August 2013

By Peggy Sturdivant

I didn’t think I could ever leave my old house on NW 61st. When a friend told me she’d found the house for me and Martin, I refused to enter it for a month. I wasn’t sure I could make the change. Then I went inside and something shifted inside me.

That’s what it was like for the Amazing Grace Spiritual Center. After four years renting space on Sunday evenings from Seattle Unity off Denny, they knew they needed to take the next step and find their own space. Over and over their congregants and acquaintances asked, “Have you looked at the tricycle church in Ballard?”

Co-Ministers Eric O’del and Colette Mercier were pointedly avoiding the 1907-built Swedish Church site at the corner of NW 61st and 20th NW. “It’s for sale, not rent. We can’t afford it.”

Mayor Mike McGinn and Governor Jay Inslee have both proclaimed Sept. 8 as Harbor Seal Day and a special celebration is set to celebrate marine mammals and dedicate the recently installed sculpture on Alki of the Sentinels of the Sound.

That artwork, created by noted northwest sculptor Georgia Gerber was put in place last week and is the centerpiece of the celebration.

The event, made possible through the efforts of West Seattle marine mammal protection organization Seal Sitters gets under way at 1pm with educational displays and chidren's activities. At 1:30 the dedication ceremony begins hosted by KING 5/Evening Magazine's Jim Dever at the Alki Bathhouse at 2701 Alki Ave. SW. The event ends at 4pm.

The event will feature children's art activities, a puppet booth, face painting, live music and cake.

Those attending will have a chance to meet Gerber, see the winners of the "Year of the Seal" Children's Art and Story contest and learn more about our marine environment from the numerous organizations who will be there with outreach tables including:

• NOAA Marine Debris Division
• WDFW Marine Mammal Investigators

Information from King County

As construction moves forward, King County will be providing monthly project updates to keep the community informed. King County will continue notify the community and ferry commuters should any ferry lane closures or work requiring additional notification occur.

Previous work
Work over the past month has included:
· Removal and demolition of current pump station roof. The concrete from the roof was hauled off site and recycled.
· Work started on new valve vault.
· Building walls for new Odor Control Room.
· Installation of new piping and drains to keep flow moving through site during construction.

Upcoming activity
Over the next month, work will include:
· Continued rebar and concrete work to build walls in the new pump station and valve vault.
· Continued work on the new Odor Control Room.

What to expect
· Work hours typically 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
· Flagger to move traffic through site and in and out of ferry terminal entrance.

SCS/Life Christian football
2013 Schedule
Friday, Sept. 6
at LaConner, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Tacoma Baptist @ Curtis, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept.. 21
Charles Wright at Harry Lang, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Cascade Christian at Sunset Chev, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 4
at Chimacum, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19
Port Townsend at Harry Lang, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 24
Cedar Park Christian at Juanita, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 2
SCS vs. Bellevue Chr., TBD.
Saturday, Nov. 9
NW League District at Harry Lang, 1 p.m.

“One of the most difficult things for us to deal with is dispelling rumors,” Union Gospel Mission (UGM) men’s shelter director Terry Pallas said of their work with Nickelsville’s homeless population in finding transitional housing solutions.

With a city-mandated Sept. 1 eviction date for the unauthorized tent city in West Seattle Highland Park neighborhood looming, Pallas spoke with the Herald in hopes of dismissing what he called inaccurate rumors being spread by some Nickelsville residents. Many of those sentiments were shared with the Herald during our camp tour on Aug. 22.

This Male dog was found wandering on 26th Ave S. at 110th St this morning. If you know where this dog belongs or have owner info please contact CARES: buriencares@gmail.com

Information from King County Sheriff's Office

Victim’s Brother Arrested in SeaTac Murder

SeaTac- King County Sheriff detectives have arrested a 21 year old man in connection with the stabbing death of his 24 year old sister at a SeaTac apartment on Monday.

Detectives arrested the man today for Investigation of Murder, but he will remain at Harborview until he is released from treatment and then will be booked into the King County Jail.

On Monday around 1040 am SeaTac police and King County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Skyview apartments in the 3200 block of S180th after the 21 year old man called 911 and told police that his sister was “dead and they had stabbed her.” He said he had also been stabbed.

When police arrived they found the man bloody with multiple injuries and found his sister dead inside the apartment. Both appeared to have been stabbed numerous times.

Detectives are not disclosing what led up to the arrests but do NOT believe there are any outstanding suspects.

When Judge Marianne Spearmann ruled in the Benchview Neighborhood Associaation's (BNA) case against developers in their neighborhood in late July, the neighborhood association thought they had won. But legal wrangling often continues as long as there are arguments to be made and the money holds out. In what the BNA calls a "stunningly narrow position" the city maintains that developer Dan Duffus and associated people can go ahead with their plan to build three homes on what had been two lots. The city's letter from Department of Planning and Development Director Diane Sigamura spells out their position.

Dear Benchview Neighbors:

Across from the Soundview Playfield and by the Bethel Ethiopian Church, at 1515 NW 90th St, a two-story structure will have three stories added to it for a total of five stories. The three stories will be made up of three townhouse units.

There will be no meeting for design review, but written comments will be accepted through Sept. 4 in preparation for the early design guidance. Residents are invited to offer comments regarding important site planning and design issues which they believe should be addressed in the design for the project.

This will be the only opportunity to comment on the proposal.

Comments should be submitted to PRC@seattle.gov or

City of Seattle, DPD, PRC
700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000
PO Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019

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Tom Fuculoro of the Seattle Bike Blog is in Portland right now dreaming about the possibilities for Ballard.

Particularly, he is thinking about Portland's Sunday Parkways, a series of events around the city which Fuculoro describes as a something like a cross between Seattle’s Summer Streets and Bicycle Sunday events.

He writes, "A loop of mostly residential streets are closed to motor vehicles throughout a neighborhood and opened to fun and games of all kinds. People play music, kids sell lemonade, fitness instructors lead free zumba or yoga classes, and much much more. Sections of the loop a filled with vendors and information booths, and businesses near the route embrace the never-ending stream of people flowing by on foot and bike."

He says routes range from 7.5 to 9 miles and all busy intersections are controlled by police officers.