June 2012

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Thousands of onlookers seemed thrilled as the NASA Super Guppy cargo plane, which appears to be about nine months pregnant, did a "fly-by" over Boeing Field by the Museum of Flight Saturday, June 30, heading north toward downtown Seattle before returning to land. Inside its giant belly sat the 24-foot-long Space Shuttle crew compartment portion of the full-fuselage trainer, or FFT, awaiting its public, and a permanent place in the museum's Charles Simonyi Space Gallery. It will join other components and will then look like an entire Space Shuttle. It arrived from Travis AFB, Fairfield, Ca., landing at Boeing at about 12:15 p.m. after circling the city and Everett's Paine Field. Speeches were given following its landing. Then the Guppy's cargo body divided, exposing, then liberating, the trainer compartment. It was shuttled across East Marginal Way to the gallery.

The museum signed a Space Act Agreement during a brief January ceremony at the Houston Space Center, which transferred ownership of the trainer to the Seattle Museum of Flight. The Space Shuttle trainer was used to educate astronauts for the past three decades.

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR SLIDESHOW

Sunday, July 1

10:00 AM Super Guppy open for tours until 3:00 PM

2:00 PM Public program with Super Guppy Pilot (and Astronaut) Greg Johnson and crew in Space Gallery

4:00 PM Super Guppy Pilot (and Astronaut) Greg Johnson and crew meet with Washington Aerospace Scholars (W.A.S.)

Museum of Flight website

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Thousands of onlookers seemed thrilled as the NASA Super Guppy cargo plane, which appears to be about nine months pregnant, did a "fly-by" over Boeing Field by the Museum of Flight Saturday, June 30, heading north toward downtown Seattle before returning to land. Inside its giant belly sat the 24-foot-long Space Shuttle crew compartment portion of the full-fuselage trainer, or FFT, awaiting its public, and a permanent place in the museum's Charles Simonyi Space Gallery.

Regardless of how effective White Center’s voluntary ban on single serve alcohol sales is, it may lead to more concrete restrictions from the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB).

In April of this year the King County Sheriff’s Office combined forces with beer distributors and White Center community groups to ask convenience stores to abstain from selling high-alcohol, inexpensive single serve beverages from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ban’s purpose is to limit daytime drinking by White Center’s homeless, chronic inebriate population.

WSLCB has an Alcohol Impact Area designation that could be applied, but a community “must first attempt a voluntary Alcohol Impact Area (which is happening now).” If unsuccessful, “the local jurisdiction can petition the Liquor Control Board to request the Board adopt a resolution,” making the once voluntary program mandatory. Products can be absolutely banned or limited in sale, according to the board’s website.

UPDATE 7/3
Charell Estby has now confirmed that the name Firefly Cafe is hers to use. There was some question about the rights to the name since it may have created a conflict with another company.

Original post 6/30
The location at 4160 California Avenue s.w. most recently home to Divina has had brown paper up in the windows for some time now but this fall, if all goes according to plan, will be home to a new restaurant.

The Firefly Cafe and Creperie owned by Charell Estby will open in September or October in that location.
The name might pose a conflict with another company so that matter is being negotiated.

Estby shared some of the background about how the concept and company came to be:

"About 4 years ago I started making some pretty significant changes in my personal life and, after having worked in the corporate world for the previous 18, I had a sudden epiphany: I don't think this is what I am supposed to be doing. I became "enlightened", if you will. Hence the name: "Firefly"*.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Puget Sound Playground, at 135 SW 126th Street in Burien, took place Friday, June 29 at 1 p.m. City of Burien and King County representatives marked the completion of the neighborhood project, made possible through the King County Community Development Block Grant program, with funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The $120,000 renovation project replaced the existing play area by adding new KOMPAN play equipment and expanded the site by adding new swings. A trail segment was added connecting the parking lot to the main park trail, for wheelchair access and parents with strollers.

The project was constructed by Pacific Northwest Earthworks L.L.C, with R & R Construction providing the play equipment installation.

China may have the Great Wall. But that's OK. We now have the Great Wheel of Seattle, and it opened for business today at 5:00 p.m. This attraction joins the carousel, an arcade, and a collection of shops and restaurants on Pier 57. It has a diameter of 175 feet and will lift riders approximately 200 feet high. There are 42 gondolas that pass 40 feet out over Elliot Bay when the Ferris wheel is in motion.

"I've been working the crowd and haven't gone up yet," said Bob Donegan, CEO of Ivar's and Alki Spud Fish & Chips. He was dressed festively with blue and white striped jacket and a bow tie. He greeted folks entering the wheel "All the cars have space for a table to eat sea food," he quipped.

You'll see West Seattle very clearly," said Hal Griffith, owner of Pier 57. He had ridden the Great Wheel five times as of 4:00 p.m. on opening day. "The view is fantastic, totally everywhere. It's a smooth ride. I've ridden a similar wheel in Myrtle Beach (The SkyWheel). You can see Mount Rainier when it's clear. And if you had a good enough telescope I think you could see the Ferris wheel from Mount Rainier," he speculated with a grin.

Adults and children 12+: $13

Press release:

King County Councilmember and Sound Transit Vice Chair Julia Patterson today announced approval of a major agreement that green-lights expansion of light rail from the Sea-Tac Airport to South 200th Street in the City of SeaTac four years ahead of schedule. The agreement will also bring transportation upgrades to the surrounding community.

“This is a great day for the residents of South King County,” said Patterson. “Bringing light rail into the heart of SeaTac is going to provide critical connections to jobs, encourage economic development, and help the environment by getting people out of their cars.”

With Patterson presiding, the Sound Transit Board yesterday unanimously approved a development and transitway agreement between Sound Transit and the City of SeaTac that details the terms and conditions for development of the South Link light rail extension, which is now scheduled to open with University Link in 2016.

By Theresa Edwards, Intern.
Meet Noel Frame, a hardworking and friendly candidate for the 36th district house seat recently vacated by retired Representative Mary Lou Dickerson (D-Seattle) who has worked since her teens for progressive change in public policy and civil rights.

The Ballard News-Tribune recently met with the Ballardite to talk about the race and the crowded pool of candidates, including politician's son Brett Phillips, legislative aides Evan Clifthorne and Sahar Fathi, Port Commision President Gael Tarleton, and longtime political activist Linde Knighton.

Frame was raised in Battle Ground, Wash, in the southwest corner of the state. The daughter of restaurant workers, she experienced firsthand the struggles faced by many working families today.

Always a strong believer in the "American dream” involving perseverance and hard work, Frame was determined to attend her dream college, George Washington University, and managed to win 13 various scholarships by the time she was a senior year of high school.

On Thursday, June 28, the Kangaroo & Kiwi Pub in the Old Carnegie Library on N.W. Market Street opened its doors for a small pre-opening party hosted by pub owner Bradley Howe and building owners Karoline Morrison and Dennis Beals.

The event was a chance for community members to meet the pub owner, sample some of Melinda Sims' delicious creations, and see the remodeling of the 3000-square-foot groundfloor space that formerly housed Carnegie's French restaurant and stood empty for well over a year.

Morrison first announced the new tenant in January and she's as excited now as she was then.

"I think it's going to be a great change for Market Street," she said. "It's something completely new for the building."

Morrison put to rest some of the public's concern about moving a pub into an historic building by stating, "Brad has done the interior in a way that it can be completely turned back into being an old library. The old shelves are still in the basement!"

By Earline Byers

The city of Des Moines has provided me with these significant details for scheduled transportation improvements in the city in response to my request for information for my column.

This money is available for new projects using grants, but not easily for paving streets as noted below by Mayor Dave Kaplan:

S. 216th Street: The Washington State Transportation Improvement Board awarded the city of Des Moines a $4 million grant for construction of S. 216th Street (24th Avenue to 18th Avenue South) including the 24th Avenue S. intersection. The city plans to advertise this segment for construction in October with construction beginning in the spring of 2013. Construction costs are estimated to be $7.5 million.

24th Avenue South: The city expects a $3 million federal grant for construction of 24th Avenue South (S. 208th Street to S. 216th Street) in July, the project will be advertised in 2013 when the federal funds become available, and construction will be substantially completed in 2014. Total estimated road construction costs are estimated at $7.3 million.