July 2011

By Eric Mathison

The crowd at a King County Council hearing July 21 on a proposed $20 car-tab fee that would prevent large service cuts to Metro bus service didn't match the 700 people that showed up earlier in the month for a downtown Seattle hearing. But about half that many overflowed Burien City Council chambers for the Thursday night hearing.

About 100 speakers testified during the three-hour meeting. Victor Obeso, Metro service-development manager, said if the temporary 2-year $20 car tab fee is not imposed. Metro would need to cut 17 percent of its bus hours. He predicted bus ridership would decline by 9 percent.

The overwhelming majority of speakers supported the car-tab fee and urged county lawmakers to approve the measure without sending it to voters. The council is expected to vote on Monday, July 25, to approve the fee or place it on the November ballot for voters to decide.

The four astronauts aboard NASA's final space shuttle mission returned to Houston yesterday, July 21, to receive a hero's welcome. While huge lay-offs are ensuing at NASA, America's exploration of space is expected to soon get a big boost.

Captain Gregory C. Johnson is a West Seattle High School graduate, class of '72, and retired astronaut who piloted the Atlantis Space Shuttle May, 2009, on a successful mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. He told the West Seattle Herald by phone today that NASA and private companies will continue to reach for the sky, without delay. He is currently a research pilot and Deputy Manager of Aircraft Operations at Ellington Field, involving all the airplanes that NASA has in the Houston area.

ARLINGTON--So close and yet so far turned out to be the story of the South Highline National Junior baseball team at state this past week.

The Nationals were edged out of the tournament played at Evans Field in Arlington with a 5-2 loss to Bonney Lake/Sumner Tuesday, July 19, after posting a 1-1 record up until that point.

Had South Highline won that game, it would have advanced into a consolation bracket semifinal with high hopes left for reaching the championship.

As it was National did have an extended stay and did not have to leave only two games into the tournament.

South Highline National scored a narrow 10-9 win over South Kitsap in its tournament opener played Saturday, July 16, and then took a loss that was not close -- falling to Columbia by a 10-5 score.

That dropped the team into its consolation game against Bonney Lake/Sumner played Tuesday, July 19 after a one day break from playing.

Manager Grady Weckhorst has been proud of his all-star squad, including after winning the District 7 championship game played Saturday, July 9 against Rainier District. It was the second time in as many days that the team had to beat that team and make state.

Summer is here all right and this weekend is packed with fun activities and events throughout Seattle. There's something for all ages and talents so check the listing below for the scoop.

Friday, July 22:

Capitol Hill Block Party
3 p.m. - 12 Midnight
Streets on Capitol Hill
http://capitolhillblockparty.com/

Hotel Workers Rally
4:30 PM
5th Avenue side of the Westin Hotel
Rally will close the east side of Fifth Avenue between Virginia and Stewart streets from 4 - 7 p.m.

Cyclefest Outdoor Cinema and Bikemania
5 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Magnuson Park
http://shop.cascade.org/content/events/cyclefest-bikemania

Festival of the Fountains
6 p.m. – 1 a.m.
Pacific Science Center
o Festival of the Fountains is Pacific Science Center's signature annual event. Seattle's only outdoor black tie gala, it is one of the best parties of the summer and offers guests the opportunity to experience first-hand the interactive science education programs offered each day at Pacific Science Center.
http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org

Saturday, July 24:

Fat Salmon Open Water Swim

The crowd at a King County Council hearing July 21 on a proposed $20 car-tab fee that would prevent large service cuts to Metro bus service didn't match the 700 people that showed up earlier in the month for a downtown Seattle hearing. But about half that many overflowed Burien City Council chambers for the Thursday night hearing.

About 100 speakers testified during the three-hour meeting. Victor Obeso, Metro service-development manager, said if the temporary 2-year $20 car tab fee is not imposed. Metro would need to cut 17 percent of its bus hours. He predicted bus ridership would decline by 9 percent.

The overwhelming majority of speakers supported the car-tab fee and urged county lawmakers to approve the measure without sending it to voters. The council is expected to vote on Monday, July 25, to approve the fee or place it on the November ballot for voters to decide.

A large contingent of University of Washington students, including the student body president, testified that the current level of bus service is vital for students who commute to class. About ten percent of Metro's ridership is UW students or staff, the student leader said.

Times/News Publisher Jerry Robinson took this photo of horses along Burien's Three Tree Point last week.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin says whether the beach along the Point is a public right-of-way is a "gray area" he is not anxious to deal with in the near future.

Martin says there is no city ordinance or policy covering horses on the beach ... or what they leave behind.

Property owners along the beach say they own the area in front of their homes into the Sound. Of course, walking or riding on private property without permission from each property owner is considered illegal trespassing.

There is no question about the legality of riding horses in Seahurst Park or other city parks, according to Parks director Michael Lafreniere.

Horses are not allowed in city parks except on bridle trails, Lafreniere said. No Burien parks have a bridle trail.

The Ballard Chamber annual Mel E. Conway Memorial Golf Tournament is coming up on Thursday, August 18, 2011. This is an important fundraiser for the Chamber and enables the Chamber office to be open full time and serve as a great resource for the community.

The cost is only $99 per player and it includes dinner at the Ballard Elks after the tournament for the awards, a silent auction, and an After Hours mingler for non-players with a live band and a disco ball.

There are four ways to participate:

1. Become a sponsor. Promote your business at a tee. Mingle with the players. Only 1 Middle Tee sponsorship is left, but consider becoming a Front Tee sponsor.
2. Come and play. The Nile is a great course, and even "non regular" golfers have a good time. Just ask the folks at Seattle Divorce Services.
3. Donate to our silent auction. Doesn't need to be golf related - non golfers will be at the dinner, too.
4. Come to the After Hours dinner. Cost is just $20.00. RSVP's not necessary, but it might be nice to let Smokin' Pete's have a rough estimate, so let me know.

For more information, please see the flyer and application.

press release:
ArtsWest announces its new gallery exhibition, Schools of Thought coming to the ArtsWest gallery July 26 and running through August 27, 2011. An enigmatic fluidity of thought is the overarching theme for this summer exhibition featuring four contemporary artists: Roxanne Fawcett, Ann Reid, Nancy Watterson Schraf, and Erin Wheeler.

Ann Reid’s process begins by hand drawing on black Arches paper, and then cutting out silhouettes in each of her detailed works. Unique representations of birds, trees and other objects from nature catch the eye. The finished products show incredible depth from detailed illumination and shadowing effects.

Roxanne Fawcett presents boldly painted acrylic paintings of colorful fish and flowers. Fawcett’s unique use of a squirt bottle as a painting tool brings an interesting texture to her paintings. Her works are especially riveting when viewed at a very close distance.

UPDATE SUNDAY MORNING:

VISIT C & P COFFEe today to help Charlie:

Sometime wonderful things come in small packages. That is the case with Charlie, the little dog who accompanies White Center resident Sydni Smith almost everywhere she goes. Charlie is a chronic sufferer of allergies and treatment is expensive. Smith is attempting to raise $900 toward veterinarian bills via two bake sales this weekend with her "Cookies for Charlie" effort.

Charlie is a year and a half old, a female chihuahua / mini-schnauzer and was born in South Park.

Saturday from noon - 4:00 p.m. near the corner of 9th Ave SW and SW Cloverdale St. near Westcrest Park's off-leash area.

Sunday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at C&P Coffee, 5612 California Ave. SW near
Findlay.

By Cassandra Baker, Intern

3:50 a.m. on July 18th. 92nd block of 13th Ave NW

A woman called 911 at 3:50 a.m. on July 18th to report that someone had broken into her house about half an hour before and stolen her car. There were also reports of another burglary nearby on NW 95th St that occurred at about the same time. While officers were on the way to the scene, a report of a prowler at N 100th and Phinney Ave N came in. The description of the suspect’s car matched the description of the victim’s stolen car.

Officers arrived at the victims’ residence and found a bag of tools and an unopened bottle of beer lying in the driveway near a broken window screen. The victims said that the beer and tools were not theirs. One victim reported that he slept through the burglary. His mother said that she heard noises but assumed that it was her son. When she realized that her son was still asleep, she woke him and they found that their wallets were missing. A digital camera was also taken, and a set of car keys may have been stolen as well. The victims did not hear their car drive away.