February 2017

By Peggy Sturdivant

Ballard High School will have one hour, three students, a coach and a 100 square foot plot to create a garden while competing against Nathan Hale during Garden Wars at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show. Another Ballard-based team has had months to plan and design their exhibit garden, but even less square footage. No matter. Ballard will be well represented at the annual event that includes exhibitors from The Netherlands and upstate Maine.

Reading over the list of 300+ Exhibitors for the 2017 event, which runs February 22-26 at the Washington State Convention Center, I was struck by how relatively few participants list Seattle as home. So I’m proud that of only ten City Living gardens, two are from Seattle. “Wild by Design: Setting the Table for the Habitat” is designed by Jan Satterthwaite, Vireo Designs and Groundswell NW member, on behalf of Groundswell NW and the National Wildlife Federation. In addition the primary components are locally sourced, from Ballard Re-Use, Fleur de Lys on Leary, and Swanson’s Nursery.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Highline High School junior Tyler Goodspeed raced to second place in two events to highlight the area finishes at the state swimming and diving meet that concluded Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Goodspeed took second in the 50-yard freestyle at the Class 2A level with a time of 21.53 seconds and also took second in the 100 butterfly with a 51.52 clocking.

He also helped Highline take 23rd in the 400 free relay with a time of 4:04.90.

Andy Pham of Tyee also competed in 2A at state and finished 13th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:04.21.
Highline took 19th place as a team with 34 points and Tyee came in 37th with four.

West Seattle, meanwhile, took 21st in the 3A competition with 20 points on the strength of two strong finishes by Segei Dahl.

Dahl finished fifth in the 200 free in 1:45.96 and also took 11th in the 500 free in 4:50.84.

Kennedy took 12th place as a team in the 4A competition with 60 points and Mount Rainier came in 35th with four.

Update 3/22/17
The effort to collect baskets for the refugee community was a big success for Hope Lutheran Church. They sent along their thanks to everyone who helped.

"A tremendous thank you to both our community and our congregation for the response to our collection of items for the Refugee Kits. We are happy to send the following items to Lutheran Community Services to aid in helping incoming refugee families:
8 personal care kits, 25 kitchen kits, 16 bathroom kits, 3 teapots, 12 blankets, 5 throws, 7 sets of sheets, one pillow, two crock pots, large box of extra kitchen items, large box of feminine products, large box of personal care items.
What a beautiful example of loving others as ourselves! Thank you!"

Original Post 2/21/17
Hope Lutheran Human Care Ministries, in conjunction with Lutheran Community Services Northwest's refugee settlement program, is collecting supplies to create welcome baskets for local refugee families. If you would like to help they are seeking donations of new or like new items only.

Donations Needed:

Arthur Reeves Ratcliffe, MD passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2017 in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Art was born on September 4, 1931 in Seattle Washington. He graduated from Franklin High School in 1949 where he won the Bausch and Lomb science medal in 1948. He went on to attend the University of Washington where he belonged to the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and graduated with a BS in Chemistry. He married the love of his life, Giovanna (Jill) Frost on April 24, 1953 and they had four children, Kathleen, Bonnie, Kent, and Arthur, Jr.

Arthur continued his education at the University of Washington graduating with a degree in Medicine in 1957. He was member of Phi Chi Medical fraternity. He completed an Internship at Harbor General Hospital, Los Angeles, 1957-1958, a Residency in General Surgery at Harbor General in 1958, and a Residency at UW Associated Hospital, 1959-61 in Orthopedic Surgery. During this time he completed his military commitment at the US Public Health Hospital, Staten Island, NY attaining the rank of Lt. Commander.

Destination Delridge on Feb. 24 will celebrate DNDA’s continuing legacy of groundbreaking community work in Delridge and beyond. It is a fundraiser for the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association.

The organizers promise "fabulous food, drink, live entertainment, music, art and interactive games.
A limited number of tickets are still available here https://dnda.ejoinme.org/delridge17

The event will feature performances from AU Dance Collective, poet Carlynn Newhouse, singer/songwriter Monica Elenes, and more. There will be a dessert dash, and wine toss.

In attendance will be Ed Murray, Seattle Mayor, David Bestock, DNDA’s Executive Director, and Willard Brown, DNDA’s Director of Housing and Environmental Programs, at Destination Delridge 2016 raffle, and interactive artwork.
Mingle and connect with 200 attendees who share your passion for social justice and our community, as we gather to support DNDA, Youngstown, and the addition of Nature Consortium as a DNDA program.

information from South Seattle College

South Seattle College’s 13th Year Promise Scholarship, currently offering one year of tuition-free college to graduating seniors from three high schools, is set to expand to additional colleges and high schools thanks to support from Mayor Ed Murray and Seattle’s City Council.

The City of Seattle will invest $750,000 for 2017 and again in 2018 from the city’s general fund to help with operational costs to expand the existing program at South Seattle College, and replicate the program at Seattle Central College and North Seattle College.

On Feb. 21, Murray announced a plan to provide a separate, one-time $5 million investment to be placed in an endowment to help cover tuition costs for future 13th Year Scholars as the program expands to additional Seattle high schools. Murray said that funding would come from a two-cents per ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, starting in 2018, which he will propose to City Council.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will pay a visit to Thunder Road Guitars in the West Seattle junction Feb. 23 at 1pm as part the Only in Seattle Initiative .
He will head to Greenwood following his West Seattle stop.

A project more than a decade in the works is finally moving forward in High Point. A Land Use Application has been filed allow four, 3-story, single family residential structures to be built at 3204 SW Holly Street. Parking for four vehicles would be provided within the structures.The Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is dated September 24, 2004 and was prepared by the Seattle Housing Authority.

The following appealable decisions have been made based on submitted plans:

Conditionally Grant - Administrative Design Review
Conditions: Conditions have been placed on this project. You may view the decision through the DPD web-based Land Use Information Bulletin, or contact either the assigned planner Tamara Garrett at (206) 233-7182 or contact the Public Resource Center (206-684-8467, prc@seattle.gov ).

SEPA to conditionally approve pursuant to 25.05.660.

Sponsored by Sarah Cecil

If you’re just starting out in your career, you will need to be prepared to face some financial challenges along the way – but here’s one that’s not unpleasant: choosing what to do with some extra disposable income. When this happens, what should you do with the money? Your decisions could make a real difference in your ability to achieve your important financial goals.

Under what circumstances might you receive some “found” money? You could get a year-end bonus from your employer, or a sizable tax refund, or even an inheritance. However the money comes to you, don’t let it “slip through your fingers.” Instead, consider these two moves: investing the money or using it to pay off debts.
Which of these choices should you pick? There’s no one “right” answer, as everyone’s situation is different. But here are a few general considerations: