With the arrival of spring and warm weather, the dandelions have once again made an appearance around our neighborhood. This hearty weed is responsible not only for shelves full of lawn and garden weeding paraphernalia, but also quite a few bruised knees and sore backs.When it comes to lawn maintenance, my father-in-law has a practical attitude: "If it's green, don't mess with it." He may have a point. After all, seen through the car window at 20 miles an hour, what is the difference between perfect Marion bluegrass and a neatly mowed lawn decorated with a few dandelion plants? You've just got to keep the yellow flowers picked each day.. . . One of my partner's hobbies is collecting cookbooks; there should be something about dandelions in them.Sure enough, my first find in the Lady Marjorie's bookcase was in "The Sunset Salad Book"; dandelions are pictured as one of 12 "accessory greens" and described as having "a tart, bitter taste."
Some major movers and shakers joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at a press conference last week to promote alternative fuel sources in an effort to make the United States independent of foreign oil for its energy needs. The April 13 press conference was held at Seattle Biodiesel's manufacturing plant in South Seattle. "It's a small company trying to make a big difference," said John Plaza, CEO of Imperium Renewables, the parent company of Seattle Biodiesel.
After one of only two remaining candidates suddenly dropped out last week, the Seattle School Board voted unanimously on Thursday, April 12, to offer the position of Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools to Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson.During a news conference following the board meeting, board director Cheryl Chow announced that Goodloe-Johnson had accepted the position, subject to final contract details being agreed upon. "We are delighted to attract such a high-caliber superintendent to Seattle," Chow said. "Dr. Goodloe-Johnson's strengths and leadership skills became crystal clear as we saw her in action here in Seattle.
Some major movers and shakers joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at a press conference last week to promote alternative fuel sources in an effort to make America independent of foreign oil for its energy needs. The April 13 press conference was held at Seattle Biodiesel's manu-facturing plant in South Seattle. "It's a small company trying to make a big difference," said John Plaza, CEO of Imperium Renewables, the parent company of Seattle Bio-diesel. Pelosi noted that Democrats now hold a majority in both houses of Congress, and that's changed the equation over the country's approach to energy. "Now we intend to get something done," she stressed.
Kindergarten through fourth-grade students at Catharine Blaine School enjoyed a cultural art experience on April 6.The purveyor of that experience was Eric Solberg from Seattle Pottery Supply, who brought kilns to the school for a special raku pottery firing demonstration. Raku is a form of Japanese pottery typically characterized by a very metallic appearance after firing or, depending on the glaze, a white-crackle type appearance.Students from Blaine art teacher Patti Christie's classes all created their own Japanese tea bowls.
opelink launched its annual "End Summer Hunger" fund and food drive this month, with the proceeds going to stock Hopelink's six food banks in north and east King County for the high-demand summer months when subsidized meal programs at schools are not available, and for homelessness prevention.In 2006, the End Summer Hunger campaign raised more than $115,000 in monetary and food donations.Nearly 13 percent of the school children in school districts in Hopelink's service areas in north and east King County receive free or reduced cost breakfasts and lunches during the school year. Even with the help of these programs, parents of those children struggle to meet their families' nutrition and other basic needs.When the subsidized meal programs are not available, parents experience an even greater strain on their already stressed household budgets, and rely even more heavily on food banks to fill the gap.Families with two working parents must also find ways to pay for summer daycare, further straining the family budget- which sometimes even leads to an inability to pay rent or their mortgage, putting them at risk for homelessness.
The cash-strapped Seattle School District wants to unload some of its property around the city, and one parcel just west of the old Queen Anne High School is included.The property consists of the old high school gym that has a 14-space parking lot next to it."The gym is the only thing we intend to sell," said Ron English, deputy general counsel and property manager for the district.The gym is only rented out only part time to a man who runs basketball leagues, and the property would sell for millions, he said. "The district does not need it."
The Pop Mounger Pool in Magnolia drew in more money than any of the 10 public swimming pools in Seattle in 2006, according to Bert Lundh, one of the original committee members who oversaw fundraising efforts.And that's despite the neighborhood pool being open for less than four months last year, he said. "It just shows that an open [air] pool is the best." Furthermore, the swimming programs at Mounger were 99 percent full, according to Lundh.That's not to say the Mounger Pool made money; it didn't. Neither did the other pools in the city. But with revenues of $388,342 and $426,622 in expenses, the Magnolia pool ran a deficit of only 10 percent, according to parks department records.
10 public swimming pools in Seattle in 2006, according to Bert Lundh, one of the original committee members who oversaw fundraising efforts.And that's despite the neighborhood pool being open for less than four months last year, he said. "It just shows that an open (air) pool is the best." Furthermore, the swimming programs at Mounger were 99 percent full, according to Lundh.That's not to say the Mounger Pool made money; it didn't. Neither did the other pools in the city, but with revenues of $388,342 and $426,622 in expenses, the Magnolia pool ran a deficit of only 10 percent, according to park department records. It was the smallest deficit of all the pools.
In celebration of Earth Day, King County Metro Transit is offering free rides on buses all day on April 22. This is offered on all buses in the King County area as well as transfers to Sound Transit or Community Transit buses. Metro offers a free trip planner online to help navigate you to your destination providing personalized trip options showing routes, locations and times. Metro suggests checking out service times, as routes are limited on Sundays.
The Rainier Chamber Foundation held its 20 th annual benefit auction, on April 14 at the South Seattle Community College. The proceeds from the event, which featured both silent and live auctions, are go toward college scholarships to graduating students from Cleveland, Franklin, Garfield, Rainier Beach and South Lake high schools.
Two particularly damaging arson fires recently flared up in the South End. The first occurred on April 2 in the 4600 block of 43rd Avenue South at approximately 11 p.m. The blaze caused $500,000 in damage to the single-family residence. Fire investigators determined it was started by an unknown number of suspects using a hand-held flame to ignite combustibles on the home's exterior surface.e second arson fire occurred on April 8 in the 5900 block of 51st Avenue South at approximately 1:45 a.m. The single-family residence sustained $400,000 in damage. Fire investigators determined it was started by an unknown number of suspects who applied a flamable liquid to the home's exterior and lighted it with an open flame.
This past week, the Rainier District Little League kicked off another spring of baseball for area youth ages 5-18. The league is divided into seven divisions: Big League, Seniors, Juniors, Majors, Minors, Rookies, and Tee-Ball.The league invites anyone interested to attend games at various times during the week at any of local fields, including Rainier, Van Asselt, Lakewood, Brighton, Rainier Beach, Beacon Hill, and Maplewood Parks.
The annual Many Voices, One Song celebration concert will be held tonightThursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. The event will feature a musical celebration of spiritual and ethnic diversity and will benefit Multifaith Works, a non-profit organization which provides support for people living with AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses.The event is emceed by Debra Jarvis and features world music from Ecuador and Japan as well as the St. Therese Catholic Church Parish's Shades of Praise Gospel Choir. Tickets are $15 for advance purchase and $20 at the door. For more information and tickets visit www.multifaith.org.
Spring is a time of renewal, growth and a great opportunity to start fresh, get organized and get things done! Spring cleaning usually generates a list of "to do's": fix the garage door, clean out the attic, store the wool sweaters, etc. Often these to-do's never get done and continue to create clutter - both mental and physical. Here are some tips to help clear the clutter and get spring fever to do the things that you want to do, while getting things done that you need to do. Those familiar with David Allen's book "Getting Things Done" will recognize this basic approach to his system, often referred to as "GTD."