March 2015

On Sunday, March 29, 2015, at 2 PM, there will be a “90’s Flashback” Fashion Show at Puget Sound Skills Center, presented by the Fashion Design and Marketing students. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Treehouse foundation, a local charity. Treehouse gives support to children in foster care to help them complete their high school education and create plans for their future. Tickets may be purchased at the school up to the day of the show for $4.oo, or purchased at the door for $5.oo.

Puget Sound Skills Center is a career and technical high school that prepares juniors and seniors for post-secondary education, college or the work place. PSSC serves the Highline, Tahoma, Tukwila and Federal Way School Districts.

information from King County

King County contractors will fix a water leak at the 53rd Avenue Pump Station. This repair will prevent damage to electrical equipment and ensure the pump station can be operated safely.

Work will begin the week of March 9, 2015 and last up to a week.

Contractors will install a drainage system to keep water from collecting near the pump station’s electrical equipment. The water will be sent to the sewer system at a nearby manhole.

What to Expect
• Work will occur weekdays from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Increased noise from generator, trucks, and vactor trucks.
• Pedestrian and bike access to sidewalk near the site will be rerouted for the duration of the project.
• Bus stop for route 37 will be temporarily relocated about 620’ northeast of stop number 32790.
For more

Seattle Police are on the lookout for a burglar who was recorded by a “puppy cam” as he broke into a Ballard home last week.

According to the Seattle Police Blotter, a Ballard woman’s pet monitoring camera system recorded the thief as he kicked in her door, walked past her two small dogs and took a vintage jewelry box.

The resident watched the burglar from her office via live feed through her pet camera system. Once the suspect was inside the residence the home alarm system was tripped, and the thief quickly fled.

The resident immediately went home and called police. She was able to provided them with the video footage of the suspect.

The burglar has not been identified, but detectives are hopeful someone will recognize the man’s photograph. If you do, please contact North Precinct detectives at (206) 684-5735.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

High schools
Girls basketball
West Seattle opens state Class 3A tournament play in the Tacoma Dome at 2 p.m. Thursday against Lynnwood.
The eight-team tournament will run through Saturday.

Boys basketball
Kennedy Catholic of Burien is playing on the boys side at the Tacoma Dome starting Thursday, taking on Garfield in a 5:30 p.m. Class 3A game.
Two area teams are participating in the boys Class 1B tournament at the Spokane Arena.
Seattle Lutheran battles Cusick in 3:45 p.m. action Thursday and Shorewood Christian opens with Curlew at 9 p.m.
Seattle Lutheran is from West Seattle and Shorewood Christian from White Center.

Spring sports
Spring sports practices got underway Monday and action does not begin until 10 practices are reached at the end of next week.

Pro and college
Pac-12 women
Four area graduates are participating in the Pac-12 women's basketball tournament being held at Seattle's KeyArena Thursday through Sunday.

The Ballard Partnership For Smart Growth (BPSG) and the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) Public Space Program asked for public feedback last February in order to identify a preferred location and design for a permanent public restroom in Central Ballard.

Comments are still being accepted, and as the community responds, the Ballard News-Tribune checked in with Mike Stewart, Executive Director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

Stewart said that the BPSM and the City are depending on the public to voice where the public restroom will reside and what it will be. At this time there is no preference for the restroom location. Also, Stewart said the bigger picture for the toilet is really a matter of maintenance.

“First we need to ensure there is good consensus in the community and then there’s work to be done with the City of Seattle in acquiring finances. Then a maintenance plan needs to be made. That’s a really crucial point to the project,” said Stewart.

On Feb. 28 Michael Stanley, 49, broke into the Skyway home of a 69-year-old woman and raped her. Stanley was arrested only blocks away from her house the same day and charged with Burglary in the First Degree and Rape in the Second Degree. A bail amount of 1 million dollars has been set.
According to charging documents just after 10 p.m. on Feb. 27 Stanley showed up to the victim’s Skyway home and knocked on the door asking for work. Stanley had done yard work for the woman last summer and told her he needed money. The victim told officers she could tell he was drunk and turned him away.
He was allowed into her house to use the bathroom quickly and then went outside and stood in her yard while waiting for his bus to arrive. The victim decided to go for a short walk and when she returned home Stanley was gone.

The recent clear skies have left the Olympic Mountains and the wide expanse of Puget Sound totally exposed to the brilliant light of the sun at dusk. Here are a few photographs of the scene. Tonight's sunset is sure to produce more.

Care to share your own photos? Please send them to Shane Harms at shaneh@robinsonnews.com.

By Regional Administrator Calvin Goings

Today, 98 percent of American companies that export are small businesses, but more than half of our exporters are only selling to one foreign market, usually Canada or Mexico. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is here to help more entrepreneurs reach new markets for their goods and services.

Trade agreements are critical to helping level the playing field for our nation’s small business exporters, because they have fewer resources to overcome trade barriers and gain market access than larger companies

Increases in U.S. exports have generated nearly one-third of our overall economic growth and supported 1.6 million new jobs. Last year, the U.S. exported a record $2.3 trillion of goods and services, an all-time high. One out of every five American jobs is tied to exports. These jobs generally pay better, nearly 20 percent better.

The Department of Planning and Development released the latest land use applications yesterday.

There are two applications for subdivision approval. There is also an application for a four-story, 33-unit structure at 1506 NW 61st St. The application requires a Design Review/SEPA Environmental Determination. Comments on this project will be accepted until March 15.

In addition, two applications were granted approval by the DPD. Both applications are to subdivide parcels.

Applications:

6320 17TH AVE NW:Land Use Application to subdivide one development site into two unit lots. The construction of residential units are under Project #6437763. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots. Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots.

1506 NW 61ST ST: Land Use Application to allow a four-story structure containing 33 residential units. No parking proposed. Existing structures to be demolished.

Today, Mayor Ed Murray transmitted his plan to implement the voter-approved Seattle Preschool Program to the city council.

The implementation plan provides details about how the preschool program will be rolled out, and how it will work toward meeting its goal of closing the achievement gap for Seattle’s youngest learners.

“Included in this implementation plan are the key ingredients to creating a successful program that will make a difference in the lives of young children and their families across our city,” said Murray. “With the plan’s focus on quality, we’re working to ensure that the children participating in the Seattle Preschool Program will be ready for school and have the foundation to succeed in school and life.”

To form the plan, the Department of Education and Early Learning conducted significant community outreach - holding seven meetings across the city and conducting online surveys in order to gather community priorities and values on key issues.