December 2011

The Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs is accepting project applications for its Youth Arts program. The program supports arts training opportunities for Seattle’s middle and high school youth outside of school hours in a variety of artistic disciplines, including visual and literary arts, theater, music, dance and film.

Individual teaching artists, artist teams, arts and cultural organizations, and youth-service agencies with nonprofit status or fiscal sponsorship are eligible to apply. Youth Arts prioritizes youth or communities with limited or no access to the arts. Funding awards may range up to $10,000 for projects that will take place between September 2012 and September 2013.

“Arts training provides positive outlets, encourages creative expression and helps our young people succeed in learning and in life,” said Vincent Kitch, director of the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, in a press release. “The arts are an essential ingredient in a complete education and play an important role in developing the next generation of engaged leaders.”

I think my cats must have had power-sharing agreements with the local fauna because it’s not unusual to see wild critters in my backyard despite their feline presence. Photon once rescued a baby ‘possum, and has often shared the back stairs and a garden bench with a compost- and garden-raiding squirrel. When raccoons came in the backdoor – uninvited, the cats maintained a respectable distance until I could carefully shoo the indoor foragers away.

I’ve always thought the critters among us were plentiful and well-adapted to our urban environment. But flipping through the fall PAWS magazine, my eyes landed on a photo of a bushy-tailed squirrel. I noted the disconnect – when I think about PAWS, I think cats, not squirrels, so I read the blurb next to the photo. And then I did some research.

PAWS has an extensive wildlife rescue program. The paragraph next to the picture described the rescue and release of two orphaned Western Grey squirrels. According to PAWS and various urban wildlife agencies, the Western Greys and several other species of squirrel found here (both native and introduced) are now considered threatened.

On Friday Drs. Ron Young and Ryder Gwinn, surgeons from the Swedish Neuroscience Institute, hosted a livestream on the affects of Essential Tremor (ET), the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgical procedure used to treat ET and the other innovative treatment options for ET available at Swedish and throughout the country. ET is a progressive neurological condition that causes a rhythmic trembling of the hands, head, voice, legs or trunk. It is often confused with Parkinson’s disease and is often un-diagnosed.

A West Seattle patient, Matthew Miller, 43, of Delridge, had a severe case of ET and was successfully treated by the doctors with this procedure. He appeared in the livestream broadcast. He explained his DBS device, like a pacemaker for the brain. During the surgery, a tiny wire is implanted in the area of the brain that controls abnormal movement. This wire modifies the brain’s electrical signals to help control tremors and other abnormal movements.

Miller told the West Seattle Herald how this procedure changed his life and granted him more freedom. He said that Dr. Gwen is brilliant, a genius.

press release:
The majority of high schools in Seattle Public Schools showed strong academic growth during the 2010‐2011 school year, Interim Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield reported today, thanks to great principals, great teachers and involved families who are connected to their schools.

“Improving student achievement at the high school level poses a particular challenge for any school system,” Enfield said. “The gains we are seeing at our high schools are a testament to the tremendous instructional leadership of our principals and assistant principals and the dedication and talent of our teaching staff.”
Seattle schools are ranked by their absolute performance and year‐to‐year growth from Level 1 (low) to Level 5 (high). A total of 20 schools overall achieved the highest ranking, Level 5, including two high schools, which reached that level for the first time. In addition, the number of schools at the lowest levels declined sharply, as schools improved enough to move up. No high schools were ranked at Level 1, and only two were ranked at Level 2.

Seattle School Segmentation, 2010‐2011

King County Public Health released their report of retailers caught selling tobacco to minors in 2011 on Dec. 15. 70 sales were made to 63 retailers in Seattle, six of them in West Seattle. Tobacco retailers sold tobacco to minors 15 percent of the time, according to the report.

Here are the West Seattle establishments listed (each was caught selling to minors on one occasion):

- Seaport Food Mart, 7800 Detroit Ave. S.W.
- Delridge Deli Mart, 3861 Delridge Way S.W.
- Discount Smoke & Beverage, 9450 35th Ave. S.W.
- South Seattle Market, 6352 35th Ave. S.W.
- Super Deli Mart, 9051 35th Ave. S.W.
- Albertson's No. 418, 10616 16th Ave. S.W. (White Center)

Additional details from King County:

Seattle tobacco retailers were caught selling tobacco to underage minors fifteen percent of the time in 2011. This marks an alarming jump of twice the 7% sales rate over the previous five years in the city. Overall, there were 70 sales (from 63 establishments) to minors across Seattle over 468 retailer inspections this year.

When the West Seattle Eagles Auxiliary Madame President, Linda Crank, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday Dec. 12 it hit the Aerie very hard. The Eagle's motto is "People helping people" and Linda, whose association with the organization goes back more than three decades, played a very important part.

The Eagles is an international organization, more than 100 years old, whose mission is "to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope."

While that may sound broad, the charity work they do is both highly focused and wide ranging. Crank in her four years with the West Seattle auxiliary accomplished a lot by helping with almost every Eagles effort. Just a short list of what they do provides some insight into what kind of organization it is and why Linda Crank will be missed by its members and the rest of West Seattle.

Seattle Police reports that just after midnight on December 15, officers responded to the 7700th block of 15th Avenue N.W. to investigate the burlgary of two separate medical marijuana dispensaries.

Responding officers located and arrested one of the suspects as he was attempting to make his escape. The suspect was standing outside the broken door holding a bag of stolen products. He was booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Burglary.

Just months after Ballardite Mhairi Voelsgen launched her company, BroVo Spirits, she has run into a major hurdle - the ratification of Initiative 1183.

The new law privatizing liquor sales could drive craft distilleries out of business due to some unintended consequences of the law.

As a result of the passing of I-1183, state liquor stores have stopped ordering from local craft companies like BroVo Spirits, and some existing orders were cancelled, including an 800-case pre-order from Voelsgen's company.

Another blow came from the 'emergency rules' implemented by the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which prevent local distillers from self-distributing until March 2012, and demand a total of 27 percent in fees from retail and distribution.

Craft distillers were originally told that they would be allowed to begin self-distribution starting December 8th, but now the date has been pushed back to March 1, 2012.

Press release:

The traditional song calls for people to dream of a white Christmas, but for the conscientious consumer, it can also be a green holiday season.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, you can take steps to reduce the annual increase in waste created between Thanksgiving and the New Year.

“If each of us took a few small steps to reduce the waste we produce or increase the amount of materials we recycle during the holidays, we’d save a large amount of materials, energy and landfill space,” said Robin Freedman of Waste Management of Kirkland. “There is no shortage of ways to cut back on waste during the holidays.”

Composting can reduce the amount of organic waste produced in the home. Holiday meal preparation can generate a large amount of potato peels, fruit rinds, coffee grinds, other vegetable waste and eggshells, that can all be composted.

A new compost bin filled with homemade treats can make a great gift for those looking to take recycling to the next level.

If you have a fresh tree, garland or wreaths, be sure to recycle them when the holidays are over. Check the King County Tree-Cycling website about tree collection and recycling opportunities.

By Christina Gramling
During a special meeting on Dec. 13, Des Moines City Council approved a 5 percent raise for the city manager.

The City Council met Tuesday night to vote on last minute amendments to the 2011 budget as well as a wage increase in 2012 for City Manager Tony Piasecki.

The raise includes a cost of living adjustment (COLA) and a merit increase.

Last year Piasecki received a COLA, however, he did not receive a wage step increase or merit raise.

Councilmember Scott Thomasson abstained. Because his term will end this year, he said he didn’t think it was appropriate to vote on the matter.

The proposed 2011 budget amendments included an over expenditures in fuel purchases by the marina and extra costs concerning the field house ball field upgrades that took place earlier this year.

The marina’s budget breaker was caused by an unexpected increase in sales.

“The marina had a good year. So, well they had to buy more fuel,” Piasecki said. All of the fuel purchased was offset by consumer sales and the amendment was only a technicality, he said.