The project to replace the 77-year-old sewer line that runs beneath Ballard is moving forward with planned road closures this summer. King County says crews have finished digging the shaft at the south project site on West Commodore Way and 24th Ave W, and plan to pour a “concrete plug” at the bottom of the shaft. On Friday, June 1, they say to expect heavy truck traffic at the site from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

King County also says that starting June 2, West Commodore Way will be closed between 23rd Ave W. and 24th Ave W. for approximately four months. They say traffic will be detoured around the road closure via 23rd Ave W., West Jameson St. and 24th Ave W. The closures are necessary to connect existing sewer pipes to the new siphon pipeline, says King County.

For more information about the Ballad siphon project, click here.

Business is good at the Wheeler Street Kitchen, say owners Greg and Carrie Campbell. It’s family issues that prompted the husband and wife team to put their dream restaurant up for sale. “It comes down to what’s right for our family. We just decided we want to look into selling. If nothing comes of it, we’ll keep it running,” explains chef Greg.  “It’s a personal family decision. Business is good. We’re not getting out of it because business is bad. It came down to what kind of life we want to have with our family. After doing this for a couple of years we decided that we want to be in a different place.”

An ad was placed on Craig’s List by broker Laura Miller of Gibraltar Investment property asking $95,000 for the business and its contents, describing it as a “turn-key neighborhood restaurant.” Monthly rent is listed at $1800.00 at 3216 West Wheeler Street. The restaurant seats 22 people. “We’ve been really busy,” said Carrie. “Greg and I have been slammed. We have a rush every single day. We’re serving lunches Monday through Saturday 11 to 3 and we’re going to continue that.” In the meantime, look to attend Greg Campbell’s hands-on cooking classes for the next several Mondays as the master chef shows you recipes and cooking skills you can put to use right away. He promises classes on everything from knife techniques to sauce preparation at $60 for 2-hour classes.

Greg emphasizes, “We’re still open and we’re not planning on going anywhere. Customers will know if we sell. It’s 100% transparency. We’re part of the community. We love being here.”

The Aurora Bridge will be closed tonight while crews work to raise the bridge a 3/4 of an inch. The work is part of a project to help the 80-year-old bridge better withstand an earthquake. The bridge will be closed from midnight tonight until 5 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, May 30) morning. Northbound drivers will be detoured off SR 99 at Denny Way and onto Dexter Avenue and/or I-5. Southbound drivers will be detoured off at 39th and onto Fremont Avenue.

The retrofitting has been underway since April 2011, as crews have been under the bridge reinforcing the steel and concrete on the north and south ends. The project includes, “adding steel to the skeleton, thickening concrete girders and covering existing columns with fiber designed for shaking,” according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).  During the daytime closure, crews will work on 6th Avenue North underneath the Aurora Avenue Bridge. They are building a skeletal system for the extra steel that will be attached to the existing girders

I though I would send in a couple pictures of happenings from our end of Magnolia over the past few weeks. The squirting Dead End sign is a city installed sign that punctured a sewer line. When the sewer pump comes on the lawn gets fertilized (this is under repair by the city):

Squirting sign

The second is one of a random car left on the beach about 1/2 mile south of the lighthouse. It is low tide in the picture….

Low tide

Thanks, Kenn!  Please send us your favorite neighborhood pictures at tips@magnoliavoice.com.

Place: Manor Park (3500 28th Ave. W)
Date: Saturday, May 26^th
Time: 10:00am – 12:00pm

About the speaker:

Jennifer Carlson is an illustrator, landscape designer, and urban farmer.  She has degrees in both art and in landscape architecture. Since the 1970’s she has planned and implemented many organic gardens in the Pacific Northwest.  She has lived and studied sustainable gardening practices while residing outside the U.S., in Nepal, Yugoslavia, and Germany.

Jennifer is now based in Seattle, where she teaches classes in low-maintenance plant selection, sustainable landscape design, hen keeping and many other classes.  She organizes and leads garden tours of her family’s demonstration garden and has written articles about organic garden design and seasonal activities and crafts for Farmer’s Almanac TV. Her garden has been featured in local and national magazines as a well as a PBS program for public TV.

Click here for more information.

Registration is open now through June 15th. Click here for registration instructions.  MLL Summer Ball needs coach volunteers for both leagues. Please contact Andy McDonough at andymcdonough1@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.

Going on vacation during a portion of the league schedule? No problem. Teams are organized assuming kids will come and go throughout league play.

Catharine Blaine School didn’t have to look far to find their next Principal- current Assistant Principal Julie Cox will soon be stepping into the role.  She sent this email to the Blaine community yesterday:

May 21, 2012

Dear Blaine Staff Members, Students  and Parents,

It is an honor and privilege for me to be selected as the next Principal of Catharine Blaine K-8 School.  I’m thrilled to be the next leader of a school in such solid standing, under the reigns of Ms. Heather Swanson.  I know her shoes will be tough to fill, but please know that I will put my heart and soul into the work. Upon my arrival in early April, as your assistant principal, it didn’t take long for me to notice that I was surrounded by an upbeat, growth-oriented group of educators; an inviting school culture in which to work and learn; a supportive and engaged parent community; and curious and happy children.  To see you interact in harmony this past month has solidified for me that I want to be a part of this collaborative team.A little about my background: I’ve been an educator for 26 years.  In fact, I began my career as a teacher for Seattle Public Schools before taking on the role of a Curriculum Specialist at the central office.  I’ve also had experience as a Literacy Coach for Minneapolis Public Schools.  Prior to this, I was a Principal in India (Pre-K-5), Jordan (Pre-K-8) and Minnesota (KG-6). In this capacity I was involved in nearly every aspect of these high-energy schools of excellence and school communities – with a focus on student achievement and creating a positive school climate in which teachers and students can thrive and parents can feel valued and heard.

During my career in the United States and abroad, I have had the opportunity to work in a variety of educational settings.  The diversity of students is what made my experiences the most rewarding.  We, the staff, students, and administrators, became culturally competent as we built solid relationships with not only people from varying backgrounds, nationalities, and religions, but also from people who had view points and perspectives that differed from our own.  I come to you with a global perspective. I thank you all for welcoming me to the Catharine Blaine community.  It is my pleasure to be a part of thisschool of excellence.  I am pleased that my daughter, Ava, will be attending Blaine in the fall.

With kind regards,

Julie A. Cox

SDOT was aiming for this spring to open the West Thomas St. pedestrian and bicycle overpass — the one over Elliott Ave. that links Lower Queen Anne to Myrtle Edwards Park — but the city says it’s now scheduled to open in July.

You may have noticed slow progress recently, and SDOT blames construction delays as well as the late delivery of new handrails for the overpass.  The overpass begins at 3rd Ave. W, twists across Elliott near Big Fish Games, and drops down into Myrtle Edwards Park:

As the weather warms up, Lower Queen Anne residents and employees have been excited for the overpass to open.  Currently, accessing the park involves a healthy walk south to the park’s entrance.  We’ll keep you updated

“Cheese” writes:

If you bike in Discovery park, beware of a lady who sets her dog after bikers going down the hill by the Daybreak Star entrance. Ran into her last night and it was a brief glimpse into insanity. I was going down the hill slowly since I hadn’t gone down it yet this spring. I think you could probably get over 30mph (not advised in my opinion, but I’m sure some do). I turn the corner and I see a group of people off to the side with a loose yip-yap type of dog. Since I had a near miss at this location several years ago (dog on right edge, owner on left edge, near-invisible leash ready to garrote me in the middle) I just stopped.

I hear the lady say “Here’s another one!” At this point, don’t know what that means. But I’m walking my bike down past the loose dog and as I start talking to her she picks up the dog as I relate her how dangerous this corner is and told her my story of the time I could have been severely injured if I hadn’t stopped in time – hopefully she would get the hint that a loose dog at the bottom of a hill is bad for the dog and for the bikers. She seemed to take it in but said, “Oh my dog loves to chase bikes!” Like this is a fun, cheery thing to enjoy on a great spring day.

She was still holding the dog when I got on my bike and went down the hill. I look back a few seconds afterwards and she had let the dog down to chase me! Let’s just say that I lost it and screamed at her… She called the dog back and I got …out of there.

Putting everything together afterwards, from her location at the bottom of a hill where bikers are going fast, the comments “Here’s another one”, “My dog loves to chase bikes”, and her letting the dog go, leads me to the conclusion that she intentionally is doing this. I can’t see an innocent explanation. By the time I figured it out it was too late to call animal control (or even 911!) which I regret.

If some biker going 20-30mph turns that corner into that loose dog and slams on the brakes or loses control, serious injury is almost certain – so be forewarned!

Be careful Magnolia peeps!

A group of women in the Quest Life Together Women’s Group from Interbay is hosting a free documentary screening this Friday at the Q Café (3233 15th Ave W., south of the Ballard Bridge) in hopes of sparking some dialogue and awareness around the issue of girl bullying. The documentary is called “Finding Kind” and it addresses girls bullying other girls. (View the trailer here)

It was produced by two filmmakers from Seattle, Lauren Parsekian and Molly Thompson, and has been viewed in schools, hosted screenings, and numerous film festivals. The film discusses how girl bullying is different than other kinds of harassment and this women’s group truly believes that the response needs to reflect those differences.

Christina Olson is a Ballard resident and a member of the Quest Church women’s group that raised the $500 licensing fee in order to put on this free screening. The group of about ten to fifteen women raised the money through a variety of means such as donations, babysitting, the Good Neighbor fund and spreading the word about the project at large.

“Every year our group takes on a project or a series of projects that we think will benefit the community,” said Olson. “Someone brought up this documentary, asked how we would feel about doing the screening and it quickly evolved into our project for this year.”

Olson thinks that people were extra generous with this project because it’s an issue that so many people can relate to. “Many women have been victims of bullying and this documentary focuses on how bullying within girls is very different than with boys,” said Olson. “It does not diminish what happens to boys but the actions definitely manifest differently in adulthood for girls.” Some of the women in the group are teachers and they discussed how they witness this bullying every day. While there are some things they can do, there is a lot that is out of their scope as well.

The group will be hosting a guided discussion after the film. The filmmakers have created a curriculum that can be used to help guide dialogue. Some of the women from the group will speak during this discussion, including Olson, and will be sharing their own experiences with bullying and how it can relate to later issues.

The goal is not to put people on the spot, but rather to open the dialogue and share thoughts on this issue. If people are interested in attending the screening and discussion after they need to RSVP ahead of time in order for the group to ensure they have room for all that wish to attend.

The Small and Simple Projects Fund, one of three funds managed by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, provides cash awards of up to $20,000 in matching funds to neighborhood organizations committed to fostering and building a better community. The 2012 awards ranged from $4,200 to $20,000, and the organizations have pledged to match the City’s $534,666 contribution with resources valued at nearly $760,123. Recipients of the Neighborhood Matching Fund match their awards through a combination of locally raised money, donated materials and volunteer labor.

“These awards recognize the dedication and hard work of community members working together to improve their neighborhood,” says Mayor Mike McGinn. “Whether the projects are for physical improvements or a community celebration, the benefit of this program is the connection and engagement of neighbors and the broader community.”

The City figures on average, volunteers give $1.45 of donations and sweat equity for every $1 of taxpayer support: “There’s a reason why the Neighborhood Matching Fund is being replicated by other cities the country. This fund provides another reason for neighbors to get together and it allows them to create a vision to improve their neighborhood and it helps implement that vision. It’s the building block for community projects,” says Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.  Bernie Matsuno, director of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, says “The Neighborhood Matching Fund has been emulated by cities all over the world. And what makes it so successful is the
connection and engagement that happens when neighbors work together to make improvements in their community.”

The Neighborhood Matching Fund has awarded more than $49 million with a community match of more than $71 million, since its inception 24 years ago. During that time, more than 85,600 volunteers have donated over 573,000 work hours.

Magnolia Projects to receive matching funds:

Magnolia’s First P-Patch

Construct the first 30 plots of the new P-Patch community garden at Magnolia Manor  Park. With more than 100 Magnolians on the waiting list for a garden, the P-Patch meets a community need and will serve as a focal point for community interaction.

Organization: Friends of Magnolia Manor Park

Amount Awarded: $20,000

Match Amount: $22,900
Heron Viewing Improvements in Kiwanis Ravine

Improve heron viewing in the Kiwanis Ravine from public access points. Using a consultant, identify potential public access points and selective tree pruning, while maintaining neighbor privacy and without disturbance to the heron. Enhanced viewing by increased webcam broadcasts will also be studied, including viewing stations with webcam monitors placed at the visitor centers at the Ballard Locks and Discovery Park.
Organization: Heron Habitat Helpers

Amount Awarded: $16,500

Match Amount: $8,580

Interbay:

Interbay Path Link to Ship Canal Trail

Construct a spur trail off 16th Ave. W to go north on a city right -of-way to the Ship Canal Trail. The project will reduce bike and pedestrian congestion on Dravus and create a safe access point for residents and workers needing to go north and east out of Interbay.

Organization: Interbay Neighborhood Association

Amount Awarded: $19,700

Match Amount: $21,700

For a complete listing of the 2012 Spring Small and Simple award recipients, click here

There are 2 chances to help out, right here in our own backyard: mulching, weeding and watering the cedar saplings of  the Lion’s Club Cedar grove planted last fall in Discovery Park, and restoring the habitat of the Kiwanis Ravine to “native” status with the Heron Habitat Helpers.

You can sign up for the public team, or start your own team of friends and colleagues. Team sizes range from 5 to 250+ members. After the day of doing good, volunteers are invited to meet up at Seattle Center for the after party hosted by Seattle Works.

Bevin Wong of Seattle Works says “Last year, 81% of participants said they were inspired to do more in the community as a result of Seattle Works Day. It may just be one day, but it does make an impact – and you can be part of that!” Seattle Works is still accepting teams and individual volunteers. Please visit www.seattleworks.com/signup or contact Bevin Wong (206.324.0808 x6 or bevin@seattleworks.org) to get involved.

Dear friends of PJ’s Paws and Claws,

More than a decade ago, we created a special neighborhood place for people who love dogs and cats. It is a place for folks to learn about pet care and nutrition, find fun and engaging toys, purchase delicious and healthy treats and celebrate the companionship of dogs and cats. Two years into our adventure, we added a pet grooming salon with comprehensive services from professional and caring groomers. After tens of thousands of pounds of premium pet food, thousands of pet toys and treats, hundreds of pet beds and cat scratching posts, ten pet parades and costume contests and one constant stream of beautifully groomed pets, it is time to say goodbye. PJ’s Paws and Claws will close June 30, 2012.

The retail pet industry, like many others, has evolved over the last decade. Pet owners now have extensive resources from which to learn about pet care. The Internet has become the place customers usually go first to find answers about pet health and nutrition. Mass market retailers, regional pet supply chains and even warehouse clubs have recognized the opportunity, and now offer better merchandise than before. Internet retailers offer low prices and free shipping on many pet supplies. The economic downturn has forced many families in our community to change their shopping habits — for themselves and for their pets. Consequently, the niche of the independent pet retailer is closing.

While PJ’s Paws and Claws retail store will close, we are happy to announce our grooming salon was sold. It will re-open in July, in a new Magnolia Village location. The new grooming salon, named Magnolia Paw Spa, will feature the same exceptional grooming services you came to love at PJ’s. Keep an eye out for more information about Magnolia Paw Spa as their grand opening draws nearer. PJ’s Paws and Claws was intended to be a ten year adventure. When customers at PJ’s asked, “How are you today?”, Patti’s answer was usually, “I’m living the dream. How about you?” Boy, did we enjoy the ride. It was better than we could have ever imagined. Thank you again for ten purrfect years and for allowing us to be a part of the Magnolia community. In addition to forming friendships with many wonderful pets and their families, we had the opportunity to work with some of our area’s amazing pet rescue and adoption agencies. Please continue to support them in the future.

Wags and purrs,

Patti, Jelly & Puddin’

If you have PJ’s Wags to redeem, now is the time to do it. They will accept them through Thursday, May 31st, and the program will be suspended June 1. They want to thank all of their loyal customers who participated in the PJ’s Wags Rewards Program, saying “We gave away loads of merchandise and services to our Wags members and enjoyed doing it!”

Dancing "dolls"

Set in colorful Times Square in the 1940′s, Guys and Dolls Jr (the “Jr” means the show is school-age appropriate) is populated by missionaries, dancing girls, gangsters and cops. As the show begins, Nathan Detroit is desperately  trying to find a place for his floating craps game, despite the protests of Adelaide, his fiancee of 14 years, who wants him to quit gambling and marry her. Hilarity ensues as these characters and others (including an uptight missionary “doll” and a mega bucks high-roller) sing and dance their way through this classic Broadway musical.

Guys and Dolls Jr.” will be performed in the Our Lady of Fatima School Gym (3301 West Dravus Street | Seattle, WA 98199) Thursday, May 17 at 4:00pm, Friday, May 18 7:00 p.m and on Saturday, May 19 at 7:00pm.
Tickets are $6 in advance or $8 at the Door. To purchase tickets in advance, contact Meaghan at 206-285-2053.

On Saturday, May 12, the 36th District state legislators will be at a town hall to meet constituents. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson and Rep. Reuven Carlyle will be at the Greenwood Senior Center (525 N. 85th St.) to talk about the 2012 legislative sessions and to answer questions. The town hall is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and coffee will be provided.

The closure is scheduled to begin Friday at 11:00 p.m. and end Monday at 5:00 a.m. During the closure, crews will be installing storm drainage infrastructure, completing electrical work to accommodate future lighting and signals, and laying concrete and asphalt in preparation for the widened on- and off-ramps at Mercer Street. This work is dependent on weather and the availability of materials, and is subject to cancellation. Please note that all South Lake Union businesses will remain open and be accessible via alternative routes. Detour route maps are available on the project website at: www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm. Detour routes shown will be signed on roadways and may be heavily used, particularly Denny Way both eastbound and westbound. During the ramps closure, the I-5 on-ramp at University Street will be concurrently closed to provide more efficient traffic flow around the closed Mercer Street exit lane. Fairview Avenue N will also be closed between Mercer Street and Valley Street, and Mercer Street will be closed to through traffic between Westlake Avenue N and Fairview Avenue N. Travelers are encouraged to carpool and use alternate modes of transportation.

Click here for more information on the Mercer Corridor Project.

The show is appropriate for kids and there will be treats sold at intermission. Please come out and support Blaine for a night of theatrical fun!

• crime statistics and trends
• crime prevention – what you can do
• door-to-door solicitations
• neighborhood block watch programs

Magnolia Community Club General Meeting

Tonight, May 10th :  7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Catharine Blaine School LIBRARY (2550 34^th Avenue West – Next to the Magnolia Community Center)

From SDOT:

Bicyclists will be detoured during sidewalk closures. Bicyclists may use the Fremont Bridge or may cross the ship canal at the Ballard Locks.  (The sidewalks are too narrow to accommodate bicycle traffic in two directions on the same sidewalk.)

Last year, SDOT painted the Ballard Bridge approaches (the raised roadways at each end of the bridge). This year SDOT is painting the bascule part of the bridge, which is the portion of the bridge that opens and closes for marine traffic. SDOT’s annual bridge painting program provides for the periodic painting of each of the city’s 20 structural steel bridges. The painting helps protect the steel surfaces on the bridges from corrosion and other weather deterioration.

Mounger is one of only two outdoor pools in Seattle, and it combines a regular pool with a warm wading pool.  This season on Friday nights (beginning next week), it will hold Friday Family Fun nights (5:30 – 7:30 p.m.) with themed events such as Rock and Roll Party, Outrageous Animal Safari, Art on Deck, and Pirate Pool Party.

Mounger Pool is located at 2535 32nd Ave. W, and it will be open daily until September 9, 2012.

Fairview Avenue N and  Valley Street will have nighttime lane restrictions until May 11. One northbound turn lane from the  Mercer Street off-ramps onto Fairview Avenue N will be closed during this time.  Traffic turning left from Fairview Avenue N onto Valley Street will be  restricted to one lane as crews complete potholing and underground utility work.  One westbound lane will remain open on Valley Street. Night work will occur from  8 p.m. to 6 a.m.