May 2013

Having sat dormant for several years, Fairmount Park Elementary at 3800 S.W. Findlay St. in West Seattle is on the verge of improvements and revitalization.

Seattle Public Schools plans to expand the existing structure “to allow a 2-story, 19,122 square foot, 10-classroom addition,” with a goal of holding up to 500 students. Two portable classrooms and a portion of the original building will be demolished in the process.

Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development gave the project Land Use Application the “OK” on May 30 after evaluating environmental considerations. That decision is available for viewing at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/LUIB/AttachmentProject3014192ID51923014192.p…

SPS has said they hope to have the expansion done in 2014, and the next question becomes … what will the school become?

The rumor mill has suggested Fairmount could become the new home for K-5 STEM option school students currently housed at the Boren building on Delridge, but the latest indication is that it may become a neighborhood elementary for children in the attendance area surrounding it.

It was once said that for every bar that was built, a church was also created. Now, however, it seems the tables have turned on the sacred institutions.

We might have to turn that phrase into: "For every bar built on Ballard Ave and Market St, a church must turn into a condo, a townhouse or narrow single-family residences.

Such is the case for the Calvary Lutheran Church, which was left empty in 2009 when the congregation of Calvary merged with Our Redeemers Lutheran Church. Now, according to the Department of Planning and Development, an application is in for Calvary's demolition, to be replaced by four single-family residences. (We took a look in April at the Art Church, which is being replaced by a townhouse and a single-family house )

The Icelandic community of Ballard started Calvary Lutheran in 1902. It was known as Hallgrim's Congregation at the time.

UPDATE June 25
The clip from the Katie Couric show featuring West Seattle's Michael Stusser has been posted online. Stusser, and Marty Riemer created the now award winning documentary Sleeping with Siri and it drew the attention of the talk show host. The segment 4:24 long can be seen at this link: http://www.katiecouric.com/videos/could-technology-be-hurting-you/

UPDATE June 24
The air date for the appearance of West Seattle's Michael Stusser and Marty Riemer on the national Katie Couric show has been moved up to June 25.
You can catch the show at 3pm on KING5 TV.

UPDATE June 7

When the band Led Zeppelin was honored at the Kennedy Center last December the Seattle band Heart performed the Zeppelin classic, "Stairway to Heaven" in a version so powerful it literally made Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant cry. What Heart did was to include the 80 voices of Joyce Garrett's Washington Youth Choir to sing later sections of the song that builds to a powerful crescendo. The YouTube video of the performance has been seen well over a million times.

From WSCO:

Season Finale: Spring Into Summer Presented by The West Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Concert to close the season with classical orchestra literature by Massenet, Brahms, Schubert, and more!

Musicians of WSCO’s Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kim Roy, prepare to take stage with a unique integration of classical works from familiar tunes to honored favorites – a little something for everyone.

Featured soloist will be Rachel Nesvig performing on violin, Massenet’s Meditation from the Opera “Thais”. She received her Masters in Violin Performance and K-12 teaching certificate in music from Central Washington University in 2011. Besides teaching string instruments, Rachel plays with various symphonies in the area and leads WSCO's Debut Orchestra.

Program will also feature a premiere of 2nd movement of Symphony No. 3 “Unfinished”, by local composer Robert Duisberg.

Seattle Christian freshman Abi Kim may have plenty more accolades coming her way if her showing at the WIAA 1A Track & Field State Tournament is any indication.

Kim took first in the 100M (12.68), 200M(25.54) and Long Jump (18-04.25) on May 25 at Eastern Washington University.

An orange-and-yellow clad superhero has been roaming the streets and seasides of Ballard lately, protecting residents from terrorizing crustaceans, hipsters, condos and anyone who doesn't like lutefisk.

His name is, simply, The Anchor. You may have seen him at Syttende Mai with his mermaid friend. Spoken of before only in hushed whispers, The Anchor has finally come into public view, just in time for SeafoodFest. Which he loves to talk about. (It's Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14, on Ballard Ave and Market St, if you haven't received the memo.)

On Tuesday, The Ballard News-Tribune received a tip that a devious crab was roaming Golden Gardens, snapping its claws at tourists. Before we got there though, The Anchor was already on the scene.

What ensued was a battle of epic proportions. The two went mono-a-mono, blow-for-blow, fist vs. pincer. It wasn't until The Anchor used his, well, anchor -- which has mysterious powers and which no sea creature can defend against -- that the fight was resolved.

Loyal Heights Elementary School First Grade Teacher Patricia Magnuson was one of 24 Puget Sound-area teachers who were recognized as Symetra Heroes in the Classroom during the 2012 NFL season.

A Symetra Hero is nominated by a principal, staff, students or students' parents. The winners are selected based on their ability to make a real difference in students' lives; to go above and beyond in their day-to-day responsibilities; and to help students build life skills.

The heroes receive a $350 Office Max gift card for classroom supplies and tickets to a Seahawks home game, where they are acknowledged during on-field presentations at CenturyLink Field. In addition, Symetra makes a $1,000 donation to each teacher Hero’s school.

On Friday afternoon, May 24, 2013, Symetra and the Seattle Seahawks honored the 24 Puget Sound-area teachers at a special celebration at CenturyLink Field.

By Christopher Duclos

Ballard High School ended their season with great success following the Washington state track meet, where BHS had nine participating student athletes. While they all fiercely competed with the top track talents in the state, some brought home bragging rights.

It was a day to be had for the girls 4 by 400 relay. The girls squad that consisted of Nicole Godbout, Cat Banobi, Mia Wrey, Carolyn Birkenfeld, and Jamie Smith-Emma Onstad-Hawes was the first girls relay to take first place at the state meet since 1999.

This year’s female competition at the state 4 by 400 relay was no easy task, according to coach Mirenzi. By the end of the season, there were four teams that finished this race with a sub 3:56 time. The teams facing the lady beavers were capable and hungry.

There will be a temporary lane and tollbooth closure at the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal Thursday, May 30 from 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
A truck will be parked in the north ferry lane to allow crews to vacuum out the wet well as they continue work on the Barton Pump Station.

What to expect

· Ferry lane and toll booth open by 1:00 p.m.
· Truck parked in the north ferry lane from 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
· Heavy equipment on site
· Flagger to continue moving traffic through site and in and out of the ferry terminal entrance, when necessary