April 2011

Parks & Recreation press release:

Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Myrtle Reservoir Park neighborhood celebrate the dedication of a recently opened Pro Parks Levy funded park on Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Myrtle Reservoir Park is located at 6900 35th Ave. SW.

The morning is filled with music, dance, crafts and light refreshments. The Jacob
Lakatua Quartet will entertain the community by playing jazz from Cole Porter, Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk. The band is comprised of Jacob Lakatua on saxophone, Greg Belisle-Chi on guitar, Jake Brady on drums.

At 11:30 a.m., Capoeira Malês performs and spectators will have a chance to learn some of the basic movements and sequences of this exciting Afro-Brazilian art form that incorporates martial arts, dance and music together in a fun and accessible manner.

Additionally, Associated Recreation Council (ARC) Summer Day Damp is sponsoring an arts and craft table.

For many high school girls, going to the prom is an event anticipated for years-but not going to the prom because the family can't afford a formal dress can be devastating. This year, thanks to the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence, a number of high school students will be going to the prom in beautiful dresses donated by local organizations and members of the community.

On Saturday, April 23, the girls had the opportunity to select shoes, bags and other accessories as well as dresses contributed by the local community.

In its 3rd Annual Project PROMise(tm), the Highline Schools Foundation collected beautiful new and gently worn formal dresses and gowns, shoes, and accessories from throughout the community and invited high school students in need to "go shopping" for the perfect dress for their prom. The dresses are offered to the girls to keep, or they may return them to the Foundation to be used the following year.

Original Story (updated information from transportation committee meeting found below)

After several years in the “possibility” realm, Conner Homes mixed-use apartment/retail complex planned for the southeast corner of the Alaska Junction may be getting closer to happening.

The proposed project will demolish existing buildings from California Ave to 42nd Ave s.w. and raise, in their stead, two seven-story buildings with a combined 198 apartments and 25,000 square feet of retail.

The alleyway between the proposed buildings is the subject of a Transportation Committee meeting at 9:30 a.m. on April 26 to discuss Conner’s petition “to aquire the public right-of-way for private purposes a subterranean portion of the alley,” according to the notice of public hearing. Conner plans to build a 271 vehicle underground parking garage beneath the alley and two buildings.

Several years ago, in an office building near the 787 Dreamliner factory, a small group of Boeing engineers were quietly working on a lofty goal.

"We were trying to make the 787 airplane come out the quietest airplane of its size and capability," said noise engineer and Ballardite Mark Sandstrom.

Sandstrom and his colleagues set out to look for ways to make the jetliner quieter from tip to tail, participating in every facet of the Dreamliner's design.

The 787 features a new generation of engines with very high bypass-ratios; advanced acoustic linings; new engine inlets and nozzles; lightweight composite materials and a new, more aerodynamic wing.

The planes were recently tested for community noise levels in Glasgow, Montana, where flight test engineers embedded ultra-sensitive microphones along the runway of a secluded airfield. Boeing test pilots performed multiple takeoffs and approaches, testing each engine thrust setting to see how much noise the airplane generated.

From the SPD Blotter:

Today’s aggressive driving enforcement

On April 25th officers from the Aggressive Driver Response Team issued the following tickets while patrolling around the city during an early morning Speed Emphasis:

SW Admiral Way – 30 mph zone

1 at 60 mph

1 at 55 mph

1 at 54 mph

1 at 52 mph

2 at 50 mph

3 at 49 mph

1 at 47 mph

1 at 46 mph

1 at 45 mph

2 No Proof of Insurance

West Seattle Bridge – 45 mph zone

2 at 72 mph

1 at 71 mph

1 at 70 mph

2 at 67 mph

1 at 66 mph

2 at 65 mph

1 Suspended Drivers License – 3rd Degree

3 No Proof of Insurance

The Seattle Police Department encourages all motor vehicle operators to be familiar with and obey all local and state traffic laws and to always drive with due regard for all others on the roadway.

Press Release:
ArtsWest Playhouse & Gallery is proud to announce its 12th Annual Gala & Auction “Come Fly With Us” on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Museum of Flight. ArtsWest is celebrating a 1940s theme for this year’s event, which will feature auctioneer extraordinaire David Silverman plus a musical performance by ArtsWest’s Musical Apprenticeship Program students.

“This year we have a great assortment of luxurious and unique auction items, and the setting of the Museum of Flight is the perfect venue. I think everyone will be tickled by the theme and ArtsWest’s education and artistic programs will reap the benefits of the amazing energy and fun of it all,” said ArtsWest’s Development Director KayLee Jaech.

Hundreds of items will be auctioned off including several exciting vacation trips, a Kindle, and tickets to some of the hottest events in Seattle. Live auction highlights include a week in Sedona, Arizona and a skiing adventure in Whitefish, Montana. All donations from the event support ArtsWest’s arts and education programs.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray will tour the Pacific Fisherman Shipyard tomorrow and discuss efforts to give local workers the skills needed to fill local jobs. Murray will discuss her Career Pathways legislation which seeks to help young people leaving high school get skills training, as well as the Workforce Investment Act which the Senate is expected to consider shortly and is critical to retraining workers, including those who have recently been laid off.

According to a recent report released recently by the Washington State Employment Security Department, statewide job openings were up 31% last fall compared to a year earlier and there are an estimated 41,889 vacant positions. According to the same report, 46 percent of those jobs or an estimated 19,366 open jobs are located in the Seattle-King County area. However, often employers can’t find local workers with the skills needed to fill those jobs – something Senator Murray is working to remedy.

The Shipyard tour will be a first-hand look at a successful Career Pathway programs that helps equip students with the skills and experience they need to land open jobs in the future.

By Stacey Riley

Many clients I first meet with have made common design mistakes, compounded year after year as they’ve tried to balance spaces with esthetics and function—only to conclude they need and want help. I want to discuss some repeated issues I see all the time, and hope that these tips can give you a jumpstart on feeling better about your home.
 
1) Arrangement mistakes: Avoid placing all furniture up against the wall. Furniture can be angled, moved to the middle of the room or set off slightly off the wall. Otherwise it’s hard to create intimate gathering spaces and over emphasizes the perimeter of the room.
 
2) Create an entry: A bench or a basket for shoes, or a small coat armoire accomplishes this task well. Well-designed wall hooks can give your guests or family a place to hang their coats and get comfortable. The right sized and well positioned area rug gives the impression of a space within another space.
 

The BNT discovered yet another Henry mural. Painted over the weekend, his latest mural can be seen on 43rd and Fremont Avenue N.

Artist Ryan Henry Ward, better known as "Henry", has been transforming plain walls into colorful art works in and around Ballard. Some of his other works can be seen on 53th & Russell Avenue, Stone Way, on Crown Hill's Value Village, and at Leary Avenue N.W. and 8th Ave

Warm weather and blue skies at the Marge Command Courts of Highline Community College on Friday, April 22, greeted top tennis action showcasing unbeaten Kennedy Catholic against Evergeen as the squads loosened up in comfortable conditions.

The Lancers shot past the Wolverines 5-2 in Seamount League team tennis to move up to 12-0 for the season.

Mitch and Jamie Thorp emerged from the court first with a 6-0, 6-0, stoppage of the Wolverine pair of Jason Nacom and Brian Quach in No. 1 boys doubles.

Senior Chloe Miller then methodically outstroked Evergreen's Michelle Chen, 6-0, 6-0, for the girls singles event win.

Momentum continued to roll with the Lancers as the tandem of Alex Quackenbush and Maddie Holdaas downed a game pair of Mary Vo and Monica Truong 6-1, 6-0, for a 3-0 team lead.

In No. 2 girls doubles, the Wolverine duo of sophomore Tilly Kit and freshman Maria Prieto fell to Kristen Farnam and Tessa Gorton, 6-0, 6-2, but still enjoyed the learning experience against a tough team.
"We let our emotions get hold of us in the first set," admitted Prieto.
Kit was still upbeat about the experience.