January 2011

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement regarding the heavy rainfall. In slide prone West Seattle any hillsides, such as the area on Beach Drive or along Alki Beach may see some mudslide activity. Winds are also expected to be 20 to 24 mph with gusts as high as 37 mph.

4:09 pm
A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS HAS PRODUCED LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON OVER THE PAST 5 DAYS. SEATAC AIRPORT HAS RECEIVED AROUND 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN WHILE LOCATIONS NEAR THE CASCADES...ALONG THE COAST...

AND IN THE SOUTH INTERIOR HAVE RECEIVED MUCH MORE. SOIL MOISTURE LEVELS AROUND WESTERN WASHINGTON ARE HIGH. ANOTHER ROUND OF PRECIPITATION RANGING FROM 0.25 TO 0.5 INCHES IN THE LOWLANDS AND OVER AN INCH IN THE MOUNTAINS IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THE RAINFALL MAY PUT CONTINUED PRESSURE ON SOIL INSTABILITY...

MAINTAINING A RISK OF LANDSLIDES THROUGH MONDAY MORNING.

The preservation of the Alki Homestead, the historic structure and restaurant forced to close two years ago after a fire, was the subject of a press conference Jan. 16 conducted by a coalition of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, Historic Seattle, 4Culture and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

In the conference the group announced they are working with private investors (which they declined to identify) and "have had significant discussions with the building owner since last summer." The owner is Tom Lin, who also owns other properties on and around Alki.

But the conference and coalition may, in the end, mean very little. Lin now expects to proceed with the restoration personally.

A severe weather advisory has been issued for King County:

A NEW ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN WILL PUSH THROUGH WESTERN WASHINGTON AND RAIN WILL PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY. THE RAIN WILL LEAD TO LOCALIZED SOIL INSTABILITIES AND AN INCREASED RISK OF LANDSLIDES. BY SUNDAY NIGHT THE TOTAL CUMULATIVE RAINFALL IN WESTERN WASHINGTON MAY EXCEED A USGS LANDSLIDE THRESHOLD INDEX WHICH IS AN RISK INDICATOR FOR LANDSLIDES.

It’s the time of year when resolutions are both made and broken.  While I’m not one to set them, I do like to look ahead and give thought to the coming year and the shape it could take:  What I’d like to see happen or create, where I’d like to make changes, what I’d like to experience. More intentions than goals, really, because I know something about best laid plans…

So here are a few things I’m looking at as I consider a greener year.

It’s all about the chemicals.

What we eat is one of the most important choices we can make to live more lightly. I’m hardly a purist, but I like knowing that my food is real and nutrient-dense, not laden with synthetic food-like substances, hormones, or poisons. In Ballard we’re lucky to have many options to purchase food that’s harvested, foraged, or cultivated so close to home.  We also have a growing number of restaurants committed to locally produced food.

The Ballard High School gymnasium was packed on Friday night. The Beavers hosted the Roosevelt Roughriders for the girls and boys varsity games as well as a special jersey retirement ceremony for BHS alumna Sue Stimac Verduin.

The girls were up first and played hard but came up short in the end. Roosevelt took an eight-point-lead in the first quarters and consistently added to that lead despite efforts from the Ballard team. Seniors Elena DeWeese and Theresa Moriarty lead the team with 13 and 11 points respectively. The final score was 36 to 49.

The Ballard boys team came out strong against Roosevelt taking a six-point-lead in the first quarter and building on that lead throughout the game. The Roughriders were unable to make a comeback and the Beavers won 60 to 39. Sophomore Stu MacGeorge lead the way with 17 points and Junior Brad Baker had a season high of nine assists.

Both varsity teams are off until Friday when they host Bothell.

In between the two varsity games, the Ballard High School Basketball program retired Sue Stimac Verduin's #15 jersey in a small retirement ceremony. Verduin is the first female basketball player to receive this honor.

12:30 a.m. on January 9th. 400 block of N. 36th St.

On the early hours of Sunday, Jan 9th, SPD received a series of call coming from a bar in Fremont. Bar security was detaining a male who had threatened to shoot them. Another called claimed security was choking the man. And a third update informed the police that a female inside the bar had been struck by a bottle and required medical attention.
When the police officers arrived to the scene, they observes security straddling and holding a man down on the ground on his back. Security stated the man had thrown a bottle which had struck a female inside.
The man was very intoxicated and hostile with the police officers. He refused to comply with orders to remain seated on the ground, attempted to get up, and swore profanities.
Officers handcuffed the man when he continued to be belligerent and uncooperative.

UPDATE: Dept. of Neighborhoods press release-

Bernie Matsuno to serve as Department of Neighborhoods interim director

SEATTLE – Bernadette (Bernie) Matsuno, a former deputy director of the Department of Neighborhoods and a well known community activist and volunteer, will return as interim director of the department, Mayor Mike McGinn announced.

The mayor named Matsuno to the interim position while he searches for a successor to Neighborhoods Director Stella Chao, who is not seeking reappointment.

It is the second stint as interim director for Matsuno, who is now retired from city government. She held the same position in 2006 under Mayor Greg Nickels before Chao was hired. She also was deputy director of the Department of Neighborhoods in 2007, director of the department’s Community Building Division from 2004 to 2006, and participated in the creation of the Department of Neighborhoods and the Neighborhood Matching Fund in 1988. Most of Matsuno's public service career has been with Neighborhoods and she looks forward to supporting the department during this period of transition.

By Steve Shay

Click on photo for slideshow

Over 35 West Seattle teens and leaders joined others, all representing Seattle community centers in a two-mile Parks and Recreation-sponsored march and program to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. today, two days prior to the national holiday in his name.

Kids from Hiawatha, Delridge, Alki, and South Park Community Centers joined others citywide. Over 80 marchers braved the rain from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 2200 MLK, Jr. Way, north to Garfield Community Center, 2323 East Cherry St.

Upon arrival to the center they participated in small group discussions led by facilitators to reflect on four questions regarding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and contributions including:
 
1)    Why do we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
2)    How have you personally benefitted from the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
3)    What can you do to make the “dream” a reality?
4)    What approaches and/or methods did Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. use that were most effective?

Two videos were shown that teens from the South Park Community Center helped create.

An array of professional magicians, including pre-teen boys and girls from as far away as Portland, and silver-bearded seasoned performers, gathered at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center Friday night and Saturday to enjoy and learn from a master, Jeff McBride. Some non-magician fans also attended Friday.

With over 200 performances on YouTube, three Guinness Book of World Records for card and coin manipulation, and appearances on all major TV networks and in front of the Queen of England, McBride, a working magician for 30 years, has plenty of experience under his belt, and plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

Coined the Jeff McBride Experience, the Friday night show included 90 minutes in the almost-100-chair intimate movement studio with the rapid-fire card flickerer, and Japanese Kabuki showman with a spiritual take, followed by a two-hour lecture. Saturday would offer a “Super Session Workshop” for magicians only.

Local Seahawk fans got a chance to cheer Friday afternoon for the Seattle Seahawks as they headed to Chicago to face the Bears in the divisional round playoff.

Fans gathered at Valley Ridge Park in SeaTac to enjoy coffee, donuts. flags and rally towels provided by the team. One woman waved a sign proposing marriage to Lofa Tatupu.

Blitz, the furry blue mascot was there, too.

After cruising by Valley Ridge, the buses headed west on South 188th Street to catch the flight to Chicago.