September 2010

Oct. 12 UPDATE from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office website:

UPDATE: Tuesday arraignment, West Seattle murder--Chatri L. Thip (10-1-08877-2) was arraigned and pleaded not guilty this morning to Murder Second Degree for allegedly beating to death a man whose body was found in Roxhill Park in West Seattle on September 22. Thip, 21, remains in the King County Jail on $1 million bail. A case setting hearing is scheduled for November 8 at 1 p.m. at the King County Courthouse, courtroom 1201.

Bernard Martin was simply trying to buy a couple beers from some strangers in Roxhill Park on the night of Sept. 21. Shortly thereafter he was beaten and left for dead.

Chatri Lime Thip, 21, admitted to police that he brutally beat Martin and has been charged with second degree murder by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

“Thip’s only explanation for what he did to the victim was that he experiences ‘rage’ when he drinks,” charging documents said.

See the link above for a copy of the charging documents.

Due to reduced funding, King County Metro is eliminating a number of Ballard-area trips on Route 28 and Route 46. But, Metro is adding evening and Sunday trips on Route 75.

Route 28 runs between Broadview and downtown Seattle via Fremont and Eighth Avenue Northwest. The weekday southbound express trip that leaves Aurora Avenue North and 143rd Street at 5:34 a.m. is discontinued. All shuttle trips between that intersection and Fremont Avenue North and North 34th Street are also discontinued.

Route 46 runs between Golden Gardens and Fremont. The westbound trips that leave Fremont Avenue and 34th Street at 11:33 a.m., 12:33 a.m. and 1:33 p.m. are eliminated. Also eliminated are the eastbound trips that leave Golden Gardens at 12:10 p.m., 1:10 p.m. and 2:10 p.m.

According to Metro, the scheduling changes are being made to preserve service through increased efficiency while saving money, a requirement brought on by reduce sales tax revenue.

The changes may cause longer wait times for transfers or irregular spacing between buses, according to Metro.

The Seattle City Council is working to balance the Seattle's 2011-2012 budget, and will seek input from the public to develop a budget. The City of Seattle faces a $67 million general fund deficit for 2011, which will force some difficult choices in the months ahead.

Mayor Mike McGinn proposed a new budget on Sep. 27.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the budget in November.

There will be three public hearings held in North, South or Central Seattle:

Wednesday, September 29
Northgate Community Center Gym
10510 5th Ave NE, 98125
5:30 p.m. Public Hearing (5 p.m. Sign-in)

Wednesday, October 13
The Brockey Center at South Seattle Community College
6000 16th Avenue SW, 98106
5:30 p.m. Public Hearing (5 p.m. Sign-in)

Tuesday, October 26
Seattle City Hall
Council Chambers, 2nd floor
600 Fourth Avenue, 98104
5:30 p.m. Public Hearing (5 p.m. Sign-in)

Seattle Department of Transportation crews plan to close the right, southbound lane of the Ballard Bridge from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 30.

Engineers will perform a bridge inspection during this time.

The sidewalk will remain open during the closure.

In an excellent show of resilience, the Ballard High School volleyball team kept springing back against Skyline High School Sept. 27 on the way to its first victory of 2010.

The Beavers took the opening game of the match 25-15, but Skyline was able to push back and win the second game 25-20.

Ballard refused to crumble under the pressure, winning the third game 25-16, even after Skyline came back again to win the fourth game 25-16.

The Beavers earned the victory by taking the deciding fifth game 15-9.

Coach Tami Reese said the win - which the team wanted and needed real bad - came through controlling the ball, keeping the serve and playing hard.

"The girls competed last night," Reese said. "They didn't let up."

Junior Monique Marques had a game-high 39 assists and led the team with four aces. Sophomore Liza Berg added team-highs in kills and digs with 12 and 10 respectively. Junior Deanna Myers finished with 12 kills as well.

Skyline is a very good team, and the Sept. 27 win gives the Ballard players confidence that they can have success if they play together as a team, Reese said.

Sports Roundup

Monday, Sept. 20
Volleyball
Emerald Ridge 3, Mt. Rainier 0
The Rams absorbed a 25-11, 25-13, 25-21 loss at the hands of the Jaguars last Monday.
Kathleen Mulligan scored four digs and five digs for Mount Rainier in the loss as Mykaela Klinger added four kills, one ace and one block.
Vanessa Hoefs had three digs and one kill and Megan Daley one dig, one kill and six assist,

Tuesday, Sept. 21
Girls swimming
Mt. Rainier 101, Kennedy 85
Courtney Larson, Mackenzie Marrs, Megan Kawaguchi and Jackie Beal won the opening 200-yard medley relay race for the Rams in 1 minute, 56.67seconds last Tuesday and Erin Anderson of Kennedy Catholic took the 200 freestyle in 2:03.25. Amanda Thach won the 200 individual medley for JFK in 2:17.59 and Mount Rainiers' Kawaguchi took the 50 free in 25.89.

Kennedy scored 207.70 points as a team to win the diving competition and the Rams' Kawaguchi won the 100 butterfly in a state-qualifying 1:00.87. Thach won the 100 free for JFK in a state-qualifying time of 55.21 and Vanessa Moffatt won the 500 free for the Lancers in 5:16.65 to qualify for state in that event.

As a dedicated Ballardite, I often brag about how lucky I am to live in a place that truly has something for everyone when the sun goes down: a movie theater, sports bars, great happy hours, live music, restaurants of every kind, delicious street meat and so much more.

But, one thing I had not yet added to my list: the Broadway experience. So when a coworker told me they were going to be in my neck of the woods to see a musical one evening during the summer, I was surprised to find out there was a live theater basically in my own backyard.

Although I was excited to hear of yet another evening activity here in Ballard, I admit at first I felt a little hesitation. I have not been to a play or musical in many years, and most of my experiences from my youth were at places like the 5th Avenue, and invoke memories of flowered dresses and fancy dinners. Two things I do not experience often these days, by choice.

I need not have feared, however. After a little Yahoo'ing (yes, that's right, I said Yahoo'ing), I realized my notions of theater were skewed by a few "big theater" experiences.

Despite a 25 percent drop in revenues, the SeaTac light-rail station at South 200th Street will still be finished by 2016, Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl told the Sound Transit board Sept.23.

But planned stations near Highline Community College in Des Moines and Star Lake in Federal Way may be delayed, she added.

The South 200th station will have park-and ride facilities, which is partly designed to ease parking shortages at the Tukwila station, located at Tukwila International Boulevard and South 154th Street.

When the Sound Transit Board began work Sept. 23 on the 2011 budget, it signaled the kickoff of a process that will realign agency project and service priorities in response to the national recession's impact on local tax revenues.

The good news: current revenue forecasts will still result in a robust regional transit system with major expansions benefiting the Puget Sound economy, environment and quality of life. However, revenues currently expected through 2023 are $3.9 billion, or 25 percent, lower than forecasted in 2008, requiring difficult choices during the 2011 budget process.

Two local students and current Small Faces Child Development Center staff were announced Sept. 27 as the winners of the first-ever Lynn B. Wirta Scholarships by the Wirta Scholarship Committee. Jane Pendras-Verdon and Kelsey Gray will receive scholarships in the amount of $500 each.

Pendras-Verdon, the winner of the Alumni Scholarship, attended Small Faces as a child and is currently enrolled at North Seattle Community College. She is also an assistant teacher in the Mountain Room at Small Faces.

“Jane is a natural," according to a Small Faces press release. "Her demeanor in the classroom coupled with her ability to focus on task is an example for everyone who works at Small Faces. She is such an asset to Small Faces, as well as the greater Seattle early childhood community.”

Gray, also a student at North Seattle Community College, received the Staff Scholarship. She is an associate teacher in Big Kids and Kangaroo Room at Small Faces.

King County Metro Transit is ready to roll out the first of its six RapidRide lines, along with other new bus routes, and schedule and routing adjustments. All are part of Metro's fall service change that begins Saturday, Oct. 2.

Changes to parking at the Burien Transit Center that were to begin on Oct. 2 have now been delayed.
The highlight of the Oct. 2 service change is the debut of RapidRide "A Line," which replaces Route 174 between the Federal Way Transit Center and Tukwila International Boulevard Link light rail station. The A Line will provide 15-minute service most of the day, with 10-minute service during peak commute periods.

On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 2 and 3, all trips will be free on the A Line.

RapidRide marks a new generation of Metro bus service that includes newly designed shelters, signs, and buses. The distinctive red and yellow buses are low-emission hybrid-powered vehicles with low floors and three doors for faster, easier boarding.