December 2016

By Amanda Knox
 
According to Wikipedia, the Cold War was “cold” because the U.S. and Russia never engaged in open conflict. Instead, they exerted their super political and military influence over lesser powers to outplay each other on a global scale, all the while upholding the threat of mutually assured destruction. It was a race of ideologies—West vs. East, capitalism vs. communism, democracy vs. dictatorship—with real stakes that were ever-present for everyone who was alive and aware between 1945 and 1991.
 
Not me, then. I was born in 1987, and the Cold War has always been a part of the past for me. I didn’t grow up with civil defense sirens, or get drilled in school about what to do in case of a nuclear attack. “The Russian threat” was a James Bond trope. In real life, I never felt like Russia was any more threatening than any other foreign country. The game was over. Democracy had won.
 

Neighbors robbing neighbors

A staff member of an apartment complex located on the 5400 block of Delridge Way S.W. reported a burglary at 10 p.m. on Mon., Dec. 12. The victim left his apartment around 12:30 p.m. and returned five hours later to find a black mark on his front door. When he entered the space, he discovered that a number of items were missing. A security camera revealed a woman had walked up to the apartment around 2:40 p.m. and kicked the door open. About 10 minutes later, she left and entered her own apartment. The victim said he simply wanted his belongings back and did not want to file a complaint. The suspect refused to come outside to see officers. Staff members at the apartment complex were advised to call police if she exited her apartment.

Burglary of weed shop

information from Seattle Public Schools

On December 7, the Seattle School Board elected new officers for the 2017 calendar year.

Board member Sue Peters was elected President, Leslie Harris was elected Vice-President and Scott Pinkham was elected Member-at-Large.

The new Board officers assume duties immediately and serve in their roles through the 2017 calendar year. They bring a wealth of experience to the Executive Committee as well as a commitment to authentically engaging our families, community and staff.

AirBnB, the service that lets people rent or find rooms to rent for short term stays has compiled a list of the top 17 trendiest neighborhoods for 2017 in cities around the world.
West Seattle came in at number 9, cracking the top ten, worldwide.

The list is part of Neighborhoods to Watch. The list is based on growth, travel and booking patterns. They predict a 230% growth rate for our area. The site/service lists more than 300 rooms/homes available in West Seattle with an average price of $113. Some go for more than $1000 with at least one listed at an eye popping $4999 but which will accommodate 14 people per night in a luxury home. That works out to around $357 per person, per night.

Here's AirBnb's list:

1. Milneburg in New Orleans, Louisiana - 1500% growth

2. Kampung Baru in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - 976% growth

3. Fitzroy in Melbourne, Australia - 770% growth

4. Konohana-ku in Osaka, Japan - 609% growth

5. Chutes-Lavie in Marseille, France - 604% growth

City Councilmember Lisa Herbold in her newsletter shared this notice about South Seattle College.

"Do you want to advise the City on the development plans of South Seattle College? Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is seeking interested community members from surrounding neighborhoods to serve on the South Seattle College Standing Advisory Committee (SAC) and provide feedback on projects planned and under development by the college to ensure it complies with its Master Plan. The Master Plan describes zoning rules, long range planning of the property, and transportation planning.

Community members who have experience in neighborhood issues, land use and zoning, architecture or landscape architecture, economic development, building development, educational services, or just have an interest in their neighborhood’s future are encouraged to apply.

The committee meets at South Seattle College one to four times a year. Committee members serve a two-year renewable term. If interested, send a letter of interest by either e-mail or regular mail to:

This Saturday 12.17.2017 at 6 pm, the public is invited to celebrate the holidays at White Center’s community Christmas tree lighting.

Hot beverages will be provided by White Center's newest shop Moonshot Coffee, you can dance to DJ TTop, and take photos with Santa.

The event is taking place at Roxbury Street SW and 16 Ave SW in front of Mac’s Triangle Pub .

Food donations are accepted and will be delivered to the White Center Food Bank .

Primary Sponsors:

• The Triangle Pub
• Tom the Live Butcher
• White Center Tool

With additional donations from:

• Tommysound
• Moonshot Coffee
• The White Center Chamber of Commerce
• White Center Community Development Association
• McLendon Hardware

Contact Tommy of Tommysound, White Center Chamber of Commerce Vice President, 206.229.7937 with any questions.

Over 28 Seattle Fire Department units have been dispatched to a fire near the Nocturnal House at the Woodland Park Zoo located at 600 block of North 59th Street.

A fire in a building was reported at about 3:10 this afternoon. A witness at the scene has reported seeing plumes of smoke coming from within the zoo near the Nocturnal House.

"I can see the smoke coming up and it's definitely getting lighter in color. Police are arriving. People are casually leaving the zoo via the parking lot. No panic," wrote the witness.

The Woodland Park Zoo closed the exhibit back in 2010 and reported financial troubles as the reason. The exhibit housed more than 60 nocturnal critters including sloths and bats. However, the Zoo announced last January that they had secured long-term funding of up to $4 million for a two-year renovation project that would eventually reopen the exhibit.

Seattle Firefighters are currently at the scene. The zoo has been evacuated. So far the department has not yet announced the cause of the blaze but reported that it started in the attic.

When Sue Trainer first started as a 'lunch lady' in 1980 David T. Denny Junior High School was looking at another couple of decades of service in its old location on 30th Ave. SW. From the beginning she wanted to make her role there as one of a "home away from home." In 1986 she became Assistant Manager and in 1996 moved to the Manager's role where she served until her retirement Dec. 15.

In a special ceremony in the new Denny International Middle School, she was honored by Principal Jeff Clark, co-workers, family and even assorted custodial staff who came back to be part of the event.

Along the way, Sue served 6,480 breakfasts, and 17,100 lunches and in a single day served the most students ever with a promotional event called "Rockin the Record" when 608 students were served.

A meeting to discuss the design for two three story live-work buildings with nine units total proposed for 4220 SW 100th in Arbor Heights is set for Jan. 5 at the West Seattle Senior Center.

MEETING

Date: Thursday, January 5, 2017
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: West Seattle Senior Center
4217 SW Oregon St
Hatten Hall

All meeting facilities are ADA compliant. Translators or interpreters provided upon request. Please contact the Public Resource Center at prc@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8467 at least five business days prior to the meeting to request this service.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT

The Director will accept written comments to assist in the preparation of the early design guidance through January 5, 2017. You are invited to offer comments regarding important site planning and design issues, which you believe, should be addressed in the design for this project.

The West Seattle Foodbank will introduce it's new "shopping distribution model" on Feb. 7 letting people walk through the aisles of the facility and get what they need, at their own pace. The WSFB also announced the new longer hours for shoppers and others as follows:

• Tuesday: 9am-1pm (Seniors 55+ only)
• Wednesday: 12-7pm
• Thursday: 9am-2pm
• Friday: 10am-2pm

Original Post 12-14-16
Food banks in general are not much like grocery stores. The reasons for that are multiple including the way food is gathered acquired initially, in part by donation, the need to control the amount and type distributed to serve the most people in the best way, and the need for volunteer labor to manage the whole process.

But starting February 1, The West Seattle Food Bank will be converting from their current distribution method to a color coded "shopping experience" aimed at making the entire process more respectful for users.