February 2011

The Ballard High School boys swim team has qualified for the Washington State HS Swimming and Dive Championships to be held at the Federal Way Aquatic Center on Friday and Saturday, Feb 18-19.

The team dropped time in each of the last four meets to qualify for an invitation.

"This was really a foundational year and State is just the icing on the cake," said head coach Chad Rolfs.

The team had slim expectations for a state coming into the last two sets of Championship meets but they continued to post personal bests team wide for four meets in a row.

"At the Kingco Championships we had 40 swims with 35 best times. These boys have no quit in them. It paid off with an invitation to the State championships," Jaeger said.

The Beavers qualified for State in the 200 Medley relay and 100 butterfly.

The team placed seventh overall in the 200 Medley during District Championships with a season best of 1:49.82.

Caleb Jaeger qualified for State in the 100 butterfly with a time of 56.84. He was fourth overall
in The District Championships.

The thing about being a writer is the money sucks. Therefore, most writers freelance as copywriters, write for Airline magazines, or they choose more virtuous second careers as teachers. I’ve considered all of the above, was only able to succeed at one (teaching), and when the money for that wasn’t enough, I asked myself how else I could make a quick buck. The answer came quickly: wait tables.
Sure, leaving a bar or restaurant with a pocket full of cash without robbing it was alluring. And sure, I spent my twenties relying on this medium to supplement my other virtuous work. But even at twenty, I was unable to be kind to jerks. At forty, I was pretty sure this would be an impossible feat. This meant a lucrative career as a bartender or waitress was out, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t cater.

As a dream held in more than one mind, The Bridge, at 4439 35th Ave. s.w. is set to become West Seattle's newest bar/ restaurant next week when they celebrate their grand opening on Thursday, Feb. 24. at 4:00 pm.

The owners Rita Dixson and Trevor Garand are long time West Seattleites and bring an extensive background in the business to the new venture. Dixson has experience in Los Angeles at some well known bars including the Whiskey Bar, The Sky Bar, and the Avalon in Beverly Hills but moved to Seattle worked steadily in the bar business and eventually came to work at Talaricos five years ago in the Junction. She and her husband have known Garand for 13 years. He's worked at Fox Sports Grill downtown as a corporate trainer, Elysian Fields near Qwest Field and at Feedback Lounge at the Morgan Street Junction. Over the time they've known each other they would always tell each other if an opportunity came up to own their own bar they would go for it.

In observance of Presidents Day, King County Metro Transit operates its reduced weekday and 'when no UW' service levels on Monday, February 21. Most Metro and King County offices are closed on Monday, including Metro's Pass Sales, Lost & Found and Customer Information offices.

The West Seattle Water Taxi Shuttles - DART Routes 773 and 775 - do not operate on Monday.

On days with reduced weekday and 'when no UW' service levels, Metro does not operate some commuter and school-oriented routes, and other routes have individual trips canceled.

Visit Metro Online for a complete list of routes that are canceled or that have reduced service on Monday and other holidays.

Long-range weather forecasts for the next few days also indicate the possibility of snow showers....possibly on or around Monday. Watch media reports and Metro Online for updates.

Metro's reduced weekday operation features more bus service than on weekends, but somewhat less service than on normal weekdays. There are about 10 reduced service days in the year, saving Metro an estimated $1 million annually.

Members of the Chief Sealth/West Seattle High School swim team may have had their last official swim meet for the season, but there was one more on the books for Tuesday, Feb. 15 at the Southwest Community Center Pool across from Chief Sealth.

“Meet the Swim Team Swim Meet” was the name of the event and the goal was to encourage new swimmers, both 8th graders about to make the often-dreaded transition to high school and high school students looking for a new activity, to come swim with the team and hopefully sign on for the next season starting in October.

The meet was sophomore swim team member Kelsey Hastings’ idea.

“I missed a meet and I really wanted to make varsity so I came up with the idea,” she said.

Seven new prospective team members showed up for the meet.

“I was surprised,” Hastings said. “I thought there were only going to be like one or two people.”

First year coach Maari Olsen ran the meet, getting new faces and old hands involved in light-hearted races such as a flipper relay (where kids had to put flippers on before swimming) and a floaty belt relay (where kids had to wear a flotation belt that threw off their balance).

Henry Burton, owner of Fremont Place Books, announced that he will close his store at the end of this month.

In a letter to all his friends and customers he wrote,

"This is the letter I had hoped I would never have to write.  With deep regret I have to let you know the time has come to close Fremont Place Books...Because sales have dropped precipitously and the bookstore’s debts have increased dramatically, we have reached the point where the business is no longer sustainable...

Local, independent bookstores are so much more than places to purchase a product. They are centers for inspiration, information sharing, and community building.  As such I have felt a tremendous responsibility to keep the store open.  I am well aware that closing the store is not only a loss for me personally, but also a great loss to Fremont. "

Fremont Place Books has been in Fremont for 22 years and became an important landmark and community asset. Burton took over the store seven years ago and said it has been a privilege to be part of that history.

The Neighborhood District Council of Ballard would like to hear your ideas for small scale improvements to be made in the Ballard neighborhoods. Here's a note from from the Ballard Neighborhood District Coordinator, Rob Mattson:

Hello Ballard Neighbors,

As most of you know, the city provides approx $1.2M per year to fund small scale improvement projects on our streets and in our parks. Priorities for funding these improvements are determined by each of Seattle’s 13 district councils. Applications for this year’s Neighborhood Projects Fund (NPF) are due by March 8. A fact sheet about this year’s program and the application form is attached.

Please discuss this with your respective organizations and neighbors to determine if a problem location might be addressed through this funding source.

In April, the Ballard District Council will be reviewing all proposals received during this application period along with others which were considered as priorities but not funded last year. If you have questions concerning the process or need assistance with developing a proposal , please contact me.

Thanks,

Rob Mattson
Neighborhood District Council
206.684.4051

West Seattle’s Junction liquor store at 4513 California Ave s.w. will make the move to 4100 s.w. Alaska St. when their lease runs out at the end of June, according to Washington State Liquor Control Board spokesperson Anne Radford.

Radford said there will be no planned gap in service when the move happens this summer.

The new location is part of the QFC building on s.w. Alaska St. between 41st and 42nd Ave s.w. Although Radford did not have information on the specific space they will take over, it is likely the vacant space at street level on the southeast corner of the building.

In an earlier Herald article, As liquor leaves the Junction, train store hopes to stay, it was reported that the Junction location’s landlord was fed up dealing with the state as a tenant and looked forward to their lease coming to an end. In addition, it was reported that Scott Law, owner of the Electric Train Shop that shares the space, was unsure of his future when the liquor store moved out.

Update 4 on Feb. 17:
The probable cause document relating to suspect's charges was released by King County Prosecutors on Feb. 17. The transcription is included below:

If it’s an odd business meeting a stranger to interview them; it’s probably just as strange to be the person opening the door. Of course after two hours Frank Cunningham was no longer a stranger. Plus I had so many pages of notes and quotes I knew trying to reduce his 88 years to column length was going to be painful.

“I just interviewed a man who received the 2010 US Rowing Medal,” I said by way of hello to Jody at my next stop.

“Frank Cunningham?” she said. “I love him. Was he wearing that plaid, wool hat?”

At my next stop I met a fellow writer and die-hard outdoorsman. “I just met a man who has been rowing almost all of his life,” I said.

“You met Frank Cunningham.” Scott replied.