February 2013

Highline Public Schools press release
White Center Heights Elementary School, Bow Lake, Madrona, Mount View, and Chinook Middle School are now offering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) After-School Meal Program.

The USDA program was expanded as part of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, and is available to schools where 50 percent or more of the student body qualifies for free- or reduced-price meals and where there is a planned after-school program. There is no charge to participating students.

“Seventy percent of Highline students qualify for free- or reduced-price meals, so many of our families are not able to provide their children with a nutritionally-balanced meal at home,” said Chris Neal, director of Nutrition Services.

“This program helps students receive the balanced nutrition that is so important to their health, minds, and bodies," said Neal. "My hope is to expand the program to other schools in the near future."

When it comes to “Phase II” of Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) roadside rain garden project, Ballardites are “Cautiously optimisitic.”

That’s the pulse the Ballard News-Tribune got from talking with residents who attended SPU’s open house at the Sunset Hill Community Club on Tuesday, Feb. 12. It also appears to be the case according to a survey of residents that SPU conducted at the end of last year.

The survey, which was mailed to 3,290 households on Dec. 19, out of which 786 households responded, shows that 51 percent of residents in the project area support the roadside rain gardens. Out of those, 27 percent were very supportive.

Still, some retain reservations. 33 percent were unsupportive, out of which 21 percent were very unsupportive.

Indeed, the first response one irascible resident gave to the Ballard News-Tribune was, “NO!” That is, no to the whole project, because he thought it was stupid.

His response is most likely the result of Phase I of the project, which resulted in a couple of the gardens turning into muddy pits. At the time, SPU did not do the best job of communicating with residents about what would be happening.

The fine folks at Cascade Bicycle Club have their annual Major Taylor Spinathon coming up on Feb. 21. The Major Taylor Project helps bring cycling into the lives of underserved youth at nearby schools including Chief Sealth in West Seattle and Evergreen in White Center.

Here are all the details from Cascade Bicycle Club

Next Thursday, February 21, Cascade Bicycle Club, Allstar Fitness, and Live Love Flow, will be hosting the 3rd annual Major Taylor Project Spinathon!

The Major Taylor Project has started its 5th year and has reached over 500 underserved and diverse youth in Seattle!

Visit the Spinathon registration page today to learn more about the event and register to spin for a great cause on Thursday, February 21!

By Steve Shay and Patrick Robinson

The well known local artist Emily Jean Williamson of Many Moons Trading passed away Feb. 13, asleep, peacefully in her bed, at home surrounded by the people dearest to her heart.

All arrangements will be handled by her family on Bainbridge Island.

Sue Scharff, of Moving Massage at Photosynthesis and a friend of Emily's shared her thoughts.

By Elizabeth Wang

At the Ballard Fred Meyer, Fred Meyer associates presented a check for more than $65,000 to the Puget Sound Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure on Wednesday, Feb. 13. The sales-based donation funds were a result of the Kroger Company’s annual campaign, Giving Hope a Hand.

The program is hosted during the month of October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Giving Hope a Hand works with vendors by allowing them floor and ad space to promote their products adorned with the pink ribbon. The donation is then made from the lift in sales vendors observe during the month.

Since the program began in 2006, Giving Hope a Hand has raised over $20 million to assist the fight against breast cancer.

“We have amazingly supportive customers and associates who recognize the importance of the community programs that we have,” said Amanda Ip, Fred Meyer spokesperson. “We are fortunate to work for a company that has values and takes very seriously the community that we work and live in. We try and keep our support very local so that it benefits the customers that come through our doors.”

Press release

Gabe Morales, a national gang expert will give a pep talk and
PowerPoint presentation to local youth from 5-7PM on 2/21/13 at the High Point Neighborhood House in West Seattle.

High Point Neighborhood House has a Youth Empowered with
Leadership Strengths (YELS) program aimed at helping youth
overcome their problems and create future community leaders.

Gabe will be joined by Fred McKinney who also grew up in HP.

The local media are invited to attend and Mr. Morales is
available for private interviews. The event will be held at:

Neighborhood House, High Point Center

6400 Sylvan Way SW, Seattle, WA 98126

SDOT has postponed this weekend’s construction at the intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Trenton Street due to 'inclement weather'. The forecast calls for rain and breezy conditions over the weekend.

The intersection had been set to close February 15-18 but has now been tentatively rescheduled for the following weekend, Feb. 22-25.

During Phase 1 construction, southbound Delridge Way SW traffic is being detoured at SW Trenton Street as follows:

• West on SW Trenton Street
• South on 25th Avenue SW
• East on SW Barton Street
• South on Delridge Way SW

SDOT adds that the intersection of 25th Avenue SW and SW Barton Street is temporarily a 4-way stop to assist safe traffic flow.

This is a five-phase project. At the completion of Phase 1 the construction activity will move to the Phase 2 section of Delridge Way SW - between SW Trenton and SW Thistle streets. Please visit the project website for more information:www.seattle.gov/transportation/pave_delridge.htm

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn spent part of Feb. 14 updating his city on progress they have made with SPD 20/20 Initiative, a 20-part plan to improve officer training, transparency, public trust and policing tactics over 20 months.

Part of the progress report includes new details that each Seattle Precinct (including the Southwest Precinct covering West Seattle and South Park) will have their own website by summer of 2013.

“Web pages specific to each of Seattle’s five precinct are in development …,” according to a published 20/20 report. “These pages will include blog space reserved for precinct commanders for direct interaction with precinct residents and stakeholders.”

Currently, the Southwest Precinct web page includes contact information, an address and any SPD Blotter news items pertaining to the area. The expanded website should provide the community with more opportunities for personal interaction with local law enforcement.

Evening Magazine, the KING 5 weeknight television show shot a segment Feb. 14 featuring West Seattle's Andrew Borrachini who just won national honors as the Best Bagger in a competition held in Las Vegas.

The "Best Bagger Golden Lane", a special checkout stand will be installed at Metropolitan Market to honor the store too.

Kim Holcomb interviewed Borrachini for the segment which will air next Monday, Feb. 18 at 7pm.

Metropolitan Market made up t-Shirts to commemorate Borrachini's win and the entire staff were wearing them.

Results are coming in from the Feb. 12 special election on two Seattle Public Schools levies and the people have spoken, making it clear the vast majority are willing to pay more in property taxes to support education.

Voters casted ballots on an Operations Levy renewal (Proposition 1) that provides 27 percent of SPS’s daily operating costs including teacher salaries, “textbooks, transportation, security, special education, and student activities, such as athletics, music and art.” The Operations Levy will bring in $552 million over three years.

As of Feb. 14, Proposition 1 had 74.69 percent of the electorate voting in favor with 25.31 voting against. Total Yes votes: 88,906. Total No votes: 30,133

Seattleites also voted on Proposition 2, the Capital Levy renewal (known as Building Excellence or BEX IV) that will be used for renovation of construction of 17 schools, earthquake safety improvements at 37 schools, and security cameras for 19 schools. It will also be used for technology improvements and used to address increased enrollment, according to SPS. The Capital Levy will bring in $695 million over six years.