June 2010

An 5-year-old, black-and-white Australian Border Collie named Sydney disappeared out of a Crown Hill backyard May 22 during a private fireworks display that had frightened her.

She was last seen at her home near Northwest 85th Street and Fourth Avenue Northwest.

There have been possible sightings near Carkeek Park and and the Holman Road QFC.

Sydney's owners said she is usually friendly and social but is now hungry and tired and skittish.

Residents are asked to call 206.650.8113 or 206.781.2994 if they have any information. There is a reward if Sydney is found.

Animal Control officers will begin “Emphasis Patrols” at King County Parks beginning June 2 to enforce rules regarding unlicensed dogs, aggressive dogs and dogs not on a leash.

According to King County code 7.12.410, pets are required to be on a leash and under control at all times, and owners must clean up after pets.

The emphasis patrols are in response to numerous complaints from park users over the past year about aggressive and uncontrolled dogs. The first priority of the patrols is to educate pet owners about King County policies. However, the penalty for failure to license your dog is $75 and a first time off-leash offender could be penalized $25, with an additional $50 fine for each subsequent violation in a year’s time.

Marymoor Park in Redmond is the only King County Park with a designated off leash area. Unofficially known as “Doggie Disneyland,” Marymoor’s off leash area is 40 acres of open space where dogs are allowed to run freely unencumbered by human laws and regulations. Pets must be accompanied by an owner or handler and good doggie etiquette is encouraged at all times.

The Seattle Department of Transportation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are beginning the environmental review to address the Elliott Bay seawall. A comment period is underway, and a public meeting is being held: June 16, 2010 |Bell Harbor Conference Center 2211 Alaskan Way Seattle.

4:00 – 5:00 PM: Open House
5:30 PM: Presentation, followed by Public Hearing
7:00 PM: Adjourn

Comments are requested by Monday, July 19, 2010. Additional information can be found at: www.seattle.gov/transportation/seawall.htm

The seawall, built between 1916 and 1934, has deteriorated significantly due to damage from gribbles and ship worms and does not meet current earthquake standards. Replacing it is crucial to public safety because of the role the seawall plays in protecting the downtown waterfront from wind driven storm waves and the erosive tidal forces of Elliott Bay. The seawall also supports major utilities, Alaskan Way and State Route 99, and rail lines.

At the public scoping meeting, you’ll learn about:

• Project need and schedule
• Possible structural elements, habitat opportunities, and alignments

The Seattle City Council today approved (7-0, Rasmussen and O'Brien disqualified) legislation to better protect renters from sub-standard rental housing conditions. The three pieces of legislation create a framework to improve sub-standard housing via administrative warrants and a rental housing licensing and inspection program as early as 2012.

"The vast majority of landlords in Seattle care about their renters and their investment, but a few don't," Councilmember Sally J. Clark said. Clark chairs the Council's Committee on the Built Environment which last week voted the legislation forward to the Full Council. "A rental licensing and inspection program isn't a cure-all for sub-standard housing, but we should preserve the ability to institute a program that safeguards the rights of tenants and property owners."

All three candidates for Seattle’s police chief will appear before the City Council's Public Safety and Education Committee at City Hall 600 Fourth Avenue, Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Wednesday morning, June 2 at 9:30 am.

Sacramento Police Chief found Rick Braziel, East Palo Alto Police Chief Ronald Davis and current interim Seattle Police Chief John Diaz will give short presentations and answer questions from Councilmembers.

Preceding their presentations will be an overview of the selection process by Police Chief Search Committee Co-Chairs Kate Joncas and Charles Rolland.

On Wednesday evening, the finalists will participate in a public forum at the Seattle Center.

The closure of the Battery Street Tunnel announced for Saturday, June 5 has been canceled.

"We double checked and realized that this date would create too many traffic problems with the events scheduled for that day," said Mary Beth Turner of SDOT.

The closure was orginally intended to accommodate the cleaning of graffiti in the tunnel and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Ballardites can call the meerkats cute, they can call them curious and soon, they can call them by the names that they have given them.

Woodland Park Zoo is inviting the community to pick their favorite names for the zoo’s new mob of eight meerkats with a voting contest starting June 1.

The zoo has selected 16 names that reflect the meerkats’ native southern African habitat, and now it is the public's turn to cast their vote for up to eight of their favorites. The naming contest lasts through June 15.

The eight highest vote getters from the following choices will become the new names for our four male and four female meerkat mob members:

• Kalahari (African desert)
• Kgala (“great thirst” in Tswana)
• Acacia (African tree)
• Kiwano (Kalahari fruit)
• Nossob (southern African river)
• Baobob (African plains tree)
• Aranos (Namibian town)
• Molopo (southern African river)
• Gochas (Namibian settlement)
• Ghanzi (town in Botswana)
• Zimba (Zambian town)
• Erongo (Namibian mountain)
• Dinawwa (“beans” in Tswana)

The southbound, curb lane of the Ballard Bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 4.

The closure will allow Seattle Department of Transportation crews to complete a routine maintenance inspection of the bridge.

After Patty and Jeremy Snell got their first daschund (or wiener dog as they call them), 3 years ago they named him Elvis, but it soon became apparent that he was lonely. So the search was on to find him a companion. It led them to a 'puppy mill' (that although no charges were in the offing, housed over 100 dogs) and essentially rescued another daschund. "Jeremy wanted to call her Priscilla but I thought that would be too silly." Patty said. "So I told her then it had to be Ginger," Jeremy said.

Elvis has long hair, while Ginger is a short haired variety. This is reflected in their personalities somehow. "He's really carefree and easy going and a go-getter, while she's really kind of serious," Jeremy explained. Ginger may be serious, but it's probably because she's had puppies. "Our friends and families wanted them," Patty said. So now they have an extended family and in fact get together. "We had seven wiener dogs at a wedding we went to in April," Patty continued, "and they get along great. A friend of ours who had a stroke couldn't work, so we gave him one and now he can get out and walk."

Friends of Ballard Corners Park is hosting a work party on June 5 at the new park at the corner of Northwest 63rd Street and 17th Avenue Northwest.

"Ballard Corners Park is looking great these days," said David Folweiler of Friends of Ballard Corners Park. "Things are growing like crazy and Gabriella [Moller], our community gardener, needs your help."

He said he and Moller really want neighbors' help, even if they can only drop by for an hour.

Work starts at 9 a.m. and includes weeding and spreading wood chip mulch. Seattle Parks and Recreation will be delivering a pile of wood chips prior to the work party.

"There will be a lot to do, and many hands make light work," Moller said.

Some tools will be provided, but residents that can are encouraged to bring gloves, weeding tools, pitchforks, wheelbarrows and buckets/containers for collecting weeds and trash.

For more information, contact Gabriella Moller at 206.782.3238 or gabriella@seanet.com.