November 2015

To the editor:

I wanted to share my experience with Varied Thrush since I didn’t know the bird either until it was in my garden a few years ago. I live in the woods of cedar trees, hemlock, dogwood, rhododendrons southwest of SeaTac Airport. It had snowed some years ago and was melting off after several days of snow on the ground. And there on the ground picking up whatever black bits that had fallen on the melting snow under the trees was a varied thrush. I understood it lived in the mountains generally, but came down during the winter sometimes. Ever since, of course I know and recognize this lovely bird.

Merry Ann

Door kicked in, till money taken

A business residing on the 300 block of N.W. 85th Street was burglarized on Nov. 12. The business owner told police that he locked up the night before, and when he came to work the following day the main door to the business had been kicked in. The business shares the same building as other businesses and the door was off a main hallway. The business owner said that the cash register had been disturbed and $200 was missing from the till. Officers were unable to recover any fingerprints, and there was no security footage of the incident. The estimated loss, including damage to the door, is believed to be $600.

Man looses MacBook Pro; suspect confused about umbrella

By Sarah Cecil column

As 2014 draws to a close, you may want to look back on the progress you’ve made this past year in various areas of your life — and that certainly includes progress toward your financial goals. At the same time, you may want to make some end-of-year moves that can close out 2014 on a positive note while paving the way for a productive 2015.

Here are a few such moves to consider:

• Boost your retirement plan contributions. This actually isn’t an “end-of-year” move because you have until April 15, 2015, to contribute to your Roth or Traditional IRA for the 2014 tax year. Nonetheless, the sooner you get extra dollars working for you in your IRA, the better. You can put in up to $5,500 to your IRA (or $6,500 if you’re 50 or older) for 2014. If you are self-employed, or run a small business, you also have until April 15 to contribute to a retirement account, such as a SEP IRA or a SIMPLE plan. In addition to helping you build resources for retirement, these types of plans can offer you some tax advantages —  so if you haven’t established a retirement plan yet, consult with your financial and tax professionals 

Groundswell NW has been awarded a Neighborhoods Park and Street Fund grant for $86,800 to fund a new community space in the intersection at 17th Ave NW and NW Dock St.

As part of the new Greenway along 17th Ave NW, the intersection was reconfigured, freeing up pavement to be turned into a new park space.

Groundswell NW is working with our neighbors to determine how best to facilitate the design, stewardship, and activation of this space and invite you to our first meeting on Dec 6 from 4-6pm at Swedish Hospital to bring together members of the community interested in being a part of this great opportunity.

If you’ve never heard of a method of cooking called Sous-Vide (pronounced Sue Veed) it’s not surprising. It’s unusual and commonly found only in high end gourmet restaurants such as the Herbfarm and Canlis. But Jacques Nawar, owner of Pizzeria Credo in the West Seattle Junction is aiming to change that.

Sous-Vide is a cooking method that involves preparing meats, eggs or vegetables and seasonings in a specially made pouches, from which the air has been removed, and then immersing them in a temperature controlled water bath (less than boiling) for longer than normal cooking times. Sous-Vide bags can cook for example at 131 to 140 degrees for many hours, in some cases as long as 96 hours.

The result is food infused with deep flavor, that is tender and evenly cooked.
Food safety of course is important.

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206.937.7169
From Dec. 2 on we'll be featuring varied selections of fine bone china teacups and saucers filled with holiday goodies. We still have wonderful one of a kind treasures to meet the needs of your gift lists, your home decor and your own holiday preparations. Starting Dec. 2, all items with pink tags are half price. Check our antique, vintage and collectible shelves and check the white board for unadvertised specials. The Shop will close Dec. 10, 1 p.m. for our annual party to honor our volunteers. The all volunteer run nonprofit American Cancer Society Shop regular hours are: Sun., 11–3 p.m.; Mon.–Sat., 10–4:30 p.m. www.discoveryshopwestseattle.org / LIKE us on Facebook

Holiday Toy Drive to Benefit Mary’s Place
Cupcake Royale
4556 California Ave. S.W.

The City of Seattle will pay West Seattle caregiver Mary Park $100,000 to settle a federal civil-rights claim against the Seattle Police Department and a detective who accused her of stealing $50,000 from an elderly woman.

The West Seattle Herald first reported the accusations in 2012 and also reported that charges were quickly dropped Oct. 18, 2012.

The original story stemmed from claims made by the daughter of the woman who ostensibly lost the $50,000.

Mary Park also settled a defamation suit against, Judy Townsend, the woman who accused her. The amount of the settlement was not revealed.

Park had been accused of stealing $50,000 in cash the elderly woman kept in her condo.

The case was rife with wrong charges, imagined misappropriation of funds and corroboration by the Seattle Police Department.

from May 15, 2008
By Pat Cashman

A few years ago, my wife and I were given the task of selling her parents’ home since they had moved out to enjoy the greater ease of assisted living. But Bert, my wife’s dad, wasn’t keen on the idea at first. “I don’t want to be around a bunch of old people,” he declared. He said he preferred to hang out with younger folks---around 93 years of age like himself.

But with their house empty, Bert and his wife became intent on selling---so we met with a real estate agent to get things started. The agent seemed nice enough---except for his too eager smile and sweaty upper lip. Come to think of it, the lower lip was pretty sweaty too.

The house, nice but smallish, was valued at around $250,000. Bert wanted to set the price a bit higher at, say, $1.3 million. We found a compromise and got the process underway.

“Staging” a house is very big these days in real estate circles. It’s a good way of attracting potential customers---and creating what is known as “curb appeal.” Once you’ve got the curbs looking good, it’s time to move indoors.

By Amanda Knox

In sixth grade the best English teacher I’ve ever had—and the only one to ever make me cry—asked my class to memorize and recite Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” He may have thought it appropriate for us newly-middle-schoolers, just coming upon the crossroads of childhood and adolescence. I remember the poem striking me at the time more because it was the first time I was asked to consume and perform—alone and center stage—language. I did not immediately realize that the poem’s message was taking root. I’ve remembered it since, or at least, I’ve remembered the first stanza:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

by Kyle Kelley

Crimes reported between Nov. 22 and Nov. 29
Burglaries by block: ​37th block of 34th Ave. S.W., 50th block of S.W. Hudson St., 59th block of 31st Ave. S.W.,80th block of 46th Ave. S.W.

Car prowls by block: ​44th block of 38th Ave. S.W., 48th block of California Ave. S.W., 52nd block of California Ave. S.W., 50th block of 37th Ave S.W., 59th block of 38th Ave. S.W., 60th block of 38th Ave. S.W., 42nd block of S.W. Morgan St., 65th block of 38th Ave. S.W., 35th block of S.W. Holly St., 65th block of 32nd Ave. S.W., 67th block of 41st. Ave S.W., 70th block of 18th Ave. S.W.