August 2012

HealthPoint Community Health Care broke ground on its fourteenth clinic Wednesday, Aug. 15, at 26401 Pacific Highway S., Des Moines. Joining HealthPoint CEO Thomas Trompeter were Des Moines Mayor Dave Kaplan, Des Moines Police Chief George Delgado, King County Councilmember Julia Patterson, 33rd District Senator Karen Keiser, Des Moines City Councilmember Jeanette Burrage, Des Moines City Manager Tony Piasecki, and others.

In the opening speech, Mayor Kaplan said, "I can't say enough about how important this facility is. The demographics of Des Moines and in all of the South King County cities has changed dramatically over the past several decades. The needs have continued to grow. For a long time Des Moines had a need for government services because of the lack of employment opportunities, language barriers. With the addition of this 36,000 square foot facility you are going to see an ability to handle over 14,000 patients. That's a lot of people who will get services they can't otherwise get. Getting here is going to get a lot easier being on a major transportation line on Pacific Highway South."

Dear Editor,
The headline “Water Taxi vessels will be replaced by 2014” [August 17 West Seattle Herald] drives home the message that Pork is not Pork if it benefits me.
County Executive Constantine gushes about the “cost-effective service” and “We are so grateful to Senator Patty Murray and Representative Rick Larson for securing federal funds to help build these vessels” prompting one to wonder if all the talk about the debt and deficit is window dressing for a presidential debate.
Let’s look at the “cost-effective service”: The King County Ferry District 2012 Annual Operating and Capital Budget shows an anticipated fare income of $1,102,543 out of a total income of $17,391,574. The difference between fare and total income is made up of Property Tax, State Forest Timber Sales, Interest income, Federal Grants and State Grants, with most of the monies ($14,418,411) coming from Federal Grants.

All branches of the Seattle Public Library system -- including the Ballard, Greenwood, Fremont and Green Lake branches -- will close Monday, Aug. 27 through Sunday, Sept. 2 (as well as labor day on Sept. 3) due to citywide budget cuts. Regular Library operations will resume Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Checkout and drop boxes at the Ballard and Greenwood branch libraries will close at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 26. They will reopen 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4.

For Green Lake and Fremont branch libraries, the last day to check out items will be 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 25. They will also reopen at 9:30 a.m., Sept. 4.

Most online services will shut down at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26.

For more information, visit the Seattle Public Library website. See below for a full list of informational bullet points from the Seattle Public Library:

•Materials will not be due and fines will not be charged.

The Second Annual Cops & Doughnuts doughnut giveaway

Six years ago, Seattle Police Department Joselito Barber was killed when a driver speeding at an estimated 80 miles per hour broadsided him at an intersection. Barber was a young and ambitious police officer, starting in a career that was his dream job.

Now, fast forward to today, family members and friends of Barber are turning his tragedy into something good. At the new Top Pot Doughnuts in Ballard, they will be giving away free doughnuts -- chocolate and maple bars, his favorites -- and will be accepting donations for Boys & Girls Club of King County and Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.). The giveaway will take place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Donations will also be accepted at all BECU locations. More info

Viking Days

Another year, another Viking invasion. That's right, it's Viking Days at the Nordic Heritage Museum, taking place this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 18 and 19, from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. What's more? It's free!

The Seattle Parks and Recreation Charity golf tournament is set for Saturday, Sept. 22 at West Seattle Golf Course.

The $65 entrance fee includes a golf, a cart, and a goodie bag. The tournament begins at 2 pm.

The Mulligan card, for an additional $35 is primarily designed to bring a bit more revenue to the Parks Youth Scholarship which helps youth of all backgrounds to participate in most of the Park Department recreation programs.

With the card, you’ll also be entered into the raffle for memorabilia donated by the Mariners, Seahawks and Sounders. You’ll be entered into the $10,000 hole in one contest, and you’ll have access to the BBQ buffet table at the post tournament celebration.

Paul Wilkinson, Director of Golf Services for Seattle Parks said, "The tournament will be best ball format to allow golfers of all abilities to participate and have a good chance to win prizes. If you do not golf at all, you can still participate and/or support the charity by purchasing the Mulligan Card , volunteering to help, or offering an item for the raffle."

Your $100, $65, or $35 fee is tax deductible.

Iconic Seattle musician Duff McKagan has been rocking it in 2012 with all guns blazing, and his career is looking rosy. Bad puns aside, he soon adds one more notch in his belt, "The Taking", a film ala "Hard Days Night" filled with music from his band Loaded, with edgy cinematography by West Seattle filmmaker Jamie Chamberlin.

Chamberlin, of Black Dahlia Films, is both the producer and director of 'The Taking'. The West Seattle Herald has followed Chamberlin filming "The Taking", and has reported on his film and stage work with ZZ Top. Loaded bass player Jeff Rouse lives in West Seattle.

In an attempt to attract new younger members, the Ballard Lions club hosted a 1950’s “Mad Men” themed cocktail party Aug. 16 at a beach side property in Ballard.

Maggie Mallett, a coordinator for the Lions and member for over two years, organized the event. In a tied retro hairstyle and poodle skirt, she dressed the part for the event.

“Our goal is to get some young people involved in the club ... The lions are some of the unsung heroes in the community," she said.

After seeing membership losses of over fifty percent, the Lions club is falling in line with many community clubs across the nation by looking to a younger generation to carry the torch of community and charity.

Mallett explained the goal is finding young people who are tech savvy, well networked, and have a desire to make a difference in their community.

“The biggest part of course, is just having fun doing it and enjoying people,” Mallett said.

Owners Adam and Grace Robbings opened Reuben’s Brews August 5, further adding to the brewing trend in Ballard people have been calling the “Red Hook District.”

Robbings, originally from London, moved to Seattle in 2004. After the birth of his son, Reuben, Robbings said he started home brewing because he felt he could enhance flavors in many of the beers he was drinking. Coincidently, his first brewing kit was a gift from his son.

In 2010, Robbings won his first competition as a homebrewer in the Phinney Neighborhood Association’s (PNA) Winter Beer Taste, taking peoples choice award for his Roasted Rye PA against well known breweries like Sierra Nevada and Ninkasi. Later, Robbings also won Best of Show at the Skagit County Fair.

The United States Track and Field Association’s (USATF) National Masters Throws and Ultra Weight Pentathlon will be held Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 18-19) at West Seattle Stadium.

Men and women ages 30 and over will be competing.

Events begin at 8:00am each day.

The throws pentathlon is a Masters (age 30-105+) event consisting of 5 events , the hammer, shot put , discus throw, javelin throw and weight throw. They must be contested in order. Weight of implement goes down in 10 year increments after age 50 as age increases. Athletes compete in 5 years age groups, 50-54, 55-59 etc. Each distance, for each event has a point score based on its relationship to the world records for the events. The athlete with the highest number of points wins.

The annual free Friday night concert series put on by Providence Mt. St. Vincent (or just The Mount) will get a blast from the past tonight courtesy of the 85th Street Big Band. Their website describes them as "a lively 20-piece big band playing dance music in the greater Seattle area. We feature swing favorites from the 30s, 40s, and 50s, including tunes made famous by Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Nat King Cole. We also play blues and seasonal music. Band members hail from Seattle, Lake Forest Park, Renton, and farther afield."

Tonight will also see a bevy of classic cars on display, all just adjacent to the seating area in the south courtyard.

You're urged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy free popcorn and snow cones, as well as great food, beer and wine available for purchase. There are special activities just for kids and of course, wonderful music.