April 2009

On April 12, Edward Landin lost his wife, Judy Ann, 61, to emphysema. But what a life she had. As her family and friends tell it, she was more than just the mother to their three sons. She mothered thousands of White Center kids.

She volunteered for 20 years as chairman of the board of the Red Shield (Salvation Army) Junior Football League, which shifted to the Southwest Athletic Club, or SWAC. She became involved with the lives of nearly 200 kids a year, ages 7 to 14, on and off the playing field. That’s in addition to all the cheerleaders, and baseball and basketball team members.

“You met her, and five minutes later she was your friend,” said her husband, also 61, who grew up in Shorewood. She grew up in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska.

They met in 1965 while he was serving at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach and she lived nearby. They moved back to Shorewood. Edward, an electrician, took early retirement four years ago and they moved to Auburn. Edward said he is grateful to have had that time together with Judy.

Mayor Greg Nickels had laid out his plans to cut $13.3 million from the city’s 2009 general fund budget, while preserving funding for public safety and direct human services.

“As we make difficult budget decisions, my priority is maintaining our core services for public safety and people in need,” said Nickels in a statement released Friday, April 17. “These budget actions will keep our city in a solid financial position to deal with the ongoing national recession.”

With declining revenue from sales taxes and business and occupation taxes, the latest forecast projects $29.5 million less in revenue in the city’s general fund for 2009, compared to last year’s estimate.

Anticipating revenues would be lower because of the national economic recession, the mayor instituted a series of cost-cutting measures in the fourth quarter of 2008. Even though final revenues were $13 million less than expected for the year, the city finished 2008 with a positive balance of $19 million. That is carried over to offset lower revenues this year.

While this new daily news and information site is still undergoing changes, we have added some new features to help make it even more convenient to keep you in the know about the greater Ballard area news, sport and features.

The Ballard News-Tribune is now on Twitter and Facebook. Please follow us there, as well as checking our site daily for up-to-date news and information.

We are looking forward to launching several other new features, such as a video/photo gallery, a community calendar that readers can submit events to, an even more interactive forums page and much more.

Thanks for reading and supporting your local community newspaper, both in print and online. We welcome your feedback.

While this new daily news and information site is still undergoing changes, we have added some new features to help make it even more convenient to keep you in the know about West Seattle area news and features.

The West Seattle Herald is now on Twitter and Facebook . Please follow us there, as well as checking our site daily for up-to-date news and information.

We are looking forward to launching several other new features, such as a video/photo gallery, a community calendar that readers can submit events to, an even more interactive forums page and much more.

Thanks for reading and supporting your local community newspaper, both in print and online. We welcome your feedback.

Union Pacific Railroad awarded $5,000 recently to Page Ahead, a program that provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children.

Brock Nelson of Union Pacific delivered the check in person to Susan Waller, development coordinator, and Susan Dibble, executive director, of Page Ahead.

“I’m sure it can go to a good cause and they can use the money and I would like to do it in person as opposed to putting it in the mail,” Nelson said.

Union Pacific Railroad has an annual foundation program where candidates can apply for donations from the railroad branch present in the their community.

Nelson said they do the best they can to get the money back into the community where they operate.

“For an organization our size, it’s a very significant gift, we appreciate it very much,” Waller said.

Page Ahead, located at 1130 N.W. 85th St., is an office of seven, with two full-time employees and a group of dedicated people who volunteer, some for up to the past 11 years.

Since competing on the nationally-televised fashion competition Project Runway, Blayne Walsh has never stopped developing new fashion. This Saturday night, the Hotwire Coffee barista will premiere his new 2009 fall/winter line at Seattle Fashion Weeks finale.

Walsh describes the line as a hybrid of Native American and vampire themes and says that this is his favorite collection to date.

"It's a lot different from my past stuff," said Walsh. "It's more structured with bigger tops and tighter bottoms."

Still, the designer said his new work stays true to his modern, street-wear style. And while he describes this collection as more gothic, he promises some color highlights, an aesthetic he is known for.

Walsh will close the first show Saturday night, and will show 30 different designs, beginning with what he promises to be a "very interesting surprise."

"(The show) should be interesting," said Walsh. "There's going to be a lot of variety, edgier looks, gowns and bridal wear. So keep an open mind."

The Ballard High School girls lacrosse team was drubbed by Issaquah 14-3 April 16 for the team's sixth loss in a row.

Issaquah is the No.1 team in the league with a 7-1 record. Ballard is 1-6 on the year.

Only two of Ballard's losses have come against teams with losing records, and the Beavers have played four of the top six teams in the league.

Haley Jackson scored two goals for the Beavers and leads the team with nine for the season. Krista Nelson added a goal as well.

Goalie Hannah Breton had 13 saves.

Ballard plays Snohomish at 6:30 p.m., April 17 at Harvey Air Field.

The Ballard High School softball team was shutout for the second time in two days April 16, this time 10-0 at the hands of Lake Washington.

The Beaver offense managed one hit in the game while striking out 10 times.

Pitcher Sophie Overlock-Pauley went the full five innings, gave up nine hits and threw two strikeouts.

Ballard is in the middle of three games in three days against teams that coach Kyle Gray called "the best of the best."

The Beavers (1-5 overall, 1-4 conference) take on Inglemoor at 4 p.m., April 17 at Lower Woodland.

The Ballard High School girls tennis team was shutout by Woodinville 9-0 April 16. It was the team's fourth shutout in a row and sixth loss to open the season.

During the most recent loss, the team remained upbeat and looked for the silver lining.

"Despite the losing, we're still having fun and love cheering on our teammates," Zoe Kasperzyk said.

Sophie Hingten said the team has bonded and is getting along better this year than in seasons past.

Kasperzyk said first-year coach Charles Brenner is doing a good job with the team.

Ballard plays Roosevelt at 3:45 p.m., April 23 at the Laurelhurst Tennis Courts.

King County Metro staff has decided not to implement a new route 50, which would have connected North Delridge to the Alaska Junction.

Jack Lattemann, Metro project manager, explained that adding the new route would have required redeploying service hours from route 39, which runs through Southeast Seattle. While members of the West Seattle community were overwhelmingly supportive of the proposal, residents in Southeast Seattle were concerned about losing transit service between the VA Hospital on Beacon Hill and Downtown Seattle.

Currently, the south end of Delridge is included in Metro's Route 128, but in north Delridge there are no routes running east and west to connect residents to neighborhoods to the west of 35th Avenue.

Lattemann said that Metro will consider adding a new east to west service in West Seattle at some point in the future.