News

Parking woes be gone! Hotel Ballard offers cheap spots in garage

bryanz — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:48:30 +0000

Press release from Hotel Ballard

Driving around the block looking for a parking space is now a thing of the past in Ballard with the opening of a new underground parking lot located beneath the Hotel, with more than 50 available spaces for the public, 24 hours a day. The entrance to the lot is behind the Hotel, on 20th Avenue, between Ballard Avenue and Leary Way, just around the corner from the Olympic Athletic Club.

“We were thrilled to be able to open the garage to the neighborhood. With all of the new restaurants and other businesses in the area, it can be challenging to find a parking space at times,” said Olympic Athletic Club, Hotel Ballard and Ballard Inn owner James Riggle. “We know that this lot offers people a chance to make their visit to Ballard that much more time-efficient and pleasant.”

An elevator takes you to the lobby of the hotel, with easy access to access to Ballard Avenue. Payment methods accepted include Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express and guests must pre-pay upon entering the lot.

Parking rates for Hotel Ballard’s lot are $1 for up to 1 hour, $2 for 1 to 2 hours, $3 for 2 to 3 hours, $4 for 3 to 4 hours and $10 for 4-10 hours. Olympic Athletic Club members receive a discount of $2 and all drivers must pay in advance.

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Remembering Gene, local barbershop owner, prankster

bryanz — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:26:34 +0000

By Elizabeth Wang

If you’ve ever walked down Northwest 65th Street and tried (but failed) to pick up a Super Glued quarter from the sidewalk, you’ve been prey to one of Gene’s practical jokes.

Owner of the Sunset Hill Barbershop, Marion Eugene “Gene” George passed away on April 30. He was 74.

After opening his shop in Ballard in 1981, Gene quickly became known for passing out Pup-Peronis to dogs, handing out gumballs to children and, most notably, dealing out pranks to anyone who would fall for them.

“Everyone had a story about Gene. … Always a prankster, always joking around,” said Billy Higgins, one of Gene’s long-time customers. “He always had a story to tell.”

Higgins, now 22, had gotten his hair cut by Gene since he was only four years old. As a college student, he was never charged once.

When Higgins was off in Spokane attending Gonzaga University, he would sometimes lose touch with his hometown. But the minute he returned to the barbershop, Gene would fill him in on what he had missed.

“When you went to him to get a haircut, you weren’t just getting a haircut,” Higgins said. “You were getting the pleasure of his company for however long it took. He always made it totally worth it.”

Gene had looked forward to celebrating Halloween every year, and his barbershop always drew the biggest trick-or-treating crowd. Gene’s secret was handing out full-size candy bars to the children, while offering a variety of multi-flavored Jell-O shots to the adults.

“My dad loved life. He loved children and he loved dogs,” said Connie Smith, Gene’s only daughter.

Gene married his late wife, Gail Rogers in 1958. They had Connie in 1962, who Gene adored and who was said to be the pride and joy of his life. That is, until Connie’s son, Chase, came into the picture.

“Everyone in the community knew,” Higgins said. “(Gene) always had something to say about what his grandson was doing.”

Gene attended countless of Chase’s wrestling tournaments. It was said that every time he looked at Chase, he would get that all-too-well-known ear-to-ear grin.

Donna Williams had worked by Gene’s side for 20 years. She had met him in the early ‘90s when she managed the 7-Eleven by the Ballard Locks. Gene would come in every morning and buy Lottery tickets and, eventually, they became good friends.

When Williams was considering a career change, Gene convinced her to attend barber training. In 1994, she joined Gene at the barbershop.

“He loved people,” Williams said. “He would never have wanted to be anything else but a barber.”

Though she is the current owner of Sunset Hill Barbershop, Williams said she doesn’t feel blessed to take in such good fortune. Rather, she sees it as a sign to continue on Gene’s legacy for the community and others around her.

“Sometimes in life, things happen and maybe not for you,” she said. “This barbershop means a lot to a lot of people. He’s kind of an end of an era. To me, I feel like it’s still Gene’s shop. It will never feel like it’s mine, but I feel honored that I am able to try and stand in his shoes.”

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How does Ballard stack up in residential burglaries?

bryanz — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:36:38 +0000

Every week we pull police reports from the Seattle Police Department, and without fail, there are always multiple instances of burglaries in the Ballard area. It has some neighbors crying out that the neighborhood has, excuse the language, gone to hell in a handbasket. But how does Ballard really stack up in burglary ratios compared to the rest of the city?

The Seattle P-I put together a nifty slideshow detailing the top 52 neighborhoods in burglaries. While Ballard isn't No. 1 on the list -- that honor goes to the Laurelhurst/View Ridge area in the L3 beat with 722 residential burglaries in the past five years -- it might be fair to say that we get an honorable mention.

Here's the breakdown of the Ballard neighborhoods that made the list. You can correlate the them with the precinct map above.

35. N2: This Greenwood-neighborhood beat saw 225 residential burglaries reported in the past five years.
33. N3: This Northgate-neighborhood beat saw 252 residential burglaries reported in the past five years.
31. J2: This Ballard beat (Ballard Ave, industrial Ballard, Frelard) saw 268 residential burglaries reported in the past five years.
30 B2: This Ballard beat (Sunset Hill, Central Ballard) saw 274 residential burglaries reported in the past five years.
21. B3: This Ballard beat (East Ballard) saw 346 residential burglaries reported in the past five years.
5. B1: This Northwest Seattle beat (Crown Hill, Loyal Heights, Blue ridge and beyond) saw 551 residential burglaries reported in the past five years.

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Greenwood Sip and Ship moving to new location

bryanz — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:54:27 +0000

After successfully completing a five year lease at 8560 Greenwood Avenue North, Sip and Ship's second location (Ballard Sip and Ship is nearly 11 years old), Greenwood Sip and Ship has found a new home at 7511 Greenwood Avenue North.

"It is a much smaller space and cozier, and easier for customers to access," says Sip and Ship Owner Stephen Naramore. "Our primary focus was to find a location that would allow us to remain in the Greenwood neighborhood and service the growing corridor toward Phinney Ridge, we feel this location does just that. We can't express how excited we all are about this new move and look forward to reintroducing Greenwood Sip and Ship by opening its doors around July 15, 2013."

Until then, both 8560 and 7511 locations will be under construction. Beginning this Monday, June 17th, 8560 will be mindfully deconstructed over the next month. First, the mailboxes will be moved and then the shipping counters, and finally, the cafe will begin its shift to 7511. All Sip and Ship services will be available, albeit on a smaller scale.

Naramore emphasized, "We will continue running all our services until the final point when we will need to unplug 8560 and plug into 7511. The aim is to make this transition go as smoothly as possible for our customers, and we plan to keep them informed along the way via Sip and Ship Facebook, website, blog, Twitter, and of course in person."

Finally, when all the dust settles, Greenwood Sip and Ship will continue to proudly serve the Greenwood/Phinney neighborhood -- a strong community that has supported and helped to grow this small family-owned business over the last five years - looking forward to many more years together.

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Neighbors can apply for funds to help celebrate Night Out

bryanz — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:42:52 +0000

From Seattle Police Department

On August 6, 2013 Seattle neighborhoods will celebrate the annual Night Out event. If your neighborhood plans to participate, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has a fund available to support your Night Out event and activities.

The Small Sparks Fund provides matching dollars for neighborhood-initiated projects that promote community engagement. Community groups can request up to $1,000.00 to help fund Night Out planning and activities such as outreach efforts, educational fairs, youth concerts, bike parades, neighborhood cleanups, and entertainment, to name a few.

The deadline for applications is July 8th, but you must register to apply by July 1.

For information and the application process, visit www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/smallsparks.htm or call 206-733- 9916.
The Small Sparks Fund is open for applications year-round.

Night Out is a national crime prevention event designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts, and unite communities.

To learn more about Night Out, visit www.seattle.gov/police/Nightout/default.htm.

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Fred is dead

bryanz — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:57:36 +0000

A car shooting up into flames is generally not a good thing for anyone.

For the owners of the car that burned up last night on 65th Ave NW across from the Ballard High School, however, it's like twisting the knife after being stabbed.

The owners happen to be the former owners of Nellie's Coffee and Toast, Jeannette Meade and Todd McCallister, who are still in limbo after a questionable end of their lease with the Ballard Lockspot. While they have a lead on a new lease, they find themselves running out of money. One of their only hopes, an arrangement with their friend Ben at Benito's delivering pizzas, is dashed now that their car "Fred" is, well, dead.

Around 1 a.m. last night, McCallister moved his car to his parking spot on the street (which had been taken up by a car he didn't recognize) and went back into his home. It wasn't 10 or 15 minutes before he heard something like a door slam and he went outside to see his car in flames.

His first thought, he said, was "Water!" And then, disbelief. He tried to put it out with his water hose, but it wasn't until firefighters responded that the flames were effectively doused. While the Fire Department determined it to be an electrical problem that sparked the fire, McCallister wonders if it was premeditated. "Maybe I honked my horn at the wrong person," he joked.

The car itself was something to be in awe of. Not just any station wagon, Fred was a 1965 Volvo 122S, a triumphant visage of sleekness.

But today, the car today looked toast when the Ballard News-Tribune went out to the scene. Aluminum was melted, the outside charred, the seats nothing but springs and frames, glass from the windows drooping like the clocks from Salvador Dali's painting "The Persistence of Memory."

McCallister pointed at a few unrecognizable melted items: Little Hot Wheels cars that had been glued to his dashboard, Buffalo pennies that had been turned into buttons, a screwdriver and more.

If you know or saw anything, you can email Todd and Jeannette at nelliescoffee@gmail.com or call 911.

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Ballard District Council on June 12: Funding for traffic/ped improvements, Interbay zoning recommendations and more

bryanz — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:04:37 +0000

Ballard District Council takes place tonight (Wednesday, June 12) at the Ballard Branch Public Library, from 7 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. Depending on how our reporter feels (he's had a bit of a head cold) he might make an appearance.

Agenda

7:00 -- Introductions & Short Announcements - please hold announcements to not more than one min.

7:15 -- Briefing – Plan to develop approximately 1.5 acres of property by St Luke’s Episcopal Church located in downtown Ballard at 5700 22nd Ave NW, RC Laird (Vicar) & Darel Grouthaus – Project Manager

7:25 -- Update – Ballard to Downtown Transit Enhancement Project, Karen Waterman – Sound Transit & Michael James – Seattle DOT

7:45 -- 2013 NPSF (Neighborhood Park Street Fund)

Annually, the City of Seattle provides $1.25M citywide to fund small scale improvements to Seattle streets and parks. Each of Seattle’s 13 districts is provided approx $90K from this program to fund projects in their district. Proposals come from community groups and individuals. The 2013 funding cycle attracted five proposals in the Ballard district. At its meeting in March, the Ballard DC recommended three proposals which it forwarded to SDOT for further analysis. These three plus one other previously analyzed will be aligned in order of funding priority at this meeting via written ballot. Project evaluations have been shared with proponents as well as Ballard DC representatives.

Kirke Park Rain Garden – Estimated $71K
Pedestrian crossing improvement on 36 NW at NW 62 – Estimated $90K
Pedestrian crossing improvement NW Market at 11 NW – Estimated $52K
Pedestrian safety improvement Holman Rd at 13 NW – Estimated $90K

8:05 -- Neighborhood Streets Fund, Bridging the Gap Levy

The 2006 Bridging the Gap Levy provided nearly $300M to construct a host of transportation improvements in Seattle. One component of the levy is the NSF (Neighborhood Streets Fund). During the nine year life of the levy, three opportunities for citizens and community groups were provided through the NSF to suggest needed transportation improvements in their neighborhood. The last of these three $4.5M funding cycles occurs this year. SDOT received nine proposals from the Ballard district by the December 17, 2012 deadline.

At its meeting in January, Ballard DC selected three proposals to be evaluated by SDOT for further consideration. BDC will determine funding priority for these three proposals via written balloting among BDC member representatives.

Sidewalks 13 NW from Holman to NW 100 – Estimated $2.2M
Ped/traffic safety improvements – intersection of 3 NW at NW 56 – Estimated $300K
Sunset Hill Gateway – Estimated $120K

8:20 -- Staff Report, Rob Mattson
1. 2013 Neighborhood Matching Fund Large Project Fund
2. Parks Green Space Levy Opportunity Fund recommendations
3. Waste Management grants

8:25 -- Executive Committee Report, Catherine Weatbrook

1. Draft letter - Tolling the SR99 tunnel (draft letter will be distributed separately to BDC member representatives) Discussion and Vote
2. Draft letter - Preliminary recommendations - Interbay Zoning (draft letter will be distributed separately to BDC member representatives) Discussion and Vote
3. Update – Ballard CSO Control Project – Community Advisory Committee
4. City Hall candidate forum
5. Next meeting – July 10

8:40 -- Adjourn

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School Board Elections: Dean McColgan running for District 4

bryanz — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:35:41 +0000

Dean McColgan has entered the race for Seattle School Board representing District IV. He'll be running against Suzanne Dale Estey, an economic development consultant and Sue Peters, a writer and education activist.

District IV includes schools located in the Queen Anne, Magnolia and Ballard neighborhoods. “I’m running because I believe we owe our children the best educational opportunities possible and I would bring experience, passion and commitment to the role of School Board Director”, McColgan said

Dean served as Federal Way’s Mayor and City Council Member for eight years and feels the experience as an elected representative would benefit the parents and students who attend schools in District IV. Dean is currently the Director of Development for the Museum of Flight. He lives with his wife Linda who has worked for Boeing for the last 33 years and has two sons David and Christopher. David is a high school teacher in Federal Way and Christopher is an account executive with Living Social. Dean is a strong advocate for volunteerism and has spent the last 25 years as a youth baseball and soccer coach.

If elected, Dean said he "will work to encourage teachers to be innovative in the classroom and be part of solving some of our classroom challenges. I will focus on building a more rigorous STEM curriculum and work to build a higher standard of accountability into our district’s operations."

You can learn more about Dean at www.deanforseattleschools.org

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School’s out, summer’s in, so watch out for underage drinking

bryanz — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:00:57 +0000

As school gets out, the weather gets drier and warmer and summer rolls in, its time for parents to think about their children and what they do at night. With nothing better to do, underage drinking can run rampant.

Recently, the Ballard News-Tribune acted as a passenger in a police car. Sgt. Todd Kibbee, who has worked in the North Precinct for over 20 years and knows it like the back of his hand, showed the Tribune all of the common places that officers find underage and illegal drinking. Soundview Playfield, Sunset Hill Park, Golden Gardens and private beaches are all places that kids will congregate to drink and, in their perspective, have a good time.

At Golden Gardens especially, people seem to either ignore or are unaware that no alcohol is allowed, be it wine, beer or liquor, Kibbee said.

“That's the biggest rule in Golden Gardens that gets violated by people. Hopefully by this point everyone knows ‘No Alcohol,’” he said.

Still, someone who is over 21 and drinking modestly is not as big of a concern as kids who don’t know better and who can get themselves in a precarious situation.

“Any kid from say 14 to 18 has the potential to be expected to drink alcohol, either at a friend's house or a party. Parents should be proactive about knowing where their kids are,” Kibbee said.

Kibbee described one incident where police officers found three children not yet in their teens standing by themselves as their friend was drinking with a group of children. They had been dropped off by the friend’s mom at his request.

For Kibbee, sometimes its just common sense.

“If you're a parent and a kid asks you to drop him off at a park in the dark -- why would you do that?” he said.

It’s especially important for parents to play a role because the North Precinct can't spend all of its manpower looking for rambunctious kids. The area is too big, the patrol team to little and there are often higher priorities on the list. While riding in the car, new cases popped up at a furious rate and its up to officers to perform triage on giving attention to the most important ones.

Still, officers do what they can, though, routinely checking in on the common spots to drink and responding to calls. Fortunately, Kibbee said peoples’ habits don’t tend to change. Throughout his time, he finds that kids are drinking where their parents drank.

“Sometimes it feels like a whack-a-mole, you go to the parks and just try to tamp it,” Kibbee said, adding that there is no “rhyme or reason” to it -- kids might decide to drink on a Monday night or a Friday night. When it’s the summer time and they have no obligation or responsibility, typical drinking times don’t register for them.

He said that when they do catch any groups of underage drinkers, officers are not likely to make many arrests. "They're like rats off a sinking ship," he said, referring to how they scatter and scram as fast as possible.

While having a few drinks might seem innocent enough to some people, even if underage, Kibbee said that it could result in dangerous situations. Most crimes such as robberies and assaults are alcohol-fueled. Worse yet, a person driving under the influence can get into a bad crash.

"No parent wants that knock on the door and I don't want to be the one knocking."

Thankfully, Kibbee said they haven't had a case of a fatal underage DUI in a few years. "Knock on wood it stays like that for quite a few years," he said.

For underage drinkers, blowing a .02 on the breathalyzer is considered a DUI. Given the general inexperience and lighter bodies of youth, it is important to take drinking and driving seriously.

Moreover, Kibbee said that for every DUI they assess, two or three more cases of DUI happen unmitigated, making the roads more dangerous.

While Kibbee and his patrol officers continue doing their job, stopping and preventing cases of underage drinking when they can, he asks that parents also step up and do their part. Be aware and be assertive.

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Greenway Update: Construction progresses along NW 58th St

bryanz — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:23:07 +0000

Construction is progressing for the Ballard Greenways, which will make residential roads along NW 58th St safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. The Seattle Department of Transportation sent along the following note giving an update on the various projects taking place:

Speed Humps

Weather permitting construction starts mid-week to install 18 speed humps along the corridor. This work will have significant short-term on-street parking impacts. On-street parking must be restricted in the work zone during construction. Speed hump construction requires parking restrictions for a minimum of two days and may include additional time for prep. Construction notices will be delivered to impacted properties prior to work starting, as well as ‘no park’ signs placed.

We understand that on-street parking is in high demand and appreciate your patience while we make this safety improvement. Once complete, speed humps will not interfere with on-street parking, because it is okay to park over them.

Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons

The flashing beacons are on order and scheduled for installation at 24th Avenue NW this July.

Signs and Pavement Markings

Within the next couple of weeks you’ll start to notice crosswalk and crossbike stripping at 20th and 32th Avenue NW; painting, reflectors and signs around the partial diverter at 15th Avenue NW; and new 20 mph signs. The final piece of the project is to install wayfinding signs, stop signs, greenway signs and bicycle pavement markings. This work is currently scheduled to for late July.

Hopefully you have noticed the new ADA curb ramps, wider sidewalk at Seaview Avenue NW and new partial diverter at 15th Avenue NW in front of St Alphonsus School. Precision Cutting is also been busy making temporary sidewalk repairs. Project details can be found at www.seattle.gov/transportation/ballardgreenway.htm.

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Fender bender in front of St. Alphonsus Church

bryanz — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 01:58:28 +0000

If you were wondering what was slowing traffic along 15th, it was a car accident. What looks like a fender bender occurred out in front of the St. Alphonsus Church on NW 58th St and 15th Ave NW at approximately 6:12 p.m. An ambulance rolled right by the scene and a fire truck didn't respond until 6:25 p.m.

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The Skagit collapse -- Could it happen in Ballard?

bryanz — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:26:47 +0000

About two weeks ago, the I-5 Skagit Bridge suddenly collapsed when a truck with an oversized load struck a girder, setting off a frenzy of media speculation, political statements and general citizen worry.

The event has caused many to wonder aloud about the condition of the state’s overall road infrastructure, reigniting a political discussion that had become sleepy during the legislative session.

It also has residents from around the state, including here in Ballard, asking: Could it happen to our bridge?

After all, the Ballard Bridge and 15th Ave NW as a whole is one of the city’s busiest arterials, acting as a corridor for over 60,000 cars on an average weekday and an important road for freight and industry.

Thankfully, the Ballard Bridge is sturdy and not likely to have any such freak accident, according to Seattle Department of Transportation Roadway Structures Manager John Buswell, who helps overlook upkeep of the bridge. It certainly doesn’t have the same fracture critical point -- where being hit at one point can cause a whole span to collapse -- which proved to spell doom for the Skagit Bridge.

Still, Ballard Bridge isn’t perfect.

Built in 1917, after the completion of the Ship Canal and just a year after the Fremont Bridge was built, the Ballard Bridge still retains many of its original parts. The approach portion was replaced in 1939, 74 years ago. The machinery and electrical controls are some of the only new parts, only being 11 years old.

SDOT Spokesman Rick Sheridan says this means there are some age related deficiencies such as cracks in the concrete, but that overall the bridge is "sound and very safe." In a way, Ballard Bridge’s strength is a testament to its workmanship.

“If you look at the bridge today and if you were here in 1917 and got to see the bridge then, you would say, ‘That’s the same bridge,’” Buswell said.

That’s better than some of the city’s bridges. A report from the Seattle Department of Transportation suggests that Seattle's bridges have a backlog of about $1.8 million, with one in three bridges in such disrepair that they're candidates for replacement.

In a good/fair/poor ranking system, 59 percent of SDOT bridges are in "Good" condition, 36 percent are "Fair," and five percent are "Poor." Ballard Bridge falls in the “Fair” category.

SDOT has been taking measures to improve the Ballard Bridge.

Over the last couple of years, a new paint job has been completed, which helps prevent the steel from corroding. Since the Ballard Bridge is located near Shilshole Bay and Elliott Bay, saltspray can severely corrode the steel if it’s not taken care of, Buswell said. Like how leaving a hammer out overnight can cause it to be rusty and orange in the morning.

In addition, the Ballard Bridge is currently undergoing a seismic retrofit program, which became a priority after the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake rocked Seattle structures. The project, set to be completed in spring of 2014, will cost a total of $15.5 million.

“Its original design, although strong for the weight of vehicles and streetcar … from an earthquake perspective we knew we needed to invest in that,” Buswell said.

Buswell reassured that SDOT maintains their bridges to the highest of their ability, inspecting it once a year and even doing underwater inspections every five or so years, making sure to check out all of the key elements and that nothing wrong is happening.

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Ballard High film students nominated for Emmy awards

bryanz — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:27:43 +0000

From Ballard High School

The Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has announced nominees for the Northwest High School Awards of Excellence. These awards celebrate the most outstanding productions from five Northwest states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. Productions are nominated by a jury of NATAS industry professionals. Students from the Ballard High School Video Production Program earned eight nominations. The winners will be announced on June 15 at the 50th Annual Regional Emmy Awards ceremony.

Ballard’s nominations span four categories, reflecting the diverse skills students learn in the program. These are the nominations by category.

Community/Public Service Announcements:

Anti-Littering by Tristram Fetters, DJ McCoy & Sage Borlo

Not Even Once by Sam Baldwin, Paris Burhen, Brian Cropp & Gabriel Tagulao

Long-Form, Fiction:

The Godsend by DJ McCoy

Long-Form, Non-Fiction:

Impact by Kenton King, Jacob Scott & Mackenzie Wright

My Little Brony by Vann Fulfs, Taylor Martin & Bryan Quandt

Photographer/Editor:

Dream House by Ariahna Ghormley, Ana Krafchick & Louis Weissman

Nordic Heritage Museum by Julian Amrine & Joshua Vredevoogd

Sundown by Vann Fulfs, Bryan Quandt & Jacob Scott

This makes the seventh year in a row that Ballard High School video producers have been nominated. Last year they received 7 nominations and won the categories of Long Form, Fiction and Photographer/Editor.

For more information on the Ballard High School Video Production Program, visit www.bhsvideo.blogspot.com.

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Ballard Locks to close June 6 for saltwater drain inspection

bryanz — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:43:44 +0000

From U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard will close to all marine traffic 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 6, allowing U.S. Navy divers to inspect a saltwater drain screen structure.

The structure, immediately upstream of the locks, prevents salmon from entering the locks’ saltwater return intake. Navy divers from Naval Base Kitsap, will close 10, 10-foot-by-6-foot doors and inspect the 30-by-60 foot curved-front, mesh screen structure. The Navy annually supports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with this procedure before salmon migration season begins mid-June. Divers will perform monthly inspections until the doors are opened mid-September.

The inspections require Lock closure to all but emergency vessels on emergency calls. The staff will complete work as quickly and safely as possible. Monthly inspection closures will be posted at least a week prior on the Seattle District’s public web site at http://bit.ly/BoaterInfo and on the Locks on Facebook and Twitter sites at www.facebook.com/chittendenlocks and http://twitter.com/ChittendenLocks.

Prior to installation of the large screen structure in 2008, adult salmon sometimes entered a diffuser well beneath the fish ladder. The well does not have an exit and entering it led to salmon migration delay, injury or death. The saltwater drain structure improves viability of salmon using the fish ladder returning upstream to spawning grounds.

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Fremont street named after J.P. Patches

bryanz — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 19:23:13 +0000

Press release from Mayor Mike McGinn

Mayor Mike McGinn joined community members and Patches Pals to give the honorary name of “J.P. Patches Place” to North 34th Street between Fremont Avenue North and Troll Avenue North. Members of the public requested the renaming in honor of Chris Wedes, the Seattle actor who played the role of J.P. Patches, the beloved clown and star of the J.P. Patches Show. Wedes died on July 22, 2012 after a long battle with multiple myeloma.

“When Chris Wedes passed away last year, we received letters and e-mails from residents all over the region asking us to rename this street in honor of Seattle’s favorite clown,” said McGinn. “Today I am proud to join our community in giving this honor as a way to thank Wedes for all the joy, friendship, and laughter that he brought us over the years.”

On television from 1958 to 1981, Chris Wedes entertained generations of Seattle-area children and adults with his unrehearsed show, broadcasted live and often twice a day. J.P. Patches delighted audiences with an improvised style and charm that was as unique as it was hilarious, enlisting the help of a vast array of zany characters, most of them played by his friend and co-star Bob Newman.

The honor does not change the legal name of North 34th Street, nor does it change the official addresses on the street. The honorary name change designates “J.P. Patches Place” as the secondary name for North 34th Street between Fremont Avenue North and Troll Avenue North.

This stretch of North 34th Street is the location of the J.P. Patches statue, “Late for the Interurban.” North 34th Street also leads to the North Transfer Station, where Seattle Public Utilities will name a new education center after J.P. Patches, who was the “Mayor of the City Dump.”

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Two break-ins and fire at North Seattle marijuana dispensaries

bryanz — Fri, 31 May 2013 19:56:05 +0000

From SPD Blotter

Early on the morning of May 30, police were called to the scene of two break-ins and a suspicious fire at several North Seattle marijuana dispensaries, which continue to be popular targets for burglars.

The first call to police came at about 1:20 AM after witnesses reported smoke pouring out of a marijuana dispensary on 17th Ave NW and NW Market Street.

After firefighters put out a small fire inside the dispensary, police learned someone (or something) had tripped a motion alarm inside the business just a few minutes before the fire. Officers called Arson/Bomb Squad detectives in to investigate.

Forty minutes later, at about 2 AM, two men broke out the front window of a dispensary near 1st Ave NW and NW 85th St in Greenwood.

Witnesses told officers that after the suspects broke out the window, the two men—dressed head to toe in grey and black clothing—hid in some bushes near the business. The two men ran off just before officers arrived at the scene.

Then, just before 5 am, burglars pried open, kicked in, and used a blow torch on the doors of a marijuana dispensary on 140th and Aurora Avenue N.

It’s unclear whether anything was stolen from the businesses in the three cases.

If you have any information about these cases, or any other recent burglaries at marijuana dispensaries, contact North Precinct detectives at (206) 684-5735

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Loyal Heights Elementary teacher recognized for making a difference in kids' lives

bryanz — Thu, 30 May 2013 18:55:59 +0000

Loyal Heights Elementary School First Grade Teacher Patricia Magnuson was one of 24 Puget Sound-area teachers who were recognized as Symetra Heroes in the Classroom during the 2012 NFL season.

A Symetra Hero is nominated by a principal, staff, students or students' parents. The winners are selected based on their ability to make a real difference in students' lives; to go above and beyond in their day-to-day responsibilities; and to help students build life skills.

The heroes receive a $350 Office Max gift card for classroom supplies and tickets to a Seahawks home game, where they are acknowledged during on-field presentations at CenturyLink Field. In addition, Symetra makes a $1,000 donation to each teacher Hero’s school.

On Friday afternoon, May 24, 2013, Symetra and the Seattle Seahawks honored the 24 Puget Sound-area teachers at a special celebration at CenturyLink Field.

Jim Pirak, Symetra SVP, Marketing, and Mike Flood, Seattle Seahawks VP, hosted a luncheon in the Coach’s Loft, welcoming the teachers, their school principals (including Loyal Heights Elementary Principal Wayne Floyd) and special guests, including Shauna Heath, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Seattle Public Schools.

Following lunch, the teachers received an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, which included taking in a view of the field from the press box. The festivities wrapped up in the Seahawks locker room, where each teacher was surprised with a “customized” locker complete with nameplate. Each teacher’s locker’s contents included a plaque commemorating his or her “Heroes” award and a copy of the May 24 edition of the Seattle Times, which featured a 1/4-page ad saluting all 24 Symetra Heroes in the Classroom recipients.

Seahawks Left Tackle Russell Okung was a special guest, joining the teachers and guests in the players’ locker room. Okung shared a very personal story about his fourth grade teachers Mrs. Howell and Mrs. Cook. “Those two teachers, they believed in me,” he said. “They took me aside and they took that extra step to get me right. They had a level of belief in me that I didn’t have in myself. The patience they showed in me paid off.”

For more information about the Symetra Heroes in the Classroom program or to nominate a teacher, visit www.SymetraHeroes.com/Seahawks.

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Development: Application in for demolition of Calvary Lutheran Church

bryanz — Thu, 30 May 2013 22:36:53 +0000

It was once said that for every bar that was built, a church was also created. Now, however, it seems the tables have turned on the sacred institutions.

We might have to turn that phrase into: "For every bar built on Ballard Ave and Market St, a church must turn into a condo, a townhouse or narrow single-family residences.

Such is the case for the Calvary Lutheran Church, which was left empty in 2009 when the congregation of Calvary merged with Our Redeemers Lutheran Church. Now, according to the Department of Planning and Development, an application is in for Calvary's demolition, to be replaced by four single-family residences. (We took a look in April at the Art Church, which is being replaced by a townhouse and a single-family house )

The Icelandic community of Ballard started Calvary Lutheran in 1902. It was known as Hallgrim's Congregation at the time.

More recently, in 2009, the vacant space at Calvary acted as a 20-person homeless shelter for the Seattle Housing and Resource Effort (SHARE). Ultimately, the shelter was closed after a sex offender was discovered to be living in the encampment (who was removed) and Our Redeemers and SHARE could not come to an agreement on background checks.

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Ballard Commons spray park to turn back on this weekend

bryanz — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:51:11 +0000

Who doesn't love a good spray of water at the local park on a warm summer day?

Ballard residents can get just that starting this weekend, when the spray park at Ballard Commons starts back up. Except, well, this weekend will be bringing temperatures hovering around 60 degrees with a chance of showers.

Still, for the recent warm weather Seattle has been getting (dismissing the more recent rainy weather), reintroducing the spray park may come as a welcome relief.

Water parks throughout the city will be operating from Memorial Weekend, starting on Saturday, May 25, all the way to Labor Day Weekend. Granted the heat stays around, Parks will continue operating the spray parks until Sept. 15.

Wading pools, which unfortunately Ballard Commons does not have (there's one at Soundview Playfield in Crown Hill)), will open on June 22 and will operate on sunny days that reach over 70 degrees.

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Teenagers recreate Fight Club at Golden Gardens, are broken up by police

bryanz — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:34:29 +0000

Apparently a bunch of teenagers decided to make like Edward Norton in the movie Fight Club and start their own real-life Ballard-based version. As you can imagine, police were not pleased. SPD's Jonah Spangenthal-Lee writes a compelling (read: sarcastic) report ripe with allusions to the movie. The original title? "The First Rule of Fight Club Is: Don't Join Fight Club." Read it below.

Seattle police broke up a teenage “fight club” at Golden Gardens over the weekend, proving once again that teenagers just aren’t ready for R-rated movies.

Officers working an emphasis patrol in Golden Gardens pulled into the park’s upper parking lot just after midnight and spotted a crowd of about 40 juveniles cheering on a group of two or three people fighting (although, spoiler alert, it might’ve been one person fighting themselves).

Once officers flashed their lights and sounded their siren at the group, the crowd scattered into the woods, leaving behind garbage, beer bottles, and several cars.

Officers ticketed a few of the cars—which were left in the lot after closing hours—and waited to see if anyone ever came out of the woods.
No one ever did.

UPDATE: Officers had received information earlier in the day that a group of teens in the North Precinct were organizing a fight club in the Ballard area, but it’s unclear whether this incident was related.

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Plans move ahead to build new North Precinct police station

bryanz — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:37:51 +0000

Residents who fall into the Seattle Police Department’s North Precinct, which includes the Ballard area, may soon see a new police station.

According to the city of Seattle, the existing North Precinct Police Station, built in 1984 to house 154 staff and now home to 254, is badly overcrowded and there is not enough space available to adequately expand it on its current site.

Now, Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council are accelerating the process to create a new station.

In September 2012, as part of the budgeting process, Mayor Mike McGinn proposed doing the planning required in 2013 to acquire land for a new station in 2014. The City Council accepted the Mayor's proposal and accelerated the schedule by moving funding from 2014 to 2013 to support activities related to planning and site acquisition.

The Department of Finance and Administrative Services’ 2013-2014 budget includes $18.3 million to pay for site selection, due diligence and land acquisition for a new facility. It will be covered largely by long-term general obligation bonds. The city does not yet have a firm estimate for what it will cost to build the new facility and a funding source beyond 2014 will be identified in the 2015/2016 budget process.

Work is now under way to find and purchase a site for a new station by December 2013, as well as assemble an architecture and engineering team so building predesign can begin this year, instead of waiting for purchase of an actual site.

The preliminary plans for a new North Precinct Station, which will be reviewed and confirmed during predesign, call for:

A 60,000+ square foot building with a useful life of 30 to 50 years that will accommodate up to 370 officers and civilian staff.
A building constructed to essential facility standards capable of withstanding an earthquake load higher than most buildings. These design specifications affect most components of a building to ensure an essential facility remains operable after an earthquake.
Community meeting space that also can be used as an operations center in case of a disaster.
On-site, multistory parking for patrol cars, visitors and staff.
A location that offers good access to I-5, north-south and east-west arterials, proximity to areas of high police activity, and quality radio reception.

For more info and continuing updates, visit http://www.seattle.gov/northprecinctstation

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DUI driver collides with police car in East Ballard, tries to flee

bryanz — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:27:10 +0000

From SPD Blotter

An officer on patrol in North Seattle was struck by a hit and run drunk driver early this morning on 3rd Avenue Northwest.

At approximately 3:12 a.m. a uniformed patrol officer in a fully-marked Seattle Police car was driving northbound in the 6700 block of 3rd Avenue NW when the suspect driver suddenly cut across 3rd Avenue NW traveling westbound and collided with the police car. The female suspect/driver then fled the scene. The suspect was located soon afterward at 15th Avenue NW and NW Market Street and taken into custody.

The suspect was processed for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Neither the officer nor the suspect were injured in the incident.

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SLIDESHOW: Ballard Syttende Mai parade attracts thousands

steves — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:36:54 +0000

Ballard's 2013 Syttende Mai parade attracted thousands Friday, most staking their patch of grass or cement from the parade's start at NW 62nd and 24th Ave. NW along the route that headed south to Market Street and eastward to Bergen Place Park, then south down Ballard Ave. Many displayed the Norwegian version of red, white and blue on their shirts, ties, and bicycles as an assortment of Norwegian flags waved. Attendees from nine months old to 90 years old sported viking hats to show off their Norwegian pride.

The annual Norwegian Constitution Day event, the official National Day of Norway, is celebrated on May 17, or "Syttende Mai" (17th of May).

According to the Ballard website highlighting the festival, Ballard first celebrated Syttende Mai in 1901.

Ballard High Jazz Band wins first at Oregon festival

bryanz — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:36:51 +0000

For the Ballard High Jazz Band students, winning first place at the Mount Hood Jazz Festival the weekend of May 4-5 was no sure thing.

"It was actually a surprise for me," said junior Emerson Jordan, who plays tenor sax. "It was hard to judge sort of how good the other bands were. It felt good when they said our name."

Of course, the band didn't go to the festival necessarily to win. Students said they simply wanted to play well and put on a good performance.

"One of the things we focused on was not trying to win ... to win, that was just a nice surprise," said junior Julian Amrine.

Along with the first place trophy, the talented band also had three students get recognized as outstanding soloists: Amrine on Trumpet, Will Radford on Alto Sax and Luca Cartner on Drums.

"We know we played well, but we didn't hear all the bands," said director of bands Michael James. "I was hoping to place, but to get first place was fantastic. I think the kids worked so hard, so I was just very proud of their performance."

For most of the students, music has become not just a hobby or extracurricular activity, but a part of who they are. Students interviewed said they are likely going to keep playing music, whether as a career or otherwise.

When asked how long he has played music, Amrine said, "My whole life, I guess. My dad played jazz when I was little. I picked up piano when I was three and have played jazz since 4th Grade; I picked up trumpet in 5th grade."

While Cartner said he was surprised he got called as an outstanding soloist, his passion, along with the other students', probably should have acted as a warning signal that they were going to do good.

"Jazz is one of the things I live to play," Cartner said.

Jordan had a similar sentiment.

"It's a sort of way to express myself, it's very joyful to play music ... I'm never going to stop."

Jazz Band I and II will be playing at the Spring Band and Orchestra Concert on June 5, 7 p.m., in the Early Kelly Performing Arts Center at Ballard High School. For more info, visit http://www.ballardperformingarts.org

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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