December 2005

I have a better plan for Gov.

Should we keep the Burien Library in its current location and build an expansion tower above it? Yes, of course, we should. Libraries are important for the continuing education of us, the people, and I think that the current, beautiful Burien Library is the most pleasant library in the King County Library System.

As I walk into the attractive library building from my van, parked in the pleasant, tree-surrounded parking lot, next to a public park, I gain a feeling of peacefulness.

The Board of Burien Little Theatre wishes to thank the community for your tremendous turnout for our anniversary bash on Dec. 4 celebrating 50 years of community theater in Burien. We were delighted that such a large crowd enjoyed a look at our past, present and future, including a staged reading of two scenes from our upcoming comedy, Sylvia, by A.R. Gurney.

Sylvia, to be directed by Henry Hart, will open our exciting 2006 mini-season on Friday, Jan. 13, and run through Sunday, Jan. 29, followed by Angry Housewives from March 10 to April 2.

Early December had several weeks of cold, dry weather. It was nice to see the sun as an alternative to the ubiquitous gray of a Puget Sound winter. Even the dusting of snow for a day was exciting. Remember the last real snowfall? Was it 1996?

While we may have enjoyed the bright, but cold, days, gardens may have suffered. Winter drought can be severely damaging and cause death in prized plantings.

According to the Washington State Patrol, witnesses said the driver of the car drifted to the left out of the car-pool lane and hit a guardrail.

The car then went into a spin and struck the side of the minivan, troopers said.

Killed was Nichole Cook, 23, who was a passenger in the car.

The Burien City Council decided to postpone further consideration of annexing North Highline until early January, after its newly elected members are sworn into office.

The council has been considering declaring North Highline a "potential annexation area." The designation wouldn't obligate Burien to annex North Highline. It's a signal to other cities that Burien wants to study annexation of the area to its north. However becoming a potential annexation area is a necessary step in the annexation process.

Council members decided Dec.

Bruce Carlson recently notched his 400th career win as coach of the Seattle Lutheran High School girls basketball team and quickly tacked on additional victories.

His 403rd victory came Dec. 20 in a home game with University Prep. The Lady Saints throttled the Pumas 65-35.

Not bad for a jewelry salesman.

That's right, Carlson is not a teacher. He's been selling jewelry at Menashe and Sons Jewelers for about 25 years.

Operators at 911 received a call from a woman at the Junction Safeway store, saying she thought she recognized a woman and a child from a picture on an abducted child poster. She reported that the two had boarded a Metro bus and provided a description of their clothing. Metro was alerted, and officers found the two on board. The pair was, indeed, missing from Wichita, Kansas. The 4-year-old child appeared to be in good health and was placed in temporary foster care until he could be reunited with family.

Last Friday was the final performance of my school play, Noises Off (one of the reasons I was unable to submit a column last week).

For those familiar with that particular British farce, I played Poppy.

For those who aren't familiar, Noises Off is a play within a play; it is the story of an incompetent British theater troupe attempting to put on the show Nothing On and failing miserably.

My cast totaled nine people and one sweet-as-could-be director.

Head up to Admiral on a dark winter's night and you'll notice the new, entrancing blue glow of Blackbird Bistro. Officially opened on December 16th by proprietors Eric Cozens, Peter Morse, Executive Chef David Hilliard, and Rich and Amy Green, Blackbird is newest chic spot on the block offering fresh, organic, new American fare.

And if these names sound familiar, it's because Cozens, Morse and Hilliard also are the men behind Mission, next door.