October 2013

Center Studio in White Center at 9611 16th Ave SW is the site of a new pop up store called Cattywampus Kids, a new children's clothing re-sale store open the 1st Saturday of every month.

Co-owners, Lonjina Verdugo and Nina Hufford, have hunted and handpicked the store's inventory.

Working directly with local artisans and national wholesalers the owners hope to bring a wide variety of children's new clothing, accessories and gear to the store.

In a press release they explained their methods and mission:

"When it comes to toys - we love vintage! Remember that old-school yellow metal Tonka dump trunk? What about that Fisher Price rolling telephone? And our current favorite, vintage My Little Pony? Our toy inventory will always be changing as we find and sell these hard to find favorites. You'll have to visit often to see what's new.

AARP is teaming up with state and local officials in Washington to fight back against fraud targeting our seniors who, according to a 2011 AARP survey, are much more likely to be targets of scam artists than the rest of the population.

That poll claims 81 percent of investment fraud victims and 84 percent of lottery fraud victims that year were over the age of 55.

Unveiled at the Museum of Flight on Oct. 23, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, King County Sheriff John Urquhart, AARP officials and consumer fraud experts announced the launch of a statewide “Fraud Launch Network” to help seniors learn about the myriad ways scam artists can pillage their bank accounts, and connect them with resources to stay safe when approached by a potentially bogus offer.

From U.S. Coast Guard

Coast Guard pollution response crews from Sector Puget Sound, in Seattle, continue to oversee the mitigation of potential pollution from a presumed abandoned fishing vessel near the Ballard Locks in Seattle, Thursday.

The Coast Guard has contracted Global Diving and Salvage to address more than 12 feet of oily water found in the engine room of the Crest, a 133-foot, steel-hulled fishing vessel.

The Coast Guard received notification around 3 p.m., Wednesday, that the Crest, located at the Ballard Oil Company Marina, may be taking on water and in danger of sinking.

Contracted crews removed more than 7,200 gallons of the oily water mixture from the vessel on Wednesday and 2,500 gallons Thursday. A diver survey conducted Wednesday revealed no signs of damage to the hull of the vessel.

The plan is to continue to dewater the vessel, address any found sources of pollution and monitor the vessel to determine if it is taking on water. It is possible that the water in the vessel has accumulated over the years from rain and snow, but crews cannot ensure the vessel’s safety until the response and monitoring are completed.

Last night I attended the last(?) of the candidates forums for this election cycle. One issue was blatant and was not allowed to be brought up or just not enough time for the issue.

Only recently had I become aware of the attitude of candidate Lauren Berkowitz regarding police and public safety. Someone had posted a link to Lauren’s facebook in which she cursed the presence of a police swat team at a protest which she, Lauren, attended. Cursing in an obvious filthy way.

The issue of public safety was discussed by many of the candidates but no one mentioned Lauren’s scathing vulgarities toward police. Why not? I had even written a question dealing with exactly that comment but it was not asked.

During the Vietnam conflict I was in the Army as a Military Police officer. I heard many of those comments hurled at me but NOT in a public written record, as “facebook”, and especially not by an individual running for a city council seat. I am disgusted at Lauren’s attitude toward police.

Update 2 for 7:45 p.m.

Seattle Police have not found any evidence to substantiate a reported child abduction near Gatewood Elementary School reported this afternoon, Oct. 24.

Here's their latest report:

information from the Seattle Police Blotter

By Detective Jeff Kappel
Officers continue investigating whether a young female was abducted near a school in West Seattle this afternoon but have not found any evidence to substantiate the report.

At approximately 12:38 p.m. officers responded to Gatewood Elementary School in the 4300 block of SW Myrtle Street for the report of an abduction. Preliminary investigation indicates that a student notified school staff that she believed she witnessed an abduction of a young girl adjacent to the playground during recess (in the 4300 block of SW Frontenac Street). She described a white male covering the mouth of a 6 to 12 year old female, placing her in the cab of his pickup truck and driving away.

Developer Mike Peck and Brian Regan have big plans for Ballard. They are in the process of transforming two spaces into office buildings.

The first is the vacant lot behind Caffe Fiore and Zayda Buddy's at 5304 Ballard Ave NW. The plan is to create a four-story, 23,087 sq. ft. office building with retail on the bottom floor. Peck and Regan also bought the next door building and will be adding a floor to it to create one whole building.

The new complex will be called The Valhalla and is currently going through the Ballard Ave Landmarks District Board.

When the Ballard News-Tribune was at the last meeting, they were discussing the proposed design of the building and whether it looked too much like the historic buildings in the area. The reasoning being that they did not want people confusing the new building as an older building.

"It’s a very, very razor thin line (the architect) has to walk to make sure it fits in with the neighborhood and make it not look like the historic building," Peck said.

Jim Riggle, owner of Hotel Ballard and the Olympic Athletic Club, said he was concerned about the height of the building, worried that it would detract from his buildings.

The PTA at Lafayette Elementary School is excited for our upcoming Walk-A-Thon. Our Walk-A-Thon is our primary PTA fundraising event and we hope to raise $60,000 for the PTA budget this year.

Everyone in our school community walks in our Walk-A-Thon - students, teachers, staff and parents. Each grade walks (or runs!) together for 30 minutes around a ¼ mile track. Students collect donations and pledges for the event, and then walk laps around the school playground. Sponsors donate fixed amount donations, or pledge to pay a certain amount per lap walked. The Lafayette Walk-A-Thon will be held this Friday, October 25.

Our coverage from last year can be found here.

Magic isn't dead. It's in Ballard.

For the past year and a half, Tim Flynn has been hosting the monthly magic show "That's Impossible!" at Egan's Ballard Jamhouse (1707 NW Market St). He doesn't don the over-the-top personas of David Blaine or Criss Angel, but nonetheless he'll dazzle audiences alongside other local magicians with sleight of hand and a charming personality.

The next show will be next Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. It will mark his 10th anniversary being in magic, a career which started at a humble little church booth on Halloween entertaining passing kids.

For Flynn, who has worked at Boeing for 35 years, magic has been life altering.

"I finally found my passion, something I love to do," he said. "I don’t know where the journey’s going to take me."

Flynn says he gets high from connecting with audiences: Watching them lean forward in their chairs, invest themselves in the magic tricks and the show, and, if he's done it right, seeing them gasp in blank astonishment.

"You have the opportunity to turn someone’s day around instantly. To bring joy and laughter and life into someone’s day when that wouldn’t have happened (otherwise)," he explained.

Press release

Do you want a real grocery store in the heart of this neighborhood?

Come to our Delridge Grocery canvassing event!

Join us in spreading the word to our neighbors! Bring walking shoes!

Saturday, November 9
10 a.m.
Gather at Daily Does (coffee shop by the corner of Brandon and Delridge)

Family friendly event, free coffee and apple cider for volunteers.

Call 206-769-7162 for questions.

By David Rosen

On a cold and foggy night, the staff from Luna Park Cafe had a fun filled evening hanging out with friends while carving their wicked and ghoulish pumpkins on Oct. 23.

They host this event every year and said it never gets old. As the night progressed people joked with each other, laughed, posed for photos, and checked out everyone's pumpkin designs ranging from creepy Jack O' Lanterns to artistic designs.