February 2015

By Jeanny Rhee

There are locals that merely make up Seattle and there are long-time locals that epitomize Seattle’s bohemian culture and spirit. Seattle native and Roosevelt High School alum Norman Petersen would be the latter.

Born in 1944, Petersen is an aficionado of sailboats, a social activist, father of three sons and an adherent of the Bahá’í Faith.

The men in his family has resided in Ballard since the 1920s when his father, Joakim Petersen, and his uncle, Jacob Petersen, worked as fishermen out of Fisherman’s Terminal after immigrating from Norway.

But what separates him from your average coffee-drinking and beard-sporting Seattleite is that he spends most of the year docked at the Ballard Mill Marina and in the northwestern coast of the Puget Sound on his sailboat.

“I see Norman as a bit of a gypsy,” said Zabine Van Ness, director and curator of the Washington Bahá’í History Museum in the University District, and Petersen’s long-time friend. “He flows from one happening to another happening in his life; he’s never in one place.”

The three state legislators from the 36th District, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Reps. Reuven Carlyle and Gael Tarleton, will host a town hall meeting from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Phinney Neighborhood Association, Community Room in the lower brick building at 6615 Dayton Ave. North.
The 36th District encompasses Ballard, Greenwood, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Interbay, Belltown, and parts of Phinney Ridge and Fremont.

“I look forward to our town hall every year,” Kohl-Welles said. “It is a unique opportunity to gather with constituents and discuss issues that are important in our neighborhoods, city and state.”
“Having a meaningful, engaging dialogue with citizens is a crucial part of our democracy,” Carlyle said. “We’re eager to talk about the successes and failures from this past legislative session, and dive into the issues you care about.”

“Constituent engagement is a critical part of the legislative process,” said Tarleton. “It’s absolutely essential that our neighbors make their voices heard.”

In the Ballard Boys and Girls Club building, past the classrooms where laughing children are seated in a circle, past finger paintings on the walls, there is an office that houses the club’s new athletic director, Jeff Budke.

The Ballard News-Tribune visited Budke one afternoon. He was on “printer duty” and managed to fix the thing just as this reporter showed up for the interview. Budke is all smiles and eager to meet a new face. There’s an inspirational quote from Margerett Mead on the chalkboard that reads, “Always remember that you are absolutely unique just like everybody else.” Budke chose the quote and laughed at its mention. His ironic humor and jovial nature lend to his new role working with kids. What’s more is his experience in athletics and eagerness to branch out leave one to anticipate exciting new things happening at the Boys and Girls Club.

Budke, 25, has always loved sports. He grew up playing basketball and tennis in Sandy, Oreg., near Mount Hood. He said he played sports as a way to meet new people and for an outlet from the ups and downs of childhood.

A community meeting aimed at preserving 32 acres of land on Myers Way South is set for March 14. Organizers say that they need to reach the threshold of 500 people who choose to keep that land undeveloped, and eventually for it to become "Discovery Park South", otherwise they say it could be sold for the possible site of a Lowes Hardware Store.

Information from the organizers

The City of Seattle intends to sell the Myers Parcels for commercial development soon, most likely to LOWES. Seattle Parks has indicated it does not want it. If 500 people say they want it to become Discovery Park South, they will reconsider.

WHAT: Myers Parcels occupy 32 acres of undeveloped surplus land owned by the City of Seattle It is steep, wooded slopes, wetlands, and a meadow.

WHERE: The land is located in south and east end of West Seattle, between White Center and Highland Park. It is adjacent and south of the Joint Training Facility, 9401 Myers Way South and Arrowhead senior housing.

CONTACT: Cass Turnbull: cassturnbull@comcast.net or 206-783-9093

By Gwen Davis

The California-based Summit Public Schools (SPS) kicked off an info session Thurs. evening about the future of a potential West Seattle charter school opening in 2016.

The school would serve grades 6-12, with approximately 105 students per grade.

But it’s not a done deal, the facilitators noted at the beginning of the meeting.

"We in no way can promise we’re coming to West Seattle,” said Jen Wickens, chief regional officer of SPS and co-facilitator of the meeting. Charter schools must apply to the Washington State charter school organization, she said. There needs to be a community forum and capacity interview.

“But we made it happen with the first two schools [in and hopefully it will happen in West Seattle,” she said.

Wickens and her co-facilitator Greg Ponikvar, executive director of the expeditions program at SPS, opened the meeting with an introduction to the school’s model and mission.

“We don’t define college readiness as only getting into a four-year college,” Ponikvar said. “A lot of it is how can students be successful in life.”

information from SDOT

The Seattle Department of Transportation invites community members to attend one of two community meetings this month to help improve safety on 35th Avenue Southwest. The purpose of the meetings is to review design proposals for the corridor and gather feedback from the community.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Neighborhood House – Room 207
6400 Sylvan Way SW

Thursday, March 12, 2015
3:15 to 5:15 p.m.
Southwest Library Second Floor Meeting Room
9010 35th Avenue SW

SDOT Director Scott Kubly explained, “We look forward to discussing our design proposals for 35th Avenue Southwest with the public in March. These potential changes will make 35th safer for everyone and help advance Vision Zero – Seattle’s plan to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

For more information, please see the webpage for the 35th Avenue SW Road Safety Corridor Project at http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/35thSW.htm.

Pecos Pit BBQ, with a 30 year track record of success in the Seattle area signed a licensing agreement with Gerry Kingen, owner of Salty’s Seafood Grills, more than a year ago. In that time plans to bring Pecos to a wider audience have been in the works. He believes the Pecos concept with some menu refinements has “Greater potential than it is realizing.” Kingen said, “With respectful enhancements it could go local, regional, national, and even global. With a different approach to franchising it becomes an opportunity for others. We think the product ‘hunts’ and has broad based universal appeal.”

In an exclusive interview with the West Seattle Herald Kingen disclosed that among the first outlets will be one built on the site of the former Ben Hoshi Teriyaki restaurant at the corner of 35th and Fauntleroy Way SW.

The site, which has been closed since January of last year, will be remodeled and be the West Seattle home for the regionally famous Pecos Pit formula. “We’re excited about West Seattle,” he said.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

High schools

Boys basketball
Kennedy Catholic, Seattle Lutheran and Shorewood Christian will all be
involved in state regional action this coming Saturday.
JFK's Lancers play Stanwood in an 8 p.m. Class 3A game at Mount Vernon
High School, while Seattle Lutheran goes to Bellevue Community College
to battle the Yakama Tribal School in a 2 p.m. Class 1B game.
Shorewood Christian journeys to Tumwater to take on Taholah in a 10
a.m. Class 1B game.
Winners go on to the state final eight next Thursday through Saturday,
with the 3A action in the Tacoma Dome and the 1B action in Spokane.

Girls basketball
West Seattle plays Sumner in a girls Class 3A regional at 8 p.m.
Saturday at Renton High School.
The Wildcats are seeking a trip to the state tournament in the Tacoma Dome.

Spring sports
Tryouts for all spring action in Washington state open Monday.
Check with respective schools for specific information.

Pros and colleges

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Close one.

Foster Bulldog senior Cale Woyvodich beat Highline wrestler Zach Edson just barely, 2-0, in the 120-pound weight class battle for fifth and sixth place at the 2A Washington State Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome Saturday.

"Got in on the first shot, in the first round, and after that we kept battling and no points were scored," said Woyvodich after three rounds of this consolation final.

He gave props to Edson, a friend who Woyvodich wrestled four times this season -- twice in the Seamount League regular season and twice in tournaments.

The result? Two wins for each.

"He's a tough competitor, the fourth time this year we've wrestled each other," said Woyvodich.

His father, Ed, assistant coach on the Bulldogs' team to head coach, Patrick Kalaleu, put those "close call" words closer to understanding.

By Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Great job by girl wrestlers Cecilia Vu and Lisa Nguyen, young ladies on the Evergreen Wolverines wrestling team who made it all the way to state.

Vu took fifth at the Washington State Mat Classic for 2A held inside the Tacoma Dome on Friday and Saturday.

Nguyen didn't make it to the second day of competition, so, she didn't get chance to compete for being a state placer, like teammate Vu.

But this is state and Nguyen made it this far, and that's a great accomplishment in itself. That is the one that Wolverines coach Hip Nguyen wanted achieved for Lisa Nguyen and Vu.

"I know our coach wanted to see me and Lisa get to state this year," said Vu, smiling, after her final match at state, a win, 6-2, over a wrestler from Davis, in Yakima.

So, goal made, mission accomplished for Vu and Nguyen.

Coach Nguyen echoed that goal reached.

"Love it," said Nguyen. "We are at state. Best 16."