped like sea serpents and walruses but this one topped them all.

CLICK THE PHOTO TO SEE ANOTHER IMAGE

The Ballard High School gymnastic team's Taylor Stern placed fourth all-around at the 4A state championship meet Feb. 19 and Feb. 20 with a score of 36.675.

Woodinville's Hailey Wells took first overall with a score of 37.9, helping her team to a first-place finish.

Stern came in second on the bars with 9.525. She trailed only Wells, who scored 9.55.

She scored 9.4 or better on three of her events and qualified for the event finals on vault and bars and placed sixth on vault and tenth on floor.

"Taylor ties for the highest place ever for a Ballard gymnast at state – Johannah Juarez was second on beam in 2007 – and still has a year to go," said coach Stephanie Gundel.

Stern placed 10th all-around at last year's state championship meet.

Ballard's Maria Volk qualified for the state championship but did not compete.