June 2009

At 3rd Northwest and Northwest 62nd a Ballard man noticed that a fellow driver was slumped over the wheel. Thinking the man was drunk, he pulled in front of the driver and slowed down in an effort to make the impaired man stop. The plan worked—the driver did slow down and eventually stop—but he also managed to ram the Samaritan's car twice. The victim took the opportunity to reach into the suspect's car and remove the keys until officers could arrive. The suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of assault, DUI, property damage, and obstruction.

Wednesday, in the 12500 block of 7th Northwest, a teen mowing his lawn allegedly/intentionally ran over the head of the neighbor's dog which was peering through a ground level opening in a fence separating the properties. The suspect said he wasn't sure if he had hit the dog. His father's response? The “vicious” dog barks all the time. (The officer's report states that the dog did not seem vicious.)The pet underwent $2,000 worth of surgery to repair its lower jaw.

Summer can be soooo busy, so I want everyone who reads this to remember to take some time to just veg.

Ballard is wonderfully blessed with great places to do just that. Yes, Golden Gardens is a fabulous park, but for the best sunset west of the Mississippi you must visit Sunset Park at guess what, sunset, because it is gorgeous. Many folks bring a blanket or a Frisbee at dusk to get some play time in as well.

Sunset Park is located at between 75th and 77th on 34th Avenue Northwest in Ballard. Be sure to catch the show.

Rhonda lives in Ballard and is the Urban Crop Circle Project Leader for Sustainable Ballard. Questions, Comments, Ideas? You can reach her at Rhonda@sustainableballard.org.

I’m taking a multivitamin and a couple of other supplements, so I can eat whatever I want, right? Well, not exactly.

When patients are suffering from an illness that a therapeutic dose of a specific vitamin will help, I always recommend supplementation. However, it’s only part of the general treatment plan that I put together.

When they are looking to lower their risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, I suggest starting to build a strong foundation with a healthy diet.

Sure, cod liver oil is great (and oh, so yummy) to take to improve depression, skin health, digestion and brain function. And since most mercury is found in flesh, not in liver tissue, there shouldn’t be a concern about mercury levels, especially if you buy a pharmaceutical-grade brand from your doctor rather than a store-bought one. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive to eat two to three servings of fish each week.

Alumni, students, staff and parents all gathered together this afternoon at Cooper Elementary to celebrate the program before it closes this year.

Photo albums, a historical timeline and other memories filled the school's auditorium. While the school's community enjoyed cake, coffee and punch, they flipped through historical materials and talked about their school.

Laura Payton, who has taught physical education at the school for 16 years, began to tear up when she talked about the school.

"(Cooper is) a hard working school with dedicated staff have always had the kids best interest at heart," she said.

Senita Devuaux, a parent at Cooper, also talked about the school's dedicated staff. She said the staff helped her third grade daughter develop a talent for singing.

"I don't think that could have happened without teachers that pay attention and really have a strong interest in our children," said Deveaux.

And while the event was a celebration, many attendees were mourning the closing of their school.

"It's a serious loss to the community," said Deveaux with tears in her eyes. "We're really going to miss it."

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society (SWSHS) invited residents to bike into history as the Second Annual SWSHS Bike Tour returned to West Seattle June 7. About a dozen riders started the tour at the Log House Museum.

Beach Drive residents Bill and Kathy Johnston rode their matching blue fold bicycles.

"They are designed to fit in Samsonite suitcases to pack onto a plane," said Bill. "We've flown to the Grand Canyon to ride."

The Log House Museum's Sarah Frederick led the tour while on her well-traveled, red Peugeot bicycle. The rear rim has a blue stripe, the front, a white stripe.

"These are the colors of the French flag," she quipped of her French bicycle's description.

Libby Carr, co-chair of the Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project, joined the pack of peddlers.

"We've always got our heads in the future and never take time to say what got us here in the first place," said Mike Barbre, a neighbor of the museum who helped organize the ride. "Today's society forgets that. Look at what we've collected, who we were before. Take pride in that."

The annual Seattle Works Day brought out more than 1,000 volunteers to clear overgrowth, plant, and participate in other outdoor projects in 29 locations in the Seattle area Saturday, June 6.

One project involved clearing eight different kinds of evasive plants at the Golden Gardens wetlands, near the bridge and ponds. Another was clearing growth around Green Lake.

Seattle Works is a volunteer organization of more than 2,500 geared toward professionals in their 30's and 40's. Its purpose is to bring people together to do community service.

This day was sponsored KLB Construction, a heavy highway contractor based in Mukilteo. Seattle Works also has a partnership with the Seattle Parks Department.

Once finished for the day, the volunteers gathered for a celebration at the Fisher Pavilion at the Seattle Center.

Nickelsville, a homeless encampment of attention-getting pink tents, makeshift kitchen, bathrooms and showers, has returned to the vacant triangular lot it occupied for three days last September before police raided and evicted its homeless residents.

Its name was meant as a jab to Seattle's mayor who those residents and their homeless organizers felt was to blame for running a city without enough shelters. Nickelsville moved for a week onto an adjacent parking lot, then to Discovery Park's Daybreak Star, the University Christian Church, Congregational Church UCC, and Bryn Mawr United Methodist Church before returning to its original spot.

The shelter is again on land enclosed by West Marginal Way Southwest, Highland Park Way Southwest, and 2nd Avenue Southwest. This time, however, Nickelsville sits on state land, an adjacent parcel to the city land it occupied Sept. 23to 26 of last year.

Residents and organizers said because they are on state land they are hoping Gov. Chris Gregoire will trump the mayor and let them stay.

While attendees of the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) Gala at the Admiral may have expected something quite different, the Seafair Pirates stormed Admiral Theater during the event last evening, helping to celebrate opening night of the festival in West Seattle.

Before the first showing of "The Admiral," a Russian epic in the style of Dr. Zhivago, attendees mingled with the pirates. Metropolitan Market provided refreshments and an artistic cake, styled in the shape of a ship, was created by Leanne Winslow of Vertu Cakes.

SIFF Director and West Seattle resident, Carl Spence christened the theater before being "kidnapped" by Seafair Pirates.

Mayor Greg Nickels this week signed legislation authorizing an admissions tax exemption for live music venues in Seattle.

The exemption becomes effective in July. The current admissions tax is five
percent on every dollar of ticket sales. The exemption will benefit venues that have live music on a regular basis.

“Seattle has a great tradition of cutting-edge music that gives our city its soul," said Nickels in a statement. "But in the past few years, we’ve seen six of our live music venues close and only one open. With this legislation, we are making it easier for live music venues to not only get started, but also thrive in Seattle."

The tax exemption will provide an incentive for business owners to offer live music in Seattle, enhance the city’s cultural appeal, and bolster economic development in a variety of neighborhoods.

The city estimates that up to 65 live music venues will be eligible for the admissions tax exemption. To be eligible, a live music venue must:

● Have an established certificate of occupancy of less than 1,000
people;

● Host or present live music on average at least three times per week
on a regular schedule;

West Seattle activist and "Port Observer" publisher Christopher Cain today withdrew from the Race for Seattle Port Commission. Citing growing concerns about personal finances and family commitments, Cain released a statement thanking supporters and bowing out of the race.

“After careful consideration and reflection I am withdrawing from the race for Seattle Port Commission," he stated. "I hope my supporters will understand why I made this difficult decision and know that my heart is still very much with them in the struggle against corporate control of the Port of Seattle. I am not giving up the fight; instead I will continue to fight in other ways.”

Cain also announced he will be publishing several issues of his watchdog Port Observer over the course of the Port Commission campaign in order to inform citizens about the candidates and issues that matter. Cain also included a warning to King County voters to use extreme caution when choosing whom to support in this year’s Port races: