October 2012

Four people, two adults and two juveniles, have been displaced following a fire at their home in the 22400 block of Military Rd. S. shortly after midnight, Oct. 26.

The fire was first reported at 12:30 am, and had already spread to all portions of the house by the time firefighters from the City of SeaTac, the Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority, South King Fire and Rescue, and the Port of Seattle arrived.

All four of the residents were able to escape the fire, which gutted the two-story house and are being cared for by relatives and the Red Cross.

This fire was a challenge for firefighters due to the long narrow driveway that the fire engines had to maneuver through. A live power line which fell into the area where firefighters were operating added to the danger.

A second fire hydrant, which was necessary due to the amount of water needed to contain the fire, was also used. During the initial stages of fighting the fire, firefighters were using over 800 gallons per minute as they worked to keep a neighbor house and several vehicles from catching fire. This fire was fought completely from the exterior of the home.

Alright, folks, the Ballard News-Tribune is jumping into the 21st Century. We're getting a new Facebook page.

While we have had a Facebook page for a while now, it has been under the old "Friend" model. The new Facebook page, which can be found at http://www.facebook.com/ballardnewstrib, is a business "Fan" page.

With the new page, the BNT will be able to access social media and analytics tools that Facebook provides to businesses to help keep better track of marketing. This will help us provide readers with a better reading experience and increase our audience.

Moreover, it increases privacy for readers. With the new fan page, the BNT cannot view your profile if you have your profile settings on private.

We will also work to better personalize our social media experience. In addition to posting links to our articles, we will post pictures and engage the community in other unique ways.

We encourage you to be a part of the experience and be a part of the community conversation. Share thoughts, pictures and links on our new Facebook page.

The West Seattle High School Fall Harvest Auction on Nov. 15, will be honoring Bob Yeasting, West Seattle High School graduate, Foundation Treasurer, local resident, past Arts West President/Board Member.

The event, which starts at 5:30pm will be held at The Hall at Fauntleroy. It features a Live Auction, silent auction, dinner and a dessert dash. The auction proceeds go toward supporting the high school in numerous ways primarily for after school activities. The cost is $55 per person.

You can register online at http://wshsptsa.org/events/fall-harvest-auction

Evening’s Schedule

5:30 p.m.
Doors Open for Silent Auctions, Appetizers, and Beverages
7:00 p.m.
Dinner
7:30 p.m.
Dessert Dash

Live Auction

Raise the Paddle Funded Item - After School Enrichment

For more information or to donate an item, contact Dick Lee at rjlee@seattleschools.org or 206-391-5555.

He's done it again! Andrew Borracchini, an 18 year old grocery bagger from West Seattle’s Metropolitan Markets just bagged the championship in the Washington State Best Bagger competition for the second year in a row. As the West Seattle Herald reported last year when he took the title, Borracchini beat 11 other contestants from across the state for the $1500 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to compete at the national Best Bagger taking place in Las Vegas in February 2013.

In a press release about the event more details were offered:

It was 2005. Ron Sims was the King County Executive, Dow Constantine was a member of the county council, and a new business directive had been sent out to the parks department: try to find figure out partnerships to help build park facilities with less public money.

Jessie Israel, a King Couty Parks employee at the time (she now works in the wastewater treatment division), registered the idea and went about her day. She picked up a newspaper and read a story about the Technology Access Foundation (TAF) and their Executive Director Trish Millines Dziko’s mission of preparing Puget Sound youth – particularly low-income youth of color – for success in college through science, technology, math and engineering programs.

We all know, with all the decorations going up in nearly every restaurant and store, that Ballard is possibly the best place in the world to celebrate Halloween.

Below, you can find some events the Ballard News-Tribune has collected together for you to celebrate in. Happy Halloween!

Loyal Heights Halloween Carnival

Friday, Oct. 26, 6-8 p.m -- Volunteers are needed to help set up, clean up and run carnival games. Call 206-684-4052. Join us for activities, games and challenges. Dress in costume and bring a goodie bag. Includes carnival games, crafts, mini pumpkin and cookie decorating, calk walk and ghastly prizes.

Tickets for carnival games are 50 cents each. Proceeds support programs and scholarships at the Community Center.

Ballard Monster Mash

Friday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m. -- The Ballard Community Center will have dancing, crafts, snacks and music. As the flyer says, get your "boo-gie" on. Tickets are $5 at the door. Call 206-684-4093 for more info.

Halloween on Holman

In her first book, "Always a Rebel and Never Without a Cause", Burien's iconic long-time resident, Georgette Vikingstad Valle, takes us back to the days of the Vikings, and through her political life.

"That book was about my life primarily, as a legislator, and reprinted articles that have been in the Highline Times, Seattle Times, the sort of thing," she said of her 2007 effort with her portrait on the cover.

Valle served 24 years in the State House, four years with the Burien City Council, and has been a Burien Lions Club member, most active since 1996. Her husband, Odd, who passed away last April, was a Club Zone Chairman and Governor. He began his dentistry practice in Burien, and remained practicing there for 42 years. More recently they divided their time between Burien and Green Valley, Arizona, where she ran for Senate four years ago. She said she knew she'd lose as a Democrat in a Republican district, but felt it was nevertheless important to take a stand for her party's beliefs.

In her first book, "Always a Rebel and Never Without a Cause", Burien's iconic long-time resident, Georgette Vikingstad Valle, takes us back to the days of the Vikings, and through her political life.

"That book was about my life primarily, as a legislator, and reprinted articles that have been in the Highline Times, Seattle Times, the sort of thing," she said of her 2007 effort with her portrait on the cover.

Valle served 24 years in the State House, four years with the Burien City Council, and has been a Burien Lions Club member, most since 1996. Her husband, Odd, who passed away last April, was a Club Zone Chairman and Governor. He began his dentistry practice in Burien, and remained practicing there for 42 years. More recently they divided their time between Burien and Green Valley, Arizona, where she ran for Senate four years ago. She said she knew she'd lose as a Democrat in a Republican district, but felt it was nevertheless important to take a stand for her party's beliefs.

press release:
City Fruit invites you to its 2nd Annual Hard Cider Tasting event in Pioneer Square during the First Thursday Art Walk. Taste a variety of ciders from four Washington cideries: Alpenfire Organic Hard Cider, Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Snowdrift Cider, and Tieton Cider Works.

Location: [storefront] Olson Kundig Architects, 406 Occidental Ave
Time: 5 - 8 pm, Nov. 1
Tickets are $25 at Brown Paper Tickets or at the door.

Funds raised at this event will support City Fruit's 2013 fruit harvest. This year City Fruit harvested 17,000 pounds of fruit from backyard fruit trees, distributing it to more than 38 organizations serving the hungry. Your support will help us do even more next year. Learn about our other initiatives, including the Seattle Parks fruit tree stewards program at www.cityfruit.org .

Capping a six-year drive to move its mental health care facilities out of an old elementary school, under the third-runway flight path, Navos Mental Health Solutions celebrated the grand opening of its 52,450 square foot campus in Burien Oct. 25.

The facilities are located at Ambaum Boulevard Southwest and Southwest 136th St.

Navos CEO David Johnson said the new facility provides a “21st Century model of care.”

He noted officials at Navos, a private nonprofit agency that operates the center, learned in 2006 they would have move out of the old Sunny Terrace Elementary site at 1010 S. 146th St. The center had been there for 30 years.

“I would advise that you don’t fundraise during a great recession,” Johnson joked. He added Navos had no choice in the timing. He pointed to some of the donated furniture given by the Gates Foundation, and quipped that second-hand furniture from Bill Gates is nicer than most people's first-hand furniture.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray told the crowd gathered in Revelle Hall, the facility’s community meeting space, “I am very proud of being a partner in this on the federal level and share the passion with everyone in this room."