September 2012

After taking a little hiatus in the month of August (most people were likely too sun drunk or else traveling), the masterminds of Ballard will be pooling together and convening once again tonight, Wednesday, starting at 7 p.m. in the Ballard Branch Library.

The subjects are about as juicy as they come around these parts: land use, transit and rain gardens -- oh my!

Of course, you can expect to see the BNT's lovable reporter there. Here is a copy of the agenda:

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7 PM Introductions & Short Announcements - please hold announcements to not more than one min.

7:15 Interbay to Ballard Corridor Study, Patrice Carroll, Seattle Dept of Planning & Development

The Interbay to Ballard Corridor Plan will be a land use policy to guide future development along Elliott & 15th Avenues from Prospect Street to Market Streets. The plan will consider the appropriate mix of land uses, as well as opportunities to better integrate land use and transit.

7:30 Ballard In Motion, Kirsten Hoage & Jamie Strausz-Clark

By Karoline Morrison, owner of the Ballard Free Carnegie Library building

I never met the man, but he saved my life in a way.

My shop inside the Carnegie Library Building in Ballard sustained me through very hard times. Today it is home to my tenants -- hard-working merchants who are trying to make a living.

Ironically, the recent nomination of the building to city landmark status may threaten the vitality of a building I have preserved and protected since I purchased it in 1977. I write to tell my story as I request that my Carnegie building be removed from landmark consideration, because it will hinder the dynamic preservation of the building that is already in place and has been since 1977.

Danica Smith is the proud owner of Roxy, an American Cocker Spaniel, who is a former show dog. Roxy is eight years old and participated in shows "around Washington State," said Smith and won "Best in Junior Showmanship" at one event. Roxy came from Harmony Cockers in Olympia (now no longer around).

Roxy's show days are over now so she's now happy being a treasured friend and companion.

Roxy has a chocolate coat and Smith explained that Spaniels have blond, black and white, brown and white, and tri-color coats.

Watching birds from a chair in their house is a favorite past time for Roxy who will also chase them given the chance. "She has a strong hunting instinct," said Smith.

Roxy has no fancy diet, she enjoys a dry kibble from Mud Bay but she does have an unusual dietary element.
Smith's father likes to exercise and enjoys smoothies. So Roxy gets a smoothie too every day. "It's a smoothie with all this protein powder so it's probably not that good for her but she loves it." She gets this with her morning food. Popcorn is also on the menu "at night when we watch movies."

Vera Johnson, owner of VIllage Green Perennial Nursery in White Center reports that shortly after 9pm on Tuesday Sept. 11, a cab was "apparently pulling off the road" which according to Johnson caused the car behind him to swerve to pass him.

"The cab pulled back into the lane, causing the swerving car to spin out," which sent that car through the fence on Johnson's property. He ended up hanging precariously over a 15 foot rock wall, suspended by the fence. "He crawled out and he is a young man, about 25 years old maybe who lives down the street."

According to Johnson the cab driver fled the scene. The young man was, "Shaken up but ok," Johnson said.

After the traditional summer break for the White Center Chamber of Commerce, the meeting at Luso Fine Foods and Wine (9988 15th Ave. s.w.) had some news and developments to discuss.

Topping the list was the new website, funded by the Chamber's effort to secure a grant from the Seattle Office of Economic Development. That site, www.visitwhitecenter.com goes live this week and is quite extensive.
See our coverage of the site here.

White Center Farmers Market
Some discussion was spent on the potential return of the White Center Farmers Market which has been defunct for nearly a decade now. Ray Zombro of the Evergreen Campus mentioned that at the time of its demise it was thought that it might present a conflict with the existing produce markets in the community. Still, there's a chance it will come back next spring.

CDA Auction Announcement

Earlier today, the good folks at Ballard Landmark hosted a luncheon for the hard working officers from the Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Fire Department. It was a free, low key event meant as a way to just say thank you for everything they have done.

Leslie Elvebak, the Ballard Landmark director of vitality/assistant corporate relations, wanted to share a few pictures (click on the picture above to view the slideshow) and had this to say:

"Our residents wanted to host this luncheon today to say thank you to our local fire fighters for their commitment to our community and the community at large. This was a first annual event targeted at police and fire, and we hope that next year we can do it again, and make it even greater. It was wonderful to see our Residents doting on our guests, thanking them for all they do."

Thanks Leslie!

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week’s Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: hteditor@robinsonnews.com Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our “Out & About” advertising section.

Art Exhibits

Burien Community Center-- Portland Artist John Sinclair is showing works at the Burien Community Center lobby, 147006 6th Ave. S.W. The beautifully crafted pencil drawings will be on display until Sept. 28th. Hours are Mon.-Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Auditions

ChoralSounds Northwest-- -- Auditions for Fall 2012 Concert. Adults 17+. Auditions are by appointment through Sept. 30. Persons interested in auditioning may contact 206.246.6040 or e-mail info@nwassociatedarts.org.

Theatre

Sept. 29 is the day King County Metro implements a significant overhaul to their public transportation system, including the RapidRide C Line service in West Seattle, several routes changing or being eliminated, a pay-on-entry system and the end to a downtown free ride zone.

We asked our West Seattle Herald readers to chime in on the changes and they were not shy. Their comments are included with a list of significant updates below:

RapidRide C Line
The most widely controversial change in West Seattle is the beginning of a RapidRide C Line with service from Westwood Village to downtown Seattle, via S.W. Barton St, Fauntleroy Way S.W., California Ave S.W., S.W. Avalon Way, S.W. Spokane St. and the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

I like trains. They are fun and I have always liked them. As a child I had a large set mounted on green plywood that light up and smoked--it was great.

I have enjoyed being on them as an adult here and abroad with their sleek European look. They work well in Europe because they have been established around densely populated areas for centuries, where cars are expensive and often impracticable.

Here in America conditions are different, the culture, the demographics the whole milieu. Trains or light rail although rating high on the cool scale, are nevertheless the most expensive option in moving people around.

Trains still, however, are great for moving freight by being very economical and practical over well-established supply lines.

There has been some moderate success for light rail in Japan and France, but it worked probably only due to dense population centers. If traffic reduction is the excuse for the commitment to light rail, well, there has not been any noticeable improvement, and of course it is cost prohibitive and once started it is a long term venture.

The biggest deterrent to neighborhood crime is residents keeping a watch and calling police if they see something that doesn’t look right.

That’s what SeaTac Police Officer Rich Rowe advised at a recent meeting of Angle Lake residents concerned about increasing crime in their neighborhood.

He highly recommended that people get to know their neighbors and find out when they are at work or on vacation.

Rowe said just waving at people in the neighborhood helps. If criminals, they will get nervous about the attention and leave the neighborhood, he noted.

Asked about home alarm systems, Rowe, SeaTac’s crime prevention officer, said they can be effective but must be loud enough for neighbors to hear them and hidden where burglars cannot quickly disable them.

He isn’t as high on video cameras.

If offered as evidence in court, Rowe said criminals “know the photo will be so grainy, you can’t tell who it is. If you can’t identify them they don’t see it as a real deterrent.”

Video cameras have to cost around $5,000 before they are sophisticated enough to clearly identify people, he said.

Rowe urged residents “to look at your house like a burglar would.”