October 2013

Seattle's Department of Neighborhoods is looking for community volunteers to serve on a Arbor Heights Elementary Departure Advisory Committee.

Here are the details from the city:

Here’s your chance to serve on an advisory committee that will recommend whether to grant zoning modifications needed to allow the construction of the new elementary school

The Seattle School District is requesting a waiver (departure) from some City zoning regulations the construction of a new Arbor Heights Elementary School for 490 to 660 students. The District plans to demolish the existing building and construct a new building. The School District is requesting modifications to allow greater height, less that required parking and on-site bus loading.

The process for considering these requests includes hearings before an advisory committee composed of neighbors and School District and City representatives.

King County Road services provided an update and photo for the ongoing construction of a new South Park Bridge that has an expected completion in early 2014.

From King County's DeAnna Martin:

We achieved a major milestone the weekend of Oct. 4, as the derrick barge made its last trip to the bridge site with a 525,000 lb. drawspan suspended on its hook. The north toe span was lifted into place on Friday afternoon and bolted to the heel span in the pier over the course of 31 hours (using a total of 1064 bolts!). In the coming month, we’ll pour the concrete deck of the north span, cure it, then raise the span and do the same work on the south span.

You can view construction photos taken in September on the project website. We'll be announcing another slide show in the coming weeks for an as-yet-to-be-determined date in November.

DES MOINES, Wash.—Highline Community College received the 2013 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

“Highline is honored to receive this award and be recognized for our belief in diversity and the work we do every day on our campus,” said HCC President, Dr. Jack Bermingham. “Diversity is more than a program or an initiative at Highline; it is an institutional value.”

As a recipient of the annual HEED Award—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—Highline will be featured along with 55 other recipients in INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s November 2013 issue.

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected recipients based on exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity on campus, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBT community.

A West Seattle woman is facing a second degree assault with a deadly weapon charge for allegedly intentionally striking a bicyclist in North Delridge during a Monday morning commute in July, and her victim was a well-known cycling advocate for West Seattle.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against Erika Soerensen, 37, on Oct. 10. The charges were first reported by SeattlePI.com on Oct. 15.

According to charging documents, Seattle Police Department Detective Al Cruise investigated the alleged hit and run and pieced together a case through multiple witness testimonies and by speaking with the victim, 32-year-old Jake Vanderplas who is co-founder of West Seattle Greenways, a group dedicated to implementing safe routes for bicyclists and pedestrians throughout the peninsula.

Soerensen, the accused, told police she has no recollection of hitting the cyclist, according to the court.

Information from West Seattle Senior Center

The Senior Center of West Seattle is out to have some fun by hosting a first of its kind Tupperware party to raise funds for Seattle seniors. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, October the 18th, at the Senior Center, located at 4217 SW Oregon Street, near the Alaska Junction.

Entertainment for the event will be provided by Seattle's very own Sylvia O' Stayformore & LaTrina Bidet, who will also be acting as the mistresses of the ceremony and co-hosts for this landmark charity event.
"We very excited to be hosting such a groundbreaking and unconventional event to raise funds and create awareness about the various services offered by our organization to the community," said Karen Sisson, the Executive Director at The Senior Center of West Seattle.

According to Sisson Tupperware products will be available for purchase throughout the evening, with up to 40% of all the proceeds being donated to The Senior Center. She added that the event is open to all age groups, and promises to be a memorable night full of good food, fun and laughter, for all the guests.

By Christy Wolyniak

Mississippi backwoods music strung together with pop, rock, and harmonious vocals does not even begin to describe the Seattle-based band, Vaudeville Etiquette. Perhaps a giant zeppelin going through a sunset would make for a sufficient metaphor.

To say the least, their music is anything but expected.

The five-person band (three of whom consider themselves Ballardites) will be releasing a single and playing at Columbia City Theater on Thursday, Oct. 17, and will play at the Conor Byrne on Nov. 1. They just finished their first full-length album a couple weeks ago, set to be released sometime by February.

Songwriting has always been a hobby for lead singers Bradley Laina and Tayler Lynn, who studied audio engineering together at Shoreline Community College before moving to Hollywood with Lynn’s sister.

"We went to this bar, Crane’s Hollywood Tavern, and were sitting next to the booker that night talking to him (about his lineup) and we said, ‘Oh we’re in a band,” Lynn explained to the BNT, daintily perched atop an amp stand, of how VE first got together.

More than thirty members of the Burien community gathered in the Council Chambers at Burien City Hall and King County Public Library on the evening of Thursday, October 10, to listen to a presentation by ECONorthwest and weigh in on what they believe Burien's future conomic development should look like.

ECONorthwest was recently hired by the City of Burien to consult on creating an Economic Development Strategic Plan.The presentation was led by ECONorthwest's Terry Moore. Moore is one of the founders of ECONorthwest.Terry’s work focuses on transportation and land-use planning, economic development, growth management, policy analysis, and market analysis.

The Normandy Park Arts Commission is pleased to present East Meets West Through the Work of the Work of Beijing Artist Lu Yansheng in City Hall Counsel Chambers from October 1 - 31, 2013.

The exhibition will include the art and poetry of artists known as "Pre-Misty Poets - painter Lu Yansheng and poet Lu Shuangqin. Northwest artist Cheryll Leo-Gwin, a fourth generation Chinese American and co-curator Barbara Jirsa will be on hand to discuss and interpret the exhibit.

Lu Yansheng is known for his role as host of and participant in the Underground Poetry and Painting Movement during The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). His home hosted the famous Misty Poets Society, an underground salon for a group of high profile intellectuals: artists, poets, musicians, and philosophers of that time at great risk to their lives.

Seattle Public Schools are working to accommodate ever-growing enrollment and new construction at the elementary and middle school level, and are currently working through school boundary changes that will begin phasing in during the 2014-15 school year and continue for many more to come.

After releasing their initial recommendations in mid-September and holding a round of public meetings for feedback, SPS is back to the table with changes – a few of which hit home for West Seattle families.

The most significant change for West Seattle occurs in the High Point area, where SPS now plans to feed students from the area to West Seattle Elementary and Denny Middle School. The original recommendation split recommendations in High Point, with some going to Denny and others funneling towards Madison.

Highlights that did not change include keeping the new K-5 STEM elementary at the Boren building permanently and eventually expanding it to 8th grade by 2018. With Boren potentially becoming a permanent home after decades as an interim site, current SPS plans are to make the E.C. Hughes building (currently home to private Westside School) their new interim location.

By Peggy Sturdivant

BJ Douglas and her husband loved living in their 1909 Ballard Craftsman for 23 years. As parking became too difficult they moved north in 2007, but didn’t sell their old home until last November.

The Douglases had long discussions with the prospective owner about his plans to build six units, deconstruct the house for reusable materials, and “build green.”

Then three weeks ago BJ Douglas read in the Ballard News-Tribune about opposition to a microhousing development for 43 one-bedroom units at 1715 NW 58th Street. “That’s my house,” she realized.

She learned that without her knowledge the developer Bob Dedon of 1715 Apartments LLC had canceled initial plans and applied to create what’s listed as a boarding house. Stunned by this change in plans all that BJ can manage is, “I didn’t know.”