April 2011

Click on photo for SLIDESHOW

Kids Bowl Free, an organization touring the nation in its wildly painted bus, stopped by the West Seattle Bowl as 50 students from Alki Community Center took over the lanes. They will participate in their program which officially begins April 30, and is open to all kids ages 15 and under.

Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Free program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.

Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games a day, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations.

The program promotes physical fitness and a positive community activity.

We will update.

Press Release:

Spring Wine Sale
When? THIS Friday and Saturday April 22nd & 23rd from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
What’s happening? Taste and buy NWWA Wines, NWWA Alumni wines selected by current students, and international wines. There is something to fit everyone’s budget · PLUS Gift Baskets, Bags & Buckets and Easter Baskets for the kids for sale · and more!

Mother’s Day Sale
When? Friday and Saturday May 6th and 7th from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
What’s happening? Wine tastings for sure, plus we have many gift ideas for Mom, not all gifts will have wine in them, and ALL are WELCOME – you don’t have to be 21 to come and check out the gifts for MOM!

Spring Release
When? Coming soon!
What’s happening? 6 wines to be released ! 3 whites · 2010 Riesling · 2010 Sauvignon Blanc · 2010 Roussanne · 3 reds · 2009 Zinfandel · 2010 Sangiovese · 2009 Mourvedre

Connoisseur Luncheons
When? April 28 & 29 · May 12 & 13 · May 26 & 27 · June 9 & 10, seating begins at 11:30am in the Alhadeff Grill on campus, reservations are required.

In January, Curtis Steiner, owner of the former decorative art gallery, Souvenir, announced that he was forced to close his shop by his landlord.

The landlord from Mycon Property Management plans to renovate the upper floors of the Ballard Avenue building in which Souvenir was located and intended to turn Steiner's space into an elevator shaft and stairwell for the upper floors.

With great sadness and anger, fans and friends of Steiner watched Souvenir close its doors in February. But Steiner is opening a new store, simple called Curtis Steiner, a few doors down from where Souvenir was.

"Ten days before I had to be out of the shop, someone told me about this space. It's very luck I got the lease," Steiner said.

Opening on the corner of Ballard Avenue and 22nd, in the former space of Guitar Emprium, Curtis Steiner will bring fans the same hand-picked selection of handmade art and jewelry that gained Steiner international acclaim.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the Locks, is reinstalling four smolt passage flumes this week to help juvenile salmon and steelhead move through the Locks quickly and safely.

The flumes provide a safe, water-efficient way for the fish to get through the Locks and into Puget Sound.

On the end of the slides are electronic PIT— passive integrated transponder— tag readers that can count fish that have been tagged to assist in our understanding of how fish pass through the Locks. The PIT-tag system in the slides provides information about survival and migration timing for juvenile salmon.

Studies in the 1990s showed that young salmon passing through the Locks from Lake Washington to Puget Sound had a difficult journey. Salmon were pulled into the filling culverts for the large locks, where some are injured or killed. Other salmon had a difficult time getting over the spillway near the fish ladder.

At a recent Gaia’s Temple service I learned about the Hawaiian forgiveness ritual Ho’oponopono. Judith explained how in some areas of Hawaii if someone in a family harms someone or causes conflict or misconduct, they are held responsible to the entire community and their ancestors to make amends. The family gathers together so the perpetrator of sorts can apologize and then be thanked for doing so by the community and forgiven.
It reminded me of the make amends step in the twelve step program only it felt more sustainable and deeper, because the amends was made to everyone in the group publicly rather than privately with one individual at a time. With the group amends, there is no chance of the person skipping a key person in their life and perhaps choosing to make amends with the mailman instead. All of the family and community attend the ritual, leaving no chance to avoid the person you most want to ignore.

At a media event in Fremont yesterday, Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray demanded that federal regulators crack down on excessive oil market speculation that may be contributing to artificially high gas and diesel prices in Seattle and around the country.

New Roots Organics hosted the event which highlighted local small businesses hurt by the oil spike. These small businesses were represented by Warren Aakervik from Ballard Oil, which supplies fuels for fishing boats; and Carolyn Boyle, owner of New Roots Organics and Doug McClure of Zeek's Pizza. New Roots Organics and Zeek's pizza both deliver their goods and high oil prices hurt their businesses.

The Wall Street Reform bill approved last year called for the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to implement speculative position limits in energy markets within 180 days of enactment. The CFTC is more than three months late on their January 2011 deadline to take action, while consumers continue to pay high prices at the pump, a press release from Cantwell's office states.                 

Press Release:
In response to Intiman’s cancellation of its current season, ArtsWest Playhouse & Gallery has announced that they will honor Intiman tickets in exchange for tickets to their upcoming production of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Donald Margulies (Dinner with Friends, Collected Stories). Shipwrecked! opens on Wednesday, April 27 and runs through Saturday, May 21, 2011 at ArtsWest (4711 California Ave SW, Seattle 98116). Intiman ticket holders should call the ArtsWest box office at (206) 938-0339 to reserve tickets; proof of ticket purchase to Intiman’s 2010-2011 season will be requested at the ArtsWest box office.

When asked about the plight of Intiman Theatre, ArtsWest’s Executive Director, Alan Harrison said, “Intiman is an iconic landmark in Seattle—we were both shocked and saddened to hear the news that one of Seattle’s best-known theaters is cancelling its season.”

Nationally acclaimed pianist Nyaho will be among the professional participating in Midway Elementary School’s first annual Diversity Career Fair.
The aim of the career fair is to inspire students in this high-poverty ethnically-diverse school to begin thinking about a college and career path. Most of the professionals participating in the career fair are people of color.
“Students need to see people who represent their ethnic backgrounds in professional roles,” said principal Rebekah Kim. “Bringing in these professionals who represent our students is the most realistic way for them to see they can reach these same goals in life.”
Nyaho, a Ghanian American and resident of Seattle, is a concert pianist who was educated at Oxford, Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve, Switzerland, the Eastman School of Music, and the University of Texas at Austin.
Other career fair guests include former NFL player Tremain Mack, representatives from Microsoft and Nike and medical professionals.
The day kicks off with an assembly. Nyaho will perform and guests will be introduced.

Press Release:
Southwest Community Center is the place to be from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 23,
when the community center’s Advisory Council hosts the annual Pancake Breakfast and Spring
Egg Hunt.

The cost is $4 per person (children 3 and younger eat free). Southwest Community Center is
located at 2801 SW Thistle St.

Come and enjoy scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, juice, coffee and all-you-can-eat pancakes.
Proceeds of the event support community center programs and community events.

The Spring Egg Hunt for ages 3-11 starting at 10 a.m. sharp. If possible, please arrive ahead of
time because it doesn’t last long with all those eager hunters!

At Ballard's upcoming Second Saturday ArtWalk on May 14, Root. Integrated Health, Ballard's newest collaborative Healthcare practice, will host an event to benefit Japan relief efforts.

The evening event will feature live music by the Hank Hirsh Group, local art, tapas and abundant wine. 

"One of the goals in opening our practice was to be more involved in the community. We loved the concept of combining our regular participation in one of Ballard's local events to something much larger," Lockwood said.

"We felt compelled to do something, especially as health care providers and since our mission is to aid others. " said chiropractor Kourtney Lockwood.