October 2011

Update for 1:54 p.m.
WSDOT reports all northbound lanes of SR 599 are now open.

Update for 1:11 p.m.
A front end loader is currently pushing the semi trailer over, traffic should resume shortly.

Original post
A semi-truck rolled over on northbound SR 599 near S. 133rd and the Metro Bus Barn around 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 26.

Both northbound lanes are shut down as of 12:30 p.m., according to the Washington Dept. of Transportation.

The ramp from NB I-5 to SR 599 is currently closed as well. Drivers stuck on the 599 are currently using the Interurban on-ramp to exit the backup, according to WSDOT.

We’ll keep you posted as the situation develops.

If you "accused" West Seattle's Fred Matthews of being a philosopher, the humble Westwood resident might bristle, and say instead that he considers himself a retiree who simply likes to teach. He is armed with a Master of Divinity degree from the Pacific School of Religion located in progressive Berkeley, the center of the cyclone back in the turbulent '60's when he graduated, (preceded by his Ingraham High School degree in turbulent North Seattle, and Whitman College bachelor degree).

He comfortably recites Erik Erikson's theories of development, quotes Sherwin Nuland's "How We Die", and discusses Iranian poet Rumi, James Hollis' "What Matters Most", Mary Catherine and Gregory Bateson, she, the daughter of Margaret Mead, he a psychiatric pioneer, author/speaker David Solie, and Marc Freedman and his new book, "The Big Shift".

He said he "decided not to follow an institutional path" in the ministry, and instead spent 40 years in the field of fund-raising for nonprofits including the March of Dimes.

On Monday, Oct 24, King County Metro published the initial proposal for the September 2012 service change, which includes the implementation of the RapidRide C and D lines.

Leading up to the September 2012 introduction of the RapidRide, Metro Transit expects a number of modifications to existing transit service in the Ballard area. 

The congestion reduction charge will keep Northwest Seattle's transit whole for the next two years but Metro will continue the new service implementation plan, announced Ashley DeForest, Community Relations Planner at King County DOT, at the October Ballard District Council Meeting.

Service will change to align routes with the RapidRide routes and remove any duplicate routes.

For many Ballardites, the concern is around the RapidRide D line which connects Ballard to downtown along 15th Avenue NW.

It was rumored that the D line would replace the 15 Express and actually increase travel time instead of shorten it.

“It’s a rumor that’s probably going to be correct,” DeForest said. "But at most the D link would only add 5 minutes to the travel time to get downtown."

Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien is joining State Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson in a quest to find a permanent space for people living in their cars in Ballard.

O'Brien is asking for $25,000 out of the 2012 city budget to create car camps at Ballard churches.

"I have done the One Night Count two years in a row. I stayed up all night and walked the streets of Seattle in an effort to gain some idea of how many people in our city are sleeping on the streets," O'Brien writes in a blog post. "According to the 2011 One Night Count, 506 vehicular residents were counted and 141 of them were in Ballard. In January of this year, I committed to finding a solution for people living in their cars in Ballard."

Earlier this year, thanks in part to the advocacy of Ballard Homes for All, State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson fought to secure $10,000 in state funds for a safe parking pilot project in Ballard to accommodate the growing numbers of people living in their cars in Ballard.

Last week, a Seattle group of critically-acclaimed, nationally recognized, and locally beloved independent children’s music artists learned that they are one of 122 children’s albums to be selected and placed on the ballot for possible nomination for a coveted Grammy Award.

The The Not-Its! have been bringing kids and parents alike to their feet in a rock n’ roll frenzy with their power-pop sounds and four-part harmonies for the last three years.

With the release of their third album "Tag, You’re It" this past summer, The Not-Its! have been taking over the airwaves on national kids music radio shows and have charged themselves with forging new partnerships in order to continue to build the momentum of this kindie music craze. With the news of their Grammy nomination possibility, The Not-Its! have now charged themselves with reaching the stars, and sharing this record with the world at large in hopes that those who have the power to, will make a vote and consider “Tag, You’re It!” for the official 2012 nomination—only five of the 117 children’s records will make the cut.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS ON TONIGHT'S MEETING

UPDATE, Chris Arkills, Transportation Policy Advisor to King County Executive Dow Constantine, clarified this issue with the West Seattle Herald today. We thank him for weighing in:

"All the changes are based upon the new service guidelines that were adopted last year and ridership on Route 37 is not real strong, especially along Beach Drive," Akills said. "We have a lot of tough decisions around King County to make in terms of how to allocate scarce dollars. This still has to pass through the King County Council. All around the county we have to look at places that were traditionally served. Route 37, and more routes, would have been cut if we hadn't passed the CRC. (The congestion reduction charge of $20 on vehicle registration.)

Larry is a black Labrador Retriever mix and he lives with Carla Butzerin in the North Admiral neighborhood. He's only been with her for about 18 months even though he is almost ten years old because her sister's son was afraid of him. He's a gentle dog but because it was an issue she took him in.

"He's been really good for me," she said, "I've had to walk him and I just adore him. He's the sweetest dog."

Larry gets a cup of kibble and "two eggs and toast for breakfast," she said and, "a cup of kibble and a half a cup of whatever I'm eating for dinner." He's a big bacon lover for treats.

He's not a highly trained dog but he knows how to sit and shake hands. "I wish he would heel better but it's me that can't train, it's not him that's not smart," Butzerin said.

Larry was abandoned at age 1 1/2 at a motel on Aurora Ave. So he was taken to the Seattle dog pound and he was adopted by Butzerin's future brother in-law and his wife at the time. When she passed away, Butzerin's brother in law remarried Butzerin's sister.

They lived on Alki and he was a great dog even then Butzerin said.

The idea of thinking globally but acting locally has probably never been more important in terms of taking care of what is closest to you, given a weakened economy. The idea which has its roots in the desire to take care of the environment can be expressed in many ways but here in Seattle it takes on a more pertinent meaning given our relationship with rain.

Building a rain garden can provide benefits that really do save the planet. What is a rain garden? A rain garden is a shallow depression that is planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses. It's best to put it near a runoff source like a downspout, driveway or sump pump to capture rainwater runoff so it can stop the water from reaching the sewer system.

Five rain gardens are installed in four different neighborhoods in Seattle and workshops are being offered to share what has been done, provide some training for those who want to install rain gardens, and make available a scholarship for a few more rain gardens to go in.  

press release:
The South Seattle Community College Foundation has received two, $25,000 gifts from the local chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International to establish scholarship endowments to support female culinary and wine technology students.

The Les Dames d’ Escoffier, Seattle Culinary Arts Endowed Scholarship Fund in Honor of Co-Founder, Dame Kathleen Stang honors a well-known Northwest cookbook author and food writer who was one of the three founders of the Seattle Chapter. Stang passed away August 9, 2011, after an extended illness.
The Les Dames d’ Escoffier, Seattle Wine Technology-Northwest Wine Academy Endowed Scholarship Fund will benefit female students in South’s Northwest Wine Academy.

In addition to the endowments, LDES has provided two, one-time-only, non-endowed gifts of $1,000 for academic year 2011-2012 scholarships.

In making the announcement, Les Dames Chapter Executive Director Beverly Gruber cited South’s success in training students for work in the culinary industry, noting the impressive number of professional chefs, winemakers, and hospitality industry executives who have graduated from the college programs.

press release:
One bag, two bag, red bag, GOLF BAG… Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled purses, yearning to be worn; the wretched refuse of your teeming closets and drawers just in time for Christmas shopping!

Date and Time: Friday; December 2nd; 2011 from 12-1:30 pm

Luncheon and purse sale with mini-auction of 10 premium items; just in time for Christmas gift giving!
**In the event of inclement weather (snow): all roads leading into and out of the West Seattle Golf Course Parking Area will be sanded and salted to make access extremely safe and easy!!**

Location: West Seattle Golf Club Banquet Room

This fundraiser will consist of sales of donated purses, men’s wallets, and golf bags that are either new, have been pre-owned, or as we like to say: ‘Gently Used’. Proceeds from this luncheon event will benefit the West Seattle Rotary Service Club. The West Seattle Rotary Service Foundation is a 501 C-3 nonprofit organization. Our 501 c3 number is: 91-1645903.