July 2013

Let's face it, when it comes to walking, Ballardites are spoiled. After all, we are the city's fifth most walkable neighborhood. But more than that, we have some of the city's most attractive parks and, of course, the best farmers market.

ActivelyNorthwest, for their Urban Walking Workout series, recognized this fact and profiled Ballard for one of their walks. they shared with the Ballard News-tribune three places that make for a great walk. See those below.

But with a neighborhood full of walkers, there are bound to be more routes not mentioned below. What is your favorite urban walk? Let us know in the comments below. (No registration for commenting is necessary.)

Ballard Locks

By Elizabeth Wang

Whether it be the inspiration to paint the colors of the fauna and flora or admire the picturesque views of nature itself, nature and art have always gone hand in hand.

From July 13 to Oct. 20, Carkeek Park is acting as the four walls that house the installations of artists from across the Northwest and, occasionally, a few beyond our state. "Acclimatized: Heaven & Earth 5," presented by the Center of Contemporary Art, or CoCA, features 14 artists whose works are now on display throughout the park.

David Francis, artist-curator, worked with CoCA to create this exhibit, calling it a step away from downtown art galleries and a step toward unexpected art now found in our own backyard. Embracing this year’s theme of acclimatization, he explains that the exhibit is always growing and changing to fit its modern-day setting.

“It’s not just the climate, but it’s also getting used to something,” Francis said, defining the term. “Even though it’s our fifth year, we’re still working and getting it down.”

Hotwire Online Coffeehouse and Seal Sitters are offering a new drink you can feel great about this summer: Seal Sitter Coffee! Purchase the official Seal Sitters Coffee, a 12oz. blueberry and mint dark chocolate mocha, and $3.00 will be donated by Hotwire to Seal Sitters on your behalf.

Seal Sitters is a West Seattle based all-volunteer group dedicated to protecting marine mammals on our shores. Trained by NOAA, they work to protect and observe marine mammals in our waters.

This year, Seal Sitters celebrates the Year of the Seal. The Department of Neighborhoods has awarded Seal Sitters a grant from the Neighborhood Matching Fund program for an educational outreach project, The Year of the Seal: Sentinels of the Sound. Since the Neighborhoods Matching Fund program awards require a “match” by volunteer labor, donated materials, donated professional services or cash, this is where the fundraiser comes in.

You can have a direct positive impact on the health of the marine mammals of Puget Sound Aug 3 by being part of a beach cleanup sponsored by West Seattle based Seal Sitters.

Head of the organization, Robin Lindsey provided a post from her site www.blubberblog.org that explains the event:

Seal Sitters' Year of the Seal: Sentinels of the Sound project is intended to raise awareness of the impact that humans have on our fragile marine ecosystem. Harbor seals (who do not migrate and are year-round residents) and orcas, both animals at the top of the food chain, are especially hard hit by pollutants from storm runoff and microplastics which are stored in their blubber. A 2005 study showed that harbor seals of South Puget Sound were 7 times more contaminated with PCBs than those of Canada's Georgia Strait. The orcas of Puget Sound are the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.

By Laurie Rasmussen

The 9-10 West Seattle Little League All Stars began their quest at state on Sunday July 14th. They faced off against Northwest little League, from North Seattle. West Seattle started the game sluggish. The first inning went well with only 2 runs allowed, however when WS got up to bat the bats seemed to have cooled off since their last game. The first inning Westside got a single from Nate Rasmussen, but was then left stranded at third.

While in the second inning NWLL pitcher struggled, Westside was able to score 4 runs and leave the bases loaded with some great base running and working the count at the plate.

Taylor Hamil, a licensed Midwife in West Seattle at InTandem Midwifery and she named her dog Talulah, a Great Dane, through a personal connection. "One of my classmates in midwifery school was pregnant and we didn't know if she was having a boy or a girl and she really liked to sit in hot tubs. We called her in utero baby Talulah pinatasaurus because she was super, super tiny. Talulah means "drop of water."

She got Talulah from a person in Vancouver, Washington that, "accidentally ended up with 20 Great Dane puppies. They had two females that went into heat at the same time. She was the runt of the litter. She was all the wrong colors so nobody wanted her."

Talulah is 17 months old and she weighs 120 pounds growing from her start of about 20 pounds when Taylor got her at 10 weeks.

She makes a salmon and rice blend for Talulah mixed with Trader Joes food and enjoys elk antlers to chew on.
But her most unusual snack item is Kale. "That's her favorite. Just raw straight up Kale."

On July 15th Seattle’s City Council approved supplemental budget legislation for a transportation project that will bring safety and beautification improvements to West Seattle.

The package will include funding for a full traffic signal at the intersection of 47th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Admiral Way (the site of a fatal pedestrian collision in 2006), “make substantial streetscape and pedestrian crossing improvements in the Fauntleroy Triangle Area, which is in the process of transforming from an area known for car dealerships into mixed-use, transit oriented neighborhood,” and safety improvements along East Marginal Way South, where a bicyclist lost his life in a collision with a semi-truck in May of this year.

UPDATE
A large crowd gathered all around Steve Cox Memorial Park on July 17 for the annual fireworks show. More than 3000 shells were launched in the show staged inside Mel Olson Stadium. In the field adjacent to the stadium, Davis Shows got their carnival started, although one hour late, and the people began to arrive for the show. Around 10 minutes after 10pm the show got underway and dazzled people who came to see this, the fourth staging of the event.

Original Post
White Center's July Jubilee starts off with a genuine bang Wednesday night July 17, at Steve Cox Memorial Park as the annual fireworks show, now in its fourth year, launches "after dusk" according to the organizers.

The show is set to last approximately 25 minutes, and is set up inside the stadium but visible to people around the entire area.

The Davis Shows Carnival opens Wednesday too with rides, food, and a lot of fun. Based out of Eugene, Oregon Davis Shows Northwest has been in operation for 63 years.

This is the 27th year of Davis Shows providing the carnival atmosphere for Jubilee Days.

From U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hiram M. Chittenden Locks

Like an empress overseeing her nation, a 100-year-old house has been governing since the beginning above the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.

In mid-1913, the Lockkeeper’s House, now called the Cavanaugh House, was completed on the grounds of the Locks. Built in 75 days at a cost of $7,840, it was the first completed structure of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials honored her centennial during a ceremony July 16.

Originally built for the Lock’s electrician, offering around-the-clock availability in the event of electrical failure, the house was renamed and dedicated Jan. 16, 1967, to honor Col. James B. Cavanaugh, the Seattle District Engineer who oversaw the Lake Washington Ship Canal construction, which began Nov. 10, 1911.

The City of Burien is hosting an open house for its Puget Sound shoreline property owners on Monday, July 29, 4-6 pm, at City Hall Council Chambers, 400 SW 152nd St., first floor.

The purpose of the open house is for the shoreline property owners to learn more about Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposed new Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) that are based on a new King County flood insurance study report.

If enacted, these new maps may significantly affect shoreline property. The City has asked FEMA to revalidate the City’s own flood study, approved by FEMA in November 2011, to supersede the proposed FIRMS. FEMA has indicated it will treat the request as an appeal.

Property owners are encouraged to attend the open house to learn more about the study and how the flood zone designations will change if the proposed maps become effective.
For more information, see www.burienwa.gov/floodstudy/