October 2011

The Seattle Parks Department is looking for additional feedback on the design of the new Roxhill Skatepark at Roxhill Park located at 2850 SW Roxbury Street. The West Seattle Herald brought you the story of the schematic design review at the meeting held Oct. 12. At that meeting a number of skaters spoke up with suggestions regarding the first design presented.

You can see a larger version of that first design and the skatespot layout by clicking the links above.

California Skateparks is working on the schematic design for the new street style skatepark and we are collecting feedback from the community to influence the design and features of the new facility.

Please visit the project web site to see the layout plans for the site and potential features.
http://seattle.gov/parks/projects/roxhill/

Mayor Mike McGinn welcomed Brooks Sports to Fremont on Thursday, Oct 20. The running shoe company will relocate its global headquarters to Fremont along the Burke-Gilman trail on 3400 Stone Way.

Not only will Brooks bring 300 jobs to Fremont, the building that will house Brooks Sports is a new and innovative 120,000 square foot building that will meet the City of Seattle's Living Building Challenge.

Run by Skanska USA Commercial Development, the building project is the second participant of the City of Seattle's Living Building Pilot Program, a program encourages the implementation of innovative and sustainable strategies toward the Living Building Challenge, including reduced water and electricity use, storm drainage, natural daylighting and more.

Update for Oct. 21

Please click here for the full story on today's press conference, including a slideshow.

Dubbed operation "Center of Attention," the ATF's Violent Crime Task Force brought justice to White Center on Oct. 20 after 90-days of investigation.

53 people were arrested and agents siezed 68 guns, 51 lbs of meth, 2 lbs of crack cocaine and over 10 pounds of powder cocaine in the bust.

At the press conference on Friday, agents said four businesses on 16th Ave S.W. were operating as fronts and at least two business owners have been arrested.

A full story will be posted shortly.

Update for 9:45 pm, Oct. 20
Beating the press conference to the punch, PubliCola reports two White Center bars were raided as fronts for drug and gun dealers.

The Ballard volleyball team lost to Newport Tuesday night in three games, falling to 3-5 in conference play. The scores were 25-15, 25-19 and 25-6. The Beavers, who have been riddled with injuries, are now 6-5 overall.

It was the last home match for the Beavers, who have seven seniors on the team. One of the seniors, Monique Marquez, tallied 12 assists on the night. Deanna Meyers—also a senior—had 5 kills.

Their next match will be Thursday at Issaquah, where the Beavers will take on the 2-6 Eagles. The match will begin at 7.

A fair system of taxation is one where money comes from those who have some to spare rather than those without enough.

People who have prospered should help pay for the services that have made their success possible. We need to get the Legislature to adopt an state income tax.

Bruce Pringle
Normandy Park

Once again I, along with all who attended the Rock 'n' Rollin 50's Girlie Luncheon Class of 60 Highline/Mt. Rainier, wish to thank Angelo's Restaurant for their outstanding hospitality in hosting our Girlies and the ‘60s Guys for the After Party this year, where the Guys could mix and mingle with the Girls and reminisce and renew old high school friendships.

Everyone gathered in sharing a ‘50s Diner Themed Event, including a new group of Gals joining the ever growing list of the Girlies of the Class of 60 and Friends, taking a stroll down Memory Lane of our High School Days!

Our server, Christa, again this year, outdid herself in making everything go so smoothly, everyone is so amazed at how she can do all this by herself!! Thank You Christa for your outstanding service!! We Love You!

We all look forward to next yr’s Class of 60 Girlie and 'Guy' Luncheon where once again we will gather to celebrate with our 70th Birthday Party, including the Guys who wish to attend!

We all Grew Up ‘50s Style, and What A Style It Was!!!

Thank You Angelo's and Staff for making this event such a huge success....AGAIN!!!

Sharon Hofstra Haugen

The City of Des Moines in a Memo dated October 1, 2011 announced a change in the solid waste company from Allied Waste to CleanScapes, who apparently won a competitive bidding process.

During this time I’ve researched the level of service to be provided by each firm that is as follows:

Please download the link (upper right hand side of the letter)for Mr. Kennedy's findings

I really do not know who negotiated this contract for the city of Des Moines but if CleanScapes won the contract it lacks any cost savings for the customer so one would wonder where is the value? Plus AW keeps this process simple in that garbage is garbage and no distinction or requirement for the customer to “sort” food scraps and shredded paper to languish in a virtually empty yard waste container waiting the two-week cycle and especially during the dormant season.

Yet another major private development project is planned for property in downtown Ballard.

Located at 1760 NW 56th Street, the planned six-story development would contain 130 units of market rate apartments and 1,400 square feet of ground floor commercial space.

The existing offices will be demolished.

This proposed building will be across from another multi-story building once Compass Housing Alliance finishes its planned Nyer Urness House, which will contain around 80 units for low-income and formerly homeless adults.

There will be a design review meeting regarding the new development for 1760 NW 56th Street on Monday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ballard High School Library, 1418 NW 65 St.

press release:

City of Seattle officials announced today a temporary suspension of the $32 flat rate from the downtown hotel district to Sea-Tac Airport during the Viaduct closure, planned for 7:30 p.m., Oct. 21, to 5 a.m., Oct. 31. Fares will instead be computed by the taximeters to ensure cab drivers are fairly compensated for what are expected to be longer trips due to traffic delays. Fares are expected to be $40 or more depending on traffic delays. The flat rate will be reinstated when the Viaduct reopens.

Traffic delays have a direct impact on fares because when taxicabs operate at speeds slower than 15 miles per hour, taximeters use a 50 cents per minute time charge, instead of the $2.50 per mile distance charge.

With the Viaduct closure, the time charge will increase due to traffic delays.

"poetrybridge" featues Poems & Tales at C&P Coffee Wednesday, Oct. 26, 7pm-9pm, and continues the fourth Wednesday of each month, including Nov. 23, and so on.

Featured readers include Priya Keefe and Rayn Roberts.

"In addition to the featured readers, Open Mic is always a treasure of surprises, new poets, new poems, and a wide variety of voices. Sign-ups start at 6:45 to accommodate readers who have a ways to travel to get there," said host, Leopoldo Seguel.

Featured readers begin at 7:pm. Then there is a break close to 8pm, then Open Mic begins. All are welcome to read a poem or share a story at Open Mic.

C&P Coffee is located between the Alaska and Morgan Junctions.

C&P Coffee
5612 California Ave SW
(206) 933-3125