June 2008

The West Seattle Junction Association has been given a grant of $10,000 from the Office of Economic Development.

It was one of 18 grants to Neighborhood Business District Associations throughout Seattle to continue the city's investments in building healthy communities, said Mayor Greg Nickels.

"Our business districts are the economic engines that provide jobs and create the character in our unique neighborhoods around Seattle," said Nickels.

'Horton Hears a Who' isn't bad

Directed by Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino

Rated G

(Two Stars)

By Bruce Bulloch

Before you snuggle down in your theater seat to watch "Horton Hears a Who," you should ask yourself a very important question.

A race to get hooked on

By Dave Kannas

The first of the three Grand Tours of European bicycle racing has begun.

The Giro d'Italia, or Tour of Italy, began its 21 day's of racing through Italy. The peloton is made up of 23 teams or about 200 riders. The Giro is followed by the Tour de France in July then the Vuelta a Espana, or Tour of Spain in September.

If you haven't yet watched one of these Grand Tours, give it try. Since you're reading this column, I'll assume we have something in common: a love of or at least a passing interest in bikes.

Eating with the meek one, the food snob and the meat and potatoes girl

By Annette Herrick

Periodically, I will be dining out with three of my personal training clients. This is a review of our second meal with Jen Ament (the food snob) Liz Woody (the meat and potatoes girl) and Katie Schielke (the meek one). We're on a mission to eat out at all kinds of tempting places, ones you wouldn't even consider healthy without totally blowing it.

The goal is not to be perfect, pious, or anorexic.

Sometimes it appears the Washington State Republican Party works hard to make sure it never returns to power.

Just last weekend, its members meeting in Spokane approved a plank in the party's platform that would require amending the United States Constitution or that courts reverse major landmark decisions given over many years.

Strange but true.

Volunteers boarded tugs, kayaks, small boats and recreational vessels to pick up litter from the Ballard Locks to the Fremont Bridge last Saturday during the annual Ship Canal Clean Up Project.

Over 90 people gave up their Saturday morning to use nets and pickup sticks to retrieve plastic bottles, aluminum cans, Styrofoam and just about anything else that ends up in the water.

Foss Maritime brought 16 volunteers and the Port of Seattle had the most with 20.

"We're being good stewards for the water front.

It all started at Ballard High School and will be concluded this fall when the students in the last four high schools make their transition from using yellow buses to using King County Metro for transport to school.

The Seattle Public School District thinks this will not only save taxpayers money but will give students independence and flexible transportation for before and after school activities and off-campus events.

The district says that twice a day about 25,000 students are transported on buses provided by First Student Inc.

The best Seattle pitcher was left on the sidelines as the Seattle Mariners gave up seven first inning runs to lose to the Detroit Tigers 7-3 last Friday.

Seattle School District superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson threw out the ceremonial first pitch during the Ballard Night at the Mariners event at Safeco Field.

"It was fun, it went straight," said Goodloe-Johnson.

Ballard principal Phil Brockman brought his Mizuno glove and was Goodloe-Johnson's catcher.

"It was a fast ball over the plate.

Fishermen's Terminal remodel is done

Summer brings a whole new look for Port of Seattle's Fishermen's Terminal as the two-year, $22 million remodel comes to a close - on time and under budget, the port says.

The newly dredged inner harbor now has new docks, finger piers at each moorage slip, plus upgraded utilities on the docks.

Fishermen's Terminal, historic home of the North Pacific fishing fleet, is located on the Ship Canal at the southwest corner of Ballard Bridge - adjacent to shops, restaurants, and all the services boat owners need to keep their ve

A walk around Green Lake can earn you prizes now that the Orbiter Seattle system has been installed to keep track of people's exercise habits.

Participants purchase an Orbiter Seattle tag from Tim's Concessions, near the boat rental and Green Lake Community Center. The tag serves as an electronic lap counter. Three Start/Stop Radio-Frequency Identification stations have been mounted around the 2.8-mile lake.