July 2011

In celebration of Ballard's green spaces, Groundswell NW features and celebrates a "Park of the Month" and the community around it. In July, the spotlight is on Ballard Commons and the neighbors that made it possible.

From Groundswell NW:

The creation of the Ballard Commons came from the dreams and schemes of many of Ballard's stalwart citizen activists and a willing and able Seattle Neighborhood Planning initiative. Two groups led the local charge: Groundswell NW and the Ballard Open Space Committee. Their first product was the Ballard Open Space Inventory and Action Plan of 1996.

Neighborhood Planning began in 1997, and with it added more leadership with Jody Grage, Stephen Lundgren, Jim Jensen, and the irascible Tom Miller, then owner of the landmark Skandi's Restaurant. Ballard's Neighborhood plan was created with the participation of over 6,000 citizens ... that's right 6,000.

Well-known politicians and some new faces, candidates challenging them, gathered Wednesday night at The Hall at Fauntleroy space, Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes.

The Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) and West Seattle Chamber Of Commerce (WSCC) hosted a Candidate Reception in local and statewide elections. The GSBA serves the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied community. Some candidates will sail through the July primaries uncontested. Others will have to elbow their way through a crowded field. In some races, the top two vote-getters move on to the general election.

Patti Mullen of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, and Louise Churnin, CEO of the GSBA, hosted. The GSBA is 30 years old, the largest LGBT chamber in the United States with 1,000 members, and the second largest chamber in the state of Washington.

The promised fireworks show in White Center, part of the annual July Jubilee Days celebration was witnessed by hundreds of people, more than in the past few years according to onlookers many of whom watched the display from the field where Davis Shows has set up their carnival with rides, games and entertainment.

The show was typically long and featured a huge number of shells, aerial bombs and sequenced displays.

Rick Jump of the White Center Food Bank was there with his wife Judy and they picked a prime spot to watch the show, only lamenting one thing, the lack of corn dogs at the carnival.

Here again is the schedule for the upcoming July Jubilee Days events:

Thu July 14th, 2011

Rock & Bowl
7:00pm to 10:00pm
Magic Lanes

Fri July 15th, 2011

Retro Roller Skating Party
7:30pm to 13:00pm
Southgate Roller Rink

Sat July 16th, 2011

Street Fair
10:00am to 11:00pm
17th Avenue SW, Between Roxbury, and 100th Ave SW.
White Center, WA

Sun July 17th, 2011

Street Fair
11:00am to 6:00pm

UPDATE 4, Sunday, 12:15 p.m.

Tracy Dart plans to attend. She is now reporting on Facebook that she will donate "free hugs all night long".

Donations, auction items and raffle prizes have been pouring in for Alki resident Tracy Dart, who has been fighting breast cancer while offering support to others around her living through the same ordeal. Merchants and individuals from the West Seattle area have been giving generously to make tomorrow night's benefit at the Bridge Bar & Restaurant (4439 35th Ave. SW, in West Seattle Sunday, Aug. 7, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m) a big success.

Here are items collected so far:

$100 Gift Certificate - Jen Duffy
Salon 08
$100 Gift Certificate - Susie Bradley
Salon 08
$100 Gift Certificate - Megan Green
Salon 08
$40 Gift Card & Tug Vest
The Tug Inn
$50 Gift Card
Ballroom
$50 Gift Card
Ballroom
$50 Gift Card & T-Shirt
Talaricos
$50 Gift Card & T-Shirt
Talaricos
$50 Gift Card & T-Shirt
Talaricos
$50 Gift Card
Avalon
$25 Gift Card
Jaks
$25 Gift Card
Jaks

Press release:
The 2011 primary election is around the corner. Monday, July 18, is the deadline to register to vote online or by mail, or to update registration information. Ballots will be mailed at the end of July, and the deadline to return ballots is Election Day, August 16.

"Every election brings interesting and important choices, but you need to be registered to vote," said Elections Director Sherril Huff. "Voters who are already registered can help us make sure their ballots reach them and help lower election costs just by keeping their addresses up to date."

Voters can check if their registration information is current by using Your Voter Guide online, by calling the Voter Hotline at 206-296-VOTE (8683), or by visiting King County Elections weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 919 Southwest Grady Way, Renton.

Voters who miss the July 18 deadline to update their registration should still contact the Elections office to update their information for future elections.

King County residents not currently registered in Washington can register in person at the Elections office through August 8.

(Editor's Note: The King County Council Transportation Committee will hold one more public hearing on the proposed legislation on Thursday, July 21 at Burien City Council Chambers , 400 S.W. 152nd Street starting at 6 p.m.)

Press release:
The audience who came to the meeting of the Metropolitan King County Council's Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee sent a clear message to everyone in the County Council chambers: the impact of a reduction in Metro Transit service will be felt throughout the region and should not be allowed to happen.

Courthouse Security estimates that up to 1,000 people lined up to enter the King County Courthouse, a line that stretched south from the Third Avenue entrance of the Courthouse and extended east up Yesler Avenue. Seven hundred people filled Council chambers and three overflow rooms. Of those who signed in, 87 percent indicated support for preserving transit service through Council enactment of a $20 Congestion Reduction Charge.

Sometimes news isn’t exactly breaking, but nonetheless worthwhile.

For example, back in May White Center’s own Boys and Girls Club (the Southwest Branch for King County at 9800 8th Ave S.W.) received a national Honor Award for Overall Program Excellence from Boys and Girls Club of America for their Daily Drop-In program.

There are 4,000 chartered clubs across the nation up for that award yearly, so this is no small task. The Daily Drop-In program “offers after-school tutoring, homework help, activities to encourage healthy lifestyles and opportunities to practice good citizenship through community involvement,” according to a press release.

Emily Slagle, executive director of the Southwest Branch, said the award came as a total surprise. They had won the competition for best program amongst the 13 in King County and Slagle said she forgot their program would then be forwarded to the national office to contend for the Honor Award. One day, out of the blue, she got an email from the national office saying they had won.

The owner of the Park N Jet SeaTac Airport Parking (18220 8th Ave. S., SeaTac), where state Route 509 becomes S. 188th St., has requested to annex the property immediately to the south in order to expand the current "park 'n fly" operation.

His offer, as revealed by SeaTac senior planner Mike Scarey, would be to annex the property to the south - which would more than double the current property - and to rezone the whole area as Community Business (CB).

Currently, the existing property is zoned as industrial, and the land to the south is zoned as a Business Park (BP). For the extension of a park 'n fly operation, the existing BP would need to be rezoned so that commuters would be allowed to park there.

The owner of Park N Jet also says that that there is a long-term plan for the property; he anticipates the extension of SR-509, which would increase the traffic through the nearby area. He plans ultimately to develop a hotel with retail on the property.

The proposal for the zoning changes came before the SeaTac City Council on July 12th as part of a package of Comprehensive Plan Amendments.

Sometimes news isn’t exactly breaking, but nonetheless worthwhile.

For example, back in May White Center’s own Boys and Girls Club (the Southwest Branch for King County at 9800 8th Ave S.W.) received a national Honor Award for Overall Program Excellence from Boys and Girls Club of America for their Daily Drop-In program.

There are 4,000 chartered clubs across the nation up for that award yearly, so this is no small task. The Daily Drop-In program “offers after-school tutoring, homework help, activities to encourage healthy lifestyles and opportunities to practice good citizenship through community involvement,” according to a press release.

Emily Slagle, executive director of the Southwest Branch, said the award came as a total surprise. They had won the competition for best program amongst the 13 in King County and Slagle said she forgot their program would then be forwarded to the national office to contend for the Honor Award. One day, out of the blue, she got an email from the national office saying they had won.

The 17th Annual West Seattle Garden Tour is this Sunday, July 17 featuring ten show piece residential gardens including a 2.5-acre estate garden. Garden descriptions and photos can be found on the tour's website and a few photos are available on their Facebook page.

Guest Lecturer: Sue Goetz: "Perennial Creativity"
Award winning garden designer, writer and speaker Sue Goetz is this year's guest lecturer. Her work has earned gold medals at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show and the Point Defiance Flower and Garden show as well as the Fine Gardening magazine "Best Design" award. Northwest Home and Garden Magazine has named her as one of the top 50 garden designers.

The Sue Goetz Luncheon Lecture is at the West Seattle Golf Course from noon to 1:00 pm. The lecture is included in the price of the ticket and box lunches will be available for purchase at the lecture venue for $10 each.