April 2013

The "Free Tacos in the Park" program that began last month in White Center is back again Friday, April 12, 2013 at Noon at Steve Cox Park. The first time this was done, on March 8, they fed more than 46 people and got them in contact with community organizations.

The effort to reach out to the area's homeless population is supported by the White Center Homeless Summit community group, a group of local churches, ministries, businesses, Evergreen High School senior Alex Campbell as his senior project and the White Center Chamber of Commerce.

Free lunch will be provided at the White Center Chamber office (1327 SW 102nd) in Steve Cox Park behind McLendons, across from Cross Church, at 14th Ave. SW and SW 102nd. (look for the blue canopy).

Seattle Police are investigating a home invasion robbery that occurred on the 7900 block of 9th Ave. S.W. shortly after 7 a.m. on the morning of April 10, according to SPD Det. Renee Witt.

The victim, who was treated for a bloody nose in the aftermath, told police she was sleeping when she awoke to the sound of someone kicking down her front door. She screamed as a male entered her room, got on top of her, put his hand over her mouth and demanded the location of her car keys and purse. The victim said she was punched in the face once.

After telling the man where to find her purse and keys, the suspect fled the scene. The victim believes two other males were rummaging through her home during the invasion.

They left the scene in her vehicle, a white, four-door 2006 Chevy Malibu.

The suspects are only described as Samoan or black males in their 20s.

If you have any information or spot a vehicle matching that description, please call 911.

White Center's business district is hosting their monthly "RatCity ArtCity" art walk tomorrow, April 11, from 6-9 p.m.

Here are the details:

Big Al Brewing (9832 14th Ave SW)
Ethan Jack Harrington-
http://ethanjackart.com/
"He was born. He painted."
For those of you that may be familiar, his work was displayed at The Whiskey Bar in Belltown for many moons. Girls, Guns and Booze. I fondly miss those pieces. Come see what he's drummed up this year!

Center Studio (9611 16th Ave SW)
Scott Forland- Paintings and Drawings
“I earn a living as an information scientist, but I spend much of my “spare” time on art. Over the years, I have dabbled in music and creative writing, but I always come back to painting and drawing. Currently, I am interested in the technologies we use to reproduce images and the ways I can leverage these technologies to create paintings that are abstract in detail but representational as a whole. I want my work to be interesting, beautiful, and fun. Some of my favorite visual artists include Chuck Close, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Marcel Duchamp.”

Pepper is a 4.5 pound PomPoo (Pomeranian-Poodle) born August 5, 2005. Her name is a shortened version of "Sargeant Pepper Peck" because as her owner Margaret Nordahl explained, "When I got her my daughter picked her out and she loves the Beatles and Peck is her last name."

Nordahl said of Pepper, "Whatever the action is, she wants to be there."

Pepper eats regular kibble and really very little only about half a cup a day and when she first became part of the family it was a difficult time since she only weighed 1.5 pounds and had been improperly weaned from her mother. That meant she had to be had fed with drops and watched over carefully.

Pepper came from a pet store in Ballard and she was the smallest one in the litter. Nordahl's daughter chose Pepper because she reasoned that because she was black and that breed she wouldn't shed.

Did you know that the Ballard District Council has existed for 25 years?

It's true. In April of 1988, approximately one dozen civic leaders in the Ballard district came together to create a District Council to help represent the interest of neighborhoods in the Ballard district.

At the meeting tonight, 7 p.m. at the Ballard Branch Library, BDC will will review a few accomplishments, challenges, and meet a few of those pioneers who created the district council.

But that's not all. For those curious about tree cutting regulations in light of BNSF Railway's recent clear-cutting by the Salmon Bay Natural Area, City Arborist Nolan Rundquist will be there to tell you everything you could possibly want to know about trees. And more.

And of course, the district council will go over some ongoing issues, like combined sewer overflow and RapidRide D.

While gender neutral language has been required for all laws since 1983, many laws passed before that year are still stuffed with sexually outdated terms.

Well, not anymore, if Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Belltown) has her way. With Senate Bill 5077, which was passed yesterday, the state Code Reviser's Office would be directed to update laws written prior to 1983 with appropriate gender neutral language. "Fisherman" would become "fisher," "gripman" would become "grip operator," and so on.

This revising would be done in the legislative interim, and only when there is spare time to work on the project.

The bill passed the House 70-22 and, having passed both chambers without amendment, will go directly to the governor to sign.

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By Peggy Sturdivant

If I had to choose two hours per week that provide me with richest range of experience, from belly laughs to sheer delight in words, the venue might seem unlikely: Cancer Lifeline. Occasionally someone winces when I mention facilitating a writing class there. “That must be so hard,” they say.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Although we keep a box of Kleenex on the table while those who choose to share their writing, it’s just as likely needed to wipe away tears from laughing so hard. Nowhere else can I hear former nuns make ribald puns, women able to laugh at the obtuseness of surgeons or men able to joke about the side effects of cancer treatments enhancing their feminine side.

By Elizabeth Wang

“Rain, sleet, sun or snow,” said Terry Cunningham, the top Real Change vendor.

No matter the weather, Cunningham has been standing at his corner in front of the Ballard Bartell Drugs for the past 10 years, selling copies of Real Change to passersby.

Building up strong relationships with his regular customers, he has been able to maintain his sales throughout the year, selling on average of 100 papers a day. But with the recent price increase from $1 to $2, he was concerned about how his sales will continue only selling about 60 papers, like on April 3, the first day of the price increase.

“It’s going to take a while for it to level out,” he said.

The news of the price hike was introduced to vendors three months ago by Real Change, allowing them to talk with their customers for feedback on how they predict sales will go. According to Tim Harris, the Real Change director, mostly positive comments were received with buyers supporting the cause regardless of the price.

Breaking news: Pat Cashman, of the perennially popular "Almost Live" sketch show and it's current reincarnation "206," will be the Grand Marshal for the 63rd Annual Parade on July 24. The theme? "Funny in Greenwood!" of course.

“We are thrilled to have Pat Cashman as our Grand Marshal this year,” said Parade Director Ann Woodward. “Mr. Cashman is someone who has brought his special brand of Seattle humor and personal warmth to our region for years. He and his crew are currently producing 'The 206' TV show which promises more late night hilarity!”

“I'm honored to be asked to be Grand Marshal for the annual parade in the greatest neighborhood in Seattle,” says Pat. “This will actually be my second time -- as I was Grand Marshal several years ago. I thank the community for their kind invitation, wonderful hospitality -- and short memory."

From SDOT:

The Seattle Department of Transportation is in Phase 2 of the project to rebuild much of Delridge Way SW between SW Orchard and SW Roxbury streets. This work is scheduled to close the intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Thistle Street from 7 p.m. Friday, April 12, until 6 a.m. Monday, April 15 if the weather is dry.

To reduce impacts to the community, intersection construction is taking place on weekends, working around the clock. Through traffic will be detoured, with local access maintained. For the closure of the Delridge/Thistle intersection, the detour will be as follows (see attached map at the top of the story):
· Northbound traffic on Delridge Way SW - Take SW Trenton Street to 35th Avenue SW to SW Holden Street to Delridge Way SW

· Southbound traffic on Delridge Way SW - Take SW Holden Street to 35th Avenue SW to SW Trenton Street to Delridge Way SW

· Westbound traffic on SW Thistle Street - Take 16th Avenue SW to SW Henderson Street to Delridge Way SW