September 2016

Friends of employees at the Ballard Walgreens are voicing concern for their friends’ safety after yet another threatening shoplifting incident on August 30.

According to Detective Patrick Michaud of Seattle Police, a male suspect and a woman were asked to leave the store after being observed shoplifting. They left but the male returned, charged an employee and knocked over a wine rack. The employee was not injured. Later police arrested the man after someone reported a male matching his description was arguing with a woman in a van some blocks away. He was booked for investigation of burglary at King County Jail.

Two weeks ago the Ballard News-Tribune reported that a local woman, Janet Calkins, urged Walgreens to assign a security guard at the store. She was especially adamant about this after last July when there was an armed robbery at the store. A suspect armed with a baseball bat threatened employees and then made off with prescription narcotics. The BNT covered the incident, and Walgreens would not reveal details about their security policy or whether they intend to implement a security officer.

Update: Arne has been found.

Original post:

Arne Hansen was reported missing on September 3. He was last seen in Ballard on 24th Avenue N.W. and N.W. 58th Street. He was wearing blue jeans and a green sweatshirt.

Please call the police or 206-604-2463 if you see Arne.

Bringing in Ballard Friday night socials connect newcomers to long-time residents to support bonds with each other and to this unique and delightful corner of the city. Each event includes potluck, speakers, crafts and opportunities to socialize and learn.

The next Bringing in Ballard event is Meet Your Ride: Getting from Here to There, on Friday, September 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Cheryl Chow Court at 2014 NW 57th St in downtown Ballard. Seattle’s lead bridge tender will share experiences from the bridge towers. Hiram Chittendon Locks staff will explain how they get all those boats between Puget Sound and Lake Union. Participants can test ride one of three models of electric bikes from Rad Power Bikes to experience other fun and sustainable ways to travel. Confused about the Missing Link on the Burke Gilman, Neighborhood Greenways, or SEVA Electric Vehicles? Learn more from several organizations including Cascade Bicycle Club.

The event is free, but participants are asked to bring something for the potluck, along with canned or packaged food for the Ballard Food Bank.

For the next few weeks, Seattle Public Utilities’ contractor will install curb cuts along 26th Avenue Northwest to allow stormwater to flow into the roadside rain gardens. The contractor will also fill the roadside rain gardens with bioretention soil and mulch and conduct flow testing to make sure they are draining properly.

26TH AVENUE NW and NW 80th STREET INTERSECTION WORK PLANNED THIS WEEKEND
From 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, through Monday, Sept. 12 at 5 a.m., the intersection of 26th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 80th Street will be closed for street improvement work. The contractor will be removing and replacing concrete street panels in addition to installing new curb bulbs, ADA curb ramps and sidewalks.

What you need to know:
· Traffic will be detoured around the work site along 32nd Avenue Northwest, Northwest 85th Street, and 24th Avenue Northwest. The approved traffic plan requires vehicles traveling on arterial streets to detour on arterials streets. Please pay attention to traffic and parking signs.

· Pedestrian access will be maintained, but people should use caution.

BNT Staff

The recent article about Samira Othman being fired from Safeway for trying to stop a vandal and shoplifter after she had worked there for 12 years stirred the Ballard News-Tribune readership. Comments were posted in the BNT website and others were sent to the office. Overwhelmingly the comments were across the board with support and criticism for Othman and Safeway’s actions. Here are some of the comments the BNT received.

By Pat Cashman

Remember that universal schoolroom nightmare?

It is the one where you show up for class one morning---and discover you have forgotten to wear any clothes. Of course once you awaken, you realize the dream is absurd. Unless you are Tim Kosebud, my long ago fourth grade classmate.

He arrived at St. Francis elementary one wintry day---and while taking off his long overcoat ---discovered he had somehow forgotten to don a pair of pants. Since St. Francis was a parochial catholic school, Kosebud was definitely not wearing the recommended uniform. A furtive call to his mother saved the day---as she soon arrived with his pair of salt-and-pepper corduroy pants.
(A few years later, Tim got himself into trouble again when he tried to sneak beer into school---and it wasn’t even good beer. Very flat. At least the nun who taught our class said so.)

I remembered episodes like those a couple of weeks ago at the 80th anniversary commemoration of that school in Bend, Oregon. Given the honor of emceeing the event, I took some time to think back on old school days, classmates and teachers. Even old food.

By Amanda Knox

I may be the oldest of all my siblings and cousins, but it’s not super often that I get to whip out my big-sister powers. Deanna’s just way better at it. She knows how to do hair and makeup, likes to go shopping at the mall, is good at keeping secrets, and isn’t insufferably analytical about everything, especially when you just want to be heard. Me, well…I’m good at helping out with homework assignments.

Sick woman’s home burglarized

The sister of a woman on medical leave discovered that her sister’s home located on the 300 block of N.W. 75th Street was burglarized on Aug. 20. The sister was checking in on things while her sister was away. When viewing the house she discovered drawers of the master bedroom were pulled out. The door to the bedroom that led outside was smashed in. Police discovered that the two floors the suspect had access to were thoroughly scoured. There were pillowcases missing as well, which indicated to police that the suspect may have used them to carry property away from the house. The sister could not discern what was taken. Police did not recover any fingerprints at the scene.

Dispute over dog boils over at convenient store in Ballard

Burien’s annual celebration of healthy living will be held at downtown Burien’s Town Square Park on Saturday, September 17th from 10am-3pm. Healthy activities for your mind, body and spirit will be the prescription of the day at this FREE community event.

You are invited to join leading health care and wellness professionals from our community as they share some of the best information available for how we can all live our healthiest and best lives. This annual event provides a terrific opportunity to learn about the newest best-practices in health care. You can also improve your general well-being with free health screenings, free samples, physical fitness information and much more. The first 250 people who attend the Wellness Fair also receive a free gift!

This year, the fair will team up with CrossFit Burien for a “CrossFit Throwdown” competition where teams will compete for a chance to be named Throwdown Champion. In between Throwdown competition there will be helpful and healthy demonstrations on the stage.

Ruth Eide Nelson went to be with Jesus on August 28, 2016. Born on June 20, 1928, in Anaconda, Montana, to Norwegian immigrant John Eide and Swedish-descended Mary Eastman Eide, Ruth was raised with her 3 younger brothers to love God and people.  With greatest love and honor, she is remembered by her husband of nearly 66 years, Dr. Eldred L. Nelson of Des Moines, WA, as well as her son Paul (Lehann) Nelson of Enumclaw, WA, her daughter Victoria (Charles) Meissner of Federal Way, WA, her daughter Starla (Chris) Poeschl of Brunn am Gebirge, Austria, as well as 11 grandchildren and brothers Charles and David Eide.

Services will be held Saturday, September 10, 2016, at 1:00 PM at Brooklake Church, 629 S. 356th St., Federal Way, WA.

Published in the Highline Times 9.9.16