January 2016

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Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206.937.7169
All winter jackets and coats are reduced 40% starting Jan. 11 and with winter weather continuing, you won't want to overlook this sale. Also, our Book Blowout starts Jan. 17 and all hard cover books are half price so grab a stack books start reading! Check the white board at the counter for unadvertised specials and stop by our Antique, Vintage and Collectibles shelves. When you shop, donate and volunteer with us, you help us in our commitment to fund a cure for cancer. 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.

Registration Open for West Seattle Baseball

information from King County Metro Transit

Sunday night and into the morning commute, transit service in King County may be affected by snow or ice.

information from West Seattle Hi-Yu

The first Hi-Yu meeting of the new year is on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016 at 7 pm at Admiral church.

This is the meeting where were see the ideas for the new year's theme and float design and vote on it, so it is an important meeting for everyone to addend.

Both the Senior court and Junior court members and other Hi-Yu members have drawn pictures of their ideas and constructed shoe box "floats" in the past years.

Each paid up Hi-Yu member and the courts and Ambassadors will all have a vote in selecting the theme and design for 2016. It is a fun event and the ideas help develop the final float design and button for the new year.

Everyone is encouraged to offer suggestions. We hope you will come prepared to offer your ideas.

Individual Hi-Yu memberships are $20. for the fiscal year which is from October 1st to September 30th of each year. Parents and friends are invited join Hi-Yu and join the fun.

Coming up on January 10 (Sunday) is something that's both very healthy and unusual. It's a class called Fermenting 101 put on by brand new Seattle company called the Field Trip Society. The class seeks to answer the question of 'why are fermented foods so good for us?'

Fermented foods are those put through a process of lactofermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics. Studies have shown that probiotics have beneficial effects on digestion.

By Peggy Sturdivant

One of my most faithful readers won’t want to read this column--because it’s about her. Until two days before Christmas 2015 Gerry Hansen and I had never met. We’d been exchanging written words; mine were delivered via Ballard News-Tribune subscription and hers in postmarked envelopes.

This year along with a holiday card Hansen had typed up comments and memories inspired by my columns over the last 12 months. A writer can’t receive a greater gift, at least in this household, than a response from a thoughtful reader.

I couldn’t properly respond to the hand typed letter so I decided to use the return address to cross-reference the white pages so I could call and meet Miss Gerry Hansen. Two weeks later I pulled up in front of a trim house in East Ballard and offered my chilled hand to the tall woman who met me at her door. Two-and-a-half hours later we parted with a hug instead.

Monday January 4 Lisa Herbold will be sworn in as the first Councilmember to District 1 during the inauguration ceremony at City Hall starting at 1pm.

But it was a victory delayed as the recount in the election meant an election night party was not to be.

Herbold had been urged by her supporters to celebrate her victory and now it will happen she said in a letter:

"Please join me for a final campaign wrap up! Since we had inconclusive results on election night and a recount a full month later, many of you have insisted that a final celebration is now in order. I wholeheartedly agree and hope that you can join me."

When: 5:00pm January 4, 2016
Where: Chelan Café, 3527 Chelan Ave SW

Once sworn in you can follow her on the City Council site here
http://www.seattle.gov/council/herbold/

The 2016 Alki Beach Polar Bear Plunge was well attended, as usual with as estimated 600 plus brave souls who showed up to prance quickly into the 50 degree water, which as organizer Mark Ufkes pointed out was actually warmer than the 31 degree air temperature. "It's gonna feel good! You'll see!" He shouted to the crowd.

Typically, and likely because so many were scantily clad, the rush to the water's edge happens in the last few minutes before the plunge and this year was no different as the 300 or so early birds on the beach were quickly joined by at least twice as many as the 10 o'clock deadline approached.

After a 10 second countdown, couples, individuals. organizations, and a few dogs all rushed into Puget Sound, splashed about (a few actually immersed themselves) and several tried swimming), and then 10 to 15 seconds later they were out and headed for a towel and some hot chowder provided by Duke's Restaurant.

Ufkes said, "It's always great to be here. We have everything to celebrate in the new year," adding that he is hoping for "peace and prosperity."