August 2011

Press release:

WHAT: Sustainable Burien monthly meeting
WHEN: August 14, 2011, 2 p.m. (doors open at 1:30 p.m.)
WHERE: Burien Library, Multipurpose Room

Sustainable Burien's speaker this month will be Courtney Sullivan, Education Manager for the Pacific Region of National Wildlife Federation. She will discuss NWF's Certified Wildlife Habitat program and how individuals and communities can get involved.

The Certified Wildlife Habitat program encourages people to create havens for wildlife in their own backyards by providing the basic elements that all wildlife need. Their program reaches beyond your backyard to engage communities in transforming backyards, schoolyards, businesses, community gardens, parkland and other spaces into environmentally-friendly landscapes for wildlife.

The program has turned into a movement in Washington, with over 32 actively engaged communities, 130 schoolyard habitats, and nearly 7,000 backyard habitats working to identify, restore, connect, and protect natural habitat areas that are critical to wildlife. www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife.

We’ve got it pretty good here in Ballard. The Locks, Market St., our library, Golden Gardens, our high school, our farmers market, Ballard Commons Park, a working waterfront, and much, much more. You could easily stay in Ballard and never leave; we’ve pretty much got it all.

But we don’t have everything. It’s not the easiest neighborhood to get to and from. Our transit service needs dramatic improvement. We certainly don’t have our own municipal water system.

And if you’re like most people, and have to actually get around Seattle, you know that our transportation system needs some serious help. You know that we’ve got so many problems that we’d better make sure we make smart decisions with our money, and only proceed with projects that will help solve our transportation problems.

That’s why I can’t figure out why anyone would want to waste billions of our public dollars on a tolled tunnel that we can’t afford and won’t work.

There’s a lot of heated rhetoric flying around regarding the tolled tunnel and Referendum 1. But when you step back and look at the facts, it becomes clear that the tolled tunnel is a bad deal for Ballard.

Showing at the Admiral Theater Saturday night at 7:00 pm is a film that explores alternatives to fossil fuels and calls for changes all of us can make in how we live. FREEDOM is from the filmmakers of the Sundance Award-winning film FUEL. In the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the filmmakers took an international journey, interviewing experts and celebrities with a social conscience along the way.

Co-producers Josh and Rebecca Tickell will be available after the film for an audience Q&A.

The film offers an array of green solutions. From advanced biofuels to plug in hybrids, it covers sustainable technologies that could help us meet our transportation needs. FREEDOM includes interview with such diverse personalities as former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former NATO commander Wesley Clark, Singer/Songwrighter Jason Mraz, international author Deepak Chopra, and actors Michelle Rodreiguez, Amy Smart, and Ed Begley Jr.

A Snohomish County judge will rule in September on whether or not to dismiss a civil complaint made against two Des Moines police officers by the owners of a Newfoundland dog who was shot and killed by police last November.

Chuck and Deirdre Wright's dog, Rosie, was shot and killed by Des Moines officers after Rosie had gotten loose from her yard and police officers were unable to capture her.

The criminal complaint is against Des Moines Police Sgt. Steve Weiland and Officer Michael Graddon.

After hearing arguments from attorney Matthew Kaser, who represents the city of Des Moines and Adam Karp, representing the Wrights, Snohomish County Judge Tam T. Bui said she will issue a written decision on whether or not to dismiss the case on Sept. 12.

Kaser is arguing it is unconstitutional for the Wrights to bring criminal charges forward and that the case was wrongly transferred to Snohomish District Court.

He filed two motions-- one to dismiss because it is unconstitutional, and another to have it sent back to Des Moines and heard before a court-appointed judge there.

Press release:

Burien Little Theatre announces auditions for the hilarious holiday comedy "Inspecting Carol," written by Daniel J. Sullivan and The Seattle Repertory Theatre. Characters range in age from teens to 60s.

Synopsis: A sidesplitting holiday hit since premiering at the Seattle Rep in 1992, "Inspecting Carol" is part "Noises Off," part "Waiting for Guffman." Almost broke, Soapbox Theatre Company is struggling to mount their annual cash cow, the holiday classic "A Christmas Carol." An inspector from the National Endowment for the Arts is expected any minute. When a young actor is mistaken for the inspector, cast and crew cater to his every whim to try to win their government funding, The result: the most hilarious and disastrous production of "A Christmas Carol" ever.

Performances and rehearsals are at Burien Little Theatre in Burien from Nov. 25 through Dec. 18, 2011.
Auditions are Tuesday, Aug. 9 and Wednesday, Aug. 10 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Callbacks are Thursday, Aug. 11 from 7 to 10 p.m. Rehearsals begin in October.
Stage director Maggie Larrick.
$100 stipend provided.

Though the exact dates have not yet been set In mid to late-October 2011 the Alaskan Way Viaduct will close for nine days. This, from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
That means you can expect times of gridlock traffic as drivers attempt to get north or south through Seattle.

The purpose of the closure is to permit demolition and construction work to be completed on what WSDOT refers to a the "southern mile" of the viaduct including:

Demolishing approximately 300 yards of the viaduct near S. Royal Brougham Way.

Completing a four-lane construction bypass to connect the central waterfront section of the viaduct to the north end of the new SR 99 bridge.

Connecting SR 99 lanes south of S. Holgate Street to the south end of the new roadway bridge.

Completion of construction of a new southbound off-ramp to S. Atlantic Street. The existing ramp to S. Royal Brougham Way will close.

After the nine-day closure and completion of the work both north and southbound traffic will travel on the first of two new bridges currently being built to the west of the existing viaduct. The second new bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in 2013.

8 p.m. on July 29, 2011. 1400th NW 53rd St

A couple driving around in Ballard parked along side the curb at 14 block of NW 53rd St to check their GPS navigator when a vehicle in front of them started backing up. The suspect vehicle, which had been occupied when the couple pulled over, began backing up. The victim in the driver's seat of the victim vehicle said he could see the driver of the suspect vehicle looking at him in the rear view mirror but continued to back up. The suspect vehicle struck the front of the victim vehicle and then turned around and pulled alongside the victims' vehicle.

The suspect yelled undescribed obscenities at the victims before heading northbound onto 15th Ave NW. The suspect then entered a driveway at the northeast corner of the intersection, turned and drove "at high speed" at the parked victim vehicle, coming to a stop only a couple of inches from the victim vehicle.

The suspect then drove away.

press release:
Senior Housing Assistance Group (SHAG) is offering a $1,000 signing bonus to seniors age 61+ that are living on a moderate income.

This bonus is only valid for new residents who sign a minimum 6-month lease and move in to Arrowhead Gardens by September 30th, 2011.

People 55+ with a disability can also qualify to live at Arrowhead Gardens, which is located in the Highland Park neighborhood near West Seattle.

In addition to the $1,000 signing bonus, qualifying seniors will receive free rent based on the duration of the lease term, by choosing a 12-month, 18-month or 24-month lease. One month of free rent will be awarded for a 12-month lease term and two months of free rent will be awarded to new residents that choose the 18-or-24-month lease term.

With the $1,000 bonus, along with as many as two free months of rent, moderate income seniors can save as much as $3,000.

2,000 guests are expected to enjoy bar-b-que, music and good times on the Greenbridge Plaza in White Center today August 5 from 4 to 7 pm

The agency responsible for the event is the Vertically Integrated Partnership to Feed Those in Need (VIP) working as part of Governor Gregoire’s Feeding Washington Program.

VIP is a coalition of farmers, food processors, food distributors and other food service companies that are working together to help stop hunger in the Pacific Northwest. The VIP includes Sodexo, Annie's Fun, Hirai Farms, Sysco, Food Services of America, McCain Foods, National Frozen Foods, Farmer Bean Company, Darigold, Franz Bakery, and UW Housing & Food Services, etc.

Together with the White Center Food Bank, they worked to provide this festive meal for those in need in the Greenbridge community (residents have already received special tickets to attend). Music will be provided by local jazz musician Frank Steele and a balloon artist will be on-hand to entertain the children in the crowd.

A land use application has been filed to allow a six story, 101 unit apartment building to be constructed at 5020 California Ave. s.w. The first floor would have 4000 square feet of retail space. The plan calls for parking for 95 vehicles inside the building.

The land was sold on May 13 for $2,160,000.

The project will require the demolition of nine residential units within three structures.

The comment period on the project extends through August 17. If you'd like to comment you can do so here.