June 2010

Worship services will be on Wednesday evenings instead of Sunday mornings during the summer (July 7 - September 1) at West Seattle’s Alki Congregational United Church of Christ, 6115 SW Hinds.

Pastor Diane Darling says, “With the enthusiastic support of our congregation, we’re embarking on an experiment this year — to see if Wednesday evening worship will help us stay more connected during the summer while it frees people to enjoy those precious weekends of good weather. Our summer services will be more informal, with lots of music and different styles of worship.”

Following are the relevant dates:

· The final Sunday morning worship service for the summer is June 27 at 10:00 AM.

· Wednesday worship services are July 7 — September 1 at 7:00 PM. A light supper will be offered at 6:00 PM.

· Regular Sunday services resume September 12 at 10:00 AM.

Childcare is available for all services.

For further information on Alki Congregational United Church of Christ, visit www.alkiucc.org.

A woman brought a lawyer (hired just that day) to a local retirement facility and demanded the release of her 88-year-old aunt. Staff explained that until she brought in the appropriate paperwork declaring her legal guardian as well as other court orders, that they could not release the resident. (The aunt requires constant medical supervision and intervention by staff and has been declared medically incapable of making decisions regarding her welfare.) In addition to the legalities of the situation, the niece likely hasn't helped her case with recent incidents where she has checked auntie out for a four-hour visit and returned her—eight hours later—drunk.

In the Junction area, a resident woke up early Sunday and found a stranger asleep on his patio. The visitor—a 34-year-old Westwood resident—told officers he had been high on meth and claimed to know the residents of the home. Wanted on a warrant, he was booked into King County Jail.

In a presentation to the City Council's Budget Committee today, Beth Goldberg, Acting Director of the City Budget Office proposed mid-year budget reductions for the City's General Fund. The reductions result in savings of $12.4 million dollars but eliminate 53 jobs.

Mid-Year Reductions:

In April, the CBO announced a projected $11.7 million General Fund shortfall for 2010. This shortfall is driven by three factors:
* 2009 ended with a negative balance of $4 million - $5 million less than projected when the 2010 budget was adopted - as a result of continued sluggishness in the economy and its related impacts on revenues (primarily sales tax and B&O tax).
* This weakness in revenues is projected to persist in 2010, resulting in $2 million less revenue than previously assumed.
* Expenditure pressures in 2010 that could add $5 million in additional General Fund costs.

In addition, the CBO announced a projected 2011 General Fund shortfall of $56 million.

After a large public outcry, the Ballard Community Center and the Loyal Heights Community Center, as well as the rest of the city's community centers, will remain open, at least for the rest of 2010.

"We heard very clearly, as you all did, that Parks' services are highly valued by community members," Beth Goldberg, acting director of the City Budget Office, said during a June 14 Seattle City Council briefing on the mid-year budget.

The closures would have gone into effect around July 1.

Seattle is facing an $11.7 million midyear shortfall in the General Fund, and in late April, outgoing Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Tim Gallagher told KING-5 TV that either the Ballard Community Center or the Loyal Heights Community Center would likely be closed due to their proximity.

The announcement prompted Ballard resident Mindy Terence to form the group Save Ballard's Community Centers and start a petition and postcard campaign to keep both community centers open.

Graduation is a time to celebrate stories of success and the paths that students have taken to reach their goals. At South Seattle Community College, the accomplishments of the class of 2010 will be celebrated at the annual commencement ceremony taking place at 7:30 pm on Thursday, June 17, in the Jerry Brockey Student Center.

This year, 721 students have earned degrees and certificates, including 318 in academic transfer, 272 in professional/technical studies, and 26 students in the college’s four-year bachelor of applied science (BAS) Hospitality Management degree program. An additional 105 students earned high school diplomas or GEDs.

Among the graduating class is the first recipient of the college’s new associate of arts in Elementary Education (AEE) degree, which prepares students to enter a four-year university to pursue bachelor’s degrees in elementary education.

Although she comes from a large extended family and has worked extensively with children, Dianne Dizon never seriously considered a teaching career until she found out about the college’s new program.

Dear Editor:
We are writing to you as a six grade students at Madison Middle School to tell your readers about Fair Trade. Fair trade is a non profit organization that gives farmers a fair price. Fair trade guarantees their farmers a certain amount of money.

There are two hundred million children that are forced to work and not get an education. With Fair Trade, they get social premiums which help farmers build schools and have access to clean water.

“If the demand of fair trade increases then more fair trade farmers and workers will be needed in the world and I know that the life of a fair trade worker is better then the life of a non-fair trade worker”, said Timothy Owens a teacher at Madison Middle School.

A non-fair trade farmer is paid less then a dollar a day, as a fair trade farmer is paid between five and ten dollars a day.
That is why I want you to buy fair trade chocolate and other fair trade products.They are sold at stores in Seattle such as PCC and Costco. Thank you for reading our letter.

Sincerely,
Emenetu A. Haileselassie
&
Sergio L. Satterwhite

Bill Carter’s "Red Summer: The Danger and Madness of Commercial Salmon Fishing in Alaska" chronicles the arduous life of a commercial fisherman. Based on four seasons of experience in Bristol Bay, Alaska, the story documents the intriguing relationships Carter establishes with his surroundings and fellow fishermen.

Carter has also written the memoir "Fools Rush In" and directed the award-winning documentary “Miss Sarajevo.”

Ballard News-Tribune: What is "Red Summer" about?

Bill Carter: It’s about nature; it’s about the battle between fish and man. It’s about these incredible fisheries and this incredible place on earth.

BNT: Having previously written about the Bosnian war, why did you choose to write about commercial fishing?

BC: I didn’t choose to write about it. I finished my first book and someone called me and offered me the job. When you finish a book it means you’re broke. So, I said, “Sure, I’ll do it.”

The children of the North Seattle Boys & Girls Club got their hands dirty early June 12 planting vegetable sprouts and shoveling mulch.

The community garden they were building is part of the three-year Positive Sprouts project with the retail company Amway Global. Seven U.S. cities, including Seattle, were chosen to pilot the program intended to educate children about sustainability and healthy living.

“It’s phenomenal when kids grow their own foods," said Jessica Drench, program manager of the Green Eductation Foundation. "You might not believe it, but you see kids sprint to ripe tomato plants, to sugar snap peas, to pick off the vine. Kids are smart, they know it tastes better.”

North Seattle Boys & Girls Club Director Neil Aguiling said he hopes the hands-on learning will teach children how to grow organically and to later develop those homegrown products into healthy meals.

The buzz around the deep-bore tunnel project has not been, well, boring. Is the project, which would cost the city, county, state, port, and of course, taxpayers, between $1.9 billion and $8 billion-plus, a fait accompli?

"No!" shouts West Seattle resident Bud Shasteen from the rooftops. He is with www.StopTheTunnel.com and "Seattle Citizens Against the Tunnel," or "SCAT." The groups' leaders meet in a conference room at the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center (library.) Others include Ballard activist, Ed Plute, Port Townsend retired civil engineer, Victor Gray and wife Paula, political activists Elizabeth Campbell from Magnolia and Dorli Rainey from Queen Anne, and retired Seattle civil engineer Christopher Brown.

SCAT comes up with the $8 billion-plus figure by adding in bond issues' interest, and with cost over-runs, $10 billion. The $1.9 billion figure is the tunnel alone and not the cost of I-5 improvements, viaduct demolition, the seawall replacement, etc.

Limber Babies
Seattle Integrated Martial Arts
4711 42nd Ave. SW
206-935-4531
Sundays, June 20 and June 27, noon-12:45 p.m. This is a wonderful and unique playdate for moms, dads or caregivers! Bring the little one and relax, play, and recharge through yoga. Call now to register; 6 classes/6 wks: $60.

West Seattle See Dogs Meeting
Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights
2326 California Ave. S.W.
Monday, June 21 and 28, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Raise a Puppy-Change a Life! West Seattle See Dogs, a local puppy raising club for Guide Dogs for the Blind, is looking for community volunteers to partner with us. Come learn about Guide Dogs, meet puppies in training, get hands on experience, and learn other ways you can support our various activities and events. Can’t attend? Call Ruth 206-953-0268. seedogs@comcast.net.

Spring Spanish Classes in West Seattle
Quick Study Tutoring
206-501-1971
Mon. and Wed., through June 16. 6:30-8:00 p.m. Learn and have fun doing it in 8 weeks of Beginner and Low Intermediate Level Spanish classes which include both conversation and grammar. Pre-registration is required.