November 2005

My wife, Marlaina, who is blind, and I, a quadriplegic, read the letter from Tom Fletcher Jr. of Burien on the problems of access to businesses on South 152nd Street. Believe me, he just hit the top of the list.

Take a look at the south side of 152nd from about Second through Fourth Avenues. This is an older strip mall. We tried to check out the Daily Perk one morning only to discover that there is no parking available for my ramped van and lots of steps but no curb cut to the sidewalk for my wheelchair.

Editor's note: Megan Sheppard joined Washington State Trooper Josh Stuart for a ride-along last December when he was on a weekend DUI patrol, looking for holiday drivers under the influence -- a sobering reminder that drinking and driving don’t mix any time of year.

“Welcome to my world,” says Trooper Josh Stuart with a wry smile.

It's a world where drunk drivers ram the patrol car as you help a stranded motorist.

Where you're the first on scene when three cars hit and kill a pedestrian and none of the drivers bother to stop.

Where

Last week I went with Elsbeth to the supermarket to buy a turkey for Thanksgiving.

She wanted a Butterball and she wanted a hen, not a Tom. But the darn things are covered with plastic and you can't see through it and maybe see something that would indicate what it was. You know. Like guys have big feet.

Along came a charming lady who didn't know any more about hens and Toms than we did. Her name is Mary Simpson. So I told her the only way to tell was to watch which bathroom they came out of.

Is SeaTac the Grinch that stole Christmas from a genuine tree farm in the city?

SeaTac businessman Gene Fisher says this is probably the last holiday season he will be selling Christmas trees on his nearly two-acre tree farm at 2857 S. 152nd Street.

And he will offer only trees customers cut themselves on his unique urban lot. He won't be importing any pre-cut trees.

City regulations are one reason he's shutting down.

The city has strict ordinances on the size and number of directional signs businesses can display.

Students from two classes at the Sea-Tac Occupational Skills Center are working on a unique project for the young victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes.

Construction Technology students are designing and building playhouses as gifts for child evacuees.

Burien lawmakers approved Nov. 21 a 2006 city budget that will maintain and improve the current level of services and fund projects such as Town Square.

firing gun at officers

Mark Prince, 44, was shot and killed by police in Burien on Nov. 19.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired early that morning at South 177th Street and First Avenue South.

Prince then began shooting at the officers, who called in a SWAT team, which returned his fire.

He died of gunshot wounds to his chest and arm.

Man confesses to killing

I was viewing a recent meeting of the Burien City Council when everyone was discussing the viability of the environmental studies structure planned for Seahurst Park and realized that I had some concerns.

First of all, I have to say that I have known Georgette Valle practically my whole life and consider her a friend and have great respect for her contributions to local politics as a former city council member and a legislator in Olympia.

firing gun at officers

Mark Prince, 44, was shot and killed by police in Burien on Nov. 19.

Officers responded to a call of shots fired early that morning at South 177th Street and First Avenue South.

Prince then began shooting at the officers, who called in a SWAT team, which returned his fire.

He died of gunshot wounds to his chest and arm.

Man confesses to killing

Thanks, Burien, for electing me to the Burien City Council. I met many wonderful people while doorbelling and attending coffee hours. You, the people, make this such a wonderful place to live.

We have serious issues ahead of us. Town Square is one. I attended the original visioning meetings and was privileged to help set Town Square policies while on the Planning Commission in the 1990s.

While on the Burien City Council I was excited to move the project ahead by voting to purchase the property.