April 2009

The Nature Consortium, a non-profit corporation, has reported that last week their restoration project storage container was vandalized and all of their tools stolen.

Thieves broke in by damaging the padlock and emptying out all of the container’s contents. A multitude of tools used for large work parties were lost including, pruners, machetes, a brush cutter, a chainsaw, extra blades, and a pop-up tent used for shelter and sign-in purposes.

The Nature Consortium has calculated their loss to be $1,324.30 worth of materials. Currently, the restoration team is working to secure the container and to replace the equipment. Donations to help replace the lost equipment can be made at the Nature Consortium's Web site.

The restoration project team has planned two work party events this year on April 18 at Cooper Elementary School and April 25. Last year, at their Earth Day work party, more than 400 volunteers came out and accomplished a tremendous amount of work, removing invasive species, maintaining new plantings, and spreading loads of cardboard and mulch on many acres of the greenbelt.

West Seattle residents have an opportunity to get healthy this summer by joining a 12 week weight loss challenge. The program aims to help participants get healthier, increase their energy and get into shape for the coming year.

West Seattle’s 12 Week Weight-loss Challenge is a free nutrition workshop every Tuesday night at 6 p.m. covering a different topic of nutrition including portion control, reading food labels, healthy food choices, stress and exercise options. All participants receive personal coaching at no extra charge, a free wellness evaluation and group support.

The program starts April 21. Registration is $39, $10 of which will be donated to gofitkids.org, which is working to help put an end to Childhood Obesity in America.

Nutritional Workshops are held at:
7901 35th Ave. S.W., Seattle WA 98126

To reserve a seat contact Mylissa Twohey at (206) 579-4581 or goalshappen@hotmail.com.

At last night's Admiral Neighborhood Association Meeting , April 14, local resident Katy Walum announced that she has gotten approval from the Hiawatha Community Center to organize a summer concert series in the park.

Concerts will be held on Thursday nights between July 23 and August 27 just behind the community center.

To avoid noise concerns, they will begin as early as 6 p.m. Bands will also draw from more mellow genres such as jazz and folk music.

Walum expects local families to mingle and enjoy picnic dinners.

"I'm aiming for a classy musical affair," Walum said. "Im really excited about it."

Walum is currently looking for band submissions and will also be seeking sponsorships from local businesses.

If interested, please contact Walum at katy.walum@gmail.com.

Ayla Delaat of West Seattle has been awarded a Dean’s Scholarship for $1,500 for the 2009-10 academic year at Eastern Washington University.

The award is given to new incoming freshman who have demonstrated outstanding academic merit and achievements in high school.

Delaat will graduate from Seattle Lutheran High School this spring, where she has participated in softball, volleyball, band and cheerleading. She has also served as basketball manager and been involved with First Robotics and has been on three trips with the People to People student ambassador program.

At Eastern, she plans on majoring in engineering.

Delaat is the daughter of Peter and Susan Delaat of West Seattle.   

Ballard Care and Rehabilitation Nursing Home is taking action after a proposed state budget cut recently announced in Olympia could mean a drop of as much as $800,000 for Ballard Care alone.

The nursing home is proposing to the legislature an adoption of a quality maintenance fee that would then be matched by federal funds and can be returned to skilled nursing facilities in the form of an add-on to their current rates.

State lawmakers have proposed more than $90 million in Medicaid nursing home cuts over already reduced reimbursement levels across Washington state.

“The nursing facilities are lagging far behind the current rate of inflation, “ said Angie Davis, administrator of Ballard Care and Rehabilitation Center. “We suffer regularly from high cost of food, medical supplies, insurance for caregivers, liability insurance and utilities.”

Davis said they have suffered a 3.2 percent decrease in their Medicaid rates since April 1, which accounted for $19 a day for Medicaid residents in Ballard Care and Rehabilitation alone.

They are facing another 5 to 6 percent decrease in Medicaid rates in addition to that starting July 1.

The third and final design workshop for the changes to California Place Park will be Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m. at the Alki Community Center.

Karen Kiest, the Landscape Architect who has facilitated all of the workshops for the project will present a site concept for the park and the adjoining empty parcel (45th and Southwest Hill Street) based on the collective input from the community. Residents will have an opportunity to discuss with their neighbors what they like about the concepts and offer their feedback.

The Alki Community Center is located at 5817 S.W. Stevens St.

Sassy, the English springer spaniel that was lost inside Westcrest Off-Leash Park (cross-streets are 11th Avenue Southwest & Southwest Cloverdale) about 2:30 p.m. on April 3, has been found, her owners are happy to report.

"I found her THIS morning," said Sassy's owner. "She was caught behind a house off the greenbelt near 5th Avenue Southwest. She is resting, was fed and appears to be okay, though a bit smelly. Thank you so so much for your thoughts and prayers. I am overcome with gratitude from all the help I received in the community."

(Editor's note: The following article appear originally in Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin's newsletter "Making it Work.")

The Seattle City Council embraces the goal of open, transparent, and accessible government. All of our meetings are not just open, but broadcast live on both television and the Web. We post legislation on our Web site when it is introduced, and update it through the process.

The council has a model set of rules to ensure public access to public records. And we have a series of policies that encourage citizens to get information, get involved, and tell us what they would like to have happen.

We’ve even taken a strong stand in favor of open government at the state level, endorsing legislation that requires the taping of council executive sessions and allowing a judge to review it to ensure that the session was closed for a reason provided for in state law – most local governments (including the Association of Washington Cities) opposed this.

"Wendy and Lucy," will begin screening at the Admiral Theater this Friday, April 17, and one of the films featured stars will be on hand to discuss it the next day.

Walter Dalton, one of the actors in the hit independent film, will attend the screening of the movie at the Admiral Theater's 7 p.m. show April 18 to conduct a Q&A with the audience immediately after the show.

The film, a favorite at the Cannes Film Festival, has won many awards at several movie festivals, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Michelle Williams ("Brokeback Mountain") as well as for the writer and director, Kelley Reichardt, ("Old Joy").

Critics have paid high accolades to the film saying;

"'Wendy and Lucy' may emerge as the best performance of the year. Among the loveliest films at Cannes," said Amy Taubin, Film Comment.

"Registers the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest with unostentatious affection," wrote A.O. Scott, NY Times.

The Seattle City Council’s Parks and Seattle Center Committee voted 3 - 0 today, April 14, to authorize $24.2 million to begin construction on 29 projects designated for funding from the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy.

The $24.2 million, which represents the first installment of $145 million in levy funding approved by Seattle voters last November, will target development and renovation projects that can quickly move from the final design to construction phase, thereby enabling the city to leverage the levy to create jobs and stimulate the local economy, according to a release from the city.

“The parks levy was proposed a year ago by the council and community groups to support major parks improvements,” said council member Tom Rasmussen, Parks and Seattle Center Committee chair. “Today, most other park’s fund-sources have declined sharply because of the economy. The levy revenue comes just in time to keep people working. Seattle citizens are getting a two-fold benefit from their tax dollars.”

“It’s fortunate that the council and Seattle voters had the vision to make the Parks and Green