September 2011

Jerry's View: She couldn’t hurt a flea, much less a duck!

Hunting for ducks and wild game begins in late September and early October

I did not know that duck hunting in the Skagit flats required a boat due to the huge tidal flow that goes in and out through a myriad array of channels. Tree stumps dot the channels, victims of the brackish water.

Together, with my buddy Cliff Goodman, we motored across a great body of salt water stopping at a huge stump where he let me off and headed out looking for a stump for himself.

We couldn’t afford a real Duck Blind. The stump was our best bet to conceal ourselves.

Overhead a million Mallards and Teal were darkening the sky. How could anybody fail to limit out even on his first trip with a shotgun he’d never fired; not even once. I envisioned a barrel of ducks on the kitchen counter.

I had hoped grampa's 12-gauge shotgun would be more reliable than my aim but with a million birds up there who could miss?

What I did not know was that the tidal waters we putt-putted over, while looking for a comfy stump, concealed an unpleasant surprise about three feet deep.

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Here’s why the new South Transfer Station steel was up, and now down

Anyone driving past the new South Transfer Station being built at 130 S. Kenyon St. recently may have needed a double take. Suddenly, the steel structure of the two-story, 140,000 sq. foot facility (see the photo) had simply disappeared.

As West Seattle resident Scott LaPeer put it, "Seems it was going together as quickly as an eight year old could build something with his toy Erector Set... and now they took it all apart?"

The reason? A new paint job.

“At the same time the new building was being erected, our design team figured out that we might be able to save about $3 million in long-term maintenance costs by upgrading the interior of the building to a more durable paint,” Seattle Public Utility (SPU) spokesman Andy Ryan said.

“Fortunately, we hadn’t yet poured concrete at the site, and we calculated that disassembling the steel structure and sending the pieces to local paint shops for refinishing would still be cost effective,” he added.

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Community Calendar Week of 9-26-11

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week's Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: hteditor@robinsonnews.com

Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier or Sheila Lengle at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our "Out & About" advertising section.

Auditions
The Hi-Liners-- DownStage Center production of Oklahoma G2K (Getting to Know you edition, edited for young actors.) Sept. 28th, 29th and Oct. 1st. Auditions are open to young people ages 7 and older, no experience necessary. Come be a part of this classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Rehearsals begin Oct. 20th, shows are Jan. 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 14th, and 15th, at the Burien Annex. Visit www.hi-liners.org for details and to sign up.

Classes

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Sleepy suspect tops police blotter

Standoff suspect was sleepy
A man prompted a SWAT team response to a house in SeaTac. Officers were responding to a domestic dispute at a home in the 2800 block of S. 146th Street. Several gunshots were heard and police surrounded the home. After several hours of trying to talk the armed man out, police went inside and found him sleeping. Officials said they believe the man was drunk and just firing shots into the air. The man was taken into custody.

Mistaken identity
A man called police to report a road rage assault. While driving from I-405 to North SeaTac Park the driver noticed a suspicious car had been following him for quite a while. After entering the park entrance both drivers got out of their vehicles. The suspect walked over to the man and punched him in the face. After the assault the suspect realized he had mistaken the man for someone else. He apologized to the victim and left.

Car break-ins, vandalism, prowlers and thefts

Homeless advocates speak up against City's draft Encampment Ordinance

Homeless advocates of SHARE and Wheel, two self-organized, democratic, grassroots organizations of homeless and formally homeless individuals, are speaking up against the City of Seattle's new draft Encampment Ordinance, which they say could possibly bring an end to Tent City3’s decade of stability.

From the SHARE/WHEEL statement:

"For almost 10 years the City of Seattle, SHARE/WHEEL, El Centro de la Raza and others have successfully worked together to make Tent City3 the longest and smoothest running encampment in the Entire United States of America.

SHARE/WHEEL’s Tent City3 is King County’s most cost effective 24/7 shelter, and has helped literally thousands of people stay together and safe, get jobs and savings, and move back into the mainstream. A Consent Agreement signed in March 2001 – and due to expire next March – has been one important factor in this success.

Under the Consent Decree all hosts are treated the same – secular or religious – common sense rules are agreed to by all, and a Community Notification Process which includes a meeting and last approximately 3 weeks is required.

Neighborhood
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Ballard NW Senior Center hosts a night of wine, chocolate and art

On Thursday, September 29, the Ballard NW Senior Center is hosting a night of Wine, Chocolate, & Art.

"Starting at 5:30 p.m. participants will be able to taste delicious wines, sample many different chocolates and hors d'oeuvres, view beautiful artwork, and listen to live jazz music.," said Kristina Webberley of the NW Senior Center.

The event is a fundraiser for the Ballard NW Senior Center and also supports local artists. Local artists will be present to show their best works, discuss their techniques, and answer questions.

Artists include Susan Schneider, Matt Bazemore, Dianne Kimball, Dorothy Wayne, Gail Higgins, Dayne Lopez, Praveena Patel, Gail Nagy, Celeste Jordan, Tom O'Brien, Donna Ball, Salvatore Parisi and more.

The artwork will be available for purchase.

Several companies like Trader Joe's, Sam's Club, and Sahron & Eman Chocolates are donating the chocolate for this event, and distinctive wines from Italy and Argentina will be poured by Buddy Dunn of Domaine Select Wine Estates.

Tickets are available for $20 and include six tastes of these fine wines. Additional available by the glass and by the bottle for your own cellars or Holiday gifts.

Neighborhood
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Final Council action-no new jail in Interbay!

By King County Councilmember Larry Phillips

Dear Ms. Rook,

Earlier this year I wrote to let you know that King County and the City of Seattle had announced their intention to make a long-term agreement for use of the King County Jail as the primary provider of bed space for the City's misdemeanor inmates over the next two decades. Today, the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously approved the agreement, making it final. This agreement ends—with certainty—proposals to build a new jail in Interbay.

I have been pleased to partner with many community organizations in Interbay, Magnolia, Queen Anne, and Ballard since 2008 in opposing any new jail in Interbay. Because some time has passed, I wish to provide some background on this issue.

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Reality Mom: There’s a lot you don’t know

Besides wanting to extend the olive branch to my parents by braving the fifteen-hour cross country flight and Hurricane Irene (see previous column for gruesome details), the other reason I ventured the journey back east was to reconnect with extended relatives.
Before the trip even began I started an email correspondence with an uncle whom I hadn’t seen nor spoken to in six years. He is a quiet man who lives over three thousand miles away so I haven’t had that many opportunities to connect with him. Yet, ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been fascinated by him and suspected a kindred spirit. His email to me, “Wow! I had the feeling that we were on the same page, but your email reveals just on how many levels that is so,” confirmed the affinity I have felt.

Neighborhood
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Beaver Sports Round Up: September 26

By Chris Foster, Intern

The Ballard volleyball team was in action on Monday against the Redmond Mustangs, and won the match 3-0 to improve to 2-0 in conference play, and 5-0 overall this season. The win puts Ballard in a three-way tie for first place, along with Roosevelt and Newport.

The Beavers won in three straight games, allowing the Mustangs to score over 20 in only one of the three. Monique Marquez tallied 26 assists, and Allie Allen led the team with 10 kills. Deanna Myers and Grace Taylor also had eight kills apiece.

The Beavers will look to keep rolling with a busy week ahead, as they travel to Skyline tomorrow to take on the Spartans at 7:00.

Today’s Games:

Boys’ Golf, 3:30 at Echo Falls

Boys’ Tennis, 3:45 at Ballard

Girls’ Soccer, 7:30 at Issaquah

Girls’ Swim and Dive, 3:00 at Mary Wayte Pool

Volleyball, 7:00 at Skyline

Neighborhood
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