March 2011

City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw attended the Ballard Disctrict Council meeting last night to answer questions and present an update on Seattle parks and waterfront.

Bagshaw chairs the Committee on Parks and Seattle Center committee as well as the Council’s Special Committee on Viaduct, Seawall, and Waterfront

"We have quite a budget problem in the city," she said. "We had a 67 million deficit in our budget last year and unfortunately, parks is always the one that takes the cut first. It kills us but that's what happens."

Bagshaw said Seattle has 6,000 acres in parks, 400 individual parks, and 900 people are employed to run and maintain them.

"Parks are so important to our quality of life in the city," she said. "And our focus is to improve and maintain our existing parks."

The City is looking at Portland for ways to improve parks and transit. Bagshaw was part of a delegation that went to Portland last week to take a close look at their transit system.

"Portland has this thing called neighborhood green ways," she said. "They connect the parks and provide alternative routes for biking and walking away from the arterials."

Ballard High's basketball star Salim Gloyd, who was named "All State" for his impressive performance all season, will play in the 2011 WIBCA All-State games this weekend. Presented by Adidas and Cloud 9 Sports, the games will take place at Mountlake Terrace High School and will bring together the top boys basketball players from across the state for the annual showcase event.

Past players in this annual game include Brandon Roy, Aaron Brooks, Luke Ridnour, Jason Terry and Nate Robinson.

There will be a total of three games, with the earliest starting at 2 p.m. Salim Gloyd is part of the 4A team and ill play at 5:15 p.m.

In addition to the games, awards will be presented to State Players of the Year, Coaches of the Year, and the State Mr. Basketball award.

Ballard's coach William Rodgers will be receiving a Coach of the Year award.

...WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING...

THE WIND ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING.

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...EVERETT...SEATTLE...TACOMA...
BRINNON...LACEY...TOLEDO...AND MONTESANO.

* WINDS...SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
50 MPH MID AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS.

* IMPACTS...WINDS THIS STRONG CAN CAUSE SOME POWER OUTAGES AS
WELL AS TOPPLE TREES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 39 MPH OR
GUSTS OF 45 TO 57 MPH ARE LIKELY. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN SNAP
SMALL TREE BRANCHES...TOPPLE SMALL OR SHALLOW-ROOTED TREES...AND
CAUSE LOCAL POWER OUTAGES.

909 restaurant is expanding, taking over a the former flower shop next door at 913 SW 152nd st. turning it into more seating inside and out with full bar.

The stone tiles in the couryard are a great complement to current deck seating. The Ricci family expects all construction to be completed in the next month. There will be room for many more guests who favor outside dining in Olde Burien.

Celebrate the Irish spirit in us all as Burien's Cove2Clover festivities expand to add a brand-new two-day rollicking Celtic Folk Fair, plus a challenging obstacle course option for the event's Fun Run or Walk.
From Friday, March 11 to Sunday, March 13, the nonprofit Cove2Clover offers activities for all ages: the 5K Beat the Snake Run or Walk that started it all, the Wee (Family) Race, a pub crawl, beer garden, Celtic dance and music, activities for kids, artisans and craft vendors, local restaurant food specials and an Irish gala.

Friday, March 11 - Pub Crawl

"The Pub Crawl that Started It All" begins at 6 p.m. at Burien Town Square, at the corner of Fifth Place Southwest and Southwest 152nd Street. Visit the stops listed on your passport and collect stamps or stickers to qualify for door prizes. Return to Burien Town Square by 11 p.m. for live Celtic music and door prizes. A prize will also be awarded for the Best Leprechaun Costume during judging from 11:30 to 12 p.m., when the crawl officially ends.

The Boeing Company announced it would contribute $4 million toward construction of a new facility for Aviation High School (AHS), to be located adjacent to Boeing Field and Tukwila's Museum of Flight.
Several other aerospace companies and individuals also pledged more than $3 million in financial support at an event Monday, March 7 at the museum. The capital campaign now must raise an additional $1.5 million in private funding in order to proceed with ground breaking this summer.

"This funding would not have come together without the inaugural contribution of $3 million from James and Sherry Raisbeck of Raisbeck Engineering and the efforts of Boeing and Alaska Airlines to engage the aviation community," said Highline Public Schools Superintendent John Welch.

Jim Albaugh, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and a host for Monday's event, characterized the effort to construct the school as an opportunity to build a legacy for future generations.

Albaugh stressed the importance of preparing students for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

By Sam Reed, Chief Sealth International High School Athletic Director

On November 15 of this Fall, 153 Chief Sealth International student-athletes turned out for the first day of the Winter sports season, ready to represent our community in gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, and both boys and girls basketball. This Thursday, March 10th we will gather to celebrate their accomplishments, along with those of both cheer and mock trial, at our annual Winter sports banquet. The event will run from 6:00-9:00pm in the galleria. All participating student-athletes, parents and supporters are invited to attend, eat dinner and hear from our coaches.

Greenwood Elementary is hosting a Literacy Night tomorrow, Thursday, March 10. According to their website, the Literacy Night is an evening of "reading fun, a raffle, games, free book and prize giveaways and dinner for the whole family."

Fifth graders Renea Harris-Peterson and Kahlid Johnson recount what happened at the last Literacy Night in October:

"You could hardly fit through the door at Greenwood Elementary’s Family Literacy Night on October 26th. All of the students, teachers, and families gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate reading. We all had food, activities, a raffle, and books to take home, and a fun “camp fire” to sit around.
There were hot dogs, tangy juice and a variety of chips to choose from. Ken’s Market and Greenwood Market generously donated the food. To the right of the food station were convenient lunch tables to sit at.
Rick, one of our tutors at Greenwood, was the weenie griller and Mr. Lommers, one of the teachers, served the chips. We had extra hot dogs but, as Rick said, “It’s better to have too much than too little.”

Set to open April, 1 in the first floor The Link Apartments is Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe which calls itself "Washington's First Certified Organic Vegetarian Café and Restaurant." They are only the 2nd restaurant in Seattle to make that claim.

The company began in the University District in 2003, quickly outgrowing its first location and now operates at the corner of 15th N.E, and N.E. 50th street moving there in 2007.

Owned by Chris Maykut the company is not a "church" for specialized eating. Even Maykut himself is not a vegetarian, so he does not try to convert people.
"If there's anything more polarizing than religion, it's food," he said.

"One of the proudest things about our culture here is that were the most "non-zealotus" place you could find (…)We put things out there and people can make decisions for themselves. While we are a haven for people who are ovo-vegetarians, and raw foodists and gluten free people, over half the people who eat here don't have any kind of specialized diet."

Press Release:
The results are in! Thank you to all who submitted nominations for The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Program. From a pool of over one dozen businesses, the committee has selected Salty's
on Alki as the WestSide Business of the Year for 2010. Please join us in honoring them at the Awards Breakfast, coincidentally, at Salty's on Alki on April 6, 2011.

All the nominees represented the quality West Seattle businesses which make us proud, including: West Seattle
Thriftway, Mashiko, Bakery Nouveau, Stor-More, Auto Buff, Click! Design That Fits, Luna Park Cafe, ZippyDogs, Roxbury Lanes, Husky Deli, J.F. Henry, and Avalon Glassworks.

A new award category this year is WestSide Emerging Business of the Year. Congratulation to Mountain To Sound Outfitters for being the first recipient and a strong addition to our business community. Some other fresh faces are already making a great impression. Nominees for WestSide Emerging Business of the Year, a category that honored those in business less than three years, included: Tuscan Tea Room, Fresh