July 2011

The largest and oldest sidewalk sale in Seattle is taking place in Ballard right now.

The annual four-day Ballard Sidewalk Sale has been going on for over 40 years and coincides with the Ballard SeafoodFest.

Staff manning discount tables outside of Secret Garden Books said the sale has been going well this morning, despite the gloomy weather.

The sale runs from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., today through Sunday, July 10th along NW Market Street, Ballard Avenue, and Leary Avenue.

The Seattle Hearing Examiner has approved the plans to complete the "Missing Link" of the Burke-Gilman Trail, after deciding that the proposal does not create a significant adverse impact to the environment.

This decision was made after review of the project's potential impacts on several elements of the environment, including geology, endangered species, cultural resources, hazardous materials, transportation, and parking.

The "Missing Link" section of the Burke Gilman trail refers to the area where the trail ends at Ballard's Fred Meyer and people are left to find their own route to the Chittenden Locks where the trail picks up again.

In February, SDOT completed additional environmental review of the Burke-Gilman Trail Extension to include a trail alignment along Shilshole Avenue NW, between 17th Avenue NW and NW Vernon Place. SDOT determined that the project will not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment.

The Ballard Business Appellants appealed this decision to further halt a trail from being built, stating concerns of safety and losing parking spaces.

Seal Sitters, the local organization devoted to the protection of all northwest marine life has installed signs at West Seattle's Lincoln Park and elsewhere around West Seattle calling attention to the organization's special focus; The protection of stranded marine mammals.

The signs were made possible by a City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods in-kind grant award. As project manager, Seal Sitters Robin Lindsey designed the signs and donated use of her photos but also worked closely with Brenda Peterson, NOAA's NW stranding expert and the WDFW marine mammal biologist regarding the text content of the signs.

It adds a meaty, brothy flavor to Asian foods, but soy sauce sometimes tastes like it’s saltier than salt, if that’s possible.

Soy sauce can vary in sodium content from brand to brand. Many have 1,000 mg in just one tablespoon - more than half of your day’s allowance. Even the low-salt brands have about 500 mg per tablespoon!

Keeping sodium to a minimum, especially avoiding the “hidden” salt in processed foods, is the best thing to do to protect your kidneys.

To cut the salt in prepared soy sauce, try mixing it half and half with pineapple juice. The sweet-sour flavor of the juice will cut down on your need for a salty taste.

Here are some great substitute soy sauces that are low in sodium and gluten-free. Try them in the pepper steak recipe below. Make up a batch this week so you will be ready. My next column will use these low-sodium soy sauces in hoisin sauce and other Asian sauces that have a salty taste.

Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Herb-Ox* sodium-free beef or chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Dash of black pepper
Dash of garlic powder
3/4 cup water

The annual family-friendly Viking Days festival is this weekend at the Nordic Heritage museum.

The Viking Days celebration features Scandinavian food, entertainment, music, craft vendors, Viking re-enactments, craft demonstrations, and crafts for kids.

The traditional Swedish Pancake Breakfast will be served Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

New this year is a dinner concert on Saturday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., featuring Giske Blandakor, a Norwegian choir of 44 singers and eight dancers who are traveling to Seattle to perform at Viking Days all the way from the Western Coast of Norway.

Musical offerings range from folk dancers to small and large instrumental groups and vocal music. The Norwegian Male Chorus, Finnish Choral Society, Duo Scandinavica, Barneleikarringen, Mäd Fiddlu, Tinnfelen, and Katrilli Finnish Folkdancers are among the acts that will be performing.

The Viking Encampment will be open all weekend. Vikings clad in authentic costumes will demonstrate aspects of Viking life such as weaving, spinning, woodcarving, and fire-pit cooking, and visitors will be able to view live re-enactments of Viking battles.

Last night, The Seattle School Board unanimously approved a $577.7 million budget that reflects $45.5 million in cuts, including the elimination of 90 central office positions and unpaid “furlough” days for non-represented central office staff.

The newly approved budget represents the third year of significant budget cuts for the district, which had to address shortfalls of $34 million in 2009-10 and $31 million during 2010-11.

“While this budget process has been difficult, we have worked hard to protect funding that directly affects our classroom and the academic achievement of our students,” said Seattle School Board President Steve Sundquist in a press release.

As a result of the central office cuts, the District’s central administration has been reduced from 9 percent to less than 6 percent of the overall budget, making SPS consistent with other Puget Sound-area school districts.

Press release from King County Metro
Event Reroute – Route 55

Beginning on Thursday, July 7 from approximately 5:00 PM through Sunday, July 10, until about 12:00 Midnight, Route 55 will be rerouted off of SW Alaska St between 42nd Av SW and 44th Av SW, due to the West Seattle Summer Festival Ceremony.

During this event, Route 55 heading toward downtown Seattle will travel instead via southbound California Av SW, SW Genesee St, 44th Av SW, SW Oregon St, 42nd Av SW and eastbound SW Alaska St to its regular route.

Heading toward the Admiral District, Route 55 will travel instead via westbound Alaska St, 42nd Av SW, SW Oregon St, 44th Av SW, SW Genesee St and northbound California Av SW to its regular route.

The Route 55 Night Shuttle will use the same routing but will start and end at the temporary terminal southbound 41 Av SW & SW Alaska St.

Thanks for riding and for using Metro’s services.

Update for 7/7
According to Katie Ross with King County Public Health the press release from July 6 only pertained to shutting down the sale of ice cream, not the actual closure of the GAME Lounge as a business.

Ross said there is a permit process the lounge can go through to sell their ice cream in the future. GAME Collective owners agreed to not sell the ice cream until that permitting process is complete.

Public Health received complaints about the food items being sold at the lounge, according to Ross, which prompted the environmental health inspector visit.

The lounge can only sell prepackaged food items (like canned soda or chips) at this time, she said.

Ross said King County Public Health will post a clarification on the GAME Lounge closure later today.

Original story
King County Public Health issued a press release from their Twitter account on July 6 that read: “Closure: Game Lounge at 9803 16th Ave SW, Seattle was closed for operating without a valid permit.”

Olde Burien sizzles with a summer street party Saturday, July 16 packed with diversions ranging from an ice-cream-eating contest to live music.

From noon to midnight, the Olde Burien Block Party will also feature a sausage-eating contest, a fashion show and a drawing for a $500 shopping spree, plus a live wedding onstage. The free event is a thank you from the Olde Burien merchants to customers and community for their support.

Be sure to enter the drawing to win a $500 Olde Burien shopping spree. Every time shoppers make a purchase at participating businesses that day, they will be entered in the drawing. The shops will offer special deals, so it’s an ideal time to shop the unique wares of Olde Burien.

Until 10 p.m., catch live entertainment on an outdoor stage while savoring the food and drink of various Olde Burien eateries in their extended outdoor. Don’t miss the live wedding onstage of a member of Uncle Ernie. Or become part of the action by competing in the ice-cream-eating and sausage-eating contests.

In the street party’s entertainment lineup are:

12-2 p.m. - Greg Parke (easy listening acoustic & electric guitar)
2-2:30 p.m. - Fashion Show

The West Seattle Herald received a tip and a photo by Helen Johnson of a colorful chalk graphic that reads "We 'Heart' Tracy Dart" on the drive of the new West Seattle Coffee House booth, located in the front of the Hans' VW Service & Repair parking lot, 6302 35th Ave SW, just north of Morgan St.

In honor of Tracy Dart - through the end of July - West Seattle Coffee House will donate 25 cents (per beverage sold) to "TEAM TRACY" Walking 60 Miles to End Breast Cancer when you say "I ♥ TRACY DART!"

That according to Johnson, an employee of the booth.

Tracy Dart is a West Seattle resident who has become a high-profile advocate of breast cancer research and fundraising due, in part, to her own personal health challenges. We reported on another such sign on Alki popping up. Others have followed.

You can read about Ms. Dart in our profile of her from last year here: