March 2011

Sunday afternoons we often went to the movies. The old Rose Theater on Lombard Street was only a mile from our house -- if you wanted to walk through the Vancouver Avenue woods. We didn't mind the woods during the daylight even though every kid knew they were a hideout for robbers, axe murderers and assorted bad guys who came up from the railroad tracks.

During the week we'd pile wood or mow lawns, make ten cents and go watch a Tom Mix movie. Sometimes when we didn't have any money we'd hang around the ticket booth till Mrs. MacMillan let us in.

By the time we got out it was usually dark and there was no way we were going back through the woods. In fact, to avoid danger, we had to go all the way up to Portland Boulevard and then back down Vancouver Avenue. Trouble was, we still had to travel along the edge of the forest for a mile when it was pitch black. So we devised a clever scheme to deceive any guy with funny ideas who might be lurking near the edge of the road. For that whole mile we'd gallop side by side making occasional horse sounds. It worked beautifully. We were never bothered.

The Ballard Track team had their opening Jamboree last Thursday competing against Roosevelt, Ingraham and Nathan Hale.

Brad Baker, Alex Browns, Irvin Granstrum, Emmaline Suchland, Carolyn Birkenfeld, and the relay team took first place for the Beavers.

Ballard competes against Eastlake on Thursday, March 24th.

Here are the Varsity top 10s for Ballard:

Men's results:

400 Meters:
1 Brad Baker, 53.50
2 Staurt Thomas, 55.80
4 Philemon Gituma, 57.60

800 Meters:
1 Alex Bowns, 2:03.70

1600 Meters:
2 Alex Bowns, 4:33.00
5 Victor Bailly, 4:50.40
6 Bryan Quandt, 4:51.90

4x400 Relay:
3 Relay Team, 4:04.80
5 Relay Team, 4:21.20

Shot Put - 12lb
4 Paul Menendez, 40-03.00
9 Robert Meyer , 35-06.50

Discus - 1.6kg
2 Alex Weatbrook, 123-02
5 Sean Timmons, 94-05
6 Robert Meyer , 93-00
9 Paul Menendez, 82-04

Long Jump
1 Irvin Granstrum, 18-02.00
4 Jesse Scott, 16-07.00
8 Lucien Miller, 14-02.00

Triple Jump - Varsity - Finals
2 Victor Bailly, 37-02.00
3 Jason Mills, 32-09.00

Women's Results

100 Meters
1 Emmaline Suchland, 12.80
8 Carolyn Birkenfeld, 13.50

200 Meters

West Seattle Little League President Mark Terao announced on March 21 that the annual Jamboree for the league, originally scheduled for March 26 has been rescheduled.

"Due to the record setting rain in Seattle the fields are not ready at Bar-S playground which has forced West Seattle Little League to push the season starting Jamboree back to April 2, 2011," Terao said.

The annual event features a short game involving all the teams in which they play "against a team in their division."

This is a free, family oriented event.

The league has been working to complete field improvements including a new concession building that is replacing the former "Snack Shack" that was removed last summer.

The Jamboree begins at 9:00 am and ends at 6:00pm.

It's not certain that the new concession building will be complete by the time of the event.

You can follow the progress on the improvements through the league's shutterfly account.

By Christopher Fontana, Executive Director, Global Visionaries

Like the working and middle class Americans who were asked to help pay for the Wall Street bailouts, Wisconsin state workers are asked to pay a deep price.

They are asked to sacrifice their inalienable democratic right to speak, organize and ask for fair treatment from employers. They are asked to relinquish their right to collective bargaining. In short, they are asked to give up their 1st Amendment rights.

Consider the following examples from the past decade:

Following the WTO protests in Seattle in 1999, our government began to create “protest zones” to keep voices of dissent away from critical locations.

Following the 2000 election, we learned that African American voters in the state of Florida were denied equal access to voting booths.

Following 9/11, we were asked to give up our right of free speech as the Pentagon perfected the art of “embedded journalism” and our mainstream media became the mouthpiece of illegal war and state-sponsored torture.

By State Representative Reuven Carlyle

Reuven Carlyle represents the 38th District in the Washington State Legislature.

On Thursday the new revenue forecast was announced, and the state will have $700 million less in projected revenue to balance our upcoming two-year budget, raising the overall shortfall to about $5.4 billion.

Anxiety levels have been running high in Olympia, and I find it troubling that some are suggesting the Legislature may not finish in the currently scheduled 105 days, and slide into a special session.

There are no budget decisions we would make in June that we are unable to make in April. It certainly won’t be easy or pleasant, but we absolutely must move forward and complete the work of crafting a two-year budget on time.

As a part of that work, we should also have the courage to push and prod the political establishment into touching the untouchables.

Making your own cheese sounds so intimidating. But just like making bread, the ingredients are simple and the method is easy. It just takes a little time. Homemade cheeses are terrifically fresh and much lower in salt than anything you can buy. Lack of salty preservatives makes them much healthier for your kidneys and heart.

For equipment, all you need is a thermometer, a strainer, and some cheesecloth. Citric acid is often available in the bulk spices section of a grocery store. You can find rennet at a local brewing store like The Cellar Homebrew or search for it online.

Fresh Cheese
1 gallon whole milk, not ultra pasteurized
1/4 cup white or cider vinegar

Pour the milk into a large pot. Stir constantly to prevent scorching. When the milk reaches 195 degrees, remove from heat. Stir in vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes. The milk should separate into a white solid part (curds) and a yellowish liquid (whey).

Thistle Theatre, a puppet theatre for families, will donate 25 percent of ticket sales for Momotaro the Peach Boy to the Japanese disaster relief effort through Mercy Corp and their partner Peace Winds-Japan. Bunraku-style puppets and origami puppets are combined to tell this exciting Japanese folk story.

Momotaro is the most popular children’s story in Japan. Momotaro, a young boy who magically emerges from a peach, bands together with a dog, a monkey and a pheasant to defeat the Onis (demons) who have been terrorizing his village.

Momotaro will be performed at the Sunset Hill Community Club (3003 NW 66th Street) on March 25th at 7:30p.m. and March 26th and 27th at 1:00p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Tickets are $7 for children and seniors and $9 for General Admission.

To purchase tickets call Thistle Theatre at (206) 524-3388 or visit www.thistletheatre.org or www.brownpapertickets.org.

Click on photo for SLIDESHOW

Al Semple and Julie Rogers threw their second fundraiser for the Amanda Knox Defense Fund that helps pay Knox's mounting legal fees. This one was held Sunday, March 20, at West Seattle Bowl. Their first was held Oct. 16 at Shadowland Bar & Restaurant in the Alaska Junction. According to Semple and Rogers, as of Monday, March 21, over $1,650 was netted.

The bowing alley is divided by two sides, and one side was filled with fundraiser attendees. Knox's family was not involved in the organizing. However, many of them attended Sunday's event.

"It's better than expected, a lot of people here, a great turnout," said Rogers. "The lanes were sold out."

"I'm here because this is a fundraiser on Amanda's behalf," said her father, Curt Knox told the West Seattle Herald. "It is people gathering to show their support for her and our family and it's very kind of everybody to show up. It's really neat to see some of my old friends here including people I played ball with, but it's extraordinary that somebody cares enough to pull these events together." He was referring to Semple and Rogers.

The first day of spring is about more than the day and night being of equal length. For many it's about the return of beauty to the landscape in the form of flowering plants and trees.

After the early crocuses and camelias have blossomed in late winter, depending on the temperature an explosion of spring color in the trees means warmer temperatures and longer days are here.

Photographer Kim Robinson shot this flowering tree on lower Gatewood Hill.

Photo data:

1/160 of a second
F 7.1
42 mm
ISO 100

From the SPD Blotter:

On March 19th, shortly after 6:00 PM, three suspects entered a licensed medical marijuana dispensary located in the 5400 Block of California Avenue SW. Also inside the business were three employees and two customers. The three suspects were asked by employees to leave, as they were not there to purchase anything. At that point, the suspects pulled out handguns and proceeded to restrain everyone in the store and rob them.

The suspects then fled the store on foot.

The employees of the business were able to free themselves and gave chase.

They managed to catch two of the suspects a few blocks away. In his haste to get away, one of the suspects dropped his handgun and some stolen items in the alley. Responding officers arrested the two suspects and then located and arrested the third suspect a short distance away. In all, two handguns, the victim’s wallets and money and stolen marijuana were all recovered. Robbery and CSI detectives responded to the location to process the scene.

All of the suspects were interviewed by detectives.