April 2012

Jim and Celeste Mustello got their dog Buck, who is a black and white Corgi, from a breeder in Spokane, picking him out from a new litter. He's now 13 years old and it's been a fun time with him, growing up with twins Laura and Nichole and son Tony.

"Sometimes Buck is too smart for his own good," Celeste said. "One time he actually dug through the kitchen linoleum floor, but we found out that the light underneath the floor had been making a hum. It wasn't until we came home one time without the kids and we heard it. It was bothering him. Sometimes you have to pay attention to your pets. They might be trying to tell you something."

You may notice in the photo that Buck appears to be smiling. Celeste thinks that he could have been a "therapy dog because he always looks like he's smiling. People always tell us that. When he's smiling it makes people smile too."

Buck gets a specialty diet from Mud Bay in the Admiral District and his treats come from there too. "He especially likes the 'greenies', " Jim explained, which are a dental cleaning treat.

by Paul Moseley

The Seattle Prep Panthers hosted the Chief Sealth Seahawks in a Metro League baseball matchup Monday, April 23 at Steve Cox park in White Center. Undefeated Seattle Prep came to the game defending a #1 Ranking in the State by the Seattle Times. Chief Sealth, 11-6 overall (8-5 league) entered the game with a solid season and a strong offense averaging 7.4 runs per game (MaxPreps).

The first two innings were warm ups, with both teams going scoreless. In the bottom of the third, Seattle Prep's Jackson Clough hit a solo homer over the left field fence to put Prep up 1-0. A follow up walk and base hit put Seattle prep up 2-0 after three innings.

That was all they would need. Chief Sealth scored 1 in the 4th but would never catch up. Seattle Prep put 2 more runs on the board in the 5th, then followed up with 3 more before closing it out with a 7-1 victory.

Max Winkelhake pitched 7 innings for the win. Nic Layton took a loss.

Seattle Prep 7, Chief Sealth 1

As of May 11, Mohawk Kuzma's new craigslist ad is:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/grd/3010215586.html

When it comes to breeding Pacific tree frogs, Mohawk Kuzma, a Burien 21 year-old formerly known as Miles Partman, should leap on to your radar. The Evergreen High School graduate and current civic engagement volunteer said he noticed that many in this species, called Pseudacris regilla are being killed off by the chytrid fungus or "Chytridiomycosis". He raises eggs and tadpoles to give away for free.

"I am encouraging people to spread the native frogs as there is a decline in the amphibian population," he said. "I am bringing the amphibian population back up with one frog at a time, all happening from my backyard pond."

His pond is a hole in the ground he hand-dug, with a plastic 10-foot by 15-foot swimming pool set inside.

John Urquhart announced his “semi-retirement” from KCSO late in 2011 after many years as the department spokesman. On April 24, he announced plans to get back in the game by running for King County Sheriff in the upcoming November election on a platform of public accountability and internal investigation reform.

Sheriff Sue Rahr left her post at the beginning of April to become director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center located in Burien. Deputy Steve Strachan took over as interim sheriff at that time and will hold the post at least until the election (Strachan has said he will run as well).

In a press release, Urquhart wrote “the King County Sheriff's Office is at a crossroads. We could go down a road that will ultimately cost us the respect and support of the very communities we are charged with protecting. We will find ourselves where our deputies will be feared, rather than welcomed.

John Urquhart announced his “semi-retirement” from KCSO late in 2011 after many years as the department spokesman. On April 24, he announced plans to run for King County Sheriff in the upcoming November election on a platform of public accountability and internal investigation reform.

Sheriff Sue Rahr left her post at the beginning of April to become director of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center located in Burien. Deputy Steve Strachan took over as interim sheriff at that time and will hold the post at least until the election (Strachan has said he will run as well).

In a press release, Urquhart wrote “the King County Sheriff's Office is at a crossroads. We could go down a road that will ultimately cost us the respect and support of the very communities we are charged with protecting. We will find ourselves where our deputies will be feared, rather than welcomed.

From Vietnamese Cultural Center Director Lee Ducly Bui:

INVITATION

You and family is invited to the 37th Candle Light Vigil in remembrance of the over one million of South Vietnamese and the 58,000 U.S soldiers who gave up their lives for the freedom of Vietnam.

Time : APRIL 30, Monday night, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Place : Fallen Soldiers Memorial, Vietnamese Cultural Center 2236 SW Orchard St., Seattle WA 98106

Please forward the invite to the VN War Veterans & Families.

Thanks.

Lee Bui

Poetrybridge returns to C&P Coffee this Wednesday, April 25, 7pm-9pm.

Cara Mbaye

or, according to her personal bio, "best known as Cara P.
Black woman", 40, divorced now remarried
two sons – call me Mama C. 'm a Sister Girl
Daughter Friend
Curves, plump, hair cropped short.
Black Man's queen
Who I am
is more complex
or so I think.
Let me describe me like this
I'm persistent, consistent
determined would fit.
Momma says I have "Stick-to-it-ness".
NO and can't isn't an option.
I'm ridiculously corny
laughing my best friend
I'm fairly simple
at times not easily read.
Impressing folks not high on my list
Making my parents/my people proud
is important to me.
I want to ensure that everything they poured into me was not in vain.
My daddy's proud I have my degree
My momma and aunties are proud
of the woman I have become
My friends are proud to call me friend
I could go on and spell me out
but the crux of me lay on this sheet.

Tom Nivision

UPDATE: Top Pot Doughnuts announced on Twitter that the new Ballard location will open in three weeks.

In April, co-founder Mark Klebeck announced Top Pot would open a Ballard location next to Trader Joe's at the Ballard Blocks.

"Having a presence in Ballard is something we've always wanted," said Klebeck, a Ballard resident, at the time. "My kids will be very happy."

The 1,200 square foot retail cafe will offer patrons over 40 varieties of hand-forged doughnuts, fresh roasted coffee as well as locally-made pastries and sandwiches.

"The timing was just right," Klebeck said. "And Ballard is just a great up and coming neighborhood."

The Ballard Blocks is located at 1416 NW Ballard Way.
Learn more about Top Pot Doughnuts at http://www.toppotdoughnuts.com.

UPDATE, Saturday, April 28:

SLIDESHOW, Click on photo for more

The 24-hour Occupy (Committee to End Homelessness in King County) CEHKC Protest was organized to make a statement, both symbolic and literal, as tents went up and folks gave speeches.

Former Washington Governor Mike Lowry, (1993-1997) a board member of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, spoke at the Governing Board Meeting, Bertha Landes Room, City Hall, April 25. He also spoke to reporter/photographer Greg McCorkle for the West Seattle Herald.

"The state can't just appropriate money (to help the homeless)," he said. "They have to look at, 'Here's the data that shows what to invest in, with taxpayers money'. You have to be able to successfully lobby to show there is a priority. We have a five-year target as opposed to the 10-year plan for veterans. The numbers keep getting bigger. The bad economy means the number of homeless is going the wrong direction."

The Woodland Park Zoo has released the line-up for this summer's BECU ZooTunes.

The annual summer concert series, presented by Carter Subaru, is now in its 29th season and will feature big names like Ziggy Marley, Melissa Etheridge, K.d. Lang, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, and more.

Tickets go on sale beginning April 27th at 8:00 a.m. online at http://www.zoo.org/zootunes. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase at Woodland Park Zoo gates during zoo hours: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily through April 30, and 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. daily May 1 – September 30.

Zoo member pre-sale starts on April 25th at 8:00 a.m online.

There will be free admission for one child age 12 and under with each ticket purchased, and the concerts are festival seating. Concert-goers are encouraged to spread out with blankets and low-backed folding chairs

For adults 21 and up, there will a Beer and Wine Garden. Alcohol from outside the zoo is not allowed.

The ZooTunes season kicks off June 27 with the following line-up:

June 27 Leo Kottke / Jake Shimabukuro ($24)
July 3 k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang ($38)