September 2013

LGBTQ students and allies in Catholic high schools in the Seattle area are beginning to speak out, demanding the ability to form official on-campus groups, or Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs.

While in many cases students have already formed underground GSA clubs in Catholic schools across the country, the ability to meet is compromised when students cannot talk about it aloud.

“It’s important to have that support and have that community of people you know you can always go to when you’re having a bad day,” said Katie, a recent graduate of a high school where she helped found a GSA group. To avoid endangering the school’s accreditation, the Ballard News-Tribune is not naming the school.

Katie said she had a relatively positive experience when she came out as gay around the age of 15. Friends accepted her and her family caused no fuss, except her mom wanted her to stop dressing like a tomboy. When she showed up to chat with the Ballard News-Tribune, she was clad in jeans and a Russell Wilson #3 Seahawks Jersey.

“She got over that within a week,” Katie laughed. “I was totally fine.”

There once was a time, before the economic meltdown of 2008, when an extra $500,000 a year was set aside in Seattle’s budget for the Neighborhood Matching Fund, where grassroots community groups can apply for aid in bringing everything from festivals to community gardens into their neighborhoods.

It’s a fund-matching system West Seattle neighbors have taken advantage of many times in the past.

On Sept. 10, Mayor Mike McGinn announced his plan to restore that $500,000 as part of his 2014 budget, if city council is willing to push it through.

Included in that half million is budget for a Dept. of Neighborhoods staff member to work with citizens on implementing their grants and $60,000 “for projects designed to discourage criminal activity,” according to McGinn’s office.

Specifically, that $60k in public safety funding will be earmarked towards teaching neighborhoods CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design), a common topic at West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ and Crime Prevention Council meetings and the expertise of Southwest Precinct CPT Officer Jonathan Kiehn.

The Burien Eagles is having an End of Summer Community Parking Lot Sale on Saturday, September 21, 2013, from 9:00am to 5:00pm. There will be food and refreshments available. The address is 920 SW 150th Burien, WA 98166. Sellers call now to reserve your space. The cost is $20 per space with all proceeds going to Southwest Youth and Family Services. Contact Gloria Scott at 206-714-2062.

Information from King County Metro

From Tuesday, September 10, at the start of service until Friday, September 13 at about 8:00 PM, SW Thistle St will be restricted between 35th Av SW & 37th Av SW due to construction.

During this time, Route 22 heading toward the Alaska Junction will travel instead via 35th Av SW, SW Rose St and 37th Av SW to its regular route, using all posted and temporary stops along the revised routing.

Heading toward Shorewood, Route 22 will be travel instead via 37th Av SW, SW Rose St and 35th Av SW to its regular route.

After a month's hiatus, the Ballard District Council will be back tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. at the Ballard Branch Library. As usual, Ballard News-Tribune's Zachariah Bryan will be there. Got story ideas? Feel free to pitch one to us at the meeting.

Agenda

7:00 -- Introductions & Short Announcements - please hold announcements to not more than one min.

7:15 -- A Chat with City Councilmember Tim Burgess
Tim chairs the Government Performance and Finance Committee, Labor Relations Policy Committee and Special Committee on Budget.

7:45 -- Protecting our Unreinforced Masonry Structures in Seattle, Sandy Howard, Seattle Department of Planning & Development: A good number of Seattle’s unreinforced masonry structures are in Ballard. This type of building is vulnerable in the event of a seismic incident.
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/codesrules/changestocode/unreinforcedmasonry…

8:05 -- Update: Ballard’s Nyer Urness House, Amy Besunder, Compass Housing Alliance

8:10 -- Staff Report, Rob Mattson

- Grant opportunities
- Update – 2013 NPSF & NSF program funding

Seattle police are on the lookout for a white male in his mid to late 20’s with short dark hair and a heavy build who was last seen driving a large white SUV.

On Sept. 9, around 1:15 p.m., police say the man pulled up outside of Holy Rosary School (4142 42nd Ave. S.W.) and exposed himself to three girls.

The girls were out enjoying recess in the playground when they noticed the SUV parked the wrong way on 41st Ave. S.W., facing northbound on the west side of the street. Police say the suspect beckoned the girls closer to his vehicle.

“As the girls got closer they saw that the suspect, who was sitting in the reclined driver’s seat, was not wearing any pants or underwear,” according to SPD Det. Jeff Kappel.

The victims ran towards the school once they realized the man was half naked, and school officials quickly called police, who responded to the scene but were unable to locate their suspect.

It appears no physical contact was made with the students, nor did the suspect exit his vehicle during the incident.

Sexual Assault Unit detectives are on the case and encourage anyone with information in the case to call 911. Anonymous tips are welcome.

High schools

Football
Foster will be looking for its first win of the young season when it hosts Clover Park for a 7 p.m. non-league game Thursday.
Highline is going to be in the same boat as it hosts White River at 7 p.m. Friday at Highline Memorial. Evergreen goes to Orting at the same time in the same situation.
Mount Rainier is playing its second South Puget Sound League North Division game when it travels to Auburn for 7 p.m. action Friday.
Kennedy will be at home at Highline Memorial at 7 p.m. Saturday and the combined Life Christian/Seattle Christian team goes to Curtis at the same time to play Tacoma Baptist.
Volleyball
Foster is scheduled to visit Decatur High School of Federal Way at 7:15 p.m. Monday and Decatur turns around to go to Mount Rainier for 7 p.m. action Tuesday. The Rams are at home against Holy Names at 7:15 p.m. Thursday.
Kennedy goes south to visit Highline for a 7 p.m. match Thursday after the Pirates visit Bremerton at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Also on Thursday, Foster hosts Lindbergh, Tyee travels to Renton and Evergreen to Hazen at 7 p.m.
Girls soccer

Press release:

SEATTLE – As people around the world observe Suicide Prevention Day tomorrow, Sept. 10, the official launch of Forefront: Innovations in suicide prevention brings hope for Washington State to lead the way to new policies and programs to solve this major public health problem.

Forefront – based at the University of Washington – brings together suicide prevention experts, clinicians, students and loss survivors to advance big-picture changes in public policy, training, and communication about mental health and suicide prevention. Co-founders Jennifer Stuber, an assistant professor in the UW School of Social Work, and Sue Eastgard, suicide prevention clinician, trainer and advocate, are nationally known for their work in mental health and suicide prevention.

By Katy Wilkens, MS, RD

I baked some great desserts on a recent 8-day, 65-mile kayak trip around Orcas Island. Once you get the hang of Dutch oven cooking, you can create just about anything you would make at home.

One benefit of kayaking is that carrying a true Dutch oven is easy. I’m talking about the black cast iron type, with three long legs at the bottom that hold your “oven” above the coals, not a colorful, boutique model. You can’t backpack with a Dutch oven, but you can take it car camping, horse camping or kayaking.

For baking, it’s best to have a pan that fits inside the Dutch oven. I use a metal cake pan or spring form pan. You need to raise the pan off the floor of the oven, so air can circulate around your food. I use three canning jar lids, or a small barbecue grate. Even rocks will work, but you need flat ones, or your cakes will be lopsided.

Information from SDOT

The Seattle Department of Transportation’s Delridge Way SW Paving Project enters its fifth and final phase on September 23, 2013. The project rebuilds much of the roadway from SW Henderson to SW Roxbury streets, installing new storm water detention pipes, upgrading curb ramps to ADA standards and adding bike facilities on the northern end. The project began January 10 and is expected to wrap up by the end of the year.

To ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians and to allow enough space for the crews to complete the work on Phase 5, between SW Henderson and Roxbury streets, on-street parking will be inaccessible. Also, southbound traffic will be detoured at SW Henderson St to 16th Avenue SW (see attached map).

Currently crews are working to complete Phase 4, between SW Holden and Orchard streets. This includes rebuilding SW Orchard Street, between Sylvan Way SW and Delridge Way SW. Crews are constructing one side at a time, with SW Orchard Street closed to eastbound traffic through September 13 and to westbound traffic the following two weeks. Traffic is being detoured along Delridge Way SW and Sylvan Way SW.