March 2009

The Seattle School District is considering changing school-start times district-wide that would be made effective this September.

A presentation was made to the School Board on March 4 regarding the potential changes.

Pending board approval, K-8 schools, middle schools and high schools would all start at 8 a.m.; and elementary schools would start at 9:15 a.m. Other changes are also recommended that would shorten ride times for many students. 


A School Board vote on transportation standards is planned for March 18. Further study of start times and customer satisfaction with transportation services will be undertaken by a Transportation Services Task Force.


Last year, Seattle Public Schools requested an external review of transportation services in order to receive feedback on what is working well and what needs to be improved. Among other findings, the reviewers noted that school districts across the nation coordinate start times to maximize effectiveness of transportation services and to provide consistent service to students and families.

They recommended that Seattle Public Schools consider this change, according to the district. 


In South Park, a sharp-eyed officer recognized the man driving down the road and knew that he had a suspended license and was wanted on several warrants. When he stopped the vehicle (likely stolen—it had a punched ignition), the officer also discovered stolen goods, including tools, a large amount of copper wire, and various items marked with other people's names. Back at the precinct, the suspect repeatedly lied about his identity—at least until the savvy officer handed him a previous booking photo and said, “Try again.” He was booked into King County Jail on the existing warrants (no-bail felony escape, $7,500 violation of a protection order, $2,000 criminal trespass) and for investigation of driving with a suspended license and false reporting.

Dear Editor,

Initiative 1039, SAVE YOUR HOME: REAL NOT IMAGINED PROPERTY TAX VALUES, is heading toward the November ballot and here’s what it will do for all of us.

Goal 1:  Establish the sales price as the true value.  To phase this in, property owned as of Jan. 1, 2009 will use the current assessed value as the established basis.  Property bought after Jan. 1, 2009 will use the sales price as the established tax basis.

Goal 2:  Limit the annual assessment increase to 1 percent resulting in a predictable property tax.  Under the current system the assessor decides what is “market value” and the assessed value may double or triple on any given year.  The owner pays taxes on money s/he has never received.  This imagined value is called “unrealized capital gain” and not even the IRS has the nerve to do this.  Plus it’s paid year after year.

Goal 3:  Lower inflated assessments by providing a way to challenge the basis in a fair way, not relying on an arbitrary decision by an assessor.

Goal  4: Be revenue neutral for all taxing districts and preserve the levies and bonds.

TEAM Delridge, a program of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative, will have a community meeting Monday March 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Southwest Community Center, 2801 S.W. Thistle St.

It's a neighborhood effort to identify the most pressing needs in the community relating to food and fitness.

Topics of discussion include: What kind of businesses, organizations, or programs will make a more vibrant Delridge? What are the largest community concerns, and how can they be addressed?

The goal is to inform a Community Action Plan, which will then be supported by the Kellogg Foundation during the next 10 years.

Also, on March 25, and every last Wednesday of the month, join a free "Community FEEST Potluck," at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center from 5 to 7 p.m.

The community is invited to partake in organic dishes and an opportunity to build community with the youth members of the Food Education Empowerment and Sustainability Team. It's also a first glance into the King County Food and Fitness Initiative's proposed Community Action Plan to improve and sustain resources in the Delridge and White Center neighborhoods.

Just wondering how much longer we have to tolerate the homeless in Ballard, and what we can do about it?

Been pretty sympathetic up until now, but seems there are more and more homeless in Ballard. Tonight, walking home with cupcakes in hand, I had the pleasure of walking by a bum (going to the bathroom) in the bushes in front of the Ballard library; while his buddies, the ones who always seem to be hanging in front of the library, looked on and were obviously drunk.

Enough is enough. I didn't pay what I paid for my Ballard home, to see bums laying and sleeping in the park near my home. What can we do about?

Robyn Howsley
Ballard

Not often does the halftime show steal the stage, but the 6 to 11 year-old “Tootsy Rollers” did their best during Season five, Bout two of the Rat City Rollergirls roller derby competition at Key Arena March 7.

The second match of the season took place one month to the day after the Rollergirls opened their 2009 season skating for the first time at the Key Arena.

Many of the nearly 5,000 fans in attendance sported mushy grins as the charming little Tootsy Rollers rolled onto the track at halftime in the first of two competitions. They belong to the Seattle Derby Brats, which also has a slightly older Junior League of 11 to 17 year olds. The Junior League rolled out at halftime between the two competitions.

While not quite as rough-and tumble-as their grownup counterparts, the little ones seemed tenacious and took a few gentle spills.

Rat City Rollergirl and Ballard resident, Monique Heineman, a.k.a. “#666, Selma Soul,” helped coach her daughter, Chloe, 8, a.k.a. “#99, Little Furious Controller,” and others for the team “Turquoise Terror.” They were up against the other Tootsy Rollers team, Orange Crush.

The Sherman family would like to thank the West Seattle Herald for your fine article about Merritt Sherman's 100th birthday party at Highland Park Elementary School. Not only was he honored there, but also by his family at the party we threw for him on his birthday Feb. 22 at the Kent Senior Center.
Over 100 attended, including nearly 80 of Merritt’s “closest” relatives. So there are many of us here in the area who appreciate the attention he got from your article last year, on his 99th birthday, and again this year.

Thank you.
The Sherman Family
Seattle

For months as we drove down Avalon, West Seattleites have been beckoned by the flirty Italian gal on a Vespa (not on the road, mind you, but in the mural painted on the south side of Café Revò). Now you can finally meet her, or at least her proud relatives, as after much anticipation the doors of this Northern Italian restaurant are now open.

Café Revò (pronounced rev-VOH), founded by West Seattle’s own Chef Sean Goff and Sofia Zadra Goff, is named after a town of 3,000 in Northern Italy just two hours south of Austria in the Italian Alps. But Revò isn’t just any little Italian town, it’s home to Sofia’s extended family—a town of pioneers, survivors, fantastic cooks, and relatives of many who immigrated to West Seattle. That’s right, there are dozens of West Seattleites with roots in Revò and they’re ecstatic to have a place to gather and celebrate their heritage.

Sofia is a fourth generation West Seattleite who compares her “village” here to the village of Revò.

“We are excited to be even more a part of the community we love and welcome people to visit our second home, here at Café Revò," she said.

It started as an innocent evening, watching 20 small children slowly settle onto a jigsaw mat for Kid’s Movie Night at the Sunset Hill Community Association clubhouse. In short order I graduated from learning to make popcorn to riding shotgun with 83 year-old John Schlagel while we picked up five sandwich board signs announcing the event that also serve to delineate the landlocked boundaries of Sunset Hill.

By some miracle of foresight back in the 1920’s the Sunset Hill Community Club had not only formed (in 1922), but managed to acquire property and build a two-story hall (1929). Founded as an “improvement” club, Sunset Hill Community Association is the oldest club its kind on record in Seattle. The clubhouse in its newly re-roofed glory towers slightly at the southwest corner of 30th Northwest and Northwest 66th.

On weekends balloons and streamers indicate the facility is being used for a wedding reception or an anniversary. On weeknights groups such as Weightwatchers and diving clubs meet there less conspicuously.

In the last couple of years I have become more aware of the importance of eating local and knowing where my food is coming from. One way you can eat local in Ballard is to go to the Farmer’s Market Sundays on Ballard Avenue. Another way you can eat local the rest of the week is to shop at local, independently owned specialty food stores instead of at chain grocery stores.

We are lucky that Ballard has so many of them nearby but I wanted to write about two of my favorites, Top Banana and Better Meat Inc.

When I first arrived in Ballard I was excited to learn of the existence of Top Banana (6501 15th Ave. N.W). In the neighborhood I grew up in there were two fresh produce stores across the street from each other and I fondly remember going with my grandfather to get fruits and vegetables. I took it as a very good sign that Ballard could support a store such as this.

Top Banana has a great selection of affordable high quality produce, most of which is grown in Washington when it is in season. They also carry local eggs, milk and yogurt. Did I mention it is a really great place to shop with great customer service?