August 2012

UPDATE: Because of a rainy forecast, the outdoor movie is being rescheduled for Friday. Same time, same place. The bicycle ride with Critical Lass has also changed date to Friday, for the same time.

For those who like dragons (or those who want to see a cute movie about dragons), Shilshole Bay Marina and Port of Seattle will be hosting an outdoor movie Wednesday night featuring the Dreamworks 3D animated film, "How to Train Your Dragon." The event is part of Shilshole Bay Marina's 50th year celebration, which is in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. The movie starts at 8:30 p.m. and promises family fun and free popcorn. More info

Home invasion robbery escape
On Aug. 16 police arrested a home invasion robbery suspect in parking lot at the corner of 35th Ave S.W. and S.W. Morgan St. Shortly after 5 p.m. that evening a man was inside his girlfriend’s apartment on the 2400 block of S.W. Webster St. when he heard a knock at the door. He opened it and two males pushed their way inside, commanding he make his way to the back bedroom. They demanded cash and started pistol whipping him with the butt of their handguns in the back of the head. One suspect told the other, “Knock that (expletive) out,” just as a neighbor came to the door to check if everything was alright. The victim seized that moment of distraction and ran out of the apartment, telling the witness to run as well. Nothing was stolen from the apartment and one of two suspects was arrested after being spotted by police and identified by the victim.

Poor problem-solving skills

While they aren't playing with their food, they are having with trivia about it as the Delridge Produce Cooperative holds a night of food trivia as benefit event Tuesday, August 28th at the Skylark Cafe.

Participants can play in teams of up to five players. You can expect to actually learn about food too.

It kicks off at 6:30 and runs until 8:00 pm and the Skylark Cafe is located at 3803 Delridge Way s.w.

Suggested admission is only $5.

If you are on Facebook the event page is : http://www.facebook.com/events/275789262526035/

To start with a bonus point: RSVP on Facebook or bring a flyer for the event (which you can print out from the Facebook event).

By Cassandra Baker

10:15 p.m., August 15. 54th block of Ballard Ave NW

On August 16th, police responded to reports of a violent robbery that had occurred the previous night. The victim had visible scrapes and dried blood on his arms and legs when he spoke with police. The victim said that he had been eating dinner at a nearby restaurant the night before and was talking with the unknown suspect at the bar. The suspect left the bar at around 10:00 p.m., and the victim left about 15 minutes later to return to his boat. He said that the suspect suddenly came up to him and hit him several times, knocking him to the ground. The suspect then slammed the victim’s head into the ground several times, stole his cell phone, and fled the scene in an unknown direction. The victim said he managed to get to his boat, where he passed out. He refused medical attention from Seattle Fire but asked the officer for directions to the hospital. The suspect was not found in the area.

12:11 a.m., August 20. 87th block of Greenwood Ave N

Don't plan any trips to the library this week, folks. It'll be closed.

All branches of the Seattle Public Library will be closed from today and will reopen on Tuesday, Sept. 4. The closure is a cost saving maneuver which helps deal with a downsized library budget.

All services will be inactive and the drop box will be locked. Some online services at the library's website, www.spl.org, will still be available, but there will be no librarians to assist.

But don't worry, no late fees or fines will be charged during the one week closue. Librarians ask that you look at the due date on your receipt -- return times for patrons should be staggered, which will help librarians process the rush of return books after the library reopens.

The library runs on a budget of $51.8 million dollars, most of which goes to direct public service, including personnel. Many libraries have already been reduced to 35 hours a week and the $5 million budget for books is 13 percent less than it was in 2009.

For one kid, reading books wasn't just educational or fun. It also scored him a free breakfast with Mayor Mike McGinn at the Space Needle.

On Aug. 23, Ballard sixth-grader Grant Hanson was honored along with students from 26 other neighborhoods (one each) at Seattle Public Library's "Breakfast of Champions" for all of the summer reading he accomplished.

Grant told the Mayor that he read several larger books over the summer and that reading is relaxing to him. He and the other kids received a T-Shirt and cookies, literally, with their names on it -- so no stealing or "I don't see your name on it!" accusations were to be had.

The program, a reading contest which has existed in some variety since 1919, is for kids up to age 12 and is meant to help prevent summer setback among Seattle's children.

What was for breakfast, you ask? Seasonal berry compote, cinnamon French toast, maple syrup, apple chicken sausage, Danish, muffins, croissants and hot cocoa for the kids.

In other words, it was a breakfast for champions. Congrats Grant!

Hundreds of runners, walkers, people with strollers, dogs and kids showed up and did their best on Aug. 26 at the 10th annual Northwest Hope and Healing 5K run/walk. It was sunny, warm weather and the group stretched before the event, enjoying the free food samples and other offerings from sponsors.

They were massed at the starting line and the horn, blown by Tami Hyldahl-Haan, a breast cancer survivor from Seattle, got the participants off and running at 9am.

Hyldahl-Haan spoke briefly before the event and shared her personal story. In 2011, Hyldahl-Hann became a widow and a breast cancer survivor as well as a single mother without a source of income. She was able to access the Northwest Hope & Healing Patient Assistance Fund to help pay her bills and get through a couple of rough months.

The 3.1 mile walk and run started and finished at the Alki Beach Bathhouse (2700 Alki Ave S.W., Seattle).

The winners
The top two male winners were
Kelly Spady of Mukilteo, age 25 whose 5.33 per mile pace brought him in with a time of 17:13

An established catering company whose clients include Nucor Steel and other major corporations in the area is taking over the space at 2940 Avalon Way and will open in approximately three weeks or late September according to the owners. The 4300 square foot space was last home to the Avalon Restaurant which closed in early February.

The business is primarily driven by catering, run by four people and this is their first venture into a restaurant together. The owner/operators are Wil Yee, Carrie Benn, Benjamin Jury, and Joshua Cooper.

by David Rosen

The 7th annual Duwamish River Festival took place Aug. 25 today with activities including walking, biking, and paddling the waterway which is the ancestral home of the Duwamish Tribe and came to be an important industrial channel throughout Seattle's history.

Guides with information about the area were stationed at rest stops along the way for those walking or biking, and provided water, snacks and First Aid.

There were numerous dance performances and a special viewing of the Native Blue Heron Canoe. The festival featured more than 20 different booths representing the community as well as a dunk tank, a bouncy house for the kids, and free food. The Port of Seattle also offered 30 minute boat tours of the river.

The festival ran from Noon - 4 pm

I was in 7th grade in 1964 and I was walking through the lunchroom at Puget Sound Junior High School when I first heard "I want to hold your hand" by the Beatles. It was electrifying and would come to shape my life.

Beatlemania grew so quickly and was such a phenomena that we even discussed it in geography class with Mr. Sealy, not one for frivilous discussion.

Then the word was spread that they were coming to Seattle! This would be the third stop on their first tour of America on Aug. 21. There was no question about it. I had to go. I knew a girl I sort of liked I could ask to go but the real reason was to see the band.

I knew my dad would drive us to the show but the ticket prices were outrageous!

I could NOT believe they wanted $6 to see a band!

I managed to get the money together and Dad dropped us off at the show. It was pandemonium at the Coliseum (now the Key Arena) with people massing and surging to get in.

We climbed to our seats roughly 12 miles from the stage but distance did not really matter. We were at the show!