November 2010

Sustainable West Seattle is gearing up for the 3rd edition of their "Money-Free Shopping Spree"

Set to take place on Nov. 27, or ’Green Saturday’, (the day after ‘Black Friday’) the event will be held at The Lodge at Camp Long. It will run from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The event's purpose is to promote more meaningful gifting of products made from raw materials or crafting of various sustainable categories.

Categories include:

Services: This is a wide open category usually traded with gift cards or certificates. Examples include garden consulting, household energy audits, childcare, bicycle repair, household item repair, massage, dietary consultation, clutter reduction, pantry clinic.

Art Crafts: All varieties of art including photography, paintings, stained glass, glass blown items, pottery, basketry, salvaged art designs, metal or wood sculptures, clay sculptures, music CDs, journalistic compilations, wall hangings.

The Seattle Department of Transportation is taking advantage of this week's favorable weather and using paving crews to repair the roadway beneath the underpass where Seaview Avenue Northwest meets Golden Gardens Drive Northwest.

Crews plan to grind the old surface off Nov. 4 and pave on Nov. 5, weather permitting. The work will take place within the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.

While the crews are working, no through traffic will be allowed, only motor vehicles going to the park. Pedestrians, but not bicycles, will be able to get through.

The roadway will be reopened on Nov. 4 when the crews are finished and closed again when work begins again on Nov. 5.

CoolMom.org is holding their Holiday Toy Swap’n'Sale on November 13 at Fauntleroy Church, 9140 California Ave. SW, corner of Barton and California. The sale will run from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

They are requesting non-packaged toys and baby gear (new or used) be donated at locations around West Seattle.Donations and proceeds will benefit CoolMom & WestSide Baby.

During the sale learn ways to reduce your waste during the holiday season, including how to create wrapping paper out of reusable and recycled materials.

Don’t forget to note your name and receive a $5 credit toward CoolMom Toy Sale purchases.

Cash and Check only, please. You can make donations thru November 10.

For questions contact Terri Glaberson at terri@coolmom.org.

The event is hosted by the West Seattle CoolMom Group, which meets the first Wednesday of every month at C&P Coffee in West Seattle.

West Seattle Donation Sites:

Joe Fitzgibbon is the apparent winner over Michael Heavey for State Representative Position No. 2.

4:30 pm Nov. 3 update:

State Representative Position No. 2

Joe Fitzgibbon Prefers Democratic Party 13664 55.13%

Mike Heavey Prefers Democratic Party 10831 43.70%

Write-in 288 1.16%

Fitzgibbon said, "People in this district are very concerned about our transportation needs, they see us feeling more constricted. We're not getting improved mobility, our mobility is getting worse, (...) concerned about the environment, about our schools (...) They see the impacts of the budget cuts the state has made on education K-12 as well as higher ed. Those are the three things I heard the most about during the campaign."

If the city gets its way, the land currently housing the Greenwood Fred Meyer and Greenwood Market will one day be home to taller and denser buildings and a more pedestrian-friendly experience.

The Seattle Department of Planning and Development released its recommendations for the Greenwood Town Center Rezone Nov. 2. The department is recommending changing the parcel of land bordered by Northwest 85th Street, Third Avenue Northwest, Northwest 87th Street and Palatine Avenue North from Commercial with a 40-foot height limit to Neighborhood Commercial with a 65-foot height limit.

The rezone of that parcel, referred to as Subarea 1, would create an opportunity for higher-density, mixed-use developments, such as townhouses, condos and affordable apartments, according to the department's recommendation.

In an email to the community, Greenwood Community Council President Trevor Stanley said the change in zoning will discourage auto-oriented development while encouraging pedestrian-oriented development.

Alas, the fun is over
How can I go on with life
I feel as bad as if someone
Had stabbed me with a knife

No more enlightening TV ads
Where candidates explain
Their points of view instead
About opponents just complain

I’ll miss those pleasant messages
Left on my telephone
By candidates inviting me
To bother them at home

And now my mail will not be filled
With all their bright brochures
So full of truths, a well informed
Decision each insures

But wait, I now am waking up
To find it’s all a dream
For I recall instead of cheer
They made me want to scream!

Carol Smith
West Seattle

The large lock at the Ballard Locks will be closed for two weeks beginning Nov. 10 for work under its annual general maintenance program.

The large lock will be closed from 8 p.m. Nov. 10 to 5 p.m. Nov. 24.

The small lock will remain open for boat traffic throughout the closure period. The small lock can normally accommodate vessels 100 feet in length with 25 foot beams.

Additionally, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway plans to temporarily close the drawspan bridge across the Lake Washington Ship Canal Nov. 10 at 1 a.m. and reopen it at 5 p.m. Nov. 24.

For current information about activities at the locks, visit the Locks’ website.

Cat litter. It's the bulk of my trash, and cleaning cat boxes is a house chore I despise. Yet, I can’t imagine my world without my three little fur-kids. So, for now at least, that means litter boxes.

While there are many fine reasons for having pets, contributing to our personal sustainability effort isn't ordinarily one of them. Most pets aren't particularly environmentally friendly.

So, just how can we live more sustainably with our furry, fuzzy or feathered housemates? In the last few weeks, I’ve posed this question to a number of green-minded friends, neighbors and colleagues, who in some cases were as perplexed as I am.

During a recent visit, Ballard massage therapist Carmen suggested we make our own pet food. And, she’s right – a lot of the stuff we buy, even the good stuff, still comes in (often BPA-lined) cans that were possibly produced in China (or at least not in our area) and, unless we pay the big bucks for fresh or organic, probably have some questionable ingredients compliments of Big Ag.

Ballard's three representatives in the state legislature swept their contests, but Democrats and liberal policies outside the 36th District didn't fair as well in early election night results Nov. 2.

Incumbents Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Reuven Carlyle and Mary Lou Dickerson are all handily defeating their challengers and will continue representing Ballard.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Patty Murray is slightly ahead of challenger Dino Rossi, while incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott is easily beating North Seattle resident Bob Jeffers-Schroder.

See below for detailed early results from the election.

State Senate, 36th District

Jeanne Kohl-Welles: 81.64 percent
Leslie Klein: 18.36 percent

State Representative, 36th District

Reuven Carlyle: 100 percent

State Representative, 36th District

Mary Lou Dickerson: 78.89 percent
Jill England: 21.11 percent

Congressional District 7

Jim McDermott: 80.94 percent
Bob Jeffers-Schroder: 19.06 percent

United States Senate

Patty Murray: 50.49 percent
Dino Rossi: 49.51 percent

Initiative 1053

Press Release:

Based on preliminary results released by King County Elections on November 2, Seattle’s voters are showing strong support for the three-year, $48.2 million operations levy.

“I want to extend my sincere thanks to Seattle voters on behalf of our students, who will directly benefit from this levy,” said Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D. “We are especially grateful for this show of support during challenging economic times when many families are struggling to make ends meet. It is truly gratifying to know how much the community supports our schools.”

With 121,523 ballots counted, unofficial returns show the levy winning support from 64 percent of voters. “Our deep appreciation goes to Schools First and all of the volunteers – family members, PTSA groups, the Seattle Education Association and staff members -- who worked so hard to pass this levy on behalf of our students.”

The $48.2 million levy will reduce the impact of budget gaps and will also reduce the number and severity of cuts to instructional programs and services over the next several years.