May 2013

Update, May 7

The Seattle Fire Investigator determined the cause of the house boat fire at 1115 NW 45th St was overheated electrical. It resulted in $2,000-worth of damage.

Original, May 6

Firefighters were able to quickly take care of a house boat fire by the Ballard Fred Meyer earlier this afternoon, according to Seattle Fire Department Spokesman Kyle Moore.

SFD received a call at 1:10 p.m. When they got there, at 1:14 p.m., the house had heavy smoke and flames coming from it. But firefighters were able to respond quickly, knocking it down by 1:20 p.m.

No one was on board the boat when SFD got there and therefore there were no injuries. Currently a fire investigator is determining the cause and damage. We will provide an update when we hear more.

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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By Brian LeBlanc

On Wednesday April 30, 2013, the Viking Tavern closed and went to Valhalla. I don’t want to make this article one of those Viking funerals where I merely lament about the demise of another piece of “Old Ballard.” Instead, I want to celebrate the “sisu” of our community.

Sisu is a Finnish term that, according to Wikipedia, is defined “as strength of will, determination, perseverance and acting rationally in the face of adversity.” My paternal grandmother came to America from Finland. When I moved to Seattle and heard there was a Scandinavian neighborhood, I checked Ballard out and haven’t left since. I arrived just in time to experience a couple years of the vestiges of Norwegian Ballard, before the bowling alleys, troll knickknack shops and Scandinavian food stores went to Valhalla as well.

Through it all, there was always the Viking Tavern.

In an announcement on May 6, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn said he is implementing changes to Seattle Police recruitment processes in order to diversify the workforce. The changes come as part of the SPD 20/20 plan.

Here is the official announcement from the Mayor's office, including important application dates:

Mayor announces changes to SPD recruitment policy
New outreach strategy and hiring standards will target diverse candidates representative of Seattle community

Mayor Mike McGinn today (May 6) announced that as part of SPD 20/20: A Vision for the Future, new recruitment policies and outreach strategies have been adopted to encourage more diversity among Seattle Police Department officers.

Never too old to throw a punch
Police were called to a South Park nursing home on April 28 after a 92-year-old woman and her elderly roommate (age not given) got into a fight. Nurses said the two started fighting after the 92-year-old confronted her roomie about the perpetual mess she lives in, which was spilling over into the pair’s common area. The untidy woman said she was punched in the shoulder and, as a result of the melee, was moved to a different floor. No arrests were made.

Hold up in South Delridge

Information from SDOT

The Seattle Department of Transportation expects paving work on Delridge Way Southwest to progress to the next phase on Wednesday, May 15. The contractor will detour southbound traffic on Delridge from Southwest Holden to Southwest Thistle streets, and reopen the stretch from Southwest Thistle to Southwest Trenton streets. The new detour, from Holden to Thistle, is expected to remain in place through mid July. This work is Phase 3 of the project that is rebuilding much of Delridge Way Southwest.

Delridge will remain open to northbound traffic except for intersection work. Local access to businesses and residents will be maintained. SDOT will release a map and details of the new detour as the date approaches.
After the contractor completes work between Thistle and Trenton, Delridge will be striped between Thistle and Henderson streets. Also, crews expect to return by late May to the stretch between Trenton and Henderson for weather-dependent crack seal work.

By Katy Wilkens, MS, RD

Don’t have time to cook from scratch some nights? Not to worry, as long as you avoid those packaged convenience meals from the store. They are sodium-laced and, let’s face it, not very good.

Make your own frozen meals to have handy when you need them. You control the amount of sodium, helping to keep your heart and kidneys healthy. Plus you’ll save money.

Set aside one or two days every month to mass produce some meals to freeze. Try buying a variety of chicken breasts, pork chops, tri-tip steaks and tilapia or salmon filets. Select portions that are all about the same size and thickness. Buy three bags of your favorite frozen vegetables, plain ones without sauce. Try peas, mixed veggies and carrots.

To prepare your meals:

Turn on the broiler or barbecue grill, rub the assorted meats with a variety of low-sodium spice rubs (recipes below). Put the meat on the grill or under the broiler. It should take about 5 minutes per side, but watch and check. You might need to take the fish off sooner, or leave the chicken on longer. While the meat is grilling, line up a bunch of one-meal containers.

The Ballard Boys and Girls Club is accepting signups for full day and half day athletic camps, which has a range of sports including baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, soccer and more.

See below for an overview of the dates and sports offered and respective prices. Kids can be signed up for full or half days.

For more info, visit http://www.ballard.positiveplace.org/athletics.html or contact Billy Rodgers at wrodgers@positiveplace.org or 206-783-5775.

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Basketball: $160/week ($120 for Mini)
Boys, Girls, and Mini K-2nd grade
July and August 9:30am-2:30pm

Baseball 7-12yrs Co-ed: $120/week
Fielding, Hitting, Total Baseball, Advanced, and Mini
July and August 9:30am-2:30pm

All Sports 7-12yrs Co-ed: $160/session
Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, & Much More!!!
July and August 9:30am-2:30pm

Bumblebee Soccer: $120/week
Co-ed Kindergarten-2nd Grade
July and August 9:00am-12:00pm

Mini Tennis: $120/week
Co-ed Kindergarten-2nd grade
June 17th-21st 9:00am-12:00pm

Mini Golf: $120/week
Co-ed Kindergarten-2nd grade
June 24th-28th 9:00am-12:00pm

*EXTENDED CARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL CAMPS

Information from Seattle Public Schools

In an effort to ensure that Seattle Public Schools is doing all it can to support students’ academic success, the district is inviting SPS students and their families to complete a climate survey regarding the learning environment at their school.

Each spring, SPS conducts a climate survey of families, students and staff at all elementary, middle and high schools, asking questions regarding student engagement, academic rigor, discipline and safety, and family involvement. Results are reported through our annual school reports, found here: http://bit.ly/school_reports.

The family survey will be administered starting May 21 via the district's automated SchoolMessenger system. This allows families to provide feedback by touch-tone phone response, or – if there is no response by phone – through a unique link to an online web survey sent by email.

The family survey will be offered in eight languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Somali, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Amharic and Tigrigna.

Phone calls will occur between 7 and 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:

Amazing Mommies Dinner at Alki Community Center
5817 S.W. Stevens St.
206-684-7430
Fri., May 10, 6:30-8 p.m. Adult/$7, Child under 12 yrs./$5. Come celebrate your mom with a great dinner: pasta with red sauce, meatballs, salad, dessert and juice. Handmade cards from your children will be available to create as well. Amazing food, amazing music with amazing mom’s. Tickets for purchase at Alki Community Center. There will be NO skate night on this date.

Open House Yard Art Sale
8457 18th Ave. S.W.
mossstudioyardart.org
Sat., May 11, 9-3 p.m. Great Mother's Day Gifts!

Transcendental Meditation and Stress Relief
America West Bank
4022 S.W. Alaska St.
Wed., May 15, 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. Wes Busch, West Seattle resident and certified teacher of the TM technique, will give a free presentation on how this enjoyable and scientifically verified mental technique has been shown to dissolve stress while unfolding inner peace and happiness. Pre-register by calling Wes at 425-221-3203.

Etz Chayyim He: It is a Tree of Life - Torah Restoration Project
Kol HaNeshamah
6115 S.W. Hinds St.

By Kyra-lin Hom

Does technology make people dumber? Normally I'd vote 'no.' I love technology and believe it allows us to challenge our brains in new ways. I mean, yes, every once in a while I catch myself entering 2+4 or 6x6 into a calculator and then have to momentarily hang my head in shame. But for the most part, I am very pro tech. Recently, I had an experience that made me question that belief. It was... a doctor's visit.

Doctors and medical professionals are supposed to be really smart. They have to study all the natural sciences, research and mathematics, be able to step back and see a whole picture out of numerous symptoms like one of those crazy murals made out of thousands of tiny photos (called photo mosaics). This is traditionally a field for smart people. Well, my friends, that tradition may be slipping. And among other things like failing financial motivation (the true brains go into finance or super specialize now) and medical insurance soul-sucking booby-traps, I blame technology.