November 2010

In the second orca related event of the last five days in West Seattle (the first was Orcafest on Nov. 7) Marine Biologist Brad Hanson, from Northwest Fisheries Science Center provided a "Research Update" with an unusual but honest title "In search of spew, poo and goo - Learning about Orcas from what they eat" at the Duwamish Longhouse Wednesday, Nov. 10.

Hanson first became enamored of orcas with one of the first ones ever captured, Namu, in 1965, and at the age of 10 spent hours near the whale and others that followed. "The trainers would give me a ball and I'd play with the whale all day," he said, "things were a lot looser back then."

He took that early fascination and built it into a career as a marine biologist. The knowledge gained since then is, "like a quantum leap," Hanson explained, and that the Pacific Northwest "really was in fact the epicenter for this whole change (…) in terms of cetacean research."

The Vashon Sportsmen's Club on Vashon Island has donated space for a Amanda Knox Defense Fund Benefit the evening of Nov. 20. Knox, a West Seattle resident and current UW student was sentenced Dec. 4 last year to 26 years in an Italian prison for killing her college roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia, Italy on Nov. 1, 2007. She will begin her appeal case Nov. 24. Knox, her family, and supporters maintain her innocence.

Why Vashon Island? The fundraiser is being organized by longtime island resident, Karen Parker Pruett. Also, Amanda's father is a former island resident.

"I grew up on Vashon and my parents still live in the house that I grew up in," Amanda's father, Curt, told the West Seattle Herald. "My parents are planning on attending the fundraiser, and my dad will be submitting some artwork for the silent auction."

Amanda's grandfather is a painter and will most likely donate one of his prints, Pruett said.

"Anything that happens on Vashon Island, we're all one or two degrees of separation," said Pruett, who occasionally writes for the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber newspaper.

Des Moines Police Officers, responding to a roaming dog call, chased Rosie, a 200 pound Newfoundland, into Lora Perry’s backyard where police officers shot and killed the dog last Sunday, Nov. 7.
“It almost seemed like it was a game to them,” Perry said, referring to the four officers, including a police Sgt., who responded to the call. She said the officer who shot Rosie had no remorse, and treated it like a challenge, saying a officer said, ‘I haven’t had one that big before.’
The police report lists Rosie at 200 pounds, however the dogs owners say Rosie only weighed 120 pounds.
An incident review is being done to determine whether the officer’s actions were justified or not.
After the incident review there will be a shooting review. Des Moines Police Sgt. Bob Collins said the officer felt lethal force was justified based on the dog’s previous aggressive actions.
“He believed it was the step he needed to take,” Collins said.

UPDATE for 6/22/11:
The skeleton for the new two-story, 140,000 square foot South Transfer Station in West Seattle has been built, showing clear signs of progress for the facility that will replace the old transfer station across the street (130 S. Kenyon St.).

Henry Friedman, project manager for Seattle Public Utilities said the new station is still on target for a June 2012 opening and so far there haven't been any issues overshooting the budget.

Original story from Nov. 10, 2010:
The City of Seattle will break ground on a new $50 million waste transfer station in West Seattle on Nov. 22, according to project manager Henry Friedman of Seattle Public Utilities.

The two-story, 140,500 sq. foot building with 84 parking spots is projected to be finished in June 2012. It will be built at 130 S. Kenyon St., just northwest of the existing waste transfer station and was approved on Nov. 1 by Lucas DeHerrera, Senior Land Use Planner for the Department of Planning and Development.

Jessica Talley got her dog Ernie from Fur Baby Rescue in Blaine, Washington and when she and her boyfriend James brought him home, he was top dog. Ernie is a Shih Tzu and not large (though Jessica describes him as "chunky") but he knew he was in charge in the house. At least at first. "When we first got him he walked in there like I am top dog. End of story (...) and he was for a really long time," Jessica said.

Ernie has a move that Jessica calls his "bullfighter" in which he puffs out his chest, holds up his head, growls and paws the ground. This came as a surprise to the dog they already had, Oscar who is a Bichon/Maltese mix.

"Oscar doesn't have the social skills that Ernie does, with his puppy mill history. He didn't understand what was going on other than this little dog is growling at me and I better do what he says," Jessica explained.

But that changed.

Press release:

All you have to do is (1) grab a large garbage bag, (2) toss in clothes you don’t want/need/wear and (3) drop it off at the High Point Center. Please make sure that all clothes are clean and have been washed recently, and have minimal wear n’ tear. We are collecting donations between now and December 8th.

Don’t have clothes you want to part with? Then volunteer at the Clothing Drive on Saturday December 11th from 10 am – 2pm. The youth will be preparing a special meal for all the volunteers, and given their skills – it’ll be a fantastic meal.

Call or email me with any questions.

Thanks a bunch.

Aparna

Aparna Rae
Youth Development Programs Coordinator (YELS)
T (206) 588-4900 ext. 626 | C (206) 832-9949

by Sam Reed

The Seahawk’s 2010 Fall sports season was a very successful one, in that it saw solid team improvement, outstanding individual achievements and tremendous overall achievement both in the field of play and in the classroom. Overall 175 student-athletes donned helmets, knee pads, shin guards, running shoes or spikes and represented Chief Sealth International in Metro League competition.

The Greenwood Food Bank currently has less than two palettes of holiday food, a dire situation for the holidays, according to Volunteers of America Western Washington, the organization that runs the food bank.

“This time last year we had seven palettes of holiday food," Patty Leach, program manager for the Greenwood Food Bank said in a Volunteers of America press release. "This year we only have two. Demand has been increasing, and we are struggling to meet the need."

Last month, the Greenwood Food Bank had an unprecedented number of clients visiting the food bank, according to Volunteers of America.

“In one month, our numbers grew to an additional 1,000 individuals served," Leach said in the press release. "We are currently serving 4,000 individuals each month. I have never seen that type of growth at our food bank."

Food donations have decreased this year, according to Volunteers of America. The Greenwood Food Bank needs nutritious, hearty food as well as holiday food items, especially frozen turkeys.

Breath of Aire is coming to Seattle Hope Lutheran Church for an inspiring evening of songs to benefit the people of Haiti.

Breath of Aire is a Northwest Choir dedicated to lifting others up. Visit their web site at http://breathofaire.org/ and see their concert schedule and music selections.

Admission is Free but 
a free-will offering will be taken.

Sunday
November 21st
at 6 P.M.
4456 42nd Ave SW
Seattle, WA
Sponsored by
Hope Lutheran Church

The City of Seattle announced its preparations for the coming winter with its updated winter storm plan Nov. 9.

“[The Seattle Department of Transportation] has prepared a new strategy for winter storms, as well as improving our coordination with other agencies," Mayor Mike McGinn said in Department of Transportation press release.

“We have salt and salt brine stockpiled and equipment prepared for when snow falls this winter,” department Director Peter Hahn said in the press release. “Our plan is to stay ahead of storms by pretreating streets and keeping key roadways open for Metro’s buses before and after snow falls.”

The city's winter response plan, which was designed in consultation with King County Metro Transit and other partners, calls for keeping roads open, buses moving and critical emergency services accessible.

Highlights of the plan include:

• Using salt brine pretreatment before snow falls to reduce snow’s ability to stick to streets. Using salt during storms to melt snow more quickly. And, limited use of sand to help vehicles maintain their traction.