February 2007

The death of a Bellevue apartment dweller by a falling crane last year has prompted state lawmakers to look at ways of ensuring that such a tragedy does not occur again. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Ballard, and Rep. Deb Eddy, D-Kirkland, have introduced companion measures to regulate crane safety and require that operators be certified.

"With all the construction going on in Seattle, the Eastside, and across the state, the potential for another accident is still present," said Kohl-Welles, the chair of the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee.

Although the Ballard Beavers boy's basketball team gained the respect of the KingCo league this season, they were three points away from winning an overtime game and a playoff spot.

Despite senior Nigel Peter-Denman's career best 31 points; Eastlake prevailed during the extra period. The final score of 77 - 73 ended Ballard's year.

Going into their last two regular season games against defending state champion Franklin and Eastlake, the Beavers needed one win to advance to the KingCo Tournament.

A 76-42 loss to Franklin on Feb.

The Ballard Beavers cheerleading team hosted the WSCCA High School Regional JV State and All Star State Cheerleading Championships last Saturday.

Over 30 high schools competed to earn bids to go to State. In addition, over 40 all-star cheer squads contested for the State Champion title.

Ballard is in the medium division based on the size of their team. They will compete against nine other schools.

Earlier last week as Ballard prepared for the event, Coach Nancy Ellen-Elster expressed confidence in her Beavers.

"We are doing real well.

Team finished with 10-13 overall

By Dean Wong

For the second consecutive year, the Ballard Beavers girls varsity basketball team made the KingCo Tournament and earned a victory in the process.

The win came on Feb. 14 against Inglemoor 50-47. Then came losses to Bothell 51-37 and finally to Garfield 55-49 to end the Beaver's playoff run.

Ballard finishes the KingCo season with a 7-8 record and 10-13 overall.

Junior point guard Kayla Williams scored 15 points to lead Ballard over Inglemoor on the Vikings' home court.

PUYALLUP - Startlingly superb second-half performances staved off an upset bid on Saturday, February 17, and sent the third-ranked Class 4A Decatur Gators boys basketball team soaring to the state tournament for the first time since 1999.

Trailing by slim margins after each of the first two quarters, Decatur (21-2) marshaled its forces at halftime to narrowly win the third quarter before dominating the fourth quarter to grasp a 75-68 West Central District victory against youth-oriented Bellarmine Prep.

Sophomore Gator point guard Michael Hale was a steady catalyst through

Federal Way High School landed the 4A state academic champions award for it's boys swim team with a grade point average of 3.63 in WIAA boys swim and dive state championships action at the King County Aquatic Center Feb. 16-17.

"We are state academic champions," said Carla Boone, the Eagles' head coach. "All the kids that swam varsity and that is out of all the 4A schools in the state."

There were good reasons that the Eagles had such a good team cumulative g.p.a.

In separate actions on Feb. 22, Des Moines City Council members approved a Redondo rezone that addresses substandard lot requirements and unanimously endorsed the Highline School District's replacement levy.

Currently in Redondo there are 154 taxed lots, of which 134 are substandard in size.

The year is 1919. The place is St. Louis. The setting is a modest family home in an era before electricity and telephones were common conveniences. The cast of characters includes a God-fearing mother and her four daughters.

Sounds just like a heart-warming family play, one that the Seattle Performing Arts Fellowship has made their trademark over the past two decades.

But look again. Kevin O'Morrison's post-World War I drama, Lady House Blues, is somewhat of a departure for the Christian theater group.

U.S. Weightlifting Team member Melanie Roach continues her quest for the 2008 Olympics on March 2 at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus Ohio.

Over 40 competitors will compete for just 15 spots on the World Team that will compete in Chiang Mai, Thailand in September.

The top seven women will compete in Chiang Mai. Roach is currently ranked #4 on her way to making the 2008 Olympic Team. The U.S.

The Federal Way Police Department wants to inform city residents of a disturbing increase in the number of reported home burglaries over the past six years.

An analysis of the reports from 2001-2005 indicated a steady increase in residential burglaries.