August 2012

The West Seattle Water Taxi (and the Vashon Island route too) will be a bit more crowded but that's a good thing.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) granted approval this week for the vessels Rachel Marie and Melissa Ann to each carry a total of 172 passengers, an increase of 22.

“The increase in capacity is great news for our dedicated riders who at times have been left behind when a boat was full,” said King County Ferry District Chair Joe McDermott. “With ridership up on both routes, the added capacity will make our water taxis an even more attractive transportation alternative.”

“More people can take the water taxi, and fewer cars will clog roads – everyone wins,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine.

People have had to wait at the dock in the past and for now, with no place to wait at Seacrest Park (Marination is on schedule but not likely to open until September at the earliest), this is welcome news.

King County Department of Transportation released a progress report on the South Park Bridge now under construction noting a major concrete pour scheduled to take place this weekend, Aug. 25 which will impact traffic.

Major milestone reached
The new bridge’s southern in-water pier reached its final design depth, approximately 70 feet below the river bed. This work required specialized skill of the contractor to place the pier not only at the correct depth, but also to the correct north/south and east/west coordinates. The 16-million pound, in-river pier is now securely founded on hard material. Concrete will be pumped into the bottom of the caisson to form a 24’ thick plug to seal the caisson from river water and improve the structural properties of the pier. Soon the pier crews will work to extend the concrete walls 32 feet more to their final height.

Concrete pouring this Saturday

The 3rd Annual High Point Family Health Fair is set for August 29th from 5:00-8:00pm at High Point Neighborhood House Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW, Seattle WA 98126).

25 organizations will be there to deliver health screenings such as blood pressure checks and diabetes screening and provide information about affordable health insurance, drug and alcohol prevention, nutrition, fitness, and other ways to stay healthy and happy.

There will be free healthy food demos (learn how to make a spring roll or a fruit smoothie!), a fitness course, Seattle Fire Dept fire truck, and games and activities for the whole family including kids and seniors. Plus free prizes, entertainment and giveaways.

Check out the promotional video created by the YELS and TADA Summer Youth Interns.

Event sponsors include:
Lead Sponsor: Community Health Plan of Washington
Gold Sponsor: WaterSmart/Seattle Tilth
Silver Sponsors: Neighborcare Health, Neighborhood House, Seattle Housing Authority
Contributors: WA Oral Health Foundation, United Health Care Community Plan, City of Seattle P-Patch Program

If the boards of Highline Medical Center in Burien and Tacoma-based Franciscan Health System approve a final affiliation agreement, Highline would become part of an even bigger new regional healthcare system than first announced last month.

With Highline, the new partnership revealed this month would create an integrated health system in the Pacific Northwest, combining eight Catholic Health Initiatives hospitals in Washington and Oregon with nine PeaceHealth hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

Even without Highline, the new organization will include nearly 26,000 employees and about 950 employed physicians serving in hospitals, physician clinics, outpatient care clinics, long-term care facilities, laboratories and private homes across the region.

Highline officials report the medical center and Franciscan are making progress on the proposed affiliation announced in July and plan to complete the due diligence phase in a few months so a definitive agreement can be approved by both boards by the end of 2012.

Reader Yuri Ivanov shared his photos of a truck fire that destroyed the structure and vehicle on the 3600 block of 48th s.w. on Aug. 21.

No one was injured and the fire is under investigation.

Volunteers are still needed for the annual bicycle and pedestrian count, which started four years ago and takes place in various locations all across Washington State.

The count takes place Sept. 25, 26 and 27 and is almost entirely volunteer run. Time slots are two hours long and include a morning shift, 7-9:00 a.m., and an afternoon shift, 4-6 p.m.

Volunteers are still needed in several Ballard-area spots, including the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, the Ballard Bridge and Shilshole Ave and 17 Ave NW.

"Past surveys showed that bicycle use is highest on trails, bridges and in downtown areas," according to a press release sent out by the Washington State Department of Transportation. "The highest pedestrian counts were recorded near universities, in downtowns, near transit stations and in neighborhoods with mixed residential and commercial areas."

For more information, including volunteer sign-ups, visit the Washington State Department of Transportation website at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/Count.htm.

Last month the Woodland Park Zoo invited the community to name their new Visayan Warty Pigs, who came to the zoo in May.

Now the results are in. The pigs, in order of greatest number of votes, are now named Guapa (beautiful), Bulak (flower) and Magdula (playful). You can see them anytime at the Woodland Park Zoo, which is open 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

“It’s been great to see the community’s excitement about the new addition of the Visayan warty pigs to the zoo,” said Martin Ramirez, a mammal curator at Woodland Park Zoo, in a press release. “The community continues to play an active role at the zoo, and we’re happy they’ve joined us again to name our three pigs.”

The pigs are unique to two Visayan islands in the Phillipines, where habitat loss, food shortage and hunting have put them on the endangered list.

There were three other names which lost out in the contest: Banhaan (nosey), Lasang (forest) and Adlaw (sun).

The light pole replacement project is still going. Today will see a southbound lane closure for a couple hours during nonpeak traffic, prior to 2:30 p.m. As usual, a northbound lane will be closed, also until around 2:30 p.m.

The outer northbound lane will be closed daily until the end of the week, starting as early as 7:00 a.m. and ending by 2:30 p.m. Major delays can be caused if the bridge has to raise, so you might want to consider a reroute.

With boats rolling over blazing gold-sheeted waters, Monday, Aug. 20 marked the last race of the Ballard Cup series. Over fifty boats crowded the course in front of Shilshole Marina, with racers divided into six fleets based on their size, model and number of sails (i.e. flying spinnaker or not). Points were tallied based on time and calculated for a corrected total for handicap using the PHRF rating. Total points were accumulated from the past five races.

Under a crimson hued sunset, the racers finished. At the Sloop Tavern, crews crowded the entire space of the alehouse and waited in anticipation as scores were calculated. Using a loud speaker, Sloop Tavern Yatch Club (STYC) officials announced the winners.

Celebrated victors from each fleet were Water Street (helmed by Mark Jackson), Rock Lobster (helmed by Trent Piepho), Perfectly Strange (helmed by Paul Kalina), Airloom (helmed by Tim Morgenroth), Here & Now (helmed by Pat Denney), and Delirium (helmed by Jerry Diercks).

Prizes for winners of the Ballard Cup were glass STYC “slooper” mugs/ trophies, stickers and bragging rights until next year.

If Ballard Mailbox looked small between its neighbors before, that’s nothing compared to how it will soon look on the edge of the hole to be dug for underground parking of a seven-story, 309-unit mixed use development that will rise on an adjoining wall. Especially during construction next door, Ballard Mailbox may look increasingly threatened -- but appearances can be deceiving. Inside, all is well for the 800+ mailbox customers. “We’re not going anywhere,” Manager Nicole Witham assured me.

Witham speaks with calm assurance, whether handling the needs of a customer in a desperate shipping situation or coordinating with the construction firm working next door. Witham is manager as well as tenant, with an apartment upstairs. She’s worked at Ballard Mailbox since her middle school years under previous ownership. Her mother Angela Small bought the business in 2008 and the building itself in late 2010. With the impact of major excavation and construction for the next two years, Witham is also part project manager.