April 2012

Highland Park Elementary School held a special assembly on Wedneday April, 25 to celebrate and announce the award of a $25,000 check from FedEx and through Safe Kids Seattle, intended to be spent on permanent walking improvements for child pedestrians (and bike riders) in the Highland Park community.

Safe Kids Seattle and FedEx assembled a pedestrian safety task force of community leaders interested in child pedestrian safety.  FedEx provided the Safe Kids task force with the grant to work throughout 2012 to make changes that improve the permanent walking conditions for child pedestrians. The City of Seattle has matched and exceeded that grant with a $75,000 additional grant for the program through Safe Routes to School.

The crosswalks at 10th s.w. and 11th s.w. and Trenton will both be improved under the program. The crosswalks on Holden and other sites in the "walk zone" will also be improved.

Congestion inside Sea-Tac International Airport on Saturday afternoon, April 28 may be a possibility but congestion around the airport is almost a certainty.

An estimated 1,000 airport workers and supporters will march down International Boulevard shortly after noon from the airport flag pavilion, past Alaka Airlines corporate headquarters and disperse at Angle Lake Park.

The march is part of a rally to call on the Port of Seattle, operators of the airport, and Alaska Airlines, which operates about half of all flights at Sea-Tac, “to make sure all airport jobs are good jobs,” according to organizers.

Speakers will warm up the crowd at the flag pavilion across from the Radisson Hotel at 18118 International Blvd., beginning at noon.

Then the demonstrators will march south on International Boulevard. Alaska’s corporate headquarters is next door to the park, which is located at 19408 International Blvd.

The organizers say the airport has about 4,000 “poverty-wage jobs,” such as baggage handlers, wheelchair agents, cabin cleaners and taxi and shuttle drivers. Many of these jobs are done by immigrants, the organizers said.

Press release
Wine for our Times: Highland Park Improvement Club 4th Annual Wine Tasting Event

Saturday, May 5
Doors open at 6 p.m., Tasting starts at 7 p.m. at HPIC, 1116 SW Holden
Suggested donation: $15 plus one bottle of wine ($10 or less) per person for tasting.

Add to your list of reasonably priced and surprisingly good wines while tasting, describing and picking your favorites. You will be seated at a table of friends and neighbors and have a great time tasting each others' finds.

We will have special pours from the Northwest Wine Academy, special prizes and great raffle items from our local business community. Join this fun part of the event too! Raffle tickets will be $2 each and 3 for $5 - well worth the prizes.

Pre-register by Friday, 4/27! There will be a special raffle for pre-registered participants.

Email hpicwine@gmail.com or call 938-6031 and tell us how many people you're bringing.

And check www.hpic1919.org for updates, if you would like to sit with a certain Table Captain.

Local non-profits are the highlight of the day on May 2 as The Seattle Foundation holds their annual GiveBIG online charity event.

Just about every non-profit imaginable is linked with The Seattle Foundation for the event. Please visit their non-profit search page to find your favorite and stretch those donation dollars.

Here are the details from their website:
The Seattle Foundation's GiveBIG is a one-day, online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations who make our region a healthier and more vital place to live.

UPDATE May 17
Reflecting the diversity of the community it will stand in the heart of, the way finding kiosk created by Matt Tilton now has color and letters. "We used the best grade of automotive paint on it," said Tilton, a useful fact since it will be more resistant to vandalism. Two other factors were weighed in that equation. The letters that will be accompanied by arrows for directions are plastic and are easily replaced at low cost (though they are durable) and the height. Standing some 10 feet high even the bottom ring is well off the ground meaning casual tagging is less likely to happen.

The kiosk will be staged at the White Center Sign Shop then assembled over "about two hours" during the White Center Spring Clean taking place May 19.

Original post April 25
The wayfinding kiosk being built for the heart of White Center is taking shape in the shop of Matt Tilton at Tilton Fine Metalsmithing.

The Association of King County Historical Organizations held their 29th annual awards presentation on Tuesday, April 24th, and presented the Charles Payton Award for Heritage Advocacy to Ballard Historical Society (BHS) for their “Bring the Ring Back to Ballard” project.

The association also presented author Paul Dorpat with a Legacy Award for his 30 year Now & Then Series.

In presenting the award to BHS, King County Councilman Larry Phillips cited the community support for the original bell tower project that was also part of the last year’s project to automate the iconic bell so that it now rings on the hour.

Accepting on behalf of Ballard Historical Society, Steering Committee member Cass O’Callaghan thanked the Department of Neighborhoods for their Small & Simple Grant and all of the businesses and individuals who helped to fulfill beloved local teacher Mrs. Bertha Davis’ desire to complete the project started in 1987.

The Chief Sealth boys varsity soccer team had an undefeated season (10-0 in conference) going into last week’s spring break, likely making a few fans nervous that some downtime could break the streak.

April 24, back from a well-deserved hiatus, the Seahawks kept it alive by beating Ingraham 2-0 in a home game.

Coach Ron Johnson said his team practiced over the break to keep their game at top notch, and it paid off, although Tuesday’s victory was tough fought in a close match hardly reminiscent of their convincing 5-1 win over Ingraham on March 23.

Sealth took the lead 12 minutes in with a thundering volley from Brandon Rosario (assisted by Simon Crean).

The rest of the first half was a contested affair with the Ingraham attack putting pressure on goalkeeper Kristian Nilssen.

In the second half Chief Sealth created good opportunities off corner kicks that fell into the mass of humanity gathered inside the 18-yard box, but were unable to capitalize. In one instance, Ingraham’s goalie came off his line in hopes of clearing an incoming cross, only to have a Seahawk get a shot on goal that was saved by a defender who smartly protected the goalie-less line.

The largest youth film festival in world, the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), kicks off its sixth annual festival on Thursday with a red carpet event and opening night screening at the Cinerama Theater, as well as the first ever Future of Film Expo on Friday.

It’s expected that more than 250 filmmakers (all 22 and younger) and film industry professionals from around the world will walk the carpet, including a group of Ballard High School students.

NFFTY is the brainchild of Ballard High School video alumnus Jesse Harris (’04), who made history in 2004 when his feature film and senior project was purchased by FilmMates and given a theatrical release.

The festival showcases outstanding work by filmmakers age 22 and younger, and is a rare opportunity for high school students to share the spotlight with college students from our nation’s best film schools.

What I don’t know about life in Ballard will always be greater than what I know. Since I’ve made it my practice to wander the streets and write about the neighborhood for six years I may be able to feign above average knowledge, but it’s an act. Unless I could be allowed inside every apartment, every business, every home, and somehow become privy to all the lives and stories that have taken place there, I’m basically an ignorant outsider.

Of all the establishments in Ballard, I’m perhaps the greatest outsider when it come to churches, of which Ballard has many! Until this last week I had never been inside the sanctuary of the Trinity United Methodist Church, even though I have lived within two miles of it for 25 years. I’d been into the gymnasium to attend events and to work the polls. I haven’t been inside most of the churches of Ballard, unless they have been converted into an event venue.

West Seattle resident and architect Bret Wiggins who won the 15th Annual Elvis Invitationals Jan. 14 to became "The King"- Seattle's Best Amateur Elvis, will appear in his "Tribute to Elvis!" show at the Senior Center of West Seattle this Friday night , April 27, 7:30 p.m., a fundraiser to benefit the West Seattle Senior Center.

$20 prepaid or $25 at the door.
6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Elvis’s favorite foods and beverages available. Reservations—206-932-4044 x1