August 2011

Some summery events are coming up next week.

First up, the Viking Bank Annual Summer BBQ takes place on Wednesday, August 17th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The BBQ is free and this year they're celebrating summer with a carnival theme. V

Viking Bank is also hosting the Stuff a Bus campaign, so bring by any school supplies you may have.

Please see the attached flyer for details.

The next day, Thursday, August 18, is The Ballard Chamber of Commerce's annual Mel E. Conway Memorial Golf Tournament at the Nile Country Club.

It's a 9 a.m. shotgun start, and there's still room for more players.

"This is a fun scramble and you don't have to be Fred Couples to play. You just have to be Fred Couples to win!," according to the Ballard Chamber.

Elements Therapeutic Massage will be on hand to loosen you up, with all tips going to the Ballard Food Bank.

Hit a hole in one on the 18th hole and win a car donated by Carter Subaru. There are 4 Closest to the Pin holes you can win a prize on, and also prizes for the longest men's and women's drive. And an enormous trophy for the winning team.

Call 784-9705 to sign up,

By Cassandra Baker, Intern

5:13 p.m. on August 6th. 67th block of Alonzo Ave NW

A woman called the police to report that her home had been burglarized sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on August 5th. The suspects stole many items belonging to her son, including a skateboard and clothing. The victim said that the suspect also took a bowl containing 36 U.S. one dollar coins. The suspects left the victim a note that read, “Fuxd By Goon Squad Fool.” The victim believes that the suspects may be acquaintances of her teenage son. They may have entered the house through a dog door.

9:45 p.m. on August 5th. 1st block of NW 78th St

A woman and her husband returned home at 9:45 on the night of August 5th to find that their house had been burglarized. The suspect appeared to have entered the house through an unlocked bedroom window. The burglar then ransacked the bedroom and stole several pieces of jewelry. Many of the stolen pieces of jewelry were unique and custom made, including a gold wedding ring. No fingerprints or other evidence were found in the room.

11:44 a.m. on August 5th. 97th block of 9th Ave NW

Click on image to start slideshow.

Interviewee: Sacsha Toda-Toda-Peters

Occupation: Tour guide

Riding style: Commuting, recreational, and pedicab-ing

His ride: Commercial passenger tricycle

Wearing a crisp white button-up shirt, a colorfully striped bow-tie, and over-sized non-prescription glasses, Sacsha Toda-Peters showed up in style to meet me for our ride.

"I don't sell rides, I sell smiles," he said and I was entertained before we even started the tour.
Toda-Peters is the owner of Greener Cab, a commercial passenger tricycle service that offers transport and unique tours of Seattle.

"If someone wants transportation, there are other options that may be quicker on average. But we're looking to provide a greater value and to be a great resource to the city," Toda-Peters said.

Toda-Peters bought his single-speed rickshaw almost three years ago off Craigslist.

The Seattle Mariners released an “It Gets Better” video against anti-gay bullying on Thursday, becoming the fifth Major League Baseball team to do so. The Mariners’ video is the first to include players from the NFL, MLS, and WNBA. To date, the MLB is the only pro-sports league in which teams have produced “It Gets Better” videos.

Players from all four of Seattle’s major sports franchises -- the Seattle Mariners as well as the Seahawks, Storm, and Sounders -- participated in making this latest “It Gets Better” video. NFL Seahawks wide receiver Mike Williams, WNBA Storm center/forward Lauren Jackson and forward Swin Cash, MLS Sounders forwards Mike Fucito and Roger Levesque, and the Mariners’ relief pitcher Brandon League and infielder Brendan Ryan all make appearances.

"As far as we can tell, this is the first time a community's professional sports teams have joined together to take a stand on this important issue,” said Seattle Mariners President and COO Chuck Armstrong in a statement. “We are proud to be part of it.”

When the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife released their run forecasts of 5.98 million pinks, 143,450 coho and 398,000 chinook salmon earlier this year, fishers from all across the northwest could hardly wait to get their gear ready and head for their favorite fishing spot. For many, that's Point Williams in Lincoln Park. This week has seen them lined up, pole to pole just a few feet apart all competing for the prized pink salmon.

There are many places to fish of course but the rules and regulations vary.

On Puget Sound, anglers can fish for salmon in marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands), 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 10 (Seattle/Bremerton). Those fishing Marine Area 7 can keep one chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink salmon. They must, however, release wild coho and chum as of Aug. 1.

If you are fishing marine areas 9 and 10 you can keep hatchery chinook – marked with a clipped adipose fin – as part of a two-salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink salmon. Wild chinook must be released. Anglers fishing Marine Area 9 also must release chum salmon, and – Which became effective Aug. 1 – so will those fishing Marine Area 10.

Outwest, the new LBGTQA bar in West Seattle located at 5401 California Ave. SW was crowded with enthusiastic customers during the beginning of their soft opening. Outwest will be open six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to midnight. The opening marks the end of a two year process for owners Bob Lunke and Chad Gabelein. Check out our story about it here:

Papa John's Pizza across the street delivered several free pizzas to welcome their new neighbors.

"We have a very large LGBTQA community out here," said Lunke, a youthful 50. (The "A" stands for "allies" or straight supporters.)

Lunke was a banker for 16 years, and was in the Army Reserves for 30 years.

"We have over 700 friends on Facebook," he enthused. "We're still feeling out when we will do our grand opening. It's very exciting. This is the American dream. This is a small business in this (challenging) economy."

Attention: Those parents who are taking their children on a nice late-summer vacation, ending over the Labor Day weekend.

Highline Public Schools start before Labor Day this year.

Thursday, Sept 1 is the official first day of class in Highline. Traditionally, in Highline, students didn't have to report to class until after Labor Day.
But missing a Labor Day vacation might be a better prospect than foregoing an Independence Day getaway.

Highline schools have never actually finished after the Fourth of July. But some of these past cold winters have had administrators nervously checking the calendar-especially as the snow days pile up like drifts of the white stuff.

Starting school before Labor Day allows the district to avoid the danger of dragging the end of school past June, according to spokeswoman Catherine Carbone Rogers.

Besides, some Highline teachers need to get out of school in mid-June in order to get into college classes during the summer, Rogers added.

Tukwila school kids can relax for a few more days this summer. School doesn't start for them until the day after Labor Day-Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The Highline School Board is expected to approve Wednesday, Aug. 24, a $188 million operating budget for the 2011-2012 school year.

About 45 percent of the general fund budget will go for teacher salaries and benefits, according to assistant superintendent of finance Susan Smith Leland. "Basic education" accounts for about $129 million of the $188 million.

For the coming school year, the state Legislature cut the allocation for teacher pay by 1.9 percent.

Highline teachers are making up for the cut by taking 1.5 furlough days. They will miss one professional development day at the start of the school year before students begin attending classes. The teachers will also forgo three afternoons of professional development on early dismissal Fridays.

The furlough days will not affect any student instruction time.

Administrators are also taking two furlough days to make up for a 3 percent cut from the Legislature in the state allocation for administrator and classified staff salaries.

In forming the budget, Highline staffers faced a $4 million shortfall between expected revenue and expected expenditures.

Two small fires set around 5:30 a.m. on August 11 were intentionally set, according to Seattle Fire Department investigators.

A utility trailer on the 3700 block of S.W. Grayson St. and a recycling bin a few yards away were intentionally lit on fire, likely by the same individual(s), according to the SFD.

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fires and damage is estimated at $1550.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Seattle Police Department.

In a talk to the Burien Lions Club Aug. 10, King County Executive Dow Constantine outlined the county's accomplishments and said he is not running for governor-this time around.

Constantine previously represented the Burien area as a King County councilman and state legislator.

"We've got a lot done in the first year,' Constantine noted in referring to his first year heading county government.

He pointed to funding for the South Park Bridge, lessening of the Kent Valley flood threat and completing of the Brightwater sewer treatment plant that is set to open next month.

Constantine also said county officials and lawmakers overcame a $60 million shortfall "to balance a budget that is sustainable for future successes."

Departments have been instructed to identify 3 per cent "efficiencies" in their departments for each of the next three years, according to Constantine. That way budget cuts can be made in coming years without having to cut services or layoff employees.