September 2020

information from Western Washington University

Western Washington University alumna and Ballard resident Natalie Reeder was recognized as an outstanding graduate by university faculty. Each spring, every department at Western names a single graduating student as its Outstanding Graduate.  

Reeder graduated from Western in June with a bachelor's degree in general science for elementary education.  

At Western, Reeder served as the president of the WWU National Science Teaching Association student chapter and presented her work at the Washington Science Teachers Association conference. She served on Woodring College’s Equity and Diversity Community and co-created the Students for Public Education advocacy group. She also worked as a student teacher in a fifth grade class at Cascadia Elementary School in Ferndale, where she was recognized by other fifth-grade teachers in the district for her contributions to distance learning. 

Ballard Food Bank broke ground last Thursday for their new facility  at 1400 N.W. Leary Way. It will be a hub for basic needs and belonging.

Before COVID-19, the Ballard Food Bank building was already bursting at the seams. The pandemic has significantly increased demands for food and other basic resources. In February, 3,200 people visited the Food Bank or received food deliveries; by July, that number had swelled to more than 6,000. Needs are expected to increase as more of our neighbors struggle with losses of jobs and income.

BIG COMMUNITY IMPACT

The new 11,000 s.f. facility will be double the size of the current “Big Blue Building” on Leary Avenue. The Food Bank will be able to serve more communities, including Licton Springs through Bitter Lake and up to 145th Street, home to some of the most vulnerable populations in the region. We expect to serve up to 1,700 households per week by 2022.

By Jean Godden

My friend Charles Cross writes best-selling biographies. Most celebrate rock stars like Kurt Cobain ("Heavier Than Heaven") and Jimi Hendrix ("Room Full of Mirrors"). Along with readers of his best sellers, I prize Charley's vivid story telling.

Well known West Seattle psychic Marc Lainhart is predicting a win for Joe Biden in the Presidential election.

Whether you believe in metaphysical matters or not, Lainhart is an interesting man. Westside Seatttle profiled him in 2017 

At that time he predicted some kind natural disaster might happen in 2019-2020 and it while it wasn't an earthquake, the failure of the West Seattle Bridge might come close to making that prediction feel valid.

He has strong feelings about the Presidential election.

"The numbers/astrology/intuition show a big win for Biden in both popular and electoral college. The problem may be Trump trying to stop the election and we may be faced with our first military coup d'etat or a reaction from those on the right who want a 2nd Civil War." 

District 1 City Councilmember Lisa Herbold announced via her newsletter that she will be holding a Town Hall meeting Sept. 30

On September 30, I will co-host a District 1 Town Hall on public safety and the West Seattle Bridge, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

SPD Chief Diaz and SW Precinct Captain Grossman will be attending, along with SDOT Director Zimbabwe. There will also be a representative from LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) to talk about the expansion of the program to the SW Precinct.

The first hour will be on public safety, and the second hour will be on the West Seattle Bridge. There will be plenty of time for questions on each topic.

You can RVSP below; later in the day Tuesday we’ll e-mail information to the RSVP list about how to participate in the Q&A, and view the town hall.

District 1 City Councilmember Lisa Herbold shared her views on the recent veto override vote on the 2020 rebalancing budget for the City of Seattle.

At a Special Council meeting on Tuesday September 22nd, I joined most of my colleagues in overriding the Mayor’s veto of Council's approved 2020 rebalancing budget.  My vote was not taken lightly. I had participated in conversations about an alternate bill, in the hopes of coming to agreement with the Executive. However, the Executive’s offer did not make either the important investments nor targeted, strategic changes to the 2020 budget that Council made through CB 119825.

Metro will resume charging fares on Thursday, October 1.

During the two weekends of Sept. 26-27 and Oct. 10-11, weather depending, our crews will be repaving a section of Olson Pl SW and 1st Ave S at the intersection with Myers Way S. Olson Pl SW will be repaved at the intersection, and the southbound lane of 1st Ave S will be repaved just north of the intersection.

SDOT crews will be repaving this section of Olson Pl SW and 1st Ave S the weekends of Sept. 26-27 and Oct. 10-11

Expect traffic impacts the weekends of Sept. 26-27 and Oct. 10-11 for this work. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction during paving. Work will start in the early morning hours to open the travel lanes back up in the early afternoon both days. A noise variance will be issued to complete the paving.

information from Seattle Parks and Recreation

Seattle Parks and Recreation will begin construction of the Duwamish Waterway Park Improvements at 7900 10th Ave S in South Park in October 2020. SPR purchased the1.3-acre site from King County after a community-led process to make the property a permanent neighborhood riverfront park. Working with the Seattle Parks Foundation, the Friends of Duwamish Waterway Park raised over $1 million for park improvements and catalyzed the renovation effort.