June 2006

Fred Schultz, where are you?

We've seen you in Lincoln Park, walking stick in hand, for months now. If we were unable to chat, we waved in passing.

Fred, where are you? We have not seen you in many weeks. Perhaps our paths have simply not crossed or we may be coming too early in the morning and have missed you. But, that's the point! We miss you. Please tell us you are still coming to the park for your daily walks.

Nancy Swanson and Che'

This is a copy of a letter sent to Schools Superintendent Raj Manhas: Please reconsider the Citizens Advisory Committee recommendation to send Pathfinder K-8 School to the Boren building. This choice is inappropriate for our school.

Our school community at Pathfinder followed the Citizens Advisory Committee's process closely and actively. It seemed clear to us that, by all accounts, our program met the criteria set by the school board for a successful program.

As a parent and member of the Pathfinder Parent, Teacher, Student Association board I am appalled at the secret session to move our school.

The Boren facility is too large for a small alternative school. The large size would detract from the intimacy of the learning style.

The facility needs lots and lots of work before it could be ready. The outside is trashed.

Wow! I can't believe it is the month of June already. This year is a very special year to me, because we have been through a lot together, and your support is totally appreciated! I want to thank all of you who went to the community meetings, gave your feedback to the Community Advisory Committee, and supported us through this process.

There is concern among neighbors living near the closed Salmon Creek Elementary School that an alternative school for White Center high school students might be moving in.

Neighbors, who are accustomed to little kids being in the neighborhood, worry the New Start program will bring teenage gang members to the area around the 600 block of Southwest 120th Street. They also are suspicious because they're just learning about the plan, which was scheduled to go into effect July 1.

City Councilman Richard Conlin is revisiting the possibility of using a Harbor Island site for the city's future garbage-handling facility.

The city plans to build an "intermodal solid-waste transfer facility." Garbage trucks from throughout the city would take their loads to the facility, where the garbage would be packed into shipping containers and loaded onto rail cars for shipment to Eastern Oregon.

Seattle Public Utilities studied four possible sites for the intermodal garbage transfer facility, including the former Fisher flour mill at Terminal 10 on the southwest

Some Burien residents expressed frustration last week at the prospect of having no say over whether their city doubles its size by annexing North Highline.

"We were promised an advisory vote," said a woman at the last of three "community conversation meetings" sponsored by the city of Burien at Sylvester Middle School.

The registered voters of North Highline will hold an election to decide whether to join Burien or Seattle.

The King County ombudsman has dismissed an ethics complaint against the chief of staff for County Councilman Dow

Constantine said the June 1 ruling confirmed that the complaint, filed by mining company Glacier Northwest against his Chief of Staff Sharon Nelson, was "politically motivated harassment."

"The County Ombudsman reviewed more than 1,000 pages of information and ruled the allegations to be completely unfounded," said Constantine.

Katharine A. Warsinske, daughter of Charles and Adele Warsinske of West Seattle, graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with Highest Honors on May 27, in Rochester, NY.

Warsinske holds a Master of Science in School Psychology with a Certificate of Advanced Study. She attended Maple Elementary, Madison Middle School, and Franklin High School. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Cum Laude from Washington State University in 2003.