May 2011

Ballardite to debut her first film at the NW Film Forum's 5 minute remake challenge

Last month, the Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) put out a challenge for the "intrepid film maker" in Seattle to remake their favorite film into a five-minute short.

Together with James Grindle, Ballardite Rachel Livingston has taken on the challenge and will be premiering her first film as a director tonight at 8 p.m. at the NWFF.

"I’ve secretly always wanted to make a movie," Livingston said.

A NWFF volunteer, Livingston calls herself a " lifelong cinefile".

"I fell in love with the movies the first time I saw “The Wizard of Oz” at the age of three or four," she said.

"My parents always took me to see foreign or independent films that played at more avant garde theatres in Seattle long before videos or DVDs when people depended on movie theatres to see art house movies."

"I practically lived in The Neptune during college back when The Neptune played old movies and foreign films that ran for a day to a week only. It’s not an exaggeration to say that these early film viewing experiences helped shape how I view art, the world and my own life."

Neighborhood
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West Seattle Crime Prevention Council: drug use rises, burglaries drop

May 17’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council (WSCPC) meeting brought crime updates from SPD Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis and 30 years of Washington state drug knowledge from Steve Freng, manager of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) group. Crime report for May Lt. Davis had good news to report: burglaries, car prowls and auto thefts are all down for West Seattle. He highlighted the drop in burglaries as significant in relation to the spike seen last month. Lt. Davis said by the April 10 West Seattle had 23 reported burglaries for the month.
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Seattle Parks seeking input on adult and lifelong recreation programs

Press release:
 
Staff from Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Lifelong Recreation Program will be on hand at a community dinner at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8 to gather input from key West Seattle leaders on programs for adults and seniors.
 
The dinner takes place at Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge Way SW.
 
Parks would like to hear from leaders and citizens about the types of programs they would like to see for West Seattle adults and seniors, and to talk about potential partners and challenges.
 
The public is invited; the simple, nutritious dinner is limited to 75 people. For more information, please call Mary Dalzell at 206-935-2162, or email her at mary.dalzell@seattle.gov.

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The Ballard softball team beats Issaquah for the program's first KingCo playoffs win ever

The Ballard softball team beat Issaquah in the first round of the KingCo playoffs last night. This is the softball program first KingCo playoffs win ever.

It was not an easy win for Ballard but with Andrea Jewett in the circle pitching nine strikeouts and a strong defense behind her, the Beavers won 2 against 1.

It was a o-o game until the seventh inning when Ballard's Jamie Thelen hit a double and Andrea Jewett hit an infield single to bring Kaila Lafferty in. On the same play the ball was over thrown which allowed Thelen to score Ballard's second run. 

Issaquah got one back but Bernie Cardon threw out a girl trying to steal second and Jewett finished the last batter with a strikeout.   

The Ballard softball team plays again tonight against Newport at 5:00 p.m. at Hartman Park in Redmond. 

Neighborhood
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White Center Jubilee Days announces 2011 calendar of events

Press release:
White Center Jubilee Days is a Seafair Sanctioned Community Event. The street fair and parade will celebrate it’s 88th year in White Center in 2011. The festival continues to grow. In 2010 a Garden Tour was revived, Fireworks, an Auto Show and Shine, and a Gala Auction were added. This year new events include the Spring Fling & Pinewood Derby, a Retro Roller Skating Party and a Bowling Extravaganza.

June 25, 2011
Jubilee Days Golf Tournament
Glen Acres Golf & Country Club,
1000 S. 112th Street
Seattle, WA 98168.
The start time will be 1:30 pm with a shotgun start.
Dinner and the awards presentation will be at 5:30 pm

July 9, 2011
The Mclendon Hardware Garden Tour
This year's Garden Tour will again start in the parking lot of McLendon Hardware,
10210 16th Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98146.
The tour will feature 10 distinctive gardens in the White Center area and then end back at McLendon's.
9:00 am - 6:00 pm

July 13, 2011
The second annual Jubilee Days Fireworks Show.
Steve Cox Memorial Park
15th SW & 102nd
White Center, WA 98146

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South Park Community Center and eSe Teatro to host staged reading of Electricidad by Luis Alfaro

Adaptation of Sophocles’ Electra set in LA barrio; discussion will follow the reading

Press release:
South Park Community Center and eSe Teatro are hosting a staged reading of the play Electricidad by Luis Alfaro, an adaptation of Sophocles’ Electra set in a Los Angeles Barrio.

The reading, an event of the City’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, is directed by Rose Cano and takes place at South Park Community Center, 8319 8th Ave. S, at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 26 following a 5:30 p.m. dinner.

eSe Teatro describes Electricidad as “a brutally modern adaptation of the classic revenge saga set within gang culture of the “barrio.” One of the foremost Latino playwrights in the U.S. and winner of the MacArthur “Genius Award,” Luís Alfaro’s eye-opening rendition situates the iconic characters in the present-day world of the “Cholo” where the South Side Locos are Kings and Spanglish rules. Electricidad is mourning her father’s body in her front yard, much to the dismay of the vecinos (neighbors) and her mother Clemencia, who was rumored to have had him killed to establish her power in the gang hierarchy. A comical bilingual chorus called “El Chisme” gossips and tries to save their barrio from inevitable cycles of violence.”

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Seattle Public Schools celebrate National Bike Month

Press release:
Twenty elementary and K-8 schools are participating in Bike to School Month in May; and on Friday, May 20 families celebrate National Bike to Work/School Day. Several area schools will hold special events to recognize their commitments to physical fitness and promoting environmental literacy.

Throughout May, students and families across the District are logging thousands of bike trips to school while engaging in healthy activity and reducing car traffic and air pollution. As part of the program, students track their bicycle commutes during the month and earn stickers and prizes for their participation. The program, sponsored by Cascade Bicycle Club, is designed to promote safe and knowledgeable cycling habits and encourage regular bicycle commuting.

West Seattle schools participating:

Gatewood
Bike to School Month Participant

Lafayette
Bike to School Month Participant

Pathfinder
Bike to School Month Participant

Roxhill
Bike to School Month Participant

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New Midweek Commuter-Friendly Farmers Market to open June 9 in Interbay Urban Center

Seattle Farmers Market Association (SFMA) has announced the opening of a new Interbay Thursday Farmers Market. This commuter-friendly market will be located on the Whole Food Market’s parking lot in the Interbay Urban Center on 15th Avenue West.

Opening on June 9, the market will be comprised of the farmers and producers from last year's Belltown farmers market at SAM's Olympic Sculpture Park. Interbay Farmers Market is anticipated to have over 30 vendors to begin with and room to expand to 40+ during peak harvest season.

This new farmers market will provide the best of both worlds for convenient midweek shopping, fresh picked seasonal produce from local farms and food producers, and the in-depth selection of the Whole Foods Market experience.

Earlier this year, the Interbay Urban Center group and Whole Foods Market sat down with SFMA and welcomed the idea of bringing a midweek farmers market to the growing Interbay neighborhood.

Together, they expect to offer a central, convenient opportunity for those who live nearby, and for the daily commuters to discover the Center.

Neighborhood
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At Large in Ballard: Quinn Smart, Philanthropist

So, a non-profit organization that provides emergency services is planning their annual fundraising luncheon. Due to the economy donations are down; needs are greater than ever. They really need to put together a program that will inspire attendees to donate. Their keynote speaker is nationally known and a perfect mix of controversial and amazing but they still need just the right person for the all-important “ask.” They consider local politicians and philanthropists. Let’s say it comes down to two candidates: former Mayor Norm Rice or Quinn Smart.

The non-profit Solid Ground chose Quinn Smart, even though she is not former mayor and will not even be eligible to vote for another six years. But Quinn Smart is a definitely a philanthropist and has been since before she actually learned the word in 4th grade. Now a 6th grader at Whitman Middle School, Quinn is an experienced Penny Harvest volunteer and longtime (in childhood years) member of a youth philanthropy board. Even as a (younger) child Quinn remembers that seeing homeless people in Ballard “touched my inner shell.”

Neighborhood
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SLIDESHOW: Thousands converge on Ballard for a sunny Syttende Mai; parade was biggest yet

The weather was kind to Ballard last night as thousands converged on Market and 24th street to observe the annual Syttende Mai parade, which was the biggest one yet, according to organizers.

With 94 entries and a few thousand participants, the parade was a full two-hour long steam of variety and entertainment.

The Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team kicked off the event for the sixteenth year and many organizations, clubs, traditional costumes, high school bands, drill teams, vintage cars and unicyclists followed.

The participants danced, waived, played music, and shouted
Hip Hip Hurrah! to the mass of cheering faces and red-and-blue flags.

Thousands of people came out to observe the parade, lining the streets and packing every bar and restaurant along the parade route.

One of the highlights of the parade was Whittier Heights who came out with 113 kids on unicyles.

Syttende Mai has been celebrated in the Greater Seattle Area since 1889 and the parade is one of the largest ethnic parades in the United States.

Neighborhood
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