April 2009

A watermain break in the vicinity of Sixth Avenue South and South Spokane Street this morning prevented traffic that was exiting from I-5 from turning right at Sixth Avenue South.

The emergency work will pause by 3 p.m. today and all traffic movements will be restored during the peak period. Crews from Seattle Public Utilities plan to resume work at 10 p.m. this evening and work through the night. They plan to keep all lanes open to traffic tonight, if possible.

The Seattle City Council Transportation Committee voted unanimously last week to approve an ordinance that would restrict spending any funds in the 2009 Seattle Department of Transportation budget toward construction of the Mercer Corridor Project but will allow the project to go out for bid.

The ordinance will go to a full council vote Monday, April 6.

Prior to the vote, the council had given a green light toward the Mercer Corridor Project in anticipation of $50 million in funding from the state.

However, the state legislature did not approve any money for the project city, but instead approved funding toward upgrades to major state-owned roads, said Katherine Fountain, legislative assistant to council member Jan Drago, chair of the council transportation committee.

The project will create a two-way Mercer Street complete with vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian modifications, as well as a tree-lined median and on-street parking. The changes are meant to increase walkability and safety along a narrower Valley Street, improve freight access to the Ballard and Interbay neighborhoods, and keep traffic moving between SR-99 and Interstate-5.

Construction crews have been working on the interior of the old Bella's Boutique at 2318 N.W. Market St. in preparation for the expansion of neighboring La Isla.

La Isla is only going to take over half of Bella's, so crews are constructing a wall to divide the space.

Jason Mikos at La Isla said construction on the La Isla side of the space is about two months away.

It’s snowing as I write this. April Fools, huh? Hummm…. Let me think for a moment. Oh ya, I remember where I am now, I’m not in Kansas anymore – I’m in Seattle. Did someone forget to order spring?

So, what to do? We want to get out in the garden. We jumped on that one spring-like day and worked madly for as long as we could – but it was only one day. Ok, there was that other day, about a week ago, too, remember?

We need to appease our inner gardener. It’s spring. Here are some ideas I’ve come up with:

It’s really not so bad to don your raingear and get out in it. With your “space-suit” on and an iPod playing your favorite music, you instantly create your very own bubble. You can drown out the neighbor’s band practice, and have a lovely time getting some much-needed chores done. It is a good idea to have a couple pairs of garden gloves so when one pair gets wet, you can change into dry ones, and keep going.

The Seagle, a sea serpent described in Scandinavian folk tales, appeared April 1, making its home in the vacant lot at the corner of Market Street and 28th Avenue Northwest, across from the future home of the Nordic Heritage Museum.

Legends tell of the Seagle attacking Viking boats to feast on kegs of mead and humans, according to a press release sent to the Ballard News-Tribune.

The beast will be sold on eBay to support the Nordic Heritage Museum and local charities, according to the release. Until then, the Seagle will sit in what some residents have started calling Ballard's newest pool.

"Visitors are reminded to stay behind the barrier fence and to not feed the beast," according to the release. "Swimmers should yield the community swimming hole to the beast during its visit."

Jim Dougherty, owner of the vacant property since last spring, told the Ballard News-Tribune in November that the development of a planned retail and office building on the site has been stalled by a lawsuit over the cleanup of contaminated soil left over from the lot's time as a gas station and the economic slump is causing him concern for the future of the project.

After a complaint was filed in January that Seattle City Council candidate and current King County employee Jessie Israel violated the King County Employee Code of Ethics to benefit her council campaign, the Ballard resident responded by saying the violation would not be repeated.

No further action will be taken on the complaint according to the county and Israel.

According to a release from the King County Ombudsman, a complaint was filed by a citizen on Jan. 30 that said Israel violated sections of the county code of ethics, which specifically prohibit employee use of county resources for personal convenience or profit, and in election campaigns.

The complaint alleged that Israel sent an email from her personal computer to the King County email addresses of fellow employees, soliciting campaign support in the form of personal endorsements, financial contributions and a request that recipients of the email forward the message to additional people.

Of the 1,800 people the email was sent to, 210 were county employees.

Israel has been an employee of the county’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks since March 2003.

Earlier this week, the city launched a new Web site to keep the public informed about 2009 construction projects that "significantly impact streets and sidewalks," according to a news release.

The Construction Coordination Web site, launched by the Seattle Department of Transportation March 30, provides for the first time consolidated information about projects planned by city, regional and state transportation agencies, as well as large private developments in the Center City and special events citywide.

It is meant to help residents, businesses, and travelers know what is happening on the major streets in their neighborhoods and along their travel routes.

“The Construction Coordination Web site highlights improvement projects across the city and outlines their effects on nearby streets and sidewalks,” said transportation department director Grace Crunican. “Residents, commercial drivers, and visitors can learn about ongoing work via this site, and see the city’s aggressive efforts to synchronize construction and minimize disruptions.”

The Construction Coordination Web site features:

Dear Editor,

I walk my dog on leash along Alki Beach on the pedestrian sidewalk/path Sunday afternoons. Walking my pup on the actual beach would land me a $500 fine as quick as a wag of a tail. 

It was a gloriously serene sunny afternoon this past Sunday that was all but destroyed each time one of the those huge LOUD motorcycles or a gaggle of crotch-rocketeers or a car cruised by with its windows rolled down polluting the atmosphere with deafeningly loud NOISE from it's stereo!

Alki is so quiet and peaceful between November and April but as soon as the sun peaks out from behind its winter blanket of clouds it attracts a subset of individuals who insist on violating our noise ordinances to satisfy their gratuitous insecurity in pursuit of attention they so desperately desire. They are a pathetic subset of our culture but none the less their disturbance of the peace is criminal.    
 
When was the last time the Seattle Police Department enforced our noise ordinances?
 
I think it is time they did.  Once a week until the noise subsides, perhaps on Sunday afternoons?
 

Members of a local gang, the Bloods affiliated West Side Street Mobb, plead not guilty yesterday, March 31, to several offences including promoting prostitution.

Shawn Sylvester Clark, 20, and Gerald Jackson, 21, have been charged with promoting prostitution. Mycah Johnson, 19, has been charged with promoting commercial sex abuse of a minor.

According to court documents, these and other gang members forced at least 13 young women and girls into prostitution through violence and coercion. All of the women’s earnings were collected by gang members.

Three other alleged members of the West Side Street Mobb have been charged in the case. DeShawn “Cash Money” Clark, 18, faces the most serious charges, including human trafficking in the second degree, promoting prostitution in the first degree and two counts of promoting commercial sexual abuse of a minor.

His associate Thomas Lamarreo Foster, 19, has been charged with two counts of promoting prostitution in the first degree and one count of assault in the second degree.

Desmond Trevian Manago, 20, was charged with promoting prostitution in the second degree.