June 2016

By Amanda Knox

Dawndra Budd’s photography is like a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. She captures dark, whimsical scenes that are rich with symbolism, and within those scenes, ethereal protagonists: Ophelia drowned in a bird’s nest brimming with milk; Pandora curled up sleeping in a suitcase; a pensive debutante looking out over the sea; the White Lady obliterated by smoke, haunting a farmhouse.

What will Dawndra make of me?

I felt a twinge of nervousness at the prospect of entrusting my physical form to the vision of a stranger. But I also felt a twinge of nostalgia. My friend Madison often used to use me as a model in her photography projects. She also tended to have something elaborate in mind, involving costumes, props and, occasionally, some yoga prowess. Madison photographed me playing musical instruments on the roof of her apartment building, contorted into the crannies of a neighboring apartment undergoing renovation, asleep over a game of Scrabble in a deserted intersection in the middle of the night, to name just a few.

by Pat Cashman
“Get over yourself. Not everyone wants to be you.”

“When the center of the universe is discovered, a lot of people are going to be surprised it’s not them.”

“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized that they seldom do.”

Those are just a few of the withering quotes I found regarding self. That last one was from Eleanor Roosevelt. I wonder what she would think about the exponential speed in which a relatively new form of human self-admiration is growing.
In just the time it takes you to finish reading this sentence---approximately a gazillion phone photos will be taken in the Puget Sound. Some of them will be of family gatherings. Some will be of kittens, puppies---and maybe a horned toad or two. Far too many will be of restaurant food---from Canlis to Dick’s.
But most will be taken by a person…of their self.
If so-called selfie photography were an epidemic right now, we would be in the midst of a worldwide black plague. Where did this all start?

                                                                                                                
by Georgie Bright Kunkel
 
        The Hebrew  Bible states that the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates River was promised by God to Abraham
and his descendants. My interest in all this came about after I recently viewed an old film about this time in history. I got to thinking about
the Puget Sound region with its beauty and temperate climate. How fortunate am I to have been born into this wonderful part of the world.
Television brings views of war torn countries with famine and pestilence plaguing the population. But here I am in the best place in the world I
could have chosen to live my life.
        West Seattle is still neighborhood friendly so I still know most of my close neighbors. In fact we will soon gather for a neighborhood meeting.
The one who has taken over planning this neighborhood meeting has young children.  She brought two of her little ones over to visit recently and they

by Lindsay Peyton
Passions were running high at tonight’s city council meeting in Burien.

A number of animal owners holding signs in support of Burien Community Animal Resource and Education Society (CARES) were in the audience – and several stepped up to the microphone to voice their concerns about discontinuing the services of the current animal control provider.

The local animal shelter was a hot topic on the agenda during the council’s regular meeting, held at 7 p.m. in the City Hall building, 400 SW 152nd St. in Burien Town Square.

The city council moved the last item of its business agenda – a discussion of provider options for animal control – to the top of the list.

Council members were considering terminating the city’s contract with CARES, a local organization, and using the Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) instead.

During the public comment session, Burien residents relayed their concerns over increased costs associated with the county’s proposed contract.

Crowds gathered on closed streets and sidewalks at Ballard Avenue N.W. and 20th Avenue N.W., spilling out of bars, restaurants and cycle shops to catch the 23rd annual Criterium in Ballard on June 4.

Hundreds of people gathered to witness what’s commonly called the "The Ballard Crit" when hundreds of riders sprint at face-theft speeds on the bumpy streets of Ballard – all for the glory of course and a little cash.

The course is a four-corner, one kilometer gauntlet on bumpy city streets “with a very slight side hill,” and ran from at Ballard Avenue N.W. and 20th Avenue N.W. to a descent on Vernon Place onto Shilshole then to Dock Street and back up Ballard Avenue.

Racers are fast, aggressive and push peddles across the knotty cobblestone of Ballard Avenue and Dock Street; a place where one spectator said “all the action” takes place. By action, he meant a “yard sale” of carbon fiber frames, wheels, limbs and screams.

Luckily, there were no pile-ups this year and no injuries to speak of, but that didn’t deter spectators from congesting that area hoping to “see something” as woman with a camera said.

he Ballard High Fiddlers will play at their 3rd annual FIDDLE SHOWCASE on THURSDAY, JUNE 9TH at 6:30pm at Ballard Homestead (6541 Jones Ave NW). The Ballard Fiddlers will be joined by the award-winning Blues duet of Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons, and the Rain City Ramblers.

Wear your dancing shoes!!! That's right, enjoy the concert, stay on for some square dancing. No experience is necessary and all dances will be taught by a guest caller backed by the music of the Ballard Fiddlers.
This is a special annual event that features this group playing traditional tunes with a bluegrass bent. They are directed by Brittany Newell and are part of the orchestra program and concerts, but this night is theirs alone and the foot-tapping music and down-home fun is infectious.

Tickets are $6 for students, $7 for adult advance purchases, $10 at the door. http://fremontabbey.org/june9ballard/

Even though we can't save the viaduct, we can save our spectacular view. Initiative 123 locates our downtown waterfront park promenade up where the best view is, where the most beauty is, where the greatest value and public benefit is and where the most people will be attracted to visit.

The SDOT plan for the downtown waterfront locates the wide park promenade down on the street level of Alaskan Way between the freight route arterial and the touristy amusements on the piers where views are very limited and the tone is decidedly commercial. The commercial uses there are very seasonal so a big wide boardwalk there will be extremely hard to program and will be empty much of the year as it is now, but bigger.

Initiative 123 puts the promenade up where the view is on a brand new garden bridge. It's peacefully above the traffic where you can see over the piers to the spectacular Northwest territorial view of the mountains and Elliott Bay on one side and the entire downtown skyline on the other. Alaskan Way Elevated Park would be an inspiring and elegant park promenade with spectacular views and acres of gardens.

The two-day, all ages and free community celebration, The Ballard SeafoodFest, announces an all-new lineup for the 2016 event. Featured are local legends and up and coming favorites. Ballard comes alive from July 9 and 10 to serve the best community event of the year. Enjoy live music and all the seafood you can eat at the Ballard SeafoodFest.

Headlining the 2016 Ballard SeafoodFest is local grunge legend, Mudhoney, headed by the infamous Mark Arm, Steve Turner, Dan Peters and Guy Maddison. Notable alternative duo, Helio Sequence, will also deliver their kinetic energy to the stage with their nu-wave, northwest sound.

Full Lineup:

July 9, 1pm to 10pm
Mudhoney
Helio Sequence
Smokey Brights
Maszer
Wild Powwers
The Pro & The Con
July 10, noon to 9pm
Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme
Polyrhythmics
Fly Moon Royalty
Polecat
Rabbit Wilde
School of Rock

information from FEMA

Emergency Operations and Coordination Centers (EOC) at all levels of government and the private sector in Washington, Oregon and Idaho will activate June 7-10 as part of ‘Cascadia Rising,’ a national level exercise that will simulate a 9.0 Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and tsunami along the Washington and Oregon coast. Thousands of people, including military personnel, will participate to test a joint response to one of the most complex disaster scenarios facing the Pacific Northwest.

“A 9.0 Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake will be a disaster unlike anyone has ever seen,” said Ken Murphy, Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 10. “Cascadia Rising will test our own preparedness. It is exercises like this, ahead of a disaster, that foster coordination and help build relationships before a real world event occurs.”

Dear Mr. Ken Robinson,

The purpose of this letter is to add my voice to those who support Washington State adopting a progressive state income tax. I am a math teacher and author for the Transition 2030 research project. Today the project has two websites: www.future4washington.webs.com and www.transition2030.webs.com. The first website is a presentation in favor of a progressive state income tax.

The Washington State Treasurer’s Office publishes a report each year called the Debt Affordability Study. This report shows that the State of Washington is currently over $20 billion in debt. Each year the Legislature passes a “balanced budget.” However this budget is “balanced” by borrowing money.

Currently forty-three states place an income tax on individuals. Forty- seven states place an income tax on corporations. One feature of a state income tax is that both individual and corporate state income taxes are deductible from Federal income taxes. In fact, there is no cost or “financial burden” associated with a progressive state income tax to individuals or corporations.