May 2012

WSU Junior and West Seattleite Jessica Peterson won the WSU 2012 Inga Kromann Book Award for a children's book she created en route to an education degree. Here are the details from WSUNews:

Washington State University press release
What does a child do when she's sleepless in Seattle? Inspired by a restless night and a childhood spent near Puget Sound, aspiring teacher Jessica Peterson answered that question and won Washington State University's 2012 Inga Kromann Book Award.

The annual contest gives WSU education students incentive to write, design and illustrate their own children's books.

Peterson's winning storybook is "Sweet Dreams.” In it, a little girl sneaks out of her house after dark to go on a bike ride. She passes the city, the park, the beach and the zoo. Animals follow her home.

"It doesn't really explain much,” said Peterson. "I'm hoping that readers will use their imaginations to fill in the blanks.”

Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36th District), Representative Mary Lou Dickerson (D-36th District) and 14 other Washington state legislators announced their endorsement of Initiative 502 today.

I-502 would legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and over, and will appear on the November 6 general election ballot.

Under I-502, privately owned and operated standalone, marijuana-only stores would be licensed to sell limited quantities of marijuana to adults 21 and over. Washington growers and processors would be licensed to provide marijuana to the stores. Yet advertising would be restricted, and a new DUI threshold for THC would operate like the .08 threshold for alcohol to keep impaired drivers off the streets.

Eighty percent of a new marijuana excise tax would be dedicated to health care, prevention, research, and education. The balance of the excise tax, and all retail sales tax, would go to the state general fund and local budgets. Preliminary fiscal analyses published by the Washington state Office of Financial Management estimate I-502 would generate $560 million in new tax revenue annually.

When Seattle voters passed the Parks and Green Spaces levy in 2008, part of that levy was the establishment of an Opportunity Fund. Proposal applications are sought for projects that would improve Seattle Parks for everything from benches, to paths, from plantings to pavement. But figuring out what works, what is affordable and what serves the most people (or those with the greatest need) is not always easy. Parks has been hosting workshops around Seattle, and the final one is May 3 on Beacon Hill.

press release
Seattle Parks and Recreation is pleased to announce the start of the 2012/2013 cycle of the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Opportunity Fund. Under the 2008 Levy, this fund allocates $15 million for community initiated park development or property acquisition projects. In the first round, $7 million was allocated; $8 million is available this cycle.

With guidance from the City Council, the Levy Oversight Committee – an advisory board comprised of appointed volunteers – developed the 2012/2013 evaluation criteria, which they will use to assess, nominate, and recommend a package of projects to the Mayor and City Council.

press release
Seattle Public Schools is hosting workshops on Saturday, May 12 to provide families with tools and information to support their children’s learning during the summer.

The “Building Bridges for Summer Learning” symposium will run from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Chief Sealth International High School.

Families can find information on various topics, including reading/writing, math, science, technology, early learning, community arts, special education, advanced learning, grade-level transitions, and career and technical education.

Dr. Luis Ricardo Fraga, from the University of Washington, will be the keynote speaker at the conference. Community-based organizations will hold a resource fair with information on their summer programs, and a light breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Children’s activities, transportation and interpretation services will be provided.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/FamilySymposium2012 or contact Bernardo Ruiz, Family Engagement Manager, at (206) 252-0693 or email bjruiz@seattleschools.org.

What: Building Bridges for Summer Learning
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Atarah asks her friends to bring her stones from their travels; not postcards, not pebbles. Stones. Then she can hold a piece of the Appian Way in her hand, alabaster from Italy. Among other things, Atarah is a jeweler, an artist since “birth” who paints but whose latest works feature soldered silver and local beach glass. But she is also “Nonna,” holding her eighteen-month old grandson Rawley until he’s in a deep enough sleep to set down on a baby mattress.

The mattress is in an alcove at the back of Three Girls Bakery’s commercial kitchen on 15th Avenue NW. Even as Rawley’s head becomes dead-weight on her shoulder Atarah is finalizing a new recipe for an espresso-hazelnut-chocolate chip shortbread cookie. There are chocolate stains on the bottom corner of her white apron. On the kitchen side of their retail storefront her daughter Lou and co-worker Candace are converting the recipe for larger production.

The protests in downtown Seattle May 1 were marked by violence and destruction, much of it accomplished by self described anarchists, who, dressed in black carried tire irons and hammers and smashed out windows on buildings and cars in the core downtown area. Reporter/Photographers Greg McCorkle and Chris Menges were there for all of it and found people from our area involved in the more peaceful aspects of the protest.

by Greg McCorkle

What started out as a festive display of the right to voice displeasure as guaranteed by the first amendment, quickly turned violent as the first march of the day reached 5th Avenue.

It was then that the peaceful atmosphere was rocked by a small group of people bent on destruction of property. Many businesses and privately owned vehicles were targeted. Including the Federal Courthouse where the front doors were damaged.

Unfortunately the acts of a very small minority overshadowed the messages that law abiding protesters wanted heard.

Ruby is a Labradoodle and lives with Jamal, Sarah and Isley Whitehead. Ruby is four years old and was born on the couple's wedding day. "We put an order in and she was born that day," Sarah explained. She came from Springcreek Labradoodles in Oregon. The breeder picked Ruby out for them and met them half way there. "We just said what kind of dog we wanted, what kind of personality we wanted and they said, 'This is the dog for you,' and she's a perfect fit."

Ruby is a slightly unusual color. Her coat is a bit "reddish" said Jamal and a little "Apricot," offered Sarah.

One of the advantages of the breed is that they don't shed. Still, she does require some maintenance and, "she goes to the beauty parlor regularly," said Sarah.

Sarah said that Ruby talks a lot and she "sings to Isley's harmonica or to any piano music. She really enjoys it."

A dry food diet for Ruby is occasionally supplemented by "child snacks that get dropped on the floor. She's a scavenger."

Update 2 for 10:30 pm, May 1
Seattle Fire investigators have determined the fire that ravaged a 20th Ave S.W. home on May 1 was accidental, caused by “improperly disposed of smoking materials.”

Damages are estimated at $150,000 to the structure and $100,000 to contents and The American Red Cross is supporting the victims: an 84-year-old woman who escaped unharmed and a 59-year-old man who suffered minor injuries trying to put the fire out, according to SFD.

CLICK THE PHOTO ABOVE TO SEE MORE

Kyle Moore with Seattle Fire provided a description of the firefighters’ arrival and approach to battling the flames as they rushed from the basement up and through the home:

Engine Company 11 arrived to find flames shooting from the front living room window, the basement window and the kitchen window. Heavy black smoke filled the home. Both occupants escaped the single-story house by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

So what is the key to reaching 100 years of age? For Emma Harman, a longtime Fauntleroy resident and progressive 34th district representative in the early 1940s, it seems to be a mixture of vibrant conversation throughout life, a passion for community and politics, good genes, a rural upbringing and a commitment to walk about six blocks every day.

Once a week, those daily walks take her to the Original Bakery where she meets with a group of fellow West Seattleites every Tuesday for pastries, conversation and coffee. The Tuesday crew met up on May 1 to celebrate Harman’s 100th birthday, officially on May 5.

“You don’t notice until you get there,” Harman said of reaching centenarian status, “It’s just one day at a time.”

Harman partied with close friends on May 1, a group with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds who have come together on Tuesdays for, more or less, the last 25 years. They shared a birthday cake created by Original Bakery owner (since 1972) Bernie Alonzo and signed a poster board that proclaimed in bold letters, “Happy Birthday Emma.”

From Salty's:

Help Raise Funds for
“Fallen Heroes Project”

Salty's on Alki Bar-Café
Tuesday, May 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, May 8, we welcome “Fallen Heroes Project” honoring Americans for their ultimate sacrifice during the war against terrorism. The foundation provides resources to make and distribute to each family a hand-drawn portrait of their fallen hero by world-renowned artist Michael G. Reagan, free of charge.

Mr. Reagan will join you at the May 8 First Tuesday Tune-Up. (Well, it's not the first Tuesday in May, but we moved it in order to help celebrate Mr. Reagan's birthday!)

Come join us on May 8 and help raise funds at this cocktail party with live music—all for a good cause! Salty’s on Alki’s First Tuesday Tune-Up cocktail party highlights a local non-profit organization (NPO) giving them a stage to voice their passion. Enjoy live tunes with guest singers emceed by Alki’s resident Brunch Pianist Victor Janusz.