July 2007

Concerned about housing

I remain concerned about the fate of the Lora Lake apartment in Burien. I worry about the domino effect of losing workforce housing when our affordable housing stock is so critically low in King County. We have 8,300 homeless on any given night-thereby competing for these limited units.

When I shop at Trader Joe's or drive by parts of SR 509, I often see individuals who are homeless and in need of housing.

Safety is reason for moving Lora Lake

Editor's note: The following letter was written to Frank Blethen, publisher of the Seattle Times.

Dear Mr. Blethen,

One day just a few years ago I was in my office in the 600 block of S.W. 152nd in Burien when I heard a roar from a plane so loud it brought people out into the street.

The cause? A Russian jet tried to land on Highway 509, a half mile west of Lora Lake.

Neighborhood

Quiet political times in Des Moines

Plenty of hot and heavy political maneuvering had this city spinning on its earthly election axis from 2001 to 2005.

Now peace passes understanding when not one soul challenged this year's incumbent Des Moines City Council candidates-Mayor Bob Sheckler, Mayor Pro Tem Scott Thomasson, and Councilman Dan Sherman.

Why?

Guesses are: "Things are going smooth, don't rock the boat ... Never change horses in the middle of the stream ...

Neighborhood
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America's underpinnings in peril this 4th of July

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

The Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776

More than two centuries after our Founding Fathers established with these words a new nation, America-the "shining city on a hill"-remains a beacon of hope and freedom for the world.

The Constitution and Bill of Rights, which limit the power of government in our republic, were built on this foundati

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You hear strange things in hospital

I was visiting at Highline Medical Center the other day. Elsbeth was there recovering from a knee replacement. This is the second time on the prayer bones.

The nurses call her the iron lady. And not because she does a great job on shirts.

As I was waiting by the elevator a big guy walked up and he had paint splotches on his shirt and some had spattered on his neck. He was obviously a man of means and distinction so I asked," Are you a doctor?"

"Yes," he said.

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Des Moines

Bank robber shot, killed

June 29-A robber wanted for four bank hold-ups in South King County in less than a week was shot and killed by a Des Moines police sergeant shortly after 6 p.m.

The unidentified man, about 40, reportedly robbed a Key Bank at 23250 Pacific Highway S. in Kent around 5:30 p.m.

Half an hour later, a man matching his description robbed a Bank of America at 707 S. 227th St.

Neighborhood

South Highline Americans lose to West Seattle

South Highline Americans' Lukas Kelly put on a good show for the 9-10 winner's bracket semi-final baseball all-star game that his team lost, 9-3, in the Washington State District 7 tournament at Bar S Playfield in West Seattle Wednesday.

But to spin a quote from the most recent version of the many remakes of the flick, King Kong, it wasn't Kelly's pitching that killed the beast of success for SHA, it was errors, and luck.

The 9-year-old Kelly went through the first six batters of West Seattle with relative ease. No, make that complete ease.

Neighborhood
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Sports briefs

Highline hosts camps

Highline High School is getting set to host a series of sports camps this summer.

Soccer and girls basketball will be first, running from July 9-13, with the girls' volleyball camp runs from July 16-20.

Cheerleading and boys basketball run from July 23-27.

The soccer camp takes place at Highline Memorial Stadium and the rest of the camps are at Sylvester Middle School located at 16222 Sylvester Road S.W., Burien, Wash. 98166.

Camps begin at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. each day.

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