March 2012

In three to four weeks the final OK and a Master Use Permit from Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development office is expected for the Downtown Emergency Service Center’s (DESC) proposed 66-unit supportive housing apartment complex at 5444 Delridge Way S.W.

The mixed-use apartment will house chronically homeless people who are often battling mental illness or drug addiction in a “housing first” model to help them get their lives back on track. There will be a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week staff on hand and rehabilitation and counseling is made available to the tenants. Retail space will be available for rent on the ground floor facing Delridge.

Public hearing
On March 8 the project passed a final design review from the Southwest Design Review Board and Delridge residents were given a chance for public comment on March 15, with a focus on requests and concerns for environmental impacts of the project as a SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) review happens next.

Seattle police are on the lookout for the suspect who robbed the Washington Federal Bank at the Morgan Junction in West Seattle on the afternoon of March 16.

Here are the details and suspect description from SPD:

On March 16th at approximately 2:30 p.m. a male suspect entered a bank in the 6400 block of California Avenue SW. He wrote a note at the customer desk and presented it to the teller. The suspect left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash and remains at large.

Responding officers briefly detained a possible suspect but released him after it was determined he was not the suspect.

The suspect is described as a black male, 40 years of age, last seen wearing a blue hooded jacket under a dark blue jacket, and khaki pants.

Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call 911 or Seattle Police and refer to this incident.

The University of Washington women's basketball team is hosting Pac-12 rival Utah Sunday at noon in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament at Edmundson Pavillion.

The Huskies (18-13) are looking to avenge a heartbreaking 49-36 overtime loss to the Utes earlier this season. UW had a five-point lead with 1:32 remaining in a hotly contested defensive struggle before Utah (16-15) came back to tie it at 32-all on a three-pointer by senior guard Janita Badon. The Utes converted 10-of-12 free throws in overtime to win it going away.

"Since we lost in overtime, we definitely will go out and play tough," said UW freshman guard/forward Aminah Williams, a Kennedy graduate who lives in West Seattle. "We all took that personally."

The Utes are led by two Canadians, both sophomore forwards, 6-foot-4 Michelle Plouffe (14.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and 6-foot-3 Taryn Wicijowski. (13.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg). Plouffe has a team-leading 44 blocks and Wicijowski 41. Baden, the Utes' fourth all-time assists leader, has 44 steals on a team that holds opponents to 55.9 points a game.

Not a lot of people would go to school for many years and then suddenly give up a post-doctorate research job at the University of Washington to start making beer. But nanobrewer Kevin Klein did just that.

Operating out of a 900-square-foot space, Klein owns NW Peaks Brewery, the smallest brewery in Ballard.

"Having a microbiology background has actually helped out," said Klein, who opened NW Peaks Brewery on 17th Avenue NW 15 months ago.

"It's a little tight in here," Klein joked. "But it works."

Klein had been a home brewer for almost 14 years when he decided to go commercial.

"I wanted to keep it a hobby but at the same time, get a foot in the door of commercial brewing. The ball just started rolling and now it's still my full-time hobby but I want to make it a full-time job. All the money goes right back into the business," said Klein, adding that he's been living very modestly off his savings.

Klein said his first ever homebrew was a brown ale with a lot of flavor.

press release:
For the second year, Chief Sealth International High School is hosting World Water Week, aimed at highlighting the relationship between members of our local community and water both in the Seattle area and around the world.

This year’s event, “Feeding the Future,” will emphasize the connections between water and food security. Highlights of the week include:

· Tuesday, March 20: a 3-on-3 basketball tournament that will raise awareness of and generate support for famine relief in East Africa. Starts at 4:30 p.m. at Southwest Community Center.

· Wednesday, March 21: an all-school assembly on food justice issues with the Food Education Empowerment and Sustainability Team (FEEST), a youth-run program out of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.

· Thursday March 22: an all-school lesson on global food security and a multicultural evening program for families with food and performances from around the world.

Press release:
The westbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct between I-5 and SR 99 will be closed again tonight (March 16) from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Saturday morning.  This will close direct access to West Seattle via the Spokane Street Viaduct from both northbound and southbound I-5.  (Motorists traveling southbound on SR 99 will still be able to access the off-ramp to the West Seattle Bridge.)
 
Southbound traffic from I-5 wishing to travel to West Seattle should detour by exiting I-5 at S Forest Street, and then follow the detoured sign route of heading west on S Forest, right on Sixth Avenue S, left onto S Lander St, left again onto First Avenue S, right at S Hanford Street, left at East Marginal Way S, and then right at S Spokane Street onto the lower Spokane Swing Bridge and into West Seattle.  Northbound traffic from I-5 wishing to travel to West Seattle should exit the freeway at Sixth Avenue S, and then from Sixth Avenue S follow the detour outlined above.
 

The Herald first reported on a medical marijuana facility opening at Arrowhead Gardens, a senior living apartment complex in Highland Park, on March 9. Sure Can Access Point officially opened their doors on March 14 and we spoke with owner Damon Grady about his philosophy, security features of the store’s layout and concerns raised by a handful of Arrowhead tenants.

Why Arrowhead?
Grady, a Seattle native, said he chose a retail location at Arrowhead Gardens after a long search throughout Seattle. He said it moved slowly because many landlords are uncomfortable with hosting a medical marijuana establishment, but ultimately decided on Arrowhead because it was a decent personal commute from Mt. Baker and he “likes the neighborhoods of South Park, White Center and being part of West Seattle.”

Grady’s background and decision to open Sure Can

The University of Washington women's basketball teams is hosting Pac-12 rival Utah Sunday at noon in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament at Edmundson Pavillion.

The Huskies (18-13) are looking to avenge a heartbreaking 49-36 overtime loss to the Utes earlier this season. UW had a five-point lead with 1:32 remaining in a hotly contested defensive struggle before Utah (16-15) came back to tie it at 32-all on a three-pointer by senior guard Janita Badon. The Utes converted 10-of-12 free throws in overtime to win it going away.

"Since we lost in overtime, we definitely will go out and play tough," said UW freshman guard/forward Aminah Williams, a Kennedy graduate who lives in West Seattle. "We all took that personally."

The Utes are led by two Canadians, both sophomore forwards, 6-foot-4 Michelle Plouffe (14.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and 6-foot-3 Taryn Wicijowski. (13.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg). Plouffe has a team-leading 44 blocks and Wicijowski 41. Baden, the Utes' fourth all-time assists leader, has 44 steals on a team that holds opponents to 55.9 points a game.

Press release:

Aviation High School senior Drew Hidalgo has been appointed to attend West Point Military Academy, where he intends to pursue studies in behavioral sciences and engineering.

Drew earned a 3.8 grade point average in high school, taking a challenging schedule of classes, including Advanced Placement courses. During his junior year, Drew participated in Washington Aerospace Scholars program, which included a one-week summer residency in which he interacted with NASA engineers and innovators, astronauts and aerospace leaders.

Drew participates in Aviation High School’s Culture Club and National Honor Society chapter. Outside of school, he plays in a band, holds a part-time job, and regularly volunteers in the community. His community service projects include organizing a blood drive and a food drive and acting as an ambassador promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education to middle school youth. He is a certified SCUBA diver, is a member of a rowing team and is active in the Washington Biathlon Association.

Press release:

Highline Public Schools has been recognized by the King County Board of Health for achieving the silver award level in the national Healthier US School Challenge. Four Highline elementary schools were the only schools in the state to attain silver level in the national award program.

The Board of Health awarded certificates to Beverly Park, Madrona, Southern Heights, and White Center elementary schools and to Nutrition Services Director Chris Neal and Nutrition Services Manager Megan de Vries.

The Healthier US School Challenge is a voluntary federal initiative that recognizes schools that have created healthier school environments by promoting nutrition and physical activity. The challenge is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and championed by First Lady Michelle Obama.

“The Board of Health has statistics showing people living in South King County have higher obesity and smoking rates and lower life expectancy than people in the rest of the region,” said King County Councilmember Julia Patterson. “These schools are creating opportunities for children to defy the troubling health data …and live better lives.”