The latest information from the SWAC Cougars:

One more pre-registration date for SWAC Football and Cheer – June 13, 11 am-2 pm, at Westwood Village Big 5. Registration fee for football is $150 and $100 for cheer. Practices start August 3rd, at Southwest Athletic Complex (east of Southwest Community Center). More info online:
swaccougars.org

Sustainable West Seattle‘s got a movie coming up – here’s the announcement:

Mad City Chickens
a documentary film

Monday, June 15
Doors open @ 6:30 pm (Q&A)
Movie starts @ 7:00 pm

Youngstown Arts Center
4408 Delridge Way SW

Cost: $3 donation requested

Mad City Chickens is a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards.

From chicken experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen or an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge—and even a mad scientist and giant hen taking to the streets—it’s a humorous and heartfelt trip through the world of backyard chickendom.

Highlights:

* Mother Earth News Editor-in-Chief, Cheryl Long
* Leading bird flu expert, Dr. Michael Greger
* Rare behind-the-scenes at Murray McMurray Hatchery
* Backyard Poultry editor, Elaine Belanger
* Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, Christine Heinrichs
* Stunning results from nutritional study on pastured eggs
* Follow an urban family for an entire year as they take the poultry plunge
* A factory farm hen that refused to die even after being gassed and dumped at a landfill

PLUS…coops, birds, eggs, art, images from Seattle Tilth, founding members of the Mad City Chickens group, a California musical hen, a Texas life-saving flock…and yes…even a mad professor and a giant chicken find their way into the mix.

We’ve reported this repeatedly but wanted to share the city’s announcement as well:

PARKS TO HOST MORGAN JUNCTION PARK OFFICIAL OPENING AND COMMUNITY
FESTIVAL

Seattle Parks and Recreation, the Morgan Community Association (MOCA),
and neighbors invite the community to the official grand opening and
ribbon cutting of the new Morgan Junction Park at 10 a.m. on Saturday,
June 13, 2009.

This park opening kicks-off the 4th Annual Morgan Junction Community
Festival (from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), which includes music, children’s
activities and,new this year:the “Bite of Morgan.” The new park is
located at 6401 California Ave. SW in West Seattle and is designed with
both plaza and green space elements, andfeatures an interactive sidewalk
chalk gallery with low profile gallery style frames stamped into the
concrete. A chalk art contest for all ages begins at 11:30 a.m.

The creation of this park was a collaboration among Seattle Parks and
Recreation, Seattle Department of Transportation, the Mayor’s Office of
Arts & Cultural Affairs, MOCA, and the West Seattle neighborhood.

“This beautiful new park, originally planned in the Morgan Junction
Neighborhood Plan, provides a gathering space for all ages, and is a
showpiece for the heart of our community,” said Steve Sindiong, former
president of MOCA.

The Pro Parks Levy and a matching grant from the King County
Conservation Futures Tax provided $747,000 for acquisition of this
.2-acre property. Additionally, the Levy provided $480,000 for
planning, design and construction for the development of this new
neighborhood gathering space.

Approved by Seattle voters in 2000, the $198.2 million Pro Parks Levy
funded more than 100 projects throughout the city over the past eight
years. Projects include improvements to athletic fields, playgrounds,
trails and community centers and parks. Funding also increased green
spaces, supported Zoo programs and enhanced park maintenance.

For more information please visit:
www.cityofseattle.net/parks/proparks/projects/morgan.htm

The official news release from the campaign:

David Miller, who began his campaign for Seattle City Council in November
2008, officially filed for Council Position 8 this morning. “I’m excited by all the
support I’ve received. In early March, I said I was running for Position 8 and today
made that official,” said Miller.

A 15+ year local business executive, environmental advocate, and neighborhood
representative, Miller entered the City Council race to bring balance to these
varying interests and a deliberate and thoughtful perspective to decisions affecting
the citizens of Seattle.

“Seattle’s needs are complex and we can’t afford to hire single-issue candidates for
the job,” stated Miller. “Every week, every meeting, every event on the campaign
trail reinforces my goal of creating a diverse coalition of businesses,
environmentalists, and neighborhood leaders is the right approach to this campaign.
It doesn’t always translate easily to a sound bite, but Seattleites appreciate a
candidate who knows voters are smart enough to understand specific answers to
complex questions.”

Miller has gathered strong endorsements during the campaign. Earth Day founder Denis
Hayes, habitat preservation leader Matt Mega, pedestrian advocate Lisa Quinn, green
economy guru Stacy Noland, tree advocates Cheryl Trivison and Rich Haag, and open
space advocate John Barber are among those in the environmental community endorsing
Miller.

Biotech leader Bruce Montgomery; former head of the National Cancer Institute,
biotech venture capitalist, and Obama Administration advisor Dr. Richard Klausner;
green developers Bruce Blume and Linda Pruitt; business leader Anne Levinson; and
Seattle business icon Bill Grinstein are among Miller’s many supporters in the
business community.

Georgetown community leader Kathy Nyland, Delridge leader Pete Spaulding, West
Seattle leader Ivan Weiss, Beacon/Jefferson leader Judith Edwards, community leaders
Bruce Bentley and Kiku Hayashi, low income housing executive Sharon H. Lee, and many
others from all parts of the city are among Miller’s community-based supporters.

Miller is also endorsed by State Representative Scott White, King County
Councilmember Bob Ferguson, and former Seattle City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck.

Council Position 8 is currently held by Councilmember Richard McIver, who has stated
his intention to retire. “In my work with City Council on various issues, I’ve come
to respect Councilmember McIver’s tough and direct questions and pledge to carry on
that tradition,” Miller said. “Seattle owes a large debt to Councilmember McIver,”
noted Miller, “and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him publicly. Seattle
is a better place for his service.”

Based upon input from hundreds of Seattle residents, David Miller’s campaign is
focused on four priorities: Grow Responsibly, Strengthen Neighborhoods, Prioritize
People, and Return to Basics. More detail on these themes and the campaign is
available on www.MillerForSeattle.org.

Miller filed to run for City Council on November 18, 2008, the third non-incumbent
to file for the race. On March 9, 2009 he became the second candidate to announce an
intention to run for Position 8. Shortly after 9:00am today, Miller made his
official filing for Position 8 with King County Elections.

David Miller lives with his wife in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of north Seattle
where he was president of the Community Council, works to preserve existing green
space, and advocates for responsible urban growth and density in our urban core
areas. David is founder and CEO of Biotech Stock Research and volunteers for the
UW-Bothell Center for Student Entrepreneurship where he helps aspiring business
owners launch their companies. A Council-appointed representative to the Parks and
Green Spaces Citizen’s Advisory Committee, David helped create the package for the
2008 Parks for All Levy and advocated for its successful passage. He is currently an
alternate serving on Seattle’s Neighborhood Planning Advisory Committee.

His official announcement:

Charlie Mas files for School Board Race
Charlie Mas, longtime Seattle school district activist, filed as a candidate for
Seattle Public Schools Board Director from southeast Seattle on Monday, June 1. The
Board seat is now held by Cheryl Chow, who has announced that she will not be
running for re-election.

“I’m running for the Board because I want to do the work,” said Mr. Mas. “The
Board’s duties of making policy, overseeing the management of the District,
providing accountability and representing the public aren’t getting done. If the
voters let me, I’ll do the job.”

A candidate for this position in 2001, Mr. Mas has remained active and involved. He
is a member of the Superintendent’s School-Family Partnerships Advisory Committee
and a Golden Acorn award winner. He is also an active contributor to the Seattle
Public Schools Community Blog. He is well-respected for his knowledge and analysis
of District issues and has, at times, been an outspoken critic of District
decisions.

“I want the District to walk the talk. Standing up for accountability and community
engagement are positive and supportive of the direction the District is trying to
take” he said.

Mr. Mas is father of two students in Seattle Public Schools. Married since 1982,
Charlie and Levecke Mas have lived in southeast Seattle on Beacon Hill for seventeen
years. Charlie works as an investment advisor.