March 2012

press release:
Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Washington State University (WSU) Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Program will offer a three-day training course in low ropes facilitation from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. March 20, 21 and 22 at Parks’ first low ropes course at West Seattle’s Camp Long.

Low ropes challenge courses, catching on nationwide, offer the user the opportunity to develop skills in team building, confidence boosting, leadership, and trust by overcoming a series of real and imaginary obstacles. A course generally contains elements such as poles, platforms, ladders and cables that require thought and teamwork to overcome. The elements are strung between poles 12 to 18 inches above the ground.

The upcoming training is designed for current or former ropes course facilitators. Participants who complete the course will receive 24 clock hours, will be able to host and facilitate group activities at the Camp Long course, and will be able to use the Portable Challenge Kit in a classroom.

The cost of the course is $150. For more details and to register, please call Ken Turner at 206-399-2205 or email him at keno.turner@seattle.gov,

Getting ready for college requires learning about college itself. South Seattle Community College has that need covered Mar. 7 with their annual College Night event. Open to the public, the free event offers neighbors, high school students, parents and families, counselors, or career changers, an opportunity to ask questions about what SSCC has to offer. Faculty, staff and students will be on hand.

Visitors can:

· Begin training for a dream job in career-ready programs, including Automotive, Culinary Arts, Business Information Technology, Landscape Horticulture, Wine Technology, Nursing, and more.

· Start a four-year transfer degree here.

· Finish a bachelor’s degree with South’s Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree in Hospitality Management program or with SSCC's university partners – City University, and Eastern Washington University.

· Get information on financial aid and scholarships.

· Learn about how to get involved in clubs, resource centers, or student government.

Refreshments will be served and prize drawings will be held throughout the evening.

Do you know what kale, broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi and cauliflower have in common? They are all Brassicas, one of the most commonly eaten plant families around the world.

Brassicas are sometimes called cruciferous vegetables because the leaves of most plants in this family grow in opposite pairs and form a cross. You are eating Brassicas when you chomp down on radishes – those are the roots. When you eat cabbage, kale and arugula, those are the leaves. Broccoli and cauliflower are the flowers. Kohlrabi, bok choy and gai-lan (Chinese broccoli) are stems.

Here are some tips on how to buy a few of the most common varieties:

Arugula, spinach, bok choy, mustard or turnip greens – choose bright green, crisp leaves.

Turnips, rutabagas and other roots – buy firm, solid roots that are heavy for their size.

Kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cabbage – look for tight heads/buds. For kohlrabi and Brussels sprouts, smaller is better.

Broccoli, cauliflower – choose tender, firm stalks and tight buds. Cauliflower shouldn’t have dark marks.

Drivers will face increased congestion for the next six weeks on southbound State Route 99/Aurora Avenue North approaching downtown Seattle. Anticipated backups begin March 6 when crews building the SR 99 tunnel narrow southbound Aurora from three lanes to two between Republican and John streets, just north of the Battery Street Tunnel.

The lane closure is scheduled to last through at least mid-April and will give crews space to relocate utilities buried up to 15 feet beneath the westernmost lane of the roadway. Relocating the utilities will allow crews to begin building the SR 99 tunnel’s north portal, which will be located near Harrison Street between Sixth Avenue North and Aurora.

Approximately 31,000 vehicles use this stretch of southbound Aurora each day, with the heaviest traffic volumes during the morning and afternoon commutes. The southbound exits at Broad Street and Denny Way will remain open, maintaining vital connections to the neighborhood as the community prepares to host a series of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair.