September 2012

press release:
The Neighborhood Street Fund (NSF) Large Project Program is now accepting applications for the third and final round of funding from the voter-approved Bridging the Gap (BTG) Transportation levy. This levy, adopted by voters in 2006, provides $4.5 million every three years to select, design and construct larger neighborhood projects identified by the community.

The application which must be completed by December 17, 2012 is available on-line at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/btg_nsf_large.htm.

Any transportation project is eligible if it is:
· large ($100,000 – $750,000)
· entirely on existing SDOT right-of-way
· strongly supported by its local District Council

press release:
The Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project is nearly complete, which means that motorists are encountering only a handful of project related lane closures. Listed below are the project related traffic impacts for the coming week:

Monday, October 1 – Friday, October 5

· There will be intermittent lane closures of both northbound and southbound traffic on First Avenue S at S Spokane Street each night from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction, and all existing turn movements will be maintained.

· There will be intermittent lane closures of both northbound and southbound traffic on Sixth Avenue S at S Spokane Street each night from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction, and all existing turn movements will be maintained.

Thursday, October 4

About 50 people attended the grand opening of the Kirke Park P-Patch Garden.

The Ballard News-Tribune reported on the park's opening and its history back in August. In addition to the P-Patch plot, the park features a bevy of fruit trees and berries, which should make for quite a season of crop once everything gets growing.

Julie Bryan from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods was there to assign plots to people and to help celebrate the opening.

Evie Marwood, the P-Patch Volunteer Team Lead, said that they had a great celebration and wanted to share a few pictures with the Ballard community (seen above). Make sure to click on the main picture above to see the slideshow.

by Beverly Holmquist Corey

WSHS's Homecoming Football Game is set for this Friday, Sept 28 at 7pm at the Southwest Athletic Complex against Rainier Beach.

All students, families and alumni are invited to join the fun starting at 6pm with the WSHS Cheerleaders hosting a Spirit BBQ. They will sell hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and drinks. The concessions stand, hosted by the Cross Country Team will be open during the game and will sell lots of goodies to appease your sweet tooth as well!

At halftime, the fun really starts! Our amazing new Music Director Ethan Thomas will debut his Marching Band. The Cheerleaders will perform a Homecoming routine under the direction of Coach Christina Ruzzine-Posten and we will call out and recognize all the alumni in attendance.

As per tradition, cheerleader alumni are welcome to join the current cheerleaders on the track to help cheer for our beloved Wildcats.

Please come support WSHS and show your school spirit and pride by wearing WHITE to the game. The theme of this years Homecoming is "Yup, in my white tee" and we are hosting a "white out" at the game.

As the BNT reported earlier, King County Metro was looking to reduce the number of stops along the 44 route, which goes between Ballard and University District, in order to make the bus faster and more efficient.

The original plan was to cut 5 stops each way, for a total of ten, which would have increased the average distance between each one from 900 feet to 1,050 feet.

However, two of those stops have been reinstated due to community concern and complaint, according to the King County Metro blog. The pair located at NW Market St and 5th/6th Ave NW is here to stay. Metro received comments from over 350 people, 70 percent of which concerned that pair, ultimately leading to the decision to keep them.

Press release:

The Southeast Asian American Access in Education (SEA3eD) Coalition is hosting the first, “Southeast Asian American and Asian American Education Summit: UNITE (You and I Together for Education).” The event will be held Saturday, October 6th from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Highline Community College in Building 8.

The purpose of the summit is to bring Southeast Asian and Asian American students, their families and educators together to initiate the dialogue of higher education, promote cross-ethnic solidarity and create unity toward the mission of education.

It will focus on fighting the growing educational opportunity gap that currently exists for Southeast Asian American groups, such as Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Mienh, Vietnamese, Cham and recent refugees from Bhutan and Burma.

“This summit really is aimed towards the future of our Southeast Asian and Asian American youth and is a promise from us mentors, leaders, families, educators and policy makers that you [Southeast Asian and Asian American youth] are no longer invisible,” said Ekkarath Sisavatdy, co-founder of SEA3eD.

Press release:

King County residents can dispose of their unwanted and expired medicines anonymously and at no cost at a nationwide drug “take-back” day on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There are 22 take-back collection sites in King County currently with more expected by the day of the event. To find a location go to www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/.

Collection sites in the Highline area are SeaTac City Hall, 4800 S. 188th St., Bartell Drugs parking lot at 21515 Pacific Hwy. S, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m, and Bartell Drugs parking lot at 27055 Pacific Hwy. S. from 2-6 p.m.

This one-day event is coordinated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and participating local law enforcement agencies.

About 30 percent of prescription and over-the-counter medicines sold go unused. Unused prescription drugs too often fall into the hands of children and teens, where they cause poisonings and deaths. In fact:

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the country.

Their critics have predicted it and it’s finally coming true—the Burien City Council is going to the dogs.

The B-Town Dog Owners Group has issued an “All Paws on Deck” call for dog owners to bring their canines to the council meeting on Monday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. The council meetings are held in the first-floor multipurpose room at the City Hall/Burien Library building, 400 S.W. 152nd St.

The B-Towners are a group of local dog owners who want to establish an off-leash dog park in the city of Burien. Hilltop and Hazel Valley parks have been mentioned as possible sites. Currently, the nearest off-leash area is at Grandview Park in south SeaTac.

They plan to ask lawmakers on Monday to formally put the dog park on the park board’s 2013 master plan.

The group is asking for dog owners to testify during the public comment session or just show up to lend support. There is no word whether the dogs will “SPEAK,” also.

More information is available on Facebook by searching for “B-Town DOG” or by emailing kbassen@comcast.net

The West Seattle Water Taxi will add a sailing from downtown Seattle for the Cougars vs Ducks football game this Saturday, September 29.

In addition to the regularly scheduled 10:30 pm sailing from Pier 50 to Seacrest dock, they will add an 11:00 pm departure.

The final two sailings from Seacrest dock will be at 10:45 pm and 11:10 pm.

The 70th anniversary of Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra (SYSO), one of the oldest arts organizations in Seattle and the largest youth orchestra training program in the United States is the focus for a benefit event at Salty's on Alki Beach, October 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Singer/pianist Victor Janusz will be joined by SYSO members for a "Special Surprise Performance" to open the show.

Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and there is no admission charge.

The music will be provided by Salty's resident brunch piano-man and emcee Victor Janusz.

A press release about the event explains:
Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras (SYSO) provides life-changing musical experiences for talented students in the Pacific Northwest, regardless of their financial resources. Since its founding in 1942, SYSO has been the leading provider of high-level music education in the region. The 1,500 students (ages 7 to 23 in its four academic-year orchestras) receive direct music instruction and offer classical music performances to around 15,000 Puget Sound-area audience members.