August 2012

Update for 5:25 p.m.
Here is the summation of events from today's South Delridge apartment fire from the Seattle Fire Department:

August 2—Seattle Firefighters aggressive attack contained a fire to one room at a four floor apartment complex in West Seattle.

At 12:57 p.m. a 911 call came into the Fire Alarm Center reporting smoke coming from the top floor of the apartment building located at 9000 20th Avenue SW. Engine Company 11 arrived and found heavy black smoke coming from the top floor unit. Ladder Company 3 forced entry into the locked apartment and began knocking down the flames. Firefighters carried a hose line to the apartment and knocked down the flames within 15 minutes of arriving.

The apartment was unoccupied and the other residents self evacuated.

A Seattle Fire Investigator determined the fire was an accidental fire. The cause is most likely a lamp in the bedroom. The damage estimates are 35 thousand dollars to the structure and 10 thousand dollars to the contents.

The occupant was reunited with her pet cat that was locked inside the apartment during the fire.

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SLIDESHOW. CLICK ON PHOTO FOR MORE

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels took off at Boeing Field at 10:00 a.m. and about 1:30 p.m. to practice over the Seattle area to perform for Seafair. About 25 adults and children gathered for a close-up view at Ruby Chow Park, just northwest of the runway, holding cameras with powerful telephoto lenses, binoculars, and toy planes as the jets roared overhead. While it was just a practice run, onlookers seemed to agree it looked perfect.

For lane closure info, click here.

From the Seafair website:

U.S. Navy Blue Angels Schedule

PRACTICE/DEMO - Friday, Aug. 3, 1:30 p.m.- Fat Albert, 1:40 p.m.- Blue Angels

PERFORMANCES -Saturday, August 4 & Sunday, August 5, Fat Albert-1:30 p.m., Blue Angels - 1:40 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels

It's that time of year again: next Tuesday is Night Out, the Seattle Police Department-sponsored street parties which take place in neighborhoods all over Seattle.

Seem like a paradox? Not so. The popular community event is not just meant to connect neighbors with one another, but is also supposed to increase neighborhood safety and heighten crime prevention and awareness. What better excuse to get out a barbecue, dance to some music and enjoy the company of your neighbors?

Those who want their block to participate can sign up using the online form, http://eventactions.com/ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp. A public map of existing block parties (not all necessarily listed) can be found at http://seattle.gov/police/nightout/nightoutevents.htm

There are only nine days left for the Kickstarter campaign to fund a local comedy web series, "Locally Grown TV." (The campaign's website can be found here.)

The Ballard News-Tribune reported on the campaign last month. The show, which promises to be a cross between Arrested Development, Modern Family and Portlandia, will be partially shot at the Ballard Farmers Market (though creators note that it is actually set in the fictional "Ballmont Farmers Market). It will feature local farmers, buskers and community members.

The campaign so far has 100 backers and has raised pledges of $6,673. The creators must reach the $10,000 goal by Saturday, Aug. 11, 4:35 p.m., or they will lose all the money they have raised, as per Kickstarter's guidelines.

Small prizes will be given to those who contribute.

Press release:

Our Waterland community is planning a celebration!

Hosted by the Des Moines Parks, Recreation and Senior Services Department, bring your family and friends out for summer fun on Wednesday, August 15, 5-8:30pm at Des Moines Beach Park, the birthplace of Des Moines!

It’s a Caribbean theme we’ll showcase with Caribbean food & beverages, Caribbean sounds and Caribbean fun! There will be a Kids Talent Show, Magician, a Lowe’s build it booth for kids and special feature (and final outdoor summer concert of the season) the Toucans Steel Drum Band.

Sponsors for this event are Judson Park Retirement Community, El Dorado West, Wesley Homes, Lowe’s, Des Moines Legacy Foundation and the City of Des Moines Arts Commission.

Take the free shuttle buses from the Marina Parking lot to the entrance to Des Moines Beach Park. Shuttle Buses will run 5-9 p.m. provided by El Dorado West and the City of Des Moines.

For more information call Des Moines Activity Center 206-878-1642.

The primary race for the open 36th Legislative District seat features five Democrats, one Progressive, and one Republican -- Ryan Gabriel. Despite sometimes being overlooked in a crowded field of challengers, Gabriel is running to represent the 36th in order to bring "fiscal sanity" to Olympia. He believes that his combination of fiscal conservatism and social liberalism is more in tune with the voters of the district than the "radical progressivism" of his opponents.

The Ballard News-Tribune conducted a phone interview with Gabriel while he was travelling for business. Gabriel works full-time as the regional manager for a financial services company and has lived in Belltown for the past 10 years. This is Gabriel’s first political campaign and he decided to run because he thought there should be at least one person in the race making the argument for fiscal conservatism.

"I would vote down every single tax increase that is put in front of me," he said. "(Washington State is) one of the only states that does not have a revenue problem. (Olympia) should not have a problem balancing the budget and living within our means."

A group of more than 50 people showed up at Alki Kayak Tours on Harbor Avenue s.w. Aug 1 to take in the moonlight from a full moon out on the water. The Moonlight Kayak tour is an outgrowth of the other tours the company provides but it has some slightly different requirements. Paddlers are given the same basic safety instruction as a daytime event but at night they are equipped with bright, white LED lamps attached to the kayak itself and are urged to stay together as a group.

Jonathon Streeter and Shoshawna Moxley came up with the idea which has been growing in popularity the last few months.

Adam Price was the guide for the event.

CLICK THE PHOTO ABOVE TO SEE MORE

They head out from the sandy beach at Seacrest "out to the channel marker, then paddle toward Jack Block Park into the full moon and then back." The trip takes about 90 minutes and the kayakers launched in small groups and came together loosely out in Elliott Bay about 500 yards offshore.

By David Rosen

Seafair Fleet Week has for the past 62 years seen the Parade of Ships and this year, the West Seattle Herald hitched a ride. We were aboard the USS Bunker Hill, a Guided Missile Cruiser that took part in the parade and played a special role in the event. The Parade of Ships started around 1:45 pm and lasted until 2:30 pm

A variety of ships took part in the parade and will be in town until August 5 offering public tours and participate in the annual festivities. Ship tours will be open to the public from Aug 2-4 from 9:30 am - 3:30 pm and Aug 5 from noon - 3:30 pm. For the vessel the USS New Orleans they will operate tours at noon on Aug 3-5.

3 U.S Navy Ships - USS Bunker Hill (guided-missile cruiser), USS Halsey (guided-missile destroyer), and USS New Orleans (U.S. Navy amphibious transport dock ship), 3 Royal Canadian Navy Ships and one U.S. Coast Guard vessel all formed a line to parade through Elliott Bay.

Press release:

King County Executive Dow Constantine on Wednesday, Aug. 1 thanked the elected leaders of 25 local cities for their continued partnership, as he signed a series of interlocal agreements that keeps the regional model for animal services in place for another three years.

The cities include SeaTac and Tukwila.

“With renewal of these agreements, we are showing that regional cooperation works,” said Executive Constantine. “In partnership with cities and animal advocates throughout the region, we will keep working to continuously improve our delivery of affordable, sustainable, and humane animal care and control.”

Under the new agreements with Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC), cities will be assessed charges based 80 percent on their use of services and 20 percent on their population, instead of the previous formula that weighted the charges 50/50.

In addition, King County has redrawn the four animal control districts, and will staff each with at least one animal control officer seven days a week. The new contracts take effect January 1, 2013, and will run for three years.

While a ropes and zip line course for Lincoln Park was recently met with outrage, the "Hub and Spoke" component of the Camp Long Challenge Course at Camp Long that was opened Sept. 24, 2011 is about to begin construction Seattle Parks announced Aug. 1.

This park element, phase 2 of the Ropes Challenge Course at Camp Long, offers an opportunity for participants to learn skills such as problem solving, communication, cooperation and teamwork.

The course is the product of a cooperative effort between Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Department of Neighborhoods, King County Youth Sports, Washington State Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, and the Camp Long Advisory Council.

In a press release Parks said: