July 2013

Thousands upon thousands of people will descend upon the West Seattle Junction retail core for Summerfest from July 12 – 14, and it will be a sight local independent retailers wish they saw every weekend.

In a nation beset with strip malls and corporate storefronts, West Seattle is a holdout of sorts with a strong locally-owned business culture, and a collaboration of those who pay attention to such things are firing up a “buy local” campaign to keep it alive and well.

Update: The buy local campaign now has a name!
West Seattle: We Have That More information found here.

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is working with the West Seattle Junction Association (WSJA) to educate both the public and retailers themselves on the importance of supporting our local economy.

The news today tells us Seattle’s economic and housing revival is in full swing.

As a result, the stories of those still mired in the foreclosure and underwater mortgage crisis that began in 2008 often times get drowned out, and a small group of victims and advocates gathered at the Delridge Library on July 1 to make sure that lingering reality is exposed.

Organized by the Washington Community Action Network (CAN), the group met to share their stories of battling banks for loan modifications in advance of foreclosure, to share stats on how the crisis has impacted West Seattle, and to highlight next steps.

CAN explains the situation as such: Seattleites are still reeling from the effects of the Great Recession, which brought record rates of unemployment and foreclosure and blew holes in state budgets nationwide. While it was Wall Street’s toxic lending practices and recklessness that created the economic crisis, it is Seattle homeowners and taxpayers who are still paying the price.”

7th Congressional District Congressman Jim McDermott reintroduced the Duwamish Tribal Recognition Act (H.R. 2442) on July 1 in hopes of finally gaining federal recognition and benefits for the native people of metropolitan Seattle (named after Si’ahl, a Duwamish and Suquamish chief).

“Nearly 150 years ago after the Duwamish Tribe signed the Point Elliot Treaty in 1855, they are still seeking federal recognition, which was granted in 2001 but denied under dubious circumstances eight months later,” McDermott wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell in May.

He went on to explain, “On March 22, 2013, U.S. District Judge John Coughenour vacated the September 2001 denial of the Duwamish Tribe’s recognition by Bush administration officials in the Interior Department.”

The bill is now in committee, and is one McDermott has been battling to get out of committee for years. In 2010 the same bill was delayed due to congressional focus on health care reform, he said.

By Peggy Sturdivant

I spotted a black cat down the alley where I was trying to find a quiet spot. When I called “Here, Kitty Kitty,” the cat positively loped toward me, rubbing its head against my knees as I waited on hold to speak with Dr. Howe at Ballard Animal Hospital. I was sitting on a curb in South Boston. She needed to talk to me about my cat.

When I prepared to leave Ballard for a record-long time period I was mostly concerned with getting my garden planted before I left. Martin would still be there so I didn’t have to wrap up every detail. It absolutely never occurred to me that Charlotte-the-Cat wouldn’t be there when I returned. I was more worried about cat pee in the basement and sugar ants in her water.

So when Martin called to say that my 17-year-old cat couldn’t walk up the stairs, despite chasing for treats the night before, it was completely unexpected. From the time he called I kept picturing a particular photo taken of my daughter, age five, beaming, with two kittens in her lap.

On the back cover of her memoir, “Hippie Boy,” Ballard author Ingrid Ricks poses the question, “What would you do if your Mormon stepfather pinned you down and tried to cast Satan out of you?”

The answer, at least for thirteen-year-old Ricks, was: “RUN.”

It’s the story of her memoir, which on June 14 made the New York Times Best Seller List. It details how she grew up with an over religious mother and an overbearing Mormon stepfather, who she ran away from to be a tool hustling vagabond with her father.

It’s just one moment in Ricks past that had cast a shadow over her life, and one that she had put to rest by writing the memoir. Recently, she has been afflicted by another challenge: a degenerative eye diseases that is stealing away her sight.

But she doesn’t let those experiences get her down, nor does she let them prevent her from inspiring others. From teaching teens how to find their voice and identity through writing to giving others the strength to fight against eye disease, Ricks’ motto can be summed up in the age-old line -- if a tad cliché -- “Follow your heart.”

By Scott McBreen
Special to the Highline Times

Local golfer, Mallory Kent playing out of Rainier Golf and Country Club, took the Washington State Women's Amateur golf championship Thursday at Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club by one shot over Jordan Ferreira and Chessey Thomas.

Mallory, who started the wet, final round with a two shot cushion, quickly watched it evaporate on Twin Lake's narrow home and tree-line layout. So narrow it could be said the homeowner's kids think the bunkers are sandboxes.

A clutch up and down on her ninth hole sparked a rally. A few holes later, on the tough 14th, she birdied while Thomas double-bogied for a three shot swing.

On the final tee, her 18th (the club's ninth) the large sloping green is snuggled into the hillside protected by water on the right and large bunkers left and right. The clubhouse rises above this stage for a commanding view of the finish. Kent chose a 4-iron lacing it straight

down the middle while her opponent found the water.

The Des Moines City Council voted unanimously June 27 to increase minimum parking penalties from $20 to $50.

Lorri Ericson, Des Moines assistant city manager, said that the current penalty does not cover the costs of issuing and processing the infraction through court.

Des Moines’ parking penalty is currently also much lower than other cities in the area such as Auburn, Burien, SeaTac and Kent.

The amendment also redefines oversized vehicles, the weight capacity option was removed from the definition and clearly states that oversized vehicles are vehicles that are larger than 7.5 feet in width or 20 feet in length.

This creates an identifiable standard that is easy for the public and enforcement officials to determine, said Ericson.

The six-hour parking limit was raised to 24 to create a realistic and fair amount of time that an oversized vehicle can be parked on a city street to allow the operator to achieve the job that they are there to accomplish.

Additional parking changes will be discussed at the July 11 City Council meeting.

Visitors to Des Moines’ Waterfront Farmers Market this year will see a new addition to the mix of fresh, local produce, vendor booths and live entertainment—a recycling station where visitors can recycle food.

For the first time, this “can’t miss” station includes a green bin for collecting food scraps, food-soiled paper like paper napkins, as well as compostable to-go containers. It also includes a blue bin for basic recyclables such as bottles and cans, and a black garbage bin that organizers hope will now get used a lot less often.

In addition to the “CleanEvent” station for patrons, market vendors are also embracing the new food scrap recycling collection service.

“Our vendors have been very supportive of our effort this year to reduce the food and packaging waste that is generated at the market each Saturday,” said market manager Rikki Marohl. “For example, Panda Catering’s Dim Sum stand purchased approved compostable condiment containers and the Bean Hut espresso stand has set up coffee ground collection containers on the spot.”

Press release:

People will be out enjoying the upcoming Independence Holiday Weekend and the number of donors attending blood drives or visiting our centers will decrease (including zero collections on July 4th)

But patients are still in hospitals undergoing surgery, ER’s are treating traumatic injuries, people are having cancer treatments or organ transplants.

Please help recoup Independence Day holiday, blood collection losses by donating blood at the drive below.

As an added incentive, Puget Sound Blood Center is offering our Give Twice Cookbook to all donors who give twice this summer.

If you donate between now and August 10th, and again between August 10th and October 5th you will be eligible to receive this exclusive cookbook, filled with recipes from donors, coordinators, volunteers and PSBC staff!

Blood drive: Tuesday, July 9th 2013
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
15236 21st Avenue SW Seattle WA 98166
Parish Hall
11:00 am to 5:00 pm
(registration closed 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm)

To schedule an appointment, please contact George Wipperfurth (206) 962-0744 or e-mail mudrats2@comcast.net

Participants may get their cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure checked as well as receive a comprehensive weight assessment.

Also available will be a free 1-year AARP membership, either new or extension.

For more information, visit Walgreens.com/waytowell.