April 2013

So, the mini web-series "Re-Energized by Design" by Puget Sound Energy is a few episodes in already and the Ballard family, the Mendes, are kicking butt. To put it bluntly.

Aside from a few freebies, contestants are relying on deals and rebates that any PSE customer can take advantage of to make their homes more efficient, beautiful and comfortable. PSE offers discounts on efficient CFL and LED lighting that can save hundreds of dollars over the life of the bulb, as well as rebates on the latest sleek and efficient ENERGY STAR appliances, water heaters, energy-efficient windows and more.

The Mendes pair made it to the final three and will be competing tomorrow to make it into the final, mono-a-mono competition. You can watch it, and previous episodes, at the web-series website at http://reenergizedbydesign.com/. At around seven-eight minutes long, the episodes aren't too time consuming, and you'll probably learn a bit about energy efficiency while you're at it.

The debate sparked instantaneously on Halloween Day, 2012, when a 19-year-old man emerged from Cove 2 on Alki with a female giant Pacific octopus in his arms. He was confronted by two divers who use the access point to watch wildlife, not catch and harvest, and they quickly shared photos of the hunt with any news organization that would listen.

Public meeting times are found at the bottom of the story, including one at the Seattle Aquarium on April 24.

The debate that ensued was not based in legality, but on the question of taste. The young hunter was perfectly legal in his harvest of the octopus: entering the popular dive spot just west of the Water Taxi dock with a current shellfish permit, banging two rods together to annoy the creature and draw it out of it’s cove, then grabbing and bringing it to the surface where he and a friend began hitting it in the head to kill it (as it is illegal to pierce them with a sharp object). To some it was cruel, but it was a legitimate hunt from start to finish.

By David Rosen

The horrific bombings at the Boston Marathon affected people around the world and drove many to action. In West Seattle Eric Renn who is part of a fledgling group in the northwest called Team Red, White and Blue that hopes to transform the way this nation treats veterans when they return from combat.

He called for people to join him in a "response run" on Alki Beach from the Statue of Liberty to Anchor Park and back, all with an American flag on prominent display.

Team Red, White and Blue wants to create communities of veterans to enjoy interactions at events around the country.

Renn said, "This event was very impromptu," meaning the word for it went out at the last minute. As such not many people took part but those who did were proud to participate.

They are planning an event on May 23, with the "21 Guns Memorial Salute" which will reach out to people who have been wounded in combat or terrorist acts with classes and a workout.

You can register for this event at www.WODFORWARRIORS.com and it will begin at 6am.

Five West Seattle seniors, two from Chief Sealth and three from West Seattle High School were honored by the AAUW (American Association of University Women) at the annual AAUW Scholar's Recognition dessert reception on April 10 for their achievement in one of three STEM fields.

High achieving senior girls from eight Seattle high schools were honored.

The keynote speaker was AAUW member Karen Troianello, Title IX pioneer.

The local students honored were:

Yessinia Rudy (West Seattle HS) - Technology; Sydney M. Sattler (Chief Sealth) - Science; Janelle Maroney (Chief Sealth) - Math; Michiko Yoshino (West Seattle HS) - Math; and Kristin Lee (West Seattle HS) - Science.

AAUW is a national organization of college graduates. AAUW's mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research.

King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, representing West Seattle and White Center, introduced a proposal on April 15 that would “level the playing field for same sex couples” by paying back county employees for federal income tax they are required to pay on their partner or spouse's health benefits under the Defense of Marriage Act.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release a decision on whether or not to strike down DOMA in June.

“We each have a responsibility to do what is within our own power to ensure equality in our communities. This legislation will bring us one step closer to full equality under the law,” said McDermott, chair of the Council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee, said in a statement.

From McDermott’s staff:

CrossFit West Seattle and Eric Renn will stage a Red, White and Blue "Response Run" from the Alki Statue of Liberty Tuesday, April 16 to Anchor Park. This event is open to all runners and walkers in response to the Boston Marathon bombings.

It will start at 2pm and the runners will be carrying an American flag for the entire route.

You can learn more about Team Red White and Blue here http://teamrwb.org

If you have any unwanted or unneeded prescription medications in your home, the Seattle Police Department and DEA are holding a Drug Take Back Day on April 27 to safely dispose of them.

Operations Lt. Pierre Davis with the Southwest Precinct shares the details:

The DEA is sponsoring another “Drug Take Back Day” on Saturday April 27th from 10am to 2pm.

The Southwest Precinct will take any type of prescription and/or over the counter medications. If the medication is in liquid form, make sure that the lids or caps are sealed tight.

Intra-venous solutions, injectibles, syringes, or medical waste will NOT be collected. Also we encourage identifying information be removed from labels by tearing the information away or covering it with black permanent marker.

This is a fantastic service provided by our DEA partners and we encourage our community to take advantage of this service in an effort to rid your homes of unwanted, unused or expired medications.

As always, thank you West Seattle community in helping to make our community safe and drug free!!

Lieutenant Pierre Davis

Relay for Life is coming back to Ballard.

Starting on June 1, 2 p.m., and going through until 8 a.m. of June 2 at the Whitman Middle School track, you can take part in the relay to fight against cancer.

Former and current cancer patients, those who have lost a loved one to cancer, families, businesses, faith-based and civic organizations, and anyone wanting to make a difference in the fight against cancer are invited to take part in this exciting team event.

Relay For Life events are held overnight as individuals and teams camp out with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track at all times throughout the night. The nighttime walk symbolizes that cancer never sleeps and neither can our efforts. The Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their camp sites during Relay.

Starting tomorrow, jazz will be filling the streets of Ballard for four days filled with sweet, sweet music.

It begins tomorrow at Conor Byrne, where there will be a "Brotherhood of the Drum" and a "Guitar Summit." It coalesces into one big jazz walk on Friday night, with so many restaurants, bars and breweries thumping with music you won't know what to do with yourself. (Seriously, just look at the schedule below.)

And finally, on Saturday, everything becomes one big jazz-extravaganza at the Nordic Heritage Museum. It'll be complete with a Swedish Pancake Brunch (because what goes better with jazz?) and the museum will be hosting the "premier jazz trombonist" of Seattle, David Marriott and his band.

Later that night, the museum will be pulling out the big guns: Gary Bartz, the Grammy Award-winning jazz saxophonist and Lew Soloff, a "consummate fixture of the New York jazz scene since the mid-'60s." (Oh, you know, he only played with Gil Evans at his parime, Stanley Clark, Lionel Hampton, Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, James Brown, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed and on and on and on ...)