April 2007

The Sea-Tac Occupational Skills Center started in the 1960s as the state's first multi-district high school vocational program.

But Highline district officials think the center's name has become as dated as such '60s expressions as "groovy" and "far out."

So school board members voted April 18 to change the center's name to Puget Sound Skills Center. The switch is effective May 1.

Several things were wrong with the old name, principal Sue Shields told board members.

First, the Sea-Tac center at 18010 Eighth Ave. S.

Burien council members honored on April 16 retiring city resource manager and clerk Jan Roegner, who has served as since incorporation in 1993.

Roegner has trained many of the current staff, negotiating the contract that allowed council meetings to be covered on cable Channel21, and produced the city's newsletter.

"It's amazing how Jan has done all of these jobs and done them so well," Councilman Gordon Shaw observed.

"I'm overwhelmed and close to speechless," Roegner said in response to tributes from the council.

The Times/News presents a weekly summary of actions on bills by Highline-area legislators.

For complete information, go to www.WashingtonVotes.org-a free, non-partisan Website with plain-English explanations of bills and a record of each legislator's votes-which is the source for this report.

Highline is represented by:

District 11-Sen. Margarita Prentice; Rep Zack Hudgins, Rep. Bob Hasagawa.

District 33-Sen. Karen Keiser; Rep. Shay Schual-Berke, Rep. Dave Upthegrove.

District 34-Sen. Erik Poulsen; Rep. Eileen Cody; Rep. Joe McDermott.

Most political "headliners" pass through the Highline area after landing at Boeing Field or Sea-Tac International Airport on their way to events somewhere else.

But Karl Rove, a chief advisor to President Bush, came to SeaTac on April 14 where he spoke to King County Republicans at their Lincoln Day dinner at the Hilton Seattle Airport Conference Center.

Rove spared no punches in criticizing congressional Democrats on both the war in Iraq and the national economy, and challenged party members to elect a Republican governor next year.

"You've all got a lot of wo

Burien's popular annual Clean Sweep, which brings friends and neighbors together to clean up their city, will take place again Saturday, April 28, from 8 a.m.

The fire marshal's office with South King Fire & Rescue is scheduled to receive a $2,500 grant on Thursday, April 26, to fund specialized equipment for a fire investigation vehicle.

Jerry Kenkel, vice-president and San Francisco engineering manager of FM Global, will present the check to Fire Marshal Ron Biesold and Investigator Laine McGee, at Headquarters Station 62, 31617 First Ave. S. in Federal Way, at a 3 p.m.

Pro instruction offered

Local tennis professional Steve Walters again offers area tennis lessons at outdoor locations this summer. Walters, certified Pro 1 by the United States Professional Tennis Association since 1986, has coached at some of the world's top tennis resorts and academies in Florida, California, Texas and Canada. Also he traveled on the men's professional tour, including the 1988 U.S. Open, as a traveling coach for world-ranked pros and nationally-ranked juniors.

As a player, Walters has been ranked No.

Southwest county gang unit

Following the Dec.

Under a canopy of striking sunlight and blue sky, Mount Rainier captured five out of the first six matches to stroke past Evergreen of White Center 5 - 4 in Seamount League coed high school tennis action Thursday in the warmth at the Marge Command Courts of Highline Community College.

In this format, the results of boys and girls matches plus a mixed doubles match determine the final team result.

For the first half of the season, the squads exchanged strokes in seven matches.

The Highline Pirates scored some offense on a solo shot from Randi Dry, connecting on a change-up off Kennedy ace pitcher Karli Merlich. So did the Pirates beat the Lancers by one?

Oh no. Oh noooo.