September 2012

There was a lot of buzz on Facebook and in the Ballard News-Tribune's comments section about it, but the turnout was still bigger than could have been expected at the rally to support Mark Hendricks today.

Rumors that Hendricks was placed on administrative leave for refusing to transfer to Federal Way appeared to have been true according to sources who have spoken to him, but it appears BGC officials decided to back down from their threat to fire him tonight. Hendricks was not allowed to go to the rally and the Ballard News-Tribune has still not been able to reach him for comment. (It's assumed that he is not allowed to speak to press).

The scene was colorful at the rally held in Ballard Baptist Church's parking lot, which is directly across from the Ballard Boys & Girls Club building. Children and parents waved home-made signs along the streets, passersby honked in support, headshot pictures of Hendricks were passed around and held in the air and children sported sharpied versions of Hendricks' infamous mustache. The Ballard News-Tribune heard a nearby audience member say something along the lines of, "Mark has had that mustache ever since birth!"

Information from Seattle Police Blotter:

Seattle Police are investigating shots fired from a moving vehicle in West Seattle.

This afternoon just shortly after 4:00 p.m., 9-1-1 received multiple calls of shots fired near 26 Ave S.W. and S.W. Hudson St (two blocks north and one block west of the Delridge Library).

Officers responded and contacted witnesses. Witnesses stated that they heard multiple shots and then saw a white older sedan, speeding away from the area. Officers conducted an area check for the vehicle with negative results.

There were no reported injuries.

UPDATE Friday 4:10pm
The new website for White Center www.visitwhitecenter.com is now live and essentially complete. Designer Kathi George said, "We have a couple weird things happening to our flickr feed on a couple pages, We will continue to tweak that (...) we will make minor fixes on things needing more attention."
The site is meant to be a community portal for news, information and resources for people in and outside the area. In a quick look at the site Mikel Davila of the WCCDA said, "So far it looks amazing!"

UPDATE Tuesday 6:00pm

The White Center of Commerce meeting held today offered some further details on the new website that will represent the community. It is set to go live in a soft launch on Sept 12 with the hard launch in more final form likely Friday, Sept. 14.

Link to Register for West Seattle In Motion found here.
(Once at the page, click "Click Here" after the line "1. Register and Get Free Travel Tools."

West Seattle in Motion, a free program aimed at helping people get around and to and from West Seattle is back this fall focused on Rapid Ride (starting Sept. 29) and the many changes to local Metro routes.

In September according to Metro press release, 10,000 West Seattle households will receive a mailer including a West Seattle In Motion map with up-to-date bus route information, as well as an invitation to participate in West Seattle In Motion. Everyone who lives or works in West Seattle will be invited to participate, even if you don’t receive a registration form in the mail.

SDOT paving crews are installing upgraded curb ramps at the intersection of 35th s.w. and s.w. Alaska Street. Working on one corner at a time, crews will close the curb lanes at the corner and provide a sidewalk detour.

The work will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and SDOT plans to complete the work by September 21.

They will also install an upgraded pedestrian signal push button for crossing 35th Avenue s.w. at this location for people who are visually impaired.

Readers may recall that for some years the West Seattle Herald offices were located there at 3500 s.w. Alaska Street. They moved to a consolidated production and management office in Burien a few years ago, located at 14006 1st Ave. South Suite B, 98168.

Thursday, Aug. 30
Football
LaConner 56, SCS 20
The combined Seattle Christian School and Life Christian of Tacoma team opened its season on a losing note in a high-scoring game played Thursday, Aug. 30 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
Ross Hjelseth, who has coached Life Christian for 19 years, is the coach of the joint squad. He led the combined team to a 5-4 record and a fifth place Nisqually League finish last year.
SCS/Life Christian visits Charles Wright of Tacoma for a 7 p.m. game Friday, Sept. 14.

Friday, Aug. 31
Football
Bremerton 42, Foster 15
Devin Brown carried the ball 26 times for 153 yards and two touchdowns to highlight Foster's season-opening outing.
Yelm 53, Highline 14
The Pirates took a lopsided loss in their season opener.
Mt. Si 30, Kennedy 0
The Lancers were shut out by No. 3-ranked Mount Si as their season opened with a non-league game.

Saturday, Sept. 1
Football
Lake Quinault 62, Evergreen Luth. 52
The Evergreen Lutheran Eagles of Des Moines were outgunned in a high-scoring Class B-8 opening football game played at Auburn Mountainview.

On August 18(and August 24 in print), the West Seattle Herald/White Center News ran a story called "King County says they’ll pilot a floating island at Hicklin Lake in White Center."

Dick Thurnau and Marcia Wollam with Friends of Hicklin Lake, an advocacy group promoting cleanup efforts for the polluted body of water, wrote the following letter in response to King County's plan to try out a single floating island (instead of the five recommended by Floating Islands International) to determine their effectiveness.

The original story can be found here.

Here is Thurnau and Wollam's response:

The confusing contradictions regarding medical marijuana regulations may see a little more clarity if new regulations proposed today take effect.

An intergovernmental team consisting of City staff and representatives from the Mayor's office, City Councilmembers and the City Attorney are begining discussions on potential legislation establishing zoning regulations for growing, processing, and dispensing of medical marijuana in Seattle.

In a press release announcing the new direction for the City they said:

"Medical marijuana providers operate in a grey area between city, state and federal law," said Mayor McGinn. "This proposal is an attempt to better define appropriate operations for dispensaries. We look forward to hearing from the public on this approach."

"I support safe and responsibly run access points for medical cannabis in Seattle; it's important that these access points be subject to zoning laws and other city regulations just like any other business or land use," said City Attorney Pete Holmes.

By Zachariah Bryan

Editors note: This story is from our sister publication the Ballard News-Tribune but the subject affects the greater Seattle area and impacts Ballard, West Seattle and Burien.

Though officials from the Federal Administration of Aviation and Alaska Air Group have been touting the “Greener Skies Over Seattle” program, saying it will transform the future of how airlines work, many people at an environmental assessment meeting at the Ballard Branch Library last Friday were frustrated and confused, not understanding what, exactly, it would do for them. Specifically, they had trouble figuring out whether it would reduce noise levels or increase them -- or whether it would do neither.

Greener Skies is a program launched in conjunction by the FAA, Alaska Airlines, the Port of Seattle and the Boeing Co. The most dramatic change that it will bring for airlines is how it will affect the process for the way airplanes land.

By Zachariah Bryan

Editors note: This story is from our sister publication the Ballard News-Tribune but the subject affects the greater Seattle area and impacts Ballard, West Seattle and Burien.

Update for Sept. 13 - comment deadline is Sept. 14
Comments must be made by midnight, Sept. 14. Comments may be made via online by emailing comments@greenerskiesea.com or by U.S. Mail to:

Federal Aviation Administration
Augustin Moses - AJV-W2
1601 Lind Ave, SW
Renton, WA 98057

Original post on Sept. 10