May 2011

If you, like many in West Seattle use SR 99 and the Alaskan Way Viaduct to get downtown or come home be prepared to leave earlier because traffic is going to slow down. On May 16, both directions of a section of the SR 99- Alaskan Way Viaduct corridor will shrink from three to two lanes between the West Seattle Bridge and Qwest and Safeco Fields. Other closures are planned to restripe lanes.

WSDOT crews need the space provided by the lane reduction to continue construction of the new southbound lanes.

The southern mile of the viaduct corridor will remain two lanes in each direction for the next two years and possibly longer, until the central waterfront section of the viaduct is replaced.

Sections of the viaduct will also close during the weekend of May 14-15 to restripe the lanes, with portions remaining closed until noon on May 14.

Both directions of SR 99 between the West Seattle Bridge and the Battery Street Tunnel will be closed from 11 p.m. Friday to noon on Saturday.

Northbound SR 99 will reopen between S. Royal Brougham Way and the Battery Street Tunnel at noon on Saturday, May 14.

Press Release:

King County Housing Authority to reopen Section 8 rental assistance waiting list for two weeks, starting May 25

The King County Housing Authority will accept applications for its Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program waiting list for two weeks starting Wednesday, May 25 and ending Tuesday, June 7. The King County Housing Authority serves residents of King County outside of the cities of Seattle and Renton.

This opportunity allows eligible applicants to qualify for a federal rental subsidy through the Housing Choice Voucher program, which can be used in the private market. Also known as Section 8, this program is the primary means of housing assistance for low- and very-low-income people provided by King County Housing Authority. Currently, KCHA’s Section 8 Program provides rental assistance to more than 25,000 residents in King County.

The waiting list was last opened for two weeks in 2007, when the Authority received nearly 11,000 applications to the program. Because that list is nearly exhausted, KCHA is looking to create a more current list of applicants.

Burien resident Bonnie Taschler is an accomplished yoga instructor. Students attend her weekly, 90-minute class and receive detailed instruction in addition to hands-on help.

Her students are unwaveringly attentive -- except for Harley who frequently naps. However, when he is needed, he jumps to his feet -- all four of them. Harley is a guide dog and also a regular attendee of the yoga class for the blind and visually impaired that Taschler founded in January.

"When you do something and it really makes a difference in your life, you want to share that with someone else if you can," says Taschler, who began practicing Dahn yoga in 2003 and teaching it in 2007.

While discussing outreach opportunities with a colleague last year, Taschler realized that the blind and visually-impaired community was under served. She jumped at the chance to help.

"There was nothing that had drawn me to the blind community before," says Taschler. "However, I am thrilled to be learning in this way."

As I get around the Highline area and talk with celebrated seniors, I'm seeing a pattern, here. Most of the people that are considered special, by others, are those that gave of themselves - most never stopped. They're almost always volunteers or people who have simply made a difference in someone or many people's lives.

So, it wasn't a surprise that I found out that Helen Anderson, 93, was also such a person. She came from a long line of Seattleites. In fact, Charles Miller, her grandfather (on her mother's side) lived and worked in Taylor, Washington (which no longer exists). He was an expert brickmaker and paved most of the streets of downtown Seattle.

She said, "The better brickmaker you were, the bigger house you had. My grandfather had a very large house". Of course, he had ten kids, too, so they needed something a bit larger than your average rambler!
Her father, Stephen Sanislo, was a beloved fireman who went around to all of the Seattle area schools to teach fire prevention. They even named a school after him.

"Birds flyin' high, you know how I feel, Sun in the sky, you know how I feel, it's a new dawn, it's a new day - and I'm feeling gooood!"

Don't those lyrics just lift your spirit and mood? We can hope for sunshine.

Heaven knows, with this cold winter and spring, economic challenges, and ridiculous hike in college
tuitions for Washington kids, we could sure use a little more high flyin' seagulls and sunny skies -- and reasons to smile out loud.

Negative effects of the poor economy have become what we live and deal with everyday. Have you noticed fewer cars driving through Des Moines and other cities? For years this city was like a slow-moving parking lot during commute times. Every day drivers were stop/go through town because the traffic was even worse on I-5 and Pacific Highway 99. Not today.

When I can pull out of Key Bank parking lot at 222nd and Marine View Drive at 5 p.m. and get rolling in less than two minutes, reality is clear. And I wonder, will our cities and business people who depend on retail revenue ever recover from this so-called Recession, that looks more like an all-out full-blown almost Depression?

On Sunday, Sound, Mind & Body gym (SMB) in Fremont kicked off their 12-week long fitness festival, intended to help Fremont and its surrounding neighborhoods to get healthy and fit.

With a mission of "helping people at any age and any level reach their fitness goals by imparting knowledge and giving inspiration," SMB is starting an annual fitness festival and a twelve week program to get people moving.

"We're not expecting profit. We just want to thank and reach out to our neighbors by hosting our first Fremont Fitness Festival," Kelly Risenhoover said.

Risenhoover said she wants this event to be a fun way to get people moving. Because the gym isn't for everyone, SMB will provide resources for community walking and runners groups, as well as recreational sports.

"I wanted to create an environment with different options and make it a celebration of different fitness levels, from getting started the fittest person in Fremont," Risenhoover said.

Compiled by Shara Hamby

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week's Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: hteditor@robinsonnews.com
Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier or Sheila Lengle at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our "Out & About" advertising section.

Art
T-Shirt Design Contest-- The Normandy Park Arts Commission is sponsoring a contest for the best slogan and logo indicative to Normandy Park. Logo designs should be kept simple, limited to one color and the slogan short, original and catchy. No limit to number of entries per person. Contest deadline is May 16th. Forms and more information are available at City Hall, 801 SW 174th St., Normandy Park on the city's website www.normandyparkwa.gov and can be mailed or emailed upon request to artscomm@ci.normandy-park.wa.us or by calling 206-248-8248.

Music

The City Council of Seattle unanimously approved Conner Homes’ petition to vacate (or use) a subterranean portion of the alley between California Ave s.w. and 42nd Ave s.w.

The approval signifies Conner Homes’ last major hurdle in moving forward with their planned two-building, seven story apartment/retail complex at the southeast corner of West Seattle’s Alaska Junction.

For more background on the project and how it has been perceived by the community and business owners in the area, please check out the Herald articles:
Conner’s mixed-use Junction project closer to reality

Rocksport owner sees Conner Junction project as an opportunity to “buy dirt”

The Ballard Track Boys and Girls Teams competed at separate invitational meets this weekend. The boys were at the Shoreline Invitational where 55 boys teams competed and the girls were across the lake at the Lake Washington Invitational where 51 schools competed. The Shoreline and Lake Washington meets are the two premier track meets in Washington. Teams from all over the state come to compete. 

At both meets Ballard athletes set many new personal records. 

Top Ballard finishers at the Shoreline Invitational included Bryan Quandt who finished 6th in the fastest heat of the Frosh/Soph 1600 M with a personal record time of 4:38, Alex Bowns who finished 12th in the fastest heat of the 1600 M with a personal record time of 4:22, Alex Weatbrook who finished 5th in the discus with an additional 10 foot personal record throw of 147' 11", and Matt Kelly who finished 14th in the javelin with a 155' 5" throw.

Top girl finishers for Ballard at the Lake Washington Invitational included Emma Suchland who finished 8th in the 200 M with a personal record tome of 26:04 and Emma Onstad-Hawes who finished 6th in the 400 M with a personal record time of 61:04.

Networking Night comes to White Center Wednesday May 4. StartZone members Michael and Elizabeth Gordon, owners of Uncle Mike's BBQ are hosting the neighborhood event from 6-7:30pm at 9640A 16th Ave s.w.

Gordon completed the Small Business Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion Program, at Highline Community College. He and his wife, Elizabeth, then joined the StartZone program and received help in finalizing a business plan and worked out the details for the launch of their BBQ restaurant.

Uncle Mike's BBQ opened in August 2010. It offers a family friendly environment, with a menu of mouthwatering, down home cooking, and a range of smoked meats including beef, pork and chicken for meat-eaters, plus real options for vegetarians and vegans. www.unclemikesbbq.com

Those attending will have the opportunity to hear the Gordon's story, try some BBQ food, and meet, mix and mingle with StartZone members who are starting or growing small businesses in Southwest King County and others in the local business community. This event is open to the public and is a FREE event.

To sign up please call (206) 878-3710 X3388 or email: startzone@highline.edu .