September 2014

Have your kids been begging for a pet of their own? If you’re ready to give in, but are still afraid you don’t have the space for a dog or maybe someone in your household is allergic to cats, the Seattle Animal Shelter has the perfect solution: start small.

Come on down to the shelter on Saturday, Sept. 20, for Cool City Pets, an adoption event highlighting small animals looking for their forever homes. From 1-3 p.m., potential adopters can meet the many small animals available for adoption from the shelter, including: rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, birds, reptiles, ferrets, mice and more.

Volunteer small-animal specialists will be on hand to help adopters find the right pet for them. They provide information about each animal’s characteristics and needs, demonstrate basic care and handling skills, and answer questions. The Seattle Animal Shelter features Cool City Pets the third Saturday of every month.

The Sea Scout ships in the fleet run by the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America are joining the fishing boats coming home from Alaska to celebrate Fall Fishermen’s Festival in Ballard on Saturday October 4th from 11 to 5pm. In addition to enjoying the activities of the fishing festival, the Sea Scout ships will participate in their Fall Rendezvous activities on the docks for all the visitors to see. The Scouts will conduct friendly competitions between ships and even let visitors try their hand at Ring Buoy Toss and Survival Suit race.

WHAT: Chief Seattle Council Fall Sea Scout Rendezvous

WHERE: Fall Fishermen’s Festival at Fishermen’s Terminal
1900 W. Nickerson Street
Seattle, WA 98119

WHEN: Saturday, October 4, 2014, 11am to 4pm

COST: Free

Rain or shine, the ships, SSS Yankee Clipper, SSS Propeller, and SSS Argo, will pull into the wharf at Fishermen’s Terminal on Saturday, October 4th at 10am, with demonstrations starting at 11am. Sea Scouting is open to all young men and women from ages 14 to 21.

Information provided by SDOT

PARK(ing) Day happens once a year, on the third Friday in September, and is an opportunity for any Seattleite to temporarily turn parking spaces into public places. The event raises awareness about the importance of a walkable, livable, healthy city and helps people re-think how our streets can be used.

This year’s PARK(ing) Day will be Seattle’s biggest yet, with more than 50 pop-up parks for you to visit on Friday, September 19 between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.! You can play life-sized Jenga in Pioneer Square, make your own smoothie on a bike-operated blender in West Seattle, or hear a story at the “banned books” library in Belltown.

To plan your very own PARK(ing) Day tour, check out the map and list of pop-up parks below. We’ll also have an interactive version available in the next couple of days, so be sure to check back soon for updates.

A car, driven by a young man with his wife and child inside drove into a brick building at 9th SW and SW Kenyon Street shortly after 8:30am. The car broke off the gas meter at A & E Quality Used Cars.

The business owner spoke to the West Seattle Herald and said, "I was inside and i heard it. A loud sound, and I came out. They were trying to start the car and I told them, 'Don't try to start the car! just get out!' "

The smell of mercaptan filled the air in the area but PSE arrived around 8:50 am and shut off the gas.

No one was injured in the incident.

Tools taken from construction site

On August 31, Seattle Police Department officers responded to a reported burglary at a construction site on the 600 block of Northwest Bright Street. The construction company owner told officers that he had left a set of keys on the job site for a ladder and large toolbox. When workers arrived at the site, they noticed many of their tools had been taken. Workers had very little information to track the tools. The value of the loss is estimated at $1,575. Officers have no leads for the suspect.

Man yells abuse and throws rock

by Katy Wilkens, MS, RD
Nutrition and fitness manager, Northwest Kidney Centers

Frosty ice pops can melt the heat away on a sweltering August day. Make your own healthy pops. They’re perfect for a backyard barbecue or birthday party. Fill them with fresh fruits, or even vegetables, cutting back on sugar to let the natural sweetness of the produce shine through.

For creamy pops, add yogurt, milk or soy milk. Light coconut milk freezes nicely, and could be paired with blended fresh pineapple.

Try thinking outside the box: what about cucumber pops, lavender pops with rose petals, bluebarb pops (blueberry rhubarb) or heritage tomatoes? In many Asian countries, corn kernels are a common ingredient in ice cream, so how about a coconut milk corn pop?

Or brew up some exotic ice teas and freeze them. It’s up to you whether to add sugar.

GET YOUR EVENT LISTED HERE FREE! IT MUST BE NON PROFIT. SEND IT TO CALENDAR@ROBINSONNEWS.COM

Culinary Volunteers Needed
Senior Center of West Seattle
4217 SW Oregon St.
206-932-4044 x8
Great volunteer positions to utilize culinary talents. Friendly people and great atmosphere. Working with seniors and members of the community. Café assistants: 8:30-12:30 p.m. or 10:30-2 p.m., M-F. Kitchen Assistant: 9:30-1:30 p.m., M-F. Call Debra: 206-932-4044 or email: debrag@seniorservices.org.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly
Guadalupe Church-Pastoral Care Center
7000 35th Ave. SW
Every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. TOPS is an encouraging weight loss support group with weigh-ins every Tuesday. For info at 206-932-2621.

Seeking Host Families for International Students
Do you have a loving family and a spare room available at your home? Invite an international student to stay with you this year during his or her high school experience in the USA. Located in or near West Seattle. Financial stipend offered. For information: ltatum@gphomestay.com or 781-362-2559.

By Pat Cashman

What’s a kid in diapers to think?
From the time we arrive and our first toys are offered to us, very likely at least one of them will be some form of a bear. And they are always huggable and cute.

There are, of course, Teddy Bears—named for President Teddy Roosevelt. (The President Fillmore “Milly Bear” was not commercially successful.)

There are Paddington, Berenstain and Care Bears—not to mention Winnie the Pooh, which comes in all forms including the disturbingly named Baby’s First Pooh. (I am sorry to say I am not making that up.)
From one of those Toy Story movies comes Lots O’ Huggin’ Bear. Sounds a lot cuter than Lots O’ Maulin’ Bear, which is actually the more accurate behavior of your average ursine mammal.

Only later are kids informed that bears are, in fact, not good sleeping companions, and if you go nighty-night with a real one—not a toy—you are likely to wind up inside of him by morning.

By Kyra-lin Hom

Once upon a time there was an isolated village high in the mountains and surrounded by steep canyons on all sides. Sure, their existence might have seemed lonely to us outsiders, but the villagers didn't know any better. They had everything they could need and, though their existence was a simple one, they were content with their seclusion.

Then one day, a mysterious benefactor appeared on the other side of the canyon and built a small rope bridge. The canyon was very wide and building the bridge was very difficult, but eventually the finished bridge stretched all the way from one side of the canyon to the other. It was thin and a little shaky and could only support one person at a time, but a bridge it was. Word spread quickly and soon villagers were lining up for hours just to explore the strange wilderness on the other side. For a small fee, of course.

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

The world has always been thus, as they say. Yin and Yang, good and bad, you name it. We are constantly torn between two opposing forces in life. Religion rose to temper the forces of evil. At the same time that the teachings of Jesus included turning the other cheek, the Crusaders battled across Europe wiping out everyone in their path. Their mission was to restore Christian control. Let us not forget Genghis Khan who built an empire that had not been equaled. When I am discouraged about women not ever having been given equality under our constitution I say to myself, “Well, at least we aren’t living in the time when violence ruled throughout the world.” There was always a time that was worse than the time we are now living in.