July 2015

imformation from SDOT

Seattle Department of Transportation crews will intermittently close lanes to restore pavement in two areas of West Seattle next week if the weather is favorable. Drivers should plan for congestion and consider alternate routes.

Crews will close one lane at a time on Alki Avenue Southwest between Southwest Arkansas and Southwest Hampshire streets, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, from Tuesday, Aug. 4 until Thursday, Aug. 6.

Crews will also close one lane at a time on Beach Drive Southwest between Southwest Spokane Street and 61st Avenue Southwest, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, from Thursday, Aug. 6 until Friday, Aug. 7. Bus stops in this area will be temporarily relocated outside of the project site.

Traffic flaggers will direct street traffic at both locations. Pedestrians will not be affected by these closures.

These projects are part of the 2015 Arterial Major Maintenance program which aims to maintain busy streets with strategic small-scale pavement repairs.

Hundreds of Ballard residents and small-business owners are expected to turn out Monday evening for the first significant opportunity to provide comments and question elected leaders and city officials about the process for locating a proposed city-sponsored homeless encampment on NW Market Street.

Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brienhas has confirmed he will attend the meeting. Mayor Ed Murray’s office has been invited but has not confirmed at this time if they will attend.

The moderator will be Enrique Cerna, a broadcast journalist and Ballard resident. Also Ballard residents, stakeholders and small business owners and patrons will be there.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 3 in the parking lot of the Ballard Eagles on VFW Post 3063 (2812 NW Market St.), next door to the proposed tent encampment site on NW Market Street.

On June 29, Mayor Ed Murray announced three preferred sites for new, city-sponsored homeless tent encampments, including one on Market Street in the heart of the Ballard neighborhood.

Hot Feet Fitness has opened in one of Burien's prime real estate location on the corner of 152nd and Ambaum. The new shop is owned by Jerrod and Nikki Sessler. They also own Freggies, a distributor of fresh organic fruits and vegetables.

Hot Feet Fitness offers three different fitness methods. HFF Workout is a high intensity 21 minute long body weight work out. HFF Stretch is a 21 minute long full body stretch. HFF Yoga is a 51 minute long yoga experience. Each of the methods are done in a studio that is about 90 degrees with 35% - 40% humidity.

According to founder Jerrod Sessler,

On July 14 the Highline Times received a reader’s tip regarding nearly a dozen shots fired on 136th and Ambaum around 10 p.m., later that night confirmed by the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Now, according to Washington’s Most Wanted, the suspect in that shooting has been identified as Francisco “Paco” Mendez-Zendejas, who is on the run from the U.S. Marshalls Pacific N.W. Fugitive Apprehension Task Force.

On the night of July 14th a King County Sheriff’s Deputy was driving along Ambaum on patrol when he heard the sounds of men fighting from outside his window. Once he located where the sounds were coming from he saw a group of about 10 people fighting in the street. Using his loud speaker he ordered the group to break up and leave the scene.

The deputy recognized many members of the group as being gang affiliated.

By Leigh Pate

"We don't know ..."

A cancer patient hears these words too many times during their treatment. "We don't know what caused it. We don't know if this treatment will work. We don't know if your cancer will come back. We don't know how this treatment will damage your body." Patients and their families learn all too quickly how much is still unknown about cancer, even after decades of research trying to unravel this complicated disease.

Before my breast cancer diagnosis three years ago, my idea of fun was long distance biking ... and I had happily cycled thousands of miles across the US, through India and on long rides with friends around Seattle.

Now, three years after treatment ended, I am about to ride ten miles ... and those ten miles could end up being the most important miles of my life.

Why? Because this ten-mile ride is Obliteride, and it will raise money for Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. And this ten-mile route, one of many options for Obliteride this year, will specifically benefit women's cancer research.

Today Mayor Ed Murray, along with members of the LGBTQ Task Force appointed in March, announced an action plan to support a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for LGBTQ people in Seattle.

“Seattle has long been a place where everyone can find an accepting and tolerant home,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “We celebrate our history of advancing equity for the LGBTQ community and we will support efforts to make Seattle even more inclusive. Thank you to the task force for identifying these actions to reduce the violent attacks and verbal harassment experienced by LGBTQ people.”

In the first seven months of this year, there were 41 anti-LGBTQ hate-based crimes or incidents reported to Seattle police -- a 46-percent increase over the 28 reported in first seven months of 2014.

The mayor’s action plan is organized into four areas: Public Safety, LGBTQ Youth, the Built Environment, and Public Understanding. The Mayor has begun to implement many of the recommendations of the task force, and will act on several more:

Earlier today the broker for the iconic Edith Macefield house in Ballard announced that a non-profit has been chosen as the recipient, and the structure will be moved to a different location.

“The house really will float away, but not by air. I can’t possibly imagine a more wonderful ending for this chapter of the Edith Macefield story,” said listing broker Paul Thomas.

On August 4 there will be a formal press conference where the non-profit recipient will be announced.

The owners announced last month that they would be willing to donate the house if a qualified organization applied. If not, the famous “Up!” home was going to be demolished.

Last month Thomas reported that buyers were deterred from purchasing the home because the structure is not up to the 2012 housing code and that the cost for improvements would be substantial.

By Marjorie Young

As someone with a decidedly spiritual bent, it is my heartfelt aim to take the ups and downs of life in stride, knowing not only that there are invariably lessons to be taught, but that a degree of detachment will always aid in putting difficulties into perspective. Clearly, that is a charming idea in theory, but when ‘reality bites,’ it is not always so easily put into practice…serving to remind me yet again of how very far I have to go in living my ideals.

Very recently, I learned that my Ballard home will be put up for sale. The news was a jolt, having lived there for twenty years and more. Certainly, the fact that I might have to leave was unsettling, but beyond that, it came as a shock to realize how neighborhood rents have skyrocketed…making the chance of finding an affordable new place slim indeed. As for low-cost housing, a waiting list of up to five years is the norm.

information from Providence Mt. St. Vincent

Bring your family and friends for a party on the patio—Providence Mount St. Vincent’s patio, that is. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Free popcorn and snow cones. Great food, beer and wine available for purchase. Special activities just for kids such as face painting. And wonderful music to get your weekend started on the right note! Be sure to wear your dancing shoes!

(Note—Limited number of chairs available so guests are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs.)

Dinner: 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Live music: 6:00 to 7:30 pm

August 7th— The 85th Street Big Band
Lively 20-piece big band featuring swing favorites from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s including classic songs by Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Nat King Cole.

August 14th—Overton Berry Jazz Duo
Legendary Seattle jazz pianist

August 21st— Danny Vernon, The Illusion of Elvis
He’s back by popular demand! Internationally known for his tribute to the King.

August 28th— STRUM (Seattle’s Totally Relaxed Ukulele Musicians)