February 2012

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the State Board of Education (SBE) announced that 186 schools across the state will be honored with 2011 Washington Achievement Awards, including Ballard High School and Loyal Heights Elementary.

These schools were selected based on their performance on the Achievement Index, a comprehensive measurement of Washington schools’ performance over time.

“We are very proud of our award-winning schools,” said Interim Superintendent Susan Enfield. “The Washington Achievement Award is highly selective and measures a school’s continuous improvement over the course of several years. I am particularly proud that Seattle’s number of award-winning schools increased to 21 this year, up from 13 schools recognized in 2010 and seven recognized in 2009.”

From the Seattle Police Blotter - Posted by Detective Renee Witt

On 2-7-12, at approximately 10:56 a.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of SW Myrtle St, to investigate a burglary in progress where the three suspects had fled from the house.

The victim called 911 when she observed the three suspects flee out the back door of her residence. Officers quickly arrived in the area and began a search. One suspect was located within minutes, a few blocks from the scene. The other two suspects were quickly located and positively identified by the witness.

All three suspects are male and 18-years-old. The trio was processed and booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Auto Theft and Burglary.

The suspects drove a stolen Honda to the scene. The Honda was recovered and held for processing by detectives.

Today, a small group of Central Ballard residents announced the launch of a new community association to represents all residents of Central Ballard. The Central Ballard Residents Association (CBRA) will provide a forum for residents in Central Ballard and promote livability in the neighborhood’s historic core.

“Our main goal is to provide a forum to ensure that the resident community is involved in issues that affect it,” said Michael Kahrs, President of CBRA, in a press release. ”As longtime central Ballard residents, we wish to talk with our fellow residents about community issues which concern them, and provide community input on issues which affect our members.”

Taking guidance from the urban core as defined by the city of Seattle, the Association will welcome residence between 28th and 15th Avenue N.W. and N.W. 65th Street to the water.

By Patrick Robinson and David Rosen

Update 2 as of 10:45 pm

According to Stewart Wechsler, around 8:30 pm this evening, the Barred Owl was still hanging out inside the lodge. Staff members from Camp Long invited their friends down to take a look and also for the help to possibly get the owl out safely and unharmed. They all left the lodge to walk around the pond and when Stewart returned around 9:45 pm, the owl was no where to be found, so he believed the owl had left through the open window once they all left.

Original Post
A mature Barred Owl is trapped in the Lodge at Camp in West Seattle (today, Feb. 7) and has been in the building likely since yesterday. Nature Guide Stewart Wechsler called to alert the Herald about the bird which is about 14 to 15 inches in size.

He believes it may have come in through the chimney. "Barred owls tend to choose a tree thats like a chimney thats hollow with a broken top to put its nest in, my best guess was it was looking for potential nest sites and went down, got trapped, and then found its way out into the lodge instead of back up the chimney," Wechsler said.

More than $1.6 million in investments to Seattle-based arts, heritage and cultural organizations through the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs’ Civic Partners program was announced today by Mayor Mike McGinn. The program will provide funding to 137 organizations this year.

“The strong relationship between art and the strength of our local economy is a part of why Seattle is an attractive place to live. The City’s investment provides vital working capital to help groups produce and present a variety of arts and cultural opportunities,” said McGinn. “By supporting creative work throughout the city, we improve our economy and help keep the arts affordable and accessible to thousands of residents and visitors.”

Among the organizations who will benefit are Arts West who will receive a grant of $6.910 and the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association and Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (DNDA) who will get $2.485.

The 18th annual Neighbor Appreciation Day on Saturday Feb. 11 is a day for the City of Seattle to reach out to neighbors and express thanks to everyone who makes our neighborhoods great. Community organizations and residents across Seattle are hosting work parties, special events, and potlucks from February 5-11 to celebrate this day.

Here's a listing of public events occurring on February 11 in West Seattle (and South Park).

Fire Station Open Houses
Time: Saturday, February 11, 11 a.m.
Location: Fire Stations 5, 6, 9, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41
Contact: Bill Mace, 386-1337
Description: Several Seattle Fire Stations will participate again this year by hosting community members on Neighbor Appreciation Day between 11AM and 1PM.

Mason Bees presentation
Time: Saturday, February 11, 2 p.m.
Location: Barton St Community Garden and P-patch, SW Barton and 34th Ave SW
Contact: Laura Raymond, 615-1787

The Ballard District Council is convening for its monthly meeting tonight and topics on the agenda for the evening include a report on the current demographics and population trends in Ballard, transit, Seattle's Climate Action Plan, and more.

As usual, the meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at the Ballard Library 5614 22nd N.W.

AGENDA:

- Introductions & Short Announcements - please hold announcements to not more than one minute.
 
- A Report on Current Demographics & Population Trends in the Ballard District by Diana Canzoneri, City Demographer – Seattle Planning Commission
 
- Briefing on revised recommendation for transit service changes affecting the Ballard District in September of this year when the Rapid Ride D Line begins service by Ashley Deforest, King County Transit
 
- Seattle’s Climate Action Plan by Sara Wysocki, City of Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment
 
- Community Power Works by Andrea Petzel, City OSE
           
- Staff Report, Rob Mattson
-  Leadership training opportunity
-  2012 Safe Routes to School grant
-  March 6-8  test of  LED street lighting on 15 NW
 
- Report – Executive Committee

According to a family spokesman for Amanda Knox, and multiple media reports an appeal has been filed in Italy against her conviction for slander. Knox was freed last October when an Italian court overturned her conviction for murder in the death of roommate Meredith Kercher.

West Seattle raised Knox was given a three-year sentence for slander following her false testimony that her boss at the time of the original investigation, had been involved in the crime. Patrick Lamumba, a bar owner, was freed after two weeks in prison for lack of evidence.

Knox claimed she had been "manipulated" during a long police interrogation.

As part of its ongoing outreach efforts to find suitable permanent homes for foster animals, the Seattle Animal Shelter will host a cat adoptathon at the Sunset Hill Community Association on Saturday, Feb. 11.

“With our monthly neighborhood adoptathons, we hope to continue to spread the word about the joys and value of adopting shelter pets and saving lives. If you have room in your home and your heart for an orphaned animal, this is a great opportunity to come and see some of the wonderful pets available from our foster-care parents,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

The event will feature numerous cats of different breeds and adoption prices range from $45 to $135 (plus applicable license fees). The fees include:

- Initial vaccinations
- Deworming
- Feline Leukemia testing
- Certificate for free health exam at local veterinarians
- Spay or neuter
- Microchip (About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is injected under the cat’s skin, providing an identification number associated with that animal. Animal shelters can then “scan” a lost animal and retrieve its records from the microchip.)

On Monday, Feb 13, the Lions Health Screening Van will be screening 200 students for hearing and sight at the Viewlands Elementary.

Sponsored by the Ballard Lions Club, these screenings are available free of charge.

Staffed by volunteer health professionals, the professionally equipped mobile unit provides vision, hearing, glaucoma, diabetes, and blood pressure screening to more than 30,000 people annually, including 25,000 school children.

According to the Northwest Lions Foundation out of the 27,000 kids screened each year, about 15 percent are found to have problems.

"Without early detection – especially for the youngest grades – these problems cause classroom difficulties that push kids down. First they get behind their classmates in school and struggle to catch up. Far too often they can’t and face economic disadvantage later in life. For the 4,500 kids detected with sight or hearing problems each year, the Lions Health Screening Unit is an escape hatch from this trap,"according to the Lions Foundation.