June 2011

Now is the time to express your opinions on the future of West Seattle’s Triangle as Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development heads into its final month of public comment, ending on August 1.

In the words of DPD, the area of land under the microscope is “an unassuming triangle of land that is located in the heart of the West Seattle peninsula. Bounded and bisected by three major arterials—Fauntleroy Way S.W., 35th Avenue S.W. and S.W. Alaska Street—the Triangle serves as a major gateway to West Seattle. It is located east of the Junction, West Seattle’s central retail district, and is home to numerous locally-owned businesses and the West Seattle YMCA. It is adjacent to a large open space and golf course. The Triangle is the location of numerous bus routes, and will soon be home to West Seattle’s first Bus Rapid Ride network.”

Please see the file "West Seattle Triangle Map" above for a visual representation of the area.

My parents are the opposite of helicopter parents. On a high school trip to a foreign country, all of the students lined up at the hotel’s only pay phone while I read a book.
“Don’t you need to call your parents?” a friend asked.
“No, I replied. “My mom says ‘no news is good news.’ I think it would worry her if I called.”
Without ever explicitly stating them, because that would involve talking, our family has several untouchable topics. The most recent one is my divorce. For two years, I have circumnavigated conversations around any area of my life that is “post-divorce.” Kids and work are always safe topics. I can even talk about my ex, who my parents still see regularly, as long as it’s not connected to the “D” word.
I knew I was reliving my adolescence when I first separated from my husband. Having terrorized my parents the first time around, I thought it was only fair that I spared them the second time. I’d occasionally dare a “ha-ha” dating story, but never mentioned the man’s name or insinuated at an actual relationship with him. “He” remained nebulous and the point of the story was usually “obviously that didn’t work out.”

On Wednesday, June 29, WHEEL and the Church of Mary Magdalene stood in silent vigil on Bergen Place in recognition of the three homeless men that died in Ballard this spring and the additional 22 similar deaths that have occurred in Ballard in the last ten years.

Every time a homeless person dies outside or by violence in King County, WHEEL (a grassroots organizing effort of homeless women) and the Church of Mary Magdalene stand silent witnessing vigils called Women in Black.

While the Women in Black held a vigil from noon until 1 p.m., men were handing out flyers listing the names of the 25 people who died outside in Ballard in the last decade, and a call for action.

"Without shelter, people die" was the message the Women in Black were sending out into the community on Wednesday.

The Women in Black are working with Ballard Homes for All Coalition to seek ways to support people who cannot find shelter and are forced to sleep in their vehicles.

PacWest bested South Highline American for a final score of 31 runs over American's 1 run.
Click the above image to see Kurt Howard's awesome shots of a very good game.

UPDATE:
The West Seattle Rainbow Girls are selling fireworks from their booth at 16th Ave. SW at 100th St.

Fireworks stand, West Seattle Rainbow girls burglarized.

Janet Boyer, a Highland Park resident whose daughter Darian, 14, belongs to the West Seattle Rainbow girls tells the West Seattle Herald what happened:

"I'm here at the stand setting up to sell today because it's 4th of July. But between 4:30am and 5:00am we were burglarized. Somebody ripped the door off of the side of our stand. Took almost $1000 of fireworks, broke our credit card machine and took our cash register. It contained our inventory information but there was no cash in the register. We can't take credit cards but we can take cash.

We've operated this stand for about five years. We can manage today without the cash register. This booth benefits our girls and the Rainbow teaches girls leadership and we give back to the community. Our charity is Northwest Harvest and local food banks. Our fireworks stand raises money to give back to the community.

Except for the city of Normandy Park and unincorporated North Highline, personal fireworks are banned in the Highline area.

The cities of Burien, Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila outlaw fireworks except in licensed public displays.
Organized public firework displays will be offered at the Des Moines Marina, Angle Lake in SeaTac and Fort Dent Park in Tukwila.

Even in the areas where personal fireworks are allowed, restrictions are stringent.

In Normandy Park, the first day the discharge of fireworks is allowed is Tuesday, June 28 from noon- 11 p.m.

From June 29-July 3, fireworks are allowed from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. On Independence Day, July 4, use is permitted 9 a.m.- midnight. The final day, July 5, fireworks are allowed from 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

In unincorporated King County, the discharge of fireworks is allowed only on July 4, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Fireworks sales in the unincorporated area are permitted June 28-July 4.

(SLIDESHOW: Click on the above image to see nine more pictures of this event by Mr. Kurt Howard.)

The SeaTac International Festival took place at Angle Lake Park this past weekend.
Here's Kurt Howard's photo shoot of the event.

(SLIDESHOW: Click on the above image to see nine more pictures of this event by Mr. Kurt Howard.)

The SeaTac International Festival took place at Angle Lake Park this past weekend.
Here's Kurt Howard's photo shoot of the event.

SDOT wants to get Seattlites to replace car trips with biking, transit, or trips by foot.

"Almost half of the trips Americans make are within two miles—a walkable, bikeable distance. Shifting to active transportation helps people get in shape, save money and reduce greenhouse gases," according to SDOT.

As an incentive to get people out their, car SDOT is holding a Bike Walk Ride Challenge this July and August with prizes to keep people motivated.

Everyone who enters the Walk Bike Ride (WBR) Challenge and switches a couple of car trips a week gains could win one of the following:
 
·         Electric bike from e-Moto
·         Apple iPad
·         Pan Pacific Hotel stay
·         Zipcar $250 gift card
·         REI $100 gift card
·         Nordstrom’s $100 gift card (supplied by Commute Seattle)
·         $100 gift card good at seven farmers’ markets
·         More great prizes
 
“I encourage everyone to take up the Walk Bike Ride Challenge,” said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen in a statement. “Summer is a great time to try walking, biking or riding transit to work, to get to know your neighborhood and to start lifetime habits that keep you healthy.”
 

King County Sheriff's Office press release:

Sheriff's deputies arrested three men last night (June 28) during their investigation of a burglary and theft which occurred after the homeowner had died.

Leonard Werner, age 69, had been dead about two weeks before his body was found by relatives checking on him on June 24th. He lived alone in the 12600 block of Des Moines Memorial Drive. The cause and manner of death is still pending.

Werner’s house was ransacked and many of his possessions stolen as he lay dead on the floor. His two cars were taken as well. Some of the stolen items were found by Sheriff's detectives on the day Werner’s body was discovered at the next door neighbor’s house.

More of Werner’s stolen property was recovered last night, as well as his two stolen cars. However some of the property may have already been sold on eBay.

Yesterday about 3:00 PM detectives located what they believed might be the stolen PT Cruiser under a tarp in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle. They obtained a search warrant for the house and recovered stolen property taken from Werner’s residence and made two arrests.