December 2010

As promised, in addition to an Android app, Ballard News-Tribune iPhone app is now available.

You can download it for FREE onto your iPhone and it features some great tools.

The Ballard News-Tribune has been publishing news and information for the North Seattle area and beyond since 1898, the iPhone app is just the next step in community news.

The app gives you the most recent headlines and images as posted on our website with links to the corresponding article.

You can even get instant updates when new articles are posted and access to the Ballard Flickr gallery and YouTube channel.

If you haven't planned a way to ring in the new year yet, check out the various New Year's Eve events in and around Ballard.

Dance Party at King’s

King’s Hardware in Ballard wants you to bust our your best dance moves with them on New Year’s Eve! They’ll have a DJ, dance floor, and best of all, NO COVER! Come whenever you’re ready to have a good time.

King’s Hardware, 5225 Ballard Ave NW., Seattle, WA 98107

Waterwheel Lounge

Feeling the no cover charge? Stop by the Waterwheel Lounge in Ballard for a great time. They’ll be ringing in the New Year with a champagne toast at midnight, karaoke, and tons of party favors. Tell your friends!

Waterwheel Lounge, 7034 15th Ave NW., Seattle, WA 98117

The Old Peculiar

Another local staple, The Old Peculiar is letting you in for free! Stop by to enjoy a DJ, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

The Old Peculiar, 1722 NW Market St., Seattle, WA 98107

Slooper Size Your New Year

If you haven't planned out a way to ring in the new year yet, check out the various New Year's Eve events in and around Ballard.

If you’re looking for a more casual night, check out these local favorites offering no cover charge:

Dance Party at King’s

King’s Hardware in Ballard wants you to bust our your best dance moves with them on New Year’s Eve! They’ll have a DJ, dance floor, and best of all, NO COVER! Come whenever you’re ready to have a good time.

King’s Hardware, 5225 Ballard Ave NW., Seattle, WA 98107

Waterwheel Lounge

Feeling the no cover charge? Stop by the Waterwheel Lounge in Ballard for a great time. They’ll be ringing in the New Year with a champagne toast at midnight, karaoke, and tons of party favors. Tell your friends!

Waterwheel Lounge, 7034 15th Ave NW., Seattle, WA 98117

The Old Peculiar

Another local staple, The Old Peculiar is letting you in for free! Stop by to enjoy a DJ, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.

The Old Peculiar, 1722 NW Market St., Seattle, WA 98107

Slooper Size Your New Year

The Des Moines Police Guild is demanding the resignation of Mayor Bob Sheckler because of statements he made shortly after a Des Moines police officer shot and killed Newfoundland dog Rosie on Nov. 7.

“The statements you directed toward the actions of the officers were unnecessary, defamatory and indicative of you and your current lack of support for the men and women who protect and serve our City and surrounding communities.” The Police Guild said in a letter to Sheckler.

“We are disappointed to see you as a representative of the city addressing the media with such inflammatory vigor, having little or few facts to base what appeared to be your conclusions of the incident.

“We were left to believe your statements were some skewed effort to appease a gathering of citizens and media for a small amount of political attention and or gain.”

When asked if he did anything wrong Sheckler gave an emphatic "No."

“The call for my resignation because I followed proper procedure is absurd,” Sheckler said.
As the mayor he was trying to avoid causing problems, not create them, according to Sheckler.

Police responded to an “assault with weapon” call at 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 to a house on the 6900 block of 40th Ave s.w. in West Seattle's Gatewood neighborhood.

On the scene, Sgt. Maccarrone with the SPD Southwest Precinct said the shooting was probably self-inflicted and the woman involved was still alive and had been transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.

No additional information was available at the scene, but Sgt. Maccarrone said a statement would likely be released later by a precinct lieutenant.

Press Release:

New Year's Eve is the second annual “Not So Silent Night Parade”.

Bang on a drum or shake your tambourine as you march along with us on a 20-30 minute trip through Highland Park, making just enough noise to remind our neighbors that it’s New Years Eve.
After the parade, watch as “Cirque de Flambe” performers entertain the crowd in the Highland Park Improvement Club parking lot with the exciting "Sage Bomb".

We will be passing out hot cider and cookies and have a little fire pit going to keep you warm.

Details:

Parade goers will meet at the HP Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden St. at 6:45 Friday night for a 7:00 sharp departure. Everybody Welcome!

Return to HPIC at 7:30 for the performance in the parking lot.

Bring a noise maker (tambourine, bells, pots and spoons, etc).

Dress warm 'cause we are going, rain or moon-shine, and you may want to bring a flashlight and an umbrella! (or even better a flashlight taped inside an umbrella, so it glows!)

Bring the kids in their strollers and your friendly dogs on their leashes.

We need a few volunteers to help direct traffic and keep the parade marchers safe.

The West Seattle Herald just spoke to new King County Councilmember and longtime West Seattle resident, Joe McDermott, who told us that King County now owns the Maury Island gravel mine site. It is the longest remaining piece of undeveloped Puget Sound shoreline in King County protected under an historic agreement signed by King County Executive Dow Constantine and the CalPortland Company – and facilitated by Cascade Land Conservancy. It was purchased from the company for $36 million, including $2 million in private donations which had a Dec. 30 deadline to be met.

"We're ending 2010 on a fantastically upbeat note," enthused McDermott regarding the acquisition.

"At 1:00 p.m. the County registered the deed and now owns the gravel mine. (34th District State Senator) Sharon Nelson, (King County Executive) Dow Constantine, and many others and I have worked on this for 13 years."

You can read our related story when the agreement was recently reached here:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/11/09/news/agreement-reached-king…

Locöl Barley & Vine, the long awaited new wine and beer restaurant on 35th at 7902 35th Ave. s.w. got its sign installed and the rear cement patio and wheelchair access ramp poured and completed on Thursday, Dec. 30.

The new business is set to open to the public, January 5 pending final approval on plumbing, and access and getting the shelves all stocked.

"We're planning a couple of soft opening events just prior to the public opening but should be good to go by the middle of next week," said one of the owners Kyle Duce.

They expect that the proximity of Kenyon Hall (next door) and the lack of a "walk-to sit down style" restaurant in that neighborhood will serve them well.

They pursued a unique path to launching the restaurant by asking the public to participate as the West Seattle Herald first told you here..

"We got some great participation" said Shane Whitall, "a lot of people contributed."

Medina, a 20-year-old female sloth bear, died Wednesday, Dec 29, during a health examination intended to evaluate symptoms of lethargy and decreased appetite observed by zookeepers.

“When keepers noticed a sudden, drastic decrease in the bear’s activity, we immediately scheduled a health examination in order to gain more knowledge about the cause of her symptoms and provide the best care possible for Medina,” said Martin Ramirez, Woodland Park Zoo mammal curator in a press release.

Shortly after being immobilized for the examination, the bear’s heart stopped and could not be revived.

The postmortem examination revealed extensive carcinoma of the liver that had spread to nearby tissues.

“The cancer we discovered in this bear is known to be a leading cause of death in older aged sloth bears,” according to Dr. Darin Collins, the zoo’s director of Animal Health, “and likely severely compromised her health when she was immobilized under anesthesia.”

Medina arrived at Woodland Park Zoo in 2008 and her partner Randy, a 14-year-old male sloth bear, remains on exhibit at the zoo.

Press release:

During these hard economic times Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light know that many families are feeling a pinch. Did you know that there is a program that can help residents pay their utility bills? Households that qualify could get 50 percent off their Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities bills for 18 months.

Please share the following event information with your neighbors and the people and communities that you serve. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Regards,
Michael

Michael May
Sr. Public Relations Specialist
Seattle Public Utilities
(p) 206.684.8056
(c) 206.255.8544
(f) 206.684.3811

Utility Assistance Signup Event in Delridge

As a part of Seattle Public Utilities’ and Seattle City Lights’ Utility Discount Program, signup events have been held around the city. The program is based on income. See if you qualify by visiting this website:

http://www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Billing/Payment_Options/PaymentAss…