International Student Exchange is looking for host homes for several exchange students after Hurricane Irene hit the east coast.

A host family is needed for a High School Foreign Exchange student for the 2011/2012 school year. We are helping those areas in which the hurricane affected, and there are many students in need of a loving host family who will now be coming to Seattle. A potential host family is needed for a boy from Germany who speaks German, French and English, enjoys basketball, soccer, swimming, martial arts, and baseball, and plays the drums, or a girl from Brazil who is very outgoing, cheerful and calm girl, she loves cooking, reading, playing volleyball, soccer and riding horses, or a boy from Vietnam who likes playing volleyball, dancing hip hop, and going to the theater, he is an A student is excited about learning about the American lifestyle, or a girl from Thailand, who loves camping, bowling, shopping, travel and baking. She loves spending time with her cat and enjoys animals, or a boy from China, who loves reading and collecting things, he enjoys school activities and going to the movies, swimming and playing ping pong, or a boy from Brazil who likes bowling, playing soccer, camping and loves younger children, he volunteers to help take care of children, or a boy from South Korea who likes soccer, swimming, bowling, he is a black belt in Taekwondo, also enjoys music and plays the clarinet, or a girl from Spain who is a likes to spend time with her family, playing tennis and basketball, reading and playing the piano, or a boy from Thailand who likes fishing with his dad, playing golf, basketball and soccer. He loves animals and hopes to be a veterinarian when he gets older or a girl from China interested in swimming, music and watching sports. She can’t wait to meet her new American family.

Students come with good English skills, full health insurance and their own personal spending money, and mainly the desire to be a member of an American family. We ask our families to provide a bed (shared room is okay with similar age range) and meals eaten with the family. Host families do not need to have teenagers of their own; young families as well as empty nesters are excellent high school student hosts this year.

For more information about the students and the program, contact Jamin Henderson by email or phone at 360-661-0552.

Once again this year, Brown Bear Car Wash cleaned thousands of cars during their annual Free Car Wash Day.

The line at Brown Bear in Ballard during last week’s Free Car Wash Day.

Last week during the sixth annual Free Car Wash Day, they washed a total of 26,523 cars at their 20 tunnel locations. “Brown Bear founder and owner Vic Odermat said each location averaged 111 washes per hour over a 12-hour period with no mechanical failures,” the press release states. That brings the six-year total to 132,163.

“The pace was fast and furious and it’s a tribute to our team that we were able to serve so many customers,” said Odermat. “It’s our way of saying thank you to the communities we serve, and hopefully we introduced new customers to the kind of service and value we deliver year round.”

We’ve seen a lot of new and improved features on Aurora Avenue recently, including radar speed signs and earthquake retrofits. According to a recent blog post by SDOT, there’s still a lot more to come.

The post outlines a whole bunch of impending improvements and changes in the area, while some of them will take place right in our own backyard.

Further south, SDOT is preparing to implement a series of safety improvements centered around the Aurora Bridge.  New signage will be installed warning drivers to expect merging traffic prior the Fremont Way and Halladay Street entrances.  This project will include improved directional signage to the Queen Anne neighborhood and minor tree trimming to improve the visibility of these signs.  Channelization improvements will be implemented concurrently on southbound Aurora at the Fremont Way and Raye Street entrances to Aurora.  At Fremont Way, a solid white lane line will replace the existing dashed lane line and extend 200 feet south of the point where the two roadways become one.  Since it is illegal to cross a solid white lane line, this new configuration will allow drivers entering Aurora to get up to speed before making lane changes.  At Raye Street, a new edge line will be installed to provide drivers with better sight lines when entering Aurora.  Coupled with the recently completed improvements at Halladay Street (for drivers entering and exiting northbound 99), the roadway around the Aurora Bridge will certainly funtion better.

I know the current set-up can cause some uneasiness when it comes to merging traffic heading onto the bridge so it sounds like these changes could help.

Read more about SDOT’s Action Plan here.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund’s 2011 Small and Simple Projects Fund will begin accepting applications on Thursday, September 1 for the fall funding cycle. The fund provides awards of up to $20,000 to community based groups and organizations to support neighborhood projects that build community.

From the new release:

In recognition of Emergency Preparedness Month this September, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON) and Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) encourage community members to apply for funding to help them organize and engage their neighbors and plan for emergency and disaster situations.

The deadline for the Small and Simple Projects Fund for awards up to $20,000 is Monday, October 17 by 5 p.m. Community members can also apply to the Small Sparks Fund for awards up to $1000 with applications accepted year-round. To learn more, visit www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/.

Two workshops have been scheduled for community members to learn more about the NMF program and emergency preparedness project ideas. The workshops will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 13 at the Ballard Public Library (5614 22nd Ave NW); and on Thursday, September 15 at The 2100 Building (2100 24th Ave S). All applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a workshop.

Community members are also encouraged to contact a Neighborhood Matching Fund Project Manager before applying at 206-233-0093 or NMFund@seattle.gov. For those applying for emergency preparedness projects, contact the Seattle Office for Emergency Management at SNAP@seattle.gov or call 206-233-5076.

The Seattle Department of Transportation will begin intermittent nighttime lane closures on Mercer Street today, Monday, August 29, as part of ongoing work on the Mercer Corridor Project.

Due to budget cuts, the Seattle Public Library system has closed down for a week-long furlough beginning today, Monday, August 29 until Sunday, September 4. All branches will also be closed the following day, Monday, September 5, for Labor Day, reopening on Tuesday, September 6.

From the Seattle Public Library:

The week-long closure will help the Library achieve its $3.7 million budget reduction target for 2011. The closure will save approximately $650,000. The closure will mean salary reductions for nearly 640 employees who will not be paid during that week and who are taking cuts in their cost of living adjustments. In addition, the book budget has been reduced, positions have been eliminated and 2010 cuts to branch hours have continued this year. Fifteen branches are only open 35 hours a week.

No materials will be due and no fines will be charged during the one-week closure, and most library services will be unavailable, including book drops, Wi-Fi,  regular programs and events in library meeting rooms, TeleCirc (the library’s telephone circulation service that provides patrons with information on their library account), and text, email or or phone communication with a librarian.

Access to the online catalog will be limited to searching and checking library records, but patrons won’t be able to place holds.

Some online services will remain available, including the calendar of events; the SPL Mobile page; online payment of fines and fees; library podcasts; access to premium online databases, including Britannica Online, ChiltonLibrary.com, Mango Languages, Consumer Reports and Morningstar Investment Research Center; access to downloadable media, such as e-books and audiobooks, songs and movies; and digital collections, such as photos from the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Collection, the Northwest Art Collection and The Seattle Historical Photograph Collection; the Seattle City Directory Collection; and the Century 21 Exposition Digital Collection.

Conan O’Brien has been spotted roaming around Seattle this week, posing for a picture outside the new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters in Lower Queen Anne Thursday.

*Photo courtesy of @ConanOBrien

While visiting the foundation Conan snapped this pic and tweeted:

Just tried to donate to the @GatesFoundation. Curiously, they refused to accept my ’92 Ford Taurus: http://bit.ly/ne1X3T

Coco is often seen visiting Seattle, his wife’s hometown. He’s been spotted a number of other places around town this week–have you seen him?

When a seal or sea lion makes its way to one of our beaches, Seal Sitters is one of the first to be called. With pupping season in full swing, rookeries and pups have already started visiting Seattle beaches.

“Sparky,” a seal pup in 2010 that was rehabilitated. Photo courtesy Marilyn, a volunteer with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

Seal Sitters relies on volunteers to keep watch on the pups throughout the season. If you’d like to become a Seal Sitter, the organization is hosting a new volunteer training session this Saturday, August 27 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Discovery Park Visitor Center. Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey says that September and October are the busiest time for the organization, so new volunteers are always needed.

For more details read the full story at our sister site MyBallard.com.

The late summer heat has arrived just in time for Queen Anne Farmers Market and Interbay Farmers Market today. Get out there in that 80 degree sunshine and enjoy the fresh eats that both markets have to offer, because they’ll be plenty of cooler market days in store before the season concludes, but our sunny days are most certainly numbered.

At the Queen Anne Farmers Market today:

• 4 p.m. – Cooking Demo with Artemio Diaz, the head chef La Luna, who will be cooking up some of the restaurant’s Mexican favorites
• 5 to 7 p.m. – Live Music by Hank Bradley and Cathie Whitesides, two of Seattle’s finest folk musicians, specializing in Greek music, old-time fiddle, contra dance music, Irish fiddle and more
• Check out what’s fresh at the market this week here

At the Interbay Farmers Market today:

• 4 to 5 p.m. – Cooking Demonstration with Chef Ethan Stowell
• Check out what’s fresh at the Interbay market this week here

As always the Queen Anne Farmers Market will take place from 3 to 7:30 p.m. at W Crockett Street and Queen Anne Ave N. The Interbay Farmers Market will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Interbay Urban Center, located at 1819 15th Ave. W.

Brown Bear Car Wash is celebrating its 54th anniversary today with free car washes at all of its “tunnel wash” locations, including the one at 1800 15th Ave W.

Swing by any time between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a free “Bear Essential” wash. And a word to the wise, try to get there as early as possible, as the lines get notoriously long on Free Car Wash Day every year.

For other Brown Bear automated “tunnel wash” locations in the area, visit www.brownbear.com.

The Seattle Police Department’s West Precinct, which covers the downtown business district, including Queen Anne, has invited neighbors in the communities it serves to join them at the annual West Precinct Picnic, from 3:30 to 6 p.m. today, Thursday, August 25 at the precinct headquarters at 810 Virginia Street.

Swing by and get to know the officers patrolling and responding to calls in your neighborhood.

The event is sponsored by the Seattle Police Foundation, and will include free food, dancing, children’s activities, an opportunity to meet and greet with your local officers, and get a close up look at some of the Department’s high-tech equipment. More information on the event page here.

The West Precinct serves Belltown, the Downtown Commercial Core, Duwamish/SODO, First Hill, Interbay, Magnolia, Pioneer Square, the International District and Queen Anne. More information on the precinct and the work it does in the community here.

Queen Anne’s Intiman Theatre is currently laying out a plan to reopen, according to a report by The Seattle Times. The theater closed back in April when the board opted to cancel the remainder of the 2011 season after several months of navigating through past fiscal mismanagement.

Photo of the Intiman Theatre courtyard by Joe Mabel.

Back in February Intiman began a campaign to save the theater from closure–it needed to raise $1,000,000 by this coming September in order to keep from shutting. The theater successfully raised half of the money needed to keep it afloat by the end of March, thanks to a great deal of community support and a $100,000 matching grant from an anonymous donor, but still decided to cut the 2011 season short in order to concentrate on its fixing its budgetary problems moving forward.

According to Times reporter Misha Berson, Intiman is laying out a new artistic map for the 2012 year, which includes plans to open the 440-seat playhouse to other arts groups, including the Seattle Shakespeare Company, the Whim W’Him Dance Company and Unexpected Productions (all of which have plans to rent performance space from the theater), all while it attempts to raise money, settle its $500,000 debt and fulfill commitments to subscribers and ticket holders from the 2011 season. From the Times:

The company has hired Andrew Russell, Intiman’s former associate producer, as its consulting artistic director through Oct. 1, said board Chairman Bruce Bradburn.

Russell’s immediate task is to craft a plan with the board to present to arts funders, and to the Seattle Center, the theater’s landlord and one of its biggest creditors. If sufficient funds are raised and the plan is implemented, Russell will become the full-time artistic head and more staff will be hired.

“We think this is, truly, good news,” said Bradburn. “We spoke with many artists in the community, and received four very interesting proposals for the future. We thought Andrew had some very exciting, fresh ideas. Then we voted — should the Intiman pack it in, or move forward? It was unanimous that we move forward.”

Read the full piece on Intiman’s future and new artistic director Andrew Russell’s plans in The Seattle Times here.

After the implementation of the Student Assignment Plan, Seattle Public Schools is also changing the way K-8 students get to school.

The transportation map for John Hay Elementary. Orange is the walk zone, yellow the bus zone.

The new neighborhood-based transportation system is expected to streamline bus routs for attendance-area students and get kids to their neighborhood school in 25 minutes or less. This change will also save an estimate $4 million by using fewer buses and less gas.

“With more efficient routing, buses are less likely to encounter the traffic delays that occur on longer routes, so families will find departure and arrival times to be more reliable,” said Tom Bishop, SPS transportation manager. “In addition, the more streamlined routes will also benefit the environment by taking up to 80 buses off the roads and reducing the district’s carbon footprint.”

Students within the transportation zone, but outside the walk zone for a school will be eligible for district-provided transportation. There are an estimated 3,600 elementary students who live outside the new transportation zones. They will still be eligible for the following transportation:

Students who live within a half of a mile from the Transportation Zone boundary can walk to a yellow bus stop within the zone. Seats will be allocated on a space-available basis.

Community stops will be created so students can catch a yellow bus near an attendance area school and take it to another school.

Students who are no longer eligible for transportation will receive a guaranteed assignment to their attendance area school, if requested.

School bus routes will be assigned later this summer once all the students assignments are complete. Families should expect a letter later this month, prior to the start of the school year.

For more information and to see the transportation zone for your school, click here. FAQ can be found here (.pdf)

The I-5 Mercer Street on and off ramp closure scheduled to take place this weekend, from late Friday night, August 26 to early Monday, August 29, has been canceled. From SDOT:

This cancellation is being made in order to accommodate the many nearby events taking place this weekend which are expected to draw large crowds. The cancellation of this weekend’s scheduled closure will likely result in an extra weekend closure possibly in October.

The next planned full weekend closure of the I-5 Mercer Street on and off ramps is scheduled to take place from 11 p.m. on Friday, September 9 to 5 a.m. on Monday, September 12. From SDOT:

Additional full weekend closures in September may be announced—further notification will be provided as dates are finalized.

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 these closures, 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. All detour routes will be clearly marked.

Travelers are encouraged to carpool and use alternate modes of transportation. Transit

information can be found at:

• King County Metro at www.kingcounty.gov/metro, or by calling 206-553-3000
• Sound Transit at www.soundtransit.org
• Community Transit at www.commtrans.org

These recurring weekend closures are part of ongoing work on the Mercer Corridor Project. More information on the project here.

Last week we reported on Queen Anne artists Jennifer Phillips, who had 170 pieces of hand-painted jewelry–$11,000 and over two months worth of work–stolen out of her car outside the Goodwill flagship store on Dearborn, setting her back months in her work and leaving her without any inventory to sell at a number of upcoming shows. We’re happy to report that this week Jennifer was reunited with her work.

A box containing her hand-crafted jewelry, all oil paintings done on the back of pieces of wood and Scrabble tiles, was found at a bus stop outside MIH (“make it happen”) Studios in Rainier Valley. The folks at the studio heard about Jennifer’s missing work on the news, and contacted her to return the items. KOMO4 recorded the meeting:

Jennifer also had a number of personal items stolen in the incident, including a Macbook computer, iPhone and purse, but she was most concerned about finding her lost art.

“All my personal items can be replaced… but all the time and effort and creativity that went into making my art, will never be recovered,” she wrote Queen Anne View.

Queen Anne-ers will have two chances this weekend to enjoy the neighborhood’s unique arts and culinary scenes, all while supporting local organizations.

Swing by Counterbalance Park in Lower Queen Anne for the 11th Annual Uptown Stroll: A Festival of Art in Action this Saturday, August 27, and catch local artists creating art work–everything from paintings, pottery and jewelry, to music, poetry and spoken word–right there on the spot from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After you’ve seen all the art in action you can take, mosey on up to the 2nd annual Happy Hour on the Hill, co-sponsored by FOLKpark and the Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce, from 4 to 7 p.m.

A $15 ticket will get you specials at 14 of Queen Anne’s favorite spots for a bite, a cup of coffee, or a sweet snack. Here’s a look at which merchants are participating and what they’ll be offering:

Bricco della Regina Anna – $3 off all wines by the glass & $2 Happy Hour bruchettas
Charley & May – FREE glass of May’s Spirited Summer Ice Tea plus 15% of store merchandise
Chocolopolis – $1 House truffles (limit 2) & 50% cup of drinking chocolate
Eat Local – Buy one get one FREE on featured wines; plus Dinner for Two: 2-serving entrée and bottle of featured wine for $24.98
Emmer and Rye – $5 Rye Manhattan
Homegrown Sustainable Sandwich Shop – $3 local microbrews
La Luna – 2 tacos for $5 (Al Pastor, Chicken Adobo or Truck); $3 Corona; $2.50 Pacifico
Metropolitan Market (Uptown only) – buy one, get one FREE gelato scoops
Paragon – $6 martinis & $6 appetizers
Queen Anne Dispatch – Buy 2 Hanky Panky and get 1 FREE
Top Pot Donuts – FREE donut with purchase of coffee beverage
T.S. McHugh’s – $2 Miller Lite & $2.50 Mac and Jack’s
Twirl Café – FREE Open Play, $1 off Beer and $2 off wine
Zaw Pizza – $3 off Signature pizzas

Tickets can be purchased at: Charlie + May, Chocolopolis, Eat Local, Homegrown, Queen Anne Dispatch, the Thursday Queen Anne Farmers Market, FOLKpark’s table at Metropolitan Market, and FOLKpark’s table at the Uptown Stroll. Proceeds will go toward helping FOLKpark reach its Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund requirement. The Uptown Stroll is free.

For more information on FOLKpark at its work to revitalize Lower Kinnear Park, see our past coverage and the FOLKpark website.

The Seattle Department of Transportation began construction today on the West Thomas Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Overpass Project, which when completed, will unite Lower Queen Anne to Myrtle Edwards Park and connect the neighborhood and its residents directly to the waterfront.

Once completed the bridge will provide a safe crossing over the east side of Elliott Ave W at Thomas Street and the nearby railroad tracks, to Myrtle Edwards Park.

Crews kicked off construction on the east side of Elliott Avenue West, adjusting the construction schedule to accommodate Hempfest’s 20th anniversary festival at Myrtle Edwards this past weekend. Crews will commence construction at Myrtle Edwards beginning after next Monday, August 29.

We got a first look at what the bridge will look like in August of last year. In the same month Seattle City Council unanimously voted to remove spending restrictions on the project, giving SDOT the green light to move forward with the plans. The final project design was completed in January.

SDOT estimates that construction will last anywhere from 10 to 12 months. During that time residents can expect intermittent street closures, traffic detours, reduced parking areas and temporary relocation of the existing bike path at Myrtle Edwards Park. Here’s a little more information from SDOT on what to expect during construction:

During construction pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers should expect the following:

• 3rd Ave West from W. Harrison St. to Elliott Ave W will be closed to through traffic. Local traffic and access to parking garages and lots will be accommodated.
• W Thomas St between Elliott Ave W and 3rd Ave W will be closed to through traffic.  Local traffic and access to parking garages and lots will be accommodated.
• Removal of parking along 3rd Ave W and a portion of W Thomas St both east and west of Elliott Ave W for the duration of the construction project.
• Temporary lane closures on Elliott Avenue West outside the hours of 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Temporary sidewalk closures, parking restrictions and pedestrian detours.
• Noise and vibration during certain construction activities.
• Shaft construction is expected to be completed on the east half of the bridge sometime in mid-September at which time equipment will be mobilized to the west of Elliot Ave.

The W Thomas Street Overpass Project is being funded by the Park Levy I and II, Puget Sound Regional Council Grant Funds, King County Grant Funds, and private donations. The total project cost expected to be approximately $10 million. Initial work on the bicycle/pedestrian overpass project began in 2003.

For more information on the project and construction updates, see SDOT’s W Thomas Street Overpass Project website.

The Nickerson/15th Ave W ramp to southbound 15th Ave W (north of W Emerson Street) will be closed for several days this week and next so that Puget Sound Energy (PSE) may relocate a gas line that runs under the intersection. The work is being done in preparation for the final phase of the Ship Canal Trail construction, which is set to begin next month.

PSE will close the Nickerson/15th Avenue W ramp to southbound 15th Avenue W from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. beginning this coming Wednesday, August 24, and continue for up to five days, resuming next Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30 as needed. The roadway will remain open over the weekend.

During this utility work PSE will detour most traffic from W Nickerson Street to W Emerson Street heading east, to access southbound 15th Avenue W. Due to the tight turns, large trucks will be detoured onto westbound W Emerson Street, south along Gilman Avenue W to 20th Avenue W, and then eastbound on W Dravus Street to 15th Avenue W.