November 2013

By Chase Smith

This is my third trip to this diverse continent but my first visit to Benin, a small, key-shaped country on the western coast of Africa, bordering Togo and Nigeria. The national language here is French due to France’s invasion in the late 1800’s. In 1958, Benin was granted autonomy and two years later they were led to independence, thus resulting in 53 years of continued peace to this day.

In this culture, an orphaned or abandoned child is considered to be on the lowest rung of society and is treated as a servant for the duration of their childhood. It is thought to be a curse in many villages if a person has any kind of physical imperfection. Human life does not carry value like we are use to in the West due to the practice of black magic and sorcery in many parts of this country. A child can be sold to a trafficker for as low as $20.

Puget Sound Energy'sgas main replacement project on SW 152nd Street, starting on Thursday October 31, will include replacing and abandoning the existing 4" gas main that runs down the street with a new plastic main located mostly under the north sidewalk. Gas customers between 1st Ave S and 6th Ave SW have been notified to expect a one day interruption in gas service when their existing service lines are switched over to the new service lines. Businesses and the public are being provided advance notice of the coming construction, which will include sidewalk closures and pedestrian detours. Available parking stalls will be temporarily reduced between 4th Ave SW and 6th Ave SW when that segment of gas main is installed

By Scott Anthony

I saw on TV that Ben Franklin turned 300 something last year. Mrs. Anthony said, “That’s dumb!”

What’s dumb, honey? “Saying someone is 200 or 300 years old…why? They’ve been gone for all that time, you know..not alive.”

I thought about it and I have to agree. It is a bit silly to think of people that way. I surmise that it is because we wish they were still alive. One would not, for instance, in pleasant conversation say, ‘Gee, today is Rasputin’s birthday..he’s 136!’

Rasputin was not exactly the sort of guy you’d want to have over for dinner, and besides, I’m not so certain he’s even dead.

But I would like to have dinner with Ben Franklin. I would scold him about sitting next to open windows with his shirt off. Maybe, if he hadn’t done that sort of stuff, he might be around to celebrate his birthday today. It’s a fantasy of course. Ben is long gone, but it’s a neat idea.

I asked Mrs. A who she would like to have drop by for dinner. I explained that it could be anyone she wished, as long as they were departed. Choosing someone who is still alive is ok, but that would be another dinner party.

Tukwila Village and the new Tukwila Library will be presented to the City’s Board of Architecture Review (BAR) on Thursday, November 14 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers in City Hall. It will be an opportunity to see the building exterior and site plan, and plaza designs that the developer (Tukwila Village Development Associates) and the King County Library System are proposing. This will be a public hearing so there will be an opportunity if you would like to comment. For more information, please contact the City’s project planner, Moira Bradshaw at Moira.Bradshaw@TukwilaWA.gov.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Tukwila Village Project

1. Buildings for Phase 1, which consists of Building A— a six story mixed use building with 80 units of market rate non-age restricted housing over commercial space and four live work units and Building C— a one story, 4,210 square foot community meeting and retail building with attached outdoor park on the north side of S. 144 Street

Burien police investigating the recent rash of graffiti "tagging" at City parks have indentified at least three taggers. The school resource officer at Highline High School was able to identify the taggers through their markings, and two confessed in wriitng to tagging the Burien Skate Park last week. Police gained the identity of another student connected to graffiti markings at Burien Town Square Park.

Information on the incidents has been turned over to detectives for charging. Police believe more young people were involved in the tagging incidents and are actively continuing their investigation.

"We're going to let them all know Burien is the wrong place to do this stuff," said an investigating officer with the Burien Police Department.
A reward for information in the recent graffiti incidents is being offered by Crimestoppers. Call the Police Dept. 206-296-3311 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Information from King County

Beginning Wednesday, November 6, King County contractor crews will be in the Sunrise Heights and Westwood neighborhoods digging up trees and preparing them for transplant to private property or to another location in the public right-of-way. Moving these trees makes room for the future bioretention swales that will be installed starting in 2014. 24 total trees will be transplanted.

20 trees will be replanted on private property and 4 trees will be replanted in the public right-of-way. Trees to be transplanted are marked with pink or orange ribbons. Homeowners who are receiving trees have been contacted.

A three-person crew will use hand tools to dig up root balls. Trees that will be transplanted on private property will be balled and burlaped and left with the homeowner for transplant. Trees that will be transplanted in the right-of-way will be replanted by the crew.

What to expect
· Work to last up to two weeks
· Work hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday
· A pick-up truck parked on the street near tree sites

The battle over development in the Benchview neighborhood of West Seattle is still going on. The most recent volley comes again from the neighborhood association who, in a letter to both the Deputy Mayor and DPD Director Diane Sugimura, demand a response to their claim that the permit to convert the existing lot there to accommodate three homes instead of two was issued in error. The Herald last covered this issue in August.

Here's their letter:

Dear Deputy Mayor Smith and Director Sugimura,

The neighborhood has received no response to our email (below) for over two months.

In August the Deputy Mayor promised Benchview that before revising the developer’s permit, DPD would explain why they could not revoke the erroneous permit per city law 23.76.034.

Deadline for receiving items for Calendar is Noon Friday for the following week’s Tribune. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email calendar submissions to: calendar@robinsonnews.com.

Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Shane Harms at 218-234-6923 for inclusion in our “Out & About” advertising column.

Sustainable Ballard Knitters for the Homeless
Aster Cafe
5615 24th Ave. N.W.
No meeting in December. Come join us on 2nd Friday of January. Knitting instruction and yarn provided. Donated yarn welcome. Info: Jody at 718-1529 or jodytgrage@gmail.com.

Free Nia Fitness Class
Amazing Grace Spiritual Center
2007 N.W. 61st St.
Every Friday, 10-11 a.m. Suitable for all ages and all fitness levels, the first class is free. Nia is a barefoot fitness fusion blending martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts, along with world music sounds into an hour fitness fusion that is geared for “everybody.” Practiced globally, Nia is designed to work with everybody and every fitness level. Contact Deborah at ddzippie3@gmail.com.

Seattle police are investigating a homicide involving a 23-year-old male victim who was found deceased with apparent stab wounds on Nov. 3 at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park.

Here are the details released by SPD Det. Jeff Kappel on the SPD Blotter:

Homicide detectives are actively investigating after a deceased man was found in South Park.

On November 3rd at approximately 1:23 a.m. officers responded with fire department personnel to a man down call in Duwamish Waterway Park in the 7900 block of 10th Avenue South. Officers met up with medics who were evaluating a 23-year-old male victim who was found lying on the ground in the park. The victim had what appeared to be several stab wounds to the torso and was unresponsive. Fire department medics declared the victim deceased at the scene.

The suspect(s) remain at large.

Homicide detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.

The Ballard Chamber of Commerce is ramping up efforts to light downtown Ballard for the holiday season this year.

While they are asking neighborhood merchants and businesses to contribute $200 each, they say that Ballard residents are free to make smaller donations of $10 and up. (The donation registration is here).

Previous years have seen just Bergen Place Park and Marvins Gardens lit up, but some Chamber representatives have expressed desires to light up all of Ballard Ave.

So far the following businesses have contributed to the effort (as of an email sent on Oct. 25): Annie's Art & Frame, Arc School of Ballet, Ballardtown LLC, Buffalo Exchange, Camelion, Dr Nathan Vorwek, Drygoods Design, Horseshoe, Kangaroo & Kiwi, Ketch, Kula Movement, La Tienda, LUCCA great finds, Market Street Shoes, Natural Resource Law Group, Olsen Real Estate Associates, Other Coast Café, Re-Soul, Romanza, Seattle Divorce Services, Second Ascent, Secret Garden, Souvenir, Sweet Mickey's, Trouville, Trove Vintage Boutique, Velouria and Venue.