Central District gardeners volunteer to help solve bee crisis

Submitted by Michael Harthorne, KOMO Communities Reporter

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012, 11:34am

Central District gardeners volunteer to help solve bee crisis

The number of native bees, such as bumblebees, in the city is plummeting. And, that’s a bad thing, according to University of Washington scientists.

“Native bees do a lot of important pollination work,” Dr. Jeff Riffell said in a press release. “Up to 75 percent of crop species benefit from bee pollination, and much of these benefits stem from native bees.”

To track and research urban bees, the University of Washington Department of Biology started the Urban Pollination Project.

But with the rapid increase in urban gardens in Seattle, UW scientists need some help. Well, P-Patchers to the rescue.

On May 13, scientists handed out specially selected tomato plants to P-Patch gardeners, including those from Hawkins, and taught them how to collect and submit data.

Tracking urban bee populations won’t just help solve the mystery of their dwindling numbers, it will also help urban gardeners find out if their gardens are reaching their production potential, according to the Urban Pollination Project.

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Free Marian Anderson String Quartet performance tonight

Submitted by KOMO Web Staff on Wednesday, May 16th, 11:15am

Looking for something to do tonight? Enjoy a free concert at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.

The Marian Anderson String Quartet is preforming at 7 p.m. at the center. The show will last approximately an hour.

The concert is sponsored by UW World Series in partnership with Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center.

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Local high school students to win scholarships tonight

Submitted by Rose Egge, KOMO Communities Reporter

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012, 2:23pm

Local high school students to win scholarships tonight

The Seattle Schools Scholarship Fund Trustees will honor 24 Seattle high school students this evening with a $2000 scholarship for post-high school education. The students will be recognized at an award ceremony and reception tonight at 7 p.m. in the Frances Penrose Owens Auditorium of the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence.

Friends, family, and school district personnel who have worked with these students are invited to attend this celebratory event.

The following students will be honored:

Elyses Ayenew and Kelsey Bolinger, Ballard
David Coven and Ana David, Cleveland
Theophilus Savini and Rachel Visario, Franklin
Lucero Torres-Bravo and Francisco Martinez-Crisanto, Garfield
Mohomed Fofana and Gennevi Lu, Hale
Teri Hunter and Choega Thundrup, Ingraham
Andres Arano Aguilera, Interagency
Salenna Green, Middle College at Northgate
Alexis Ford and Anthony Segi, Rainier Beach
Sofiya Idris and Risku Tuffa, Roosevelt
Kindra Galan and Antonio Horton, Sealth
Jennifer Romero-Diaz and Jesus Sanches, South Lake
Suzanne Bechara and Jomar Rumbawa, West Seattle

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Rampathon gifts disabled Central District woman with new wheelchair ramp

Submitted by Jill Blocker, KOMO Communities Reporter

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012, 2:17pm

A Central District woman will soon have an easier time getting around her home in her wheelchair, thanks to the 19th annual Rampathon event Saturday.

Felicia Kimmons has been chosen as a recipient of a wheelchair ramps for her home, which will be built by volunteers from the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.

“Builder captains will lead their teams in constructing access ramps giving recipients the ability to get in and out of their homes with greater ease and flexibility,” says Art Castilleja, the 2012 Rampathon chairman. “For many of them, it will be the first time in years they have not had to rely on family or friends just to get in and out of their homes.”

Since 1993, teams from the Master Builders Association have constructed 320 wheelchair ramps for those in need.

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CD Forum colaborates for "red, black and GREEN: a blues"

Submitted by Jill Blocker, KOMO Communities Reporter

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012, 11:35am

Experience a presentation of poetry, dance, music and film with the topic of climate change at the presentation of red, black and GREEN: a blues.

From May 30 to June 2, The Next Fifty is presenting the project at the Playhouse/INTIMAN at Seattle Center, in partnership with Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas and Seattle Art Museum.

Marc Bamuthi Joseph's newest multi-disciplinary project layers poetic text, dance, music and film to jumpstart a conversation about environmental racism, social ecology and collective responsibility in the climate change era.
Designed as a performance as well as an interactive on-stage installation by visual artist Theaster Gates, Joseph is joined by an ensemble cast directed by Cornerstone Theater's Michael John Garcés, red, black and GREEN: a blues has been developed during a three-year community-based civic and creative process and strives to unite communities around a broader definition of sustainable living.

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Yesler Terrace redevelopment plan sparks fear of class issues

Submitted by Jon Repp, KOMO Newsradio Reporter

Monday, May 14th, 2012, 9:42am

A new plan to redevelop the ancient subsidized housing in Yesler Terrace is sparking fear that the nearly 1,200 poor people who live there will be pushed out.

The city council plans to look at the $290 million project today, which plans to build apartments, condos and officer towers, and then use the money from those developments to pay for brand new low-income housing.

The unprecedented plan comes with some questions about finances, however. Longtime Yesler Terrace resident Kristin O'Donnell told the Seattle Channel she worries about a class mentality.

“It’s not as if we’re going to have economically integrated buildings, we aren’t. We’re going to have us buildings and them buildings, and in some cases, us blocks and them blocks,” O'Donnell said.

The review process is expected to take months.

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Mother's Day means more sun, continues through start of work week

Submitted by Theron Zahn, KOMO 4 News Reporter/Weathercaster

Sunday, May 13th, 2012, 8:24am

Mother's Day means more sun, continues through start of work week

Happy Mother's Day!

We are in for some wonderful weather for getting outside.

Plan on sunny skies today with highs in the mid-70s to low-80s in many spots. The warmest areas will be in the south Sound.

The strong ridge of high pressure will stay locked in for Monday with highs rising a few degrees.

Even Tuesday is looking mostly sunny with a few high clouds toward the end of the day. It isn't until late Wednesday that the ridge breaks down enough to allow a stronger onshore flow to bring us more clouds and cooler temps. By Thursday morning we could even have some areas of mist.

Theron Zahn
The KOMO4 Forecast Team

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