November 2005

Dean Wong

Tears come to Joe Gables' eyes when he talks about getting old and being home bound due to his limited mobility. He has no friends or family to support him. But one light shining in his life is Randy Neely, a volunteer with ElderFriends, who visits him each week to provide him assistance and companionship.

On Thanksgiving Day, when most people are sharing meals with their loved ones, Neely will take time out to deliver a turkey, prepared and donated by The Yankee Grill and Roaster in Ballard for Gable and other seniors in the ElderFriends program.

An article in the Nov. 2 Times/News regarding the annexation or incorporation of the North Highline area noted that King County Deputy Sheriff “Steve Cox made up his mind that it’s better to annex to Burien.

I would like to thank David Hohimer for bringing fresh ideas and new relevant perspectives to the voters of Normandy Park in his energetic write-in campaign for city council.

I have no doubt that had his name actually appeared on the ballot, the results could have been quite different. David and his family have brought class, enthusiasm and commitment with their involvement in our community, and I hope to see their interests in our city continue to grow.

John Rankin

Normandy ParK

The results of last week’s general election held good news for challengers and bad news for incumbents in several Highline-area city council races, especially in Burien.

Voters retired two Burien City Council members -- Mayor Noel Gibb, who was seeking election to a second term, and two-term Councilman Stephen Lamphear.

Gibb was defeated by Sue Blazak, a political newcomer who has been a long-time community activist.

Former Councilwoman Rose Clark, who lost a bid for re-election two years ago, defeated Lamphear.

Miss Burien 2005 Amelia Gilbert has passed the crown on to her younger sister.

Melody Gilbert was named Miss Burien 2006 during a sparkling scholarship pageant themed “The Best of the Best” at the Highline Performing Arts Center Nov. 5.

Melody attends Highline Community College in Des Moines.

False eyelashes from Nordstrom Mac counter ... $8. Stila Lip Glaze in Brown Sugar ... $12. Spray-on Tan from The Bronze Bar ... $35.

Hearing my friends and family scream like little girls when I walked on stage ...

Highline School Board members adopted on Nov. 9 the formal ballot language for a $148 million capital facilities bond measure to be decided by voters on March 14.

They decided on Oct.

I got a compact disc in the mail this week with a collection of songs done by a small band in Oregon.

It is a band led by Pat George, a gifted jazz pianist who can also play Dixieland or pop standards, backed by his daughter on vocals and some other musicians.

The most important musician to me is the drummer in the group, Rick Ledoux, grandson of Bernie Ledoux. Bernie was a neighbor kid when I was 13 in Portland, Oregon. He and his brother, Joe, and cousin Poose played a lot of touch football in front of our house with me and my brother Russell.