December 2010

Widely knows as the “Bus Chick”, Carla Saulter is a writer and a mover-and-shaker when it comes to public transportation in the city. In 2003 she exchanged her car keys for a bus pass and has been living car-free ever since. Saulter writes about transit for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Grist and her blog; her picture graces the back of many Metro buses throughout the city; and she serves on the King County's Transit Advisory Committee and Regional Transit Task Force.

From being sacrifice to being a lifestyle choice, giving up a car has profoundly and positively changed her life. She even met her husband (the “bus nerd”) on the 545 bus to Redmond and together they’re raising two bus-riding babies.

BNT sat down with the Bus Chick to chat about the car-free lifestyle, the benefits and the challenges.

BNT: How did this transition to living car-free come about?

Big Al Brewing normally opens its tasting room doors at three p.m. on a Friday, but Dec. 17 was a special occasion and they opened up shop at 10 a.m. for Evening Magazine host Jim Dever and his camera crew to shoot their show at the brewery at 9832 14th Ave s.w.

The show picked Big Al’s based on a Twitter poll where Dever asked viewers where they would like Friday’s show to be. The producers of King 5’s show didn’t have a location in mind, so Dever decided to let the people decide through social media.

One of Big Al’s good customers nominated the brewery on Wednesday, Dec. 15 and within moments Big Al had the information sent out to all of his Twitter and Facebook followers.

His loyal clientele took action and Big Al Brewing ran away with the election, leading the entire time and receiving 150 votes out of 400 (there were 20 different locations nominated).

“Our fans rallied together to make this happen,” Big Al said as the Evening Magazine show wrapped up on a sunny Friday afternoon.

Dever said the Evening Magazine shoots from a different location for each show, so, “location serves as studio.”

Many have gotten to know James Rasmussen through his jazz performances and as former director of the Duwamish Longhouse Museum and Cultural Center. Rasmussen, a leader in the Duwamish Tribe, has been involved with the push to clean the Duwamish River since 1980 and helped it become an official Superfund Site, in 2001.

On January 1, he becomes the new director for the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, and replaces BJ Cummings.

"I'll be doing more behind the scenes development and policy," said Cummings. "For me it's just about quality of life after having spent a lot of personal time with my family for the past year."

Cummings is referring to her year-long sabbatical. She went around the world with her son, Colin, 12. Her husband and Colin's father, Tom Sackett, met up with them at various exotic locales. She and her son returned in September. The West Seattle reported their journey here:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2009/09/02/features/duwamish-river-env…

Also here: http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/05/21/features/duwamish-environme…

Press Release:
The King County Ferry District is advising passengers that the 2011 winter sailing season has been set for the West Seattle Water Taxi.

From Jan 1 – March 31, service will continue to be offered five days a week consistent with the current sailing schedule. Currently, the water taxi operates five morning trips and five afternoon trips Monday through Friday to serve commuters headed into downtown Seattle. This schedule may be adjusted when the Rachel Marie returns to service in a few weeks.

“This winter sailing schedule will continue to be a great option for passengers looking to avoid bumper-to-bumper traffic during their daily commute,” said King County Ferry District Chair Larry Gossett. “And as road work continues along the waterfront, the water taxi will become an even more valuable commute alternative for residents who want to avoid construction tie-ups.”

Meanwhile, repair work continues on the Rachel Marie, which was damaged in last September. The vessel is expected to be back in operation sometime in January.

For more details on the West Seattle Water Taxi winter sailing season, visit: www.kingcounty.gov/watertaxi.

Tamera Duke joins the real estate team of James and wife Cynthia Tibbetts at Windermere Real Estate/Fauntleroy, Inc., 6505 California Ave. S.W.

Tamera and husband, David, celebrated at a recent office Christmas party luncheon there.

2 a.m. on December 12. 4400 block of Francis Avenue N.

On Sunday morning around 1:30 a.m, a couple left a Belltown bar wanting to return to their Fremont home.They flagged down a Lincoln Town Car.
The two occupants of the car drove the intoxicated couple to their home. Once at their house, the couple invited the two occupants in for a few drinks.
The subjects accepted the invitation and stayed for a short while. The victims escorted their “guests” out, closed the door and went to bed shortly thereafter.
The next morning the couple woke up and discovered that they had been robbed.
A long list of items were missing including credit cards, IMAC computer, IPAD and Logitech case, HP Laptop computer, Wii game consult, Wireless router, Cash, Louis Vitton purse, leather jacket and watch.
The victim also reported that his credit card was used to make an unauthorized purchase that night.
The stolen IPAD however had an active GPS and using his phone, the victim located the whereabouts of the IPAD.

By PJ Glassey

Did you know that your body has a ‘burn fat’ button, and with one simple command, you can direct your body to dump pounds of fat? Well it's true – but most people push the ‘pack on the fat’ button instead.

We were meant to eat protein, and that is how it still should be. Our genetics haven’t changed in the last 10,000 years, but our diet sure has, and now we have the biggest obesity epidemic the planet has ever seen.

When we increase protein intake, our bodies shed fat. When we increase fast carbs, our bodies hold on to fat. When protein intake goes down, your body anticipates starvation and to help you survive, it stores fat and doesn’t let go. It’s just a simple survival mechanism.

So how can our bodies still react as if we’re starving, with all this food around? Like I point out in my book, Cracking Your Calorie Code, it’s the type of calorie and the timing of that calorie that makes all the difference.

All those low-protein junk food and breads that we eat give our bodies the ‘fear of starvation’ reaction and puts us into the ’store fat’ mode.

So what is the ‘Burn Fat’ button?

With numerous published columns and two books, one titled Pleasures and Ponderings: From Nun to Nudist to Now, West Seattle life coach, speaker, and poet Moreah Vestan likes to provoke. The curmudgeon may ruffle feathers, but her art is avoiding conflict, not creating it.

Moreah (rhymes with Gloria) Vestan has presented at IBM, Bank of America, Discover U, Unity Church, Edmonds Community College, Senior Center of West Seattle, Real Estate Assn. of Puget Sound (REAPS), Gay City U and County Libraries. Her workshops have included Ten Fatal Dating Mistakes and how to Avoid Them, 11 Principles for the Pursuit of Pleasure, Managing Stress, Procrastination Resources, and Renting Out Rooms without Regrets. Vestan currently shares her big house with six roommates and said she takes her own advice to keep her home harmonious.


The King County Prosecutor says there is no criminal culpability for the three police officers involved in the shooting death of Rosie, a Newfoundland dog, in Des Moines.

From a statement in the King County Prosecutor's report it said, “The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has concluded that the three police officers involved in the shooting death of Rosie did not commit either a felony offense under state statute or a criminal violation under King County Code.”

Rosie, a Newfoundland owned by Deirdre and Chuck Wright, was shot and killed by Des Moines Police officers on Nov. 7. The officers, responding to a roaming dog call, found Rosie wandering the street on 16 Avenue South near South 272 Street. Rosie was not wearing a collar, and after failed attempts to identify her the officers tried to capture her with a catch pull.

Unable to capture her with a catch pull, the officers tased Rosie, which only succeeded in causing her to run away. She was followed and tased again, and she ran again. The officers found her in the fenced yard of Lora Perry.

Press Release:
This January, ParentMap magazine—Seattle’s premier resource for parents and families—will sponsor three separate Preschool Preview events; one in North Seattle, one in South/West Seattle, and one in Bellevue. Free to the public, these events bring together dozens of community preschools, giving attendees a chance to peruse the various early-learning opportunities that exist in their community in a fun, stress-free setting.

“Choosing a preschool for your child is rarely a straightforward task,” said Alayne Sulkin, ParentMap’s publisher. “We are excited to offer those who attend an opportunity to compare and contrast the array of programming options, as well as have the opportunity to ask specific questions of preschool staff members. These events are intended to offer parents in our community a bit of a helping hand.”

Parents, come alone or with the kids! Each location boasts a fun to-do for children and parents to enjoy while on their educational outing.

North and South/West Seattle: