July 2008

West Seattle's annual Summer Fest is underway from Friday July 11, through Sunday July 13th at The Junction and along California Avenue S.W. between S.W. Edmunds St. and S.W. Oregon St.

There are a lot of options during Summer Fest for shopping and enjoying summer activities. Vendors are offering everything from sunglasses to home decor. While you are there stop by the West Seattle Herald booth and say hello.

Northwest Center, a longtime provider of services for people with disabilities in Seattle, recently received a large donation from Salty's on Alki - a stretch limousine.

Proceeds from the sale of the limousine will help support the over 1,000 adults and children with disabilities served by Northwest Center in Washington.

Northwest Center is the largest non-profit in the Puget Sound that accepts donations of all types of automobiles including cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, military vehicles and construction equipment.

Washington State Ferries is facing serious challenges, the agency said today in a press release from Olympia

With the increased costs of operations due to rising fuel prices and the need for investment in infrastructure and new ferries, the challenges are growing each day.

Forest Steward Profile: Jay Mirro

By Sheila Brown

For Jay Mirro, it just made sense to become a Forest Steward with the Green Seattle Partnership (GSP) and continue his work in the Brandon Street Natural Area in the Longfellow Creek area in West Seattle.

Jay served on the Longfellow Creek Watershed Council for seven years and as a volunteer for the development of the Longfellow Creek Legacy Trail.

My pal Damon sent me the email: 'I just wanted to share something that happened today,... there were guys crawling under the cars and with a battery operated saw they were cutting the catalytic converters off of the cars... The police officer told us the salvage yards will pay up to two grand for them when turned in for recycling.'

I always run emails like this through the 'Snopes' hoax email website, and I found that it is not an email hoax, but is actually happening all over the nation.

A street party is one of summer's best quick escapes, and Olde Burien will roll out its zesty version for the fourth year in a row on Saturday, July 12. From noon to midnight, the free Olde Burien Block Party dishes up a rainbow of amusements to please event-goers of all ages, from magic act to reggae-infused rock and roll.

The party grows more interactive each year, with event-goers taking part in activities that include ice cream- and sausage-eating contests, a karaoke contest, unbeatable store specials and a drawing for a $500 Olde Burien shopping spree.

A $10,000 reward is being offered, leading to the person or persons responsible for the arson fire on June 29 at the Tara and Jenny Marie apartments that killed three people and left dozens homeless.

The damage to the apartments is estimated at $1.75 million dollars. Anyone with information is asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office at 206-296-3311 or 9-1-1.

Sterling Savings in Burien, 224 S.W. 152nd St., is accepting donations. There are two monetary accounts - one for the Cisneros-Vel

WS High School Football is looking to raise $5,000 for much needed new uniforms with a food booth at the West Seattle Festival July 11 -13.

West Seattle High School football players, parent volunteers and cheerleaders will staff a food booth on the west side of California Ave. and Alaska St.

Officials from cities in north and east King County, including Seattle, are recommending to their councils building a single 640 bed municipal jail facility to serve their collective needs.

Preliminary results of a feasibility study show the cities north and east of Seattle would cut their per-inmate costs by half, and Seattle's costs are also reduced, if these cities jointly build a misdemeanant jail.

Players with Ballard Junior Football are eager to start practicing next month, but organizers are busy raising funds to pay for the costs of running the for the non-profit program.

"We're looking for support for our program, " said Lisa Schwartzenberger, Ballard Junior Football's fundraising chair.

Money is needed to pay for uniforms, scholarships, equipment and field maintenance.

The program averages 150 children, ages 6 to 14 each season.