It has been a whole year since Populuxe Brewing (826 NW 49th St) hit the Ballard brewery scene. The Populuxe team is celebrating the brewery’s 1st birthday this Saturday, March 8 and they are having a huge, all ages party to celebrate!

There will be plenty of entertainment for the whole family. Dizzy’s Tumble Bus will be onsite to entertain the kids from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Live music will also entertain attendees all day in the garage. Check out the line-up below:

• 3 – 3:30 p.m. The Graces-classical duo flute, harp, piano
• 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Dobrero Band-classic rock
• 4:30 – 5 p.m. Melissa Levi
• 5 – 5:30 p.m. Bridgette Kern
• 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. KJTJ – eclectic rock/pop
• 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Mother of Pearl-original music, soulful female lead
• 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. theZim & Arock-indie-folk-hop-tronica
• 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. Willie and the Whips – danceable country blues, cd release and potential bull whip demo
• DJ SNAX will fill in the blanks.

In terms of drinks, the usual favorite beers will be on offer and there will also be a special release of Oddvars Old Ale, their barrel-aged barleywine. Happy Grillmore will also be on hand serving up burgers and fries.

Happy Birthday Populuxe!

According to Seattle Magazine, Bonache sauce made right here in Ballard is giving the traditional favorites Tabasco and Sriracha a run for their money.

The sauce line was founded by Ballardite Marc Olsen and the name, pronounced “bone-atch”, was the creation of Olsen’s child.

“Bonache  is a word our son made up when he was 3 to describe many, many things. We have no idea either,” writes Olsen on the Bonache website.

The sauces are made right here in Ballard and the line includes varieties such as Habañero, Hatch, Socorro and Piri.

According to Seattle Magazine, you can taste test the sauces at local hot spot Hattie’s Hat and some further from Ballard including Lost Lake on Capitol Hill and Brave Horse Tavern in South Lake Union.

The sauces can also be purchased for use in your own kitchen on the Bonache website and at PCC Natural Markets, Central Co-op on Capitol Hill, DeLaurenti at Pike Place Market and Tom Douglas’ new specialty grocery, Home Remedy in Belltown.

Photo courtesy of Seattle Magazine. Photo credit – Jonathan Vanderweit

It’s that time of the week where we take a look back at the Ballard of yesteryear in our weekly Throwback Thursday post.

This one is definitely and “oldie” but a goodie from all the way back in 1880. Check out the black and white photo below of men, boys and harnessed teams of horses and mules grading the road in the 900 block of what was then W 57th St. Wonder if the work had SDOT approval?

Do you have an historical photo or a story that readers would enjoy hearing about? Email us at tips@myballard.com with Throwback Thursday in the subject line.

Photo and information courtesy of Ballard Historical Society.

After a little pause last week applications for subdivisions in Ballard have been coming in this week to the Department of Planning and Development (DPD).

Check out the most recent applications and decisions from the DPD as posted in the Land Use Information Bulletin.

Applications:

816 NW 49th St

A Land Use Application has been submitted to subdivide the site into three unit lots. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots.  Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots.

 3618 2nd Ave NW

A Land Use Application has been submitted to allow two, 3-story multi-family structures with 14 dwelling units in each building (28 units total).  Existing structure to be demolished. No parking proposed.

Decision:

9048 15th Ave NW

An appealable decision has been made to subdivide one development site into five unit lots. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots. Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots. Appeals of the decision must be received by the Hearing Examiner no later than March 20, 2014.

New flashing beacons have recently been installed at Whitman Middle School reminding drivers to adhere to the 20 mph speed limit in school zones.  New flashing beacons were also installed at 10 other schools throughout the city to remind drivers to think about student safety.

Every school in Seattle is surrounded by signs clearly notifying drivers of the lower speed limit and these flashing beacons Before entering the school zone, drivers pass a sign alerting them that they should expect to see students. The “School – Speed Limit 20” sign marks the beginning of the reduced speed zone.

SDOT has now installed flashing beacons along with the school zone signage on arterial streets at more than 65 schools to draw more attention to the reduced speed limit.

Before and after studies indicate an overall reduction in speeding as a result of flashing beacons, with the largest impact on those drivers exceeding the speed limit by 10 or more miles per hour.

To check out the schedule of when flashing beacons will be operating at each school, visit SDOT’s website.

Always remember to stick to the 20 mph speed limit in school zones and help keep local children safe.

According to a report by MyNorthwest.com a Ballard High School senior has been charged as an adult in the February 23 fatal shooting of 54-year-old David Peterson in Greenwood.

Byron K. A. White, 17, was charged today with first-degree murder, attempted robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to the report, court documents reveal that White confessed to shooting Peterson in an attempt to steal his cell phone. According to KOMO reports, White later complained to friends that the phone “was not as nice as he had hoped.”

Peterson was out for an evening walk on Sunday, February 23, when he called 911 around 8:27 p.m. to report that he had been the victim of an attempted robbery. While he was on the phone, White returned to the scene.

“We heard the victim in his own voice talking about the incident,” said homicide Det. Cloyd Steiger, who led the investigation for the Seattle Police Department. “He said that the guy was coming back toward him and then there’s a scuffle and the phone went dead.”

MyNorthwest.com reports that Peterson died at the scene of a single gunshot wound to the chest. Court documents reveal the motive for the shooting, as White told friends that Peterson had seen his face and he “had to shoot him.”

“David Peterson went out for a walk around the neighborhood after dinner and never returned,” said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. “He was a random victim from a chance encounter with a dangerous young man. That the evidence shows he was murdered for his cell phone by a teenager with a gun makes this all the more tragic and senseless.”

White is now being held in lieu of $2 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment in King County Superior Court on March 17 . If convicted, prosecutors say that he could be sentenced to between 27-35 years in prison.

Photo courtesy of KIRO Radio/Brandi Kruse.

This Spring, Ballard Boys & Girls Club (1767 NW 64th St) is hosting youth golf and tennis lessons, starting on April 5th. The program is open to boys and girls ages 5 – 12 years old.

The classes will meet every Saturday with golf from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m and tennis from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Each class will include group and 1-on-1 instruction, stretching, physical activity, rules and etiquette lessons. The classes aim to teach youth about the importance of sportsmanship and honesty.

Cost of the program is $100 per sport for an eight week program (plus a $36.00 club membership).

All skill levels are encouraged to participate.

Click here to find out more about the program. If you have any questions call Billy Rodgers at (206) 783-5775 or email wrodgers@positiveplace.org.

According to a post on NOSH Pit blog, pastry chef Laura Pyles will be offering up her nationally sought after desserts at a bimonthly pop up bakery at Ballard eatery Brimmer & Heeltap (425 NW Market St).

The bakery will be called Parchment and will pop up for the first time on Sunday, April 6 from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pyles is known for her delicious deserts featured at hot spots including Revel, Joule, and Book Bindery. At her monthly pop up, “Pyles promises a variety of treats that combine her affinity for retro desserts and an obsession with Asian flavors acquired during her time at Revel and Joule,” writes Allegis Vermillion in the NOSH Pit post.

According to the post, Pyles had made reference to the pop up menu featuring items like potato chip brownies and bundt cakes in “fun grandma flavors” including butterscotch, rum almond and double chocolate toffee.

For the first month, Pyles will be both baking and selling her creations herself. If the shop then takes off, she is set to do it more often and with an employee.

According to NOSH Pit, Pyles is excited about the collaboration with Brimmed & Heeltap and is also currently consulting on the restaurants desert menu. Her delicacies are set to be on the menu this weekend including coconut and key lime tart with a tamarind caramel and a triple ginger gluten-free carrot cake with deep-fried almonds and vanilla syrup.

Parchment is yet to have a Facebook page but the My Ballard team will add one when it is live.

Photo courtesy of Seattle Eater. Photo credit Nolan Harris.

Last month we posted about Ballard Junior Football being in need of local support to help raise funds for a new portable scoreboard. My Ballard reader Julie Peebles emailed in to let us know about the Go Fund Me Account that she created to facilitate and raise awareness about the fundraising campaign.

The fundraising campaign is in its final stages and organizers are reaching out to the community for donations. Currently, the donation total is at $1,145.00 of the $5000 goal.

“Ballard Junior Football desperately needs a new portable scoreboard.  Late last season the old scoreboard stopped working.  Unfortunately, it is too old to be repaired and needs to be replaced,” writes Julie.

Ballard Junior Football has been a part of our community since 1962 providing children of the greater Seattle area, a fun, safe and competitive football and cheerleading program. Ballard Junior Football is also  501c non profit that is organized by parents and volunteers.

They rely on community support, sponsorship and donations to keep the club up and running.

Click here to make a donation.

Photo courtesy of Ballard Junior Football Club.

Whitman Middle School is set to host their Spring Concert Series on March 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. The concerts are free of charge and will take place in the Whitman Middle School Auditorium (9201 15th Ave NW).

The concerts will feature the Jazz Band, Combined Beginning/Intermediate Bands, Concert Band, Ballard Chamber Orchestra and Symphonic Band. All bands will be conducted by Joel Orson and the orchestras will be conducted by Brittany Newell.

“These concerts are a great opportunity for children active in music in elementary schools to see the exciting opportunities that wait for them in middle school. They are also a testimony to the strength of music education in Seattle public schools,” writes 6th grade parent and Friends of Whitman Music Communications Volunteer Rachel Rios.

A bake sale will also be in full swing at the event to support the Friends of Whitman Music and the Performing Arts Program.

Whitman Middle School Choral Concert will also be held this month at Ballard High School Auditorium on March 19, 7 p.m. The Whitman 6th Grade Choir will perform along with the McClure Middle School Choir, Ballard High School Men’s and Women’s Choir and Men’s Quartet.

Photo courtesy of Friends of Whitman Music.

Last month, The Friends of Bergen Place launched a fundraiser to raise money for the installation of a an updated mural in Bergen Place. The local organization is in the second phase of the project and they need local support.

Canadian artists Mike Svob and Allen Wiley recently completed an updated design of the mural at Bergen Place for the Friends of Bergen Place.  The artists first created a scale mode and digital files of the mural and then a  full-scale test print of a section of the mural was performed by Pacific Studios. The Friends of Bergen Place successfully raised $20,000 from individuals and organizations to fund this first phase of the project.

The Friends of Bergen Place then launched a fundraising drive on February 3 to fund the final phase of the project, the installation of the 12 by 52 foot mural. Before the installation, the new design will be printed on thirteen one-half inch graffiti-resistant panels that are each 12 feet high by 4 feet wide.

The final phase of the project is estimated to cost $48,000 and includes final mounting of the panels on an existing frame in Bergen Place. More than 20 individuals and organizations have already donated $12,370 for the final phase of the project, however, the organization needs more local support.

For almost a decade, the Friends of Bergen Place has been a steward of Bergen Place Park and the mural.  Organization volunteers perform monthly maintenance chores in the park and the group also lead successful campaigns in 2005 and 2008 to enhance the park with the addition of granite plinths etched with the names of the five Nordic countries, five 25-foot flagpoles honoring Ballard’s heritage and an engraved stone marker on which is mounted the plaque memorializing the 1975 dedication of the park by King Olav.

Dedicated in 1995 by Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja, the mural is a community treasure that has now exceeded its life expectancy.

“Bergen Place must be maintained as a permanent landmark in the heart of Ballard honoring the community’s rich history and action is required now to restore the mural,” writes The Friends of Bergen Place.

Any contractions can be made by check and mailed to:

Friends of Bergen Place
c/o Nordic Heritage Museum
3014 NW 67th St
Seattle, WA 98117

Make checks payable to the Nordic Heritage Museum and note “Bergen Place Mural” on the memo line.

To find out more information about the project contact Victoria Sangrey Hunter at (206) 335-8391 or Gordon Strand at (206) 783-6634.

Mural image courtesy of Friends of Bergen Place.

According to emails from a number of My Ballard readers and a report on our sister site PhinneyWood.com, two male Whitman Middle School students say that they had a creepy encounter with a suspicious man after school on Friday afternoon.

The two students report that a man in a yellow sports car suspiciously attempted to get them to pet his dog around NW 83rd St and 13th Ave NW. They encountered the man parked in the middle of the road, with his dog on the sidewalk, as they were walking home to Phinney Ridge.

The man reportedly told the students that they could pet his dog and asked them to bring the dog over to the car. The boys did not respond and then walked way from the area.

Later in the afternoon, the students met up with another friend and reportedly saw the same man driving slow near them at NW 75th St and 11th Ave NW. The friend confirmed that he had been followed by the same man as he walked home from St. John’s Catholic School in Greenwood the day before. The boys then ran to home nearby and the car reportedly drove off quickly.

According to PhinneyWood.com, “the man is described as white, in his 20′s or 30′s, short hair, and wearing an orange and silver shirt and orange and silver hat.”

Email us at tips@myballard.com if you or your children have encountered this person.

If you see any suspicious activity report it to the SPD North Precinct at (206) 684-0850. In an emergency call 911.