October 2007

Times/News publisher Jerry Robinson has been awarded a First Place for humor writing in the annual Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Better Newspaper Contest.

Robinson, 87, writes a regular column that appears in both this paper and our sister paper, the West Seattle Herald/White Center News. He began his newspaper career in 1947 and a year later, won his first award, also a First Place, for a sports story.

Over time, Robinson has written thousands of columns, often about local people.

Meet Vikki Brock

Former Burien resident Vikki Brock owns, sails and repairs her own trimaran sailboat moored in a marina in Ballard.

It is 52 feet long and 26 feet wide and sleeps eight. She bought it in 1995 and is a certified U.S.

West Seattle artists Daniel and Judith Caldwell created "Blue Sky Baskets," which stands at the triangle intersection of Delridge, Roxbury and16th.

The $90,000 project was commissioned by the White Center Community Development Association. Funds also came from the City of Seattle, State Arts Commission, and Starbucks.

A celebration took place at the Delridge triangle on Oct.

ArtsWest Playhouse

4711 California Ave. S.W.

ArtsWest bites into season number 9 with the Seattle Premiere of Bat Boy the Musical, Until Nov. 10. Ripped from the pages of the Weekly World News, this award-winning cult hit tells the story of a strange boy with pointy ears, his struggle to find a place in a world that shuns him, and the love that can create both miracles and madness. ArtsWest's production of Bat Boy the Musical is made possible by a grant from Viking Bank.

Nearly 400 runners started in front of the Beach House, ran south to the halfway point, made a sharp turn, and finished in where they started. Here, runners turning at the half way point at Luna Park, where representatives from Agathos hand out water and coffee. The Agathos Foundation built six orphanages which are self-sustaining farms in South Africa. They care for over one thousand children whose families have been afflicted with HIV/AIDS. Six new orphanages are planned to open in 2008 in Tanzania and Zambia.

The 2007-2008 Hi-Yu queen and junior court members are a recent Hi-Yu meeting.

Seattle School's academic chief Carla Santorno hit the nail directly and properly on the head last week when she told a meeting at West Seattle High School that there will always be someone who "will not agree with this decision, regardless."

It has been a long, contentious battle to decide whether the school should continue with the four period day the school has operated with since the early 1990s. After a debate with parents, teachers and administrators that stretched over two years, Santorno drew the line and said it would be a six period day beginning in 2008. Finally.

Tripping light fantastic at Corner Inn at Morgan

By Jerry Robinson

You won't find any hip hop, break dancing, not even dirty dancing but if you want to take your honey for a night of Jailhouse Rock, kick up your heels rhythms you will find it, alive and boisterous, every Tuesday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. right here at the Morgan Street junction in the Corner In and Lounge.

I saw Linda Brill's (KING TV) story about Gee Automotive's demise not on my home TV, but unfortunately, while waiting at Gee after I had to return my "fixed" car. And what made it more sickening is that while I waited in the customer lounge, many employees had enough free time to view the story as well.

Even if Gee stayed in business, I would never recommend that place to anyone. A lot of Gee's problems are not the fault of Huling Brothers, but stuff of their own creation. And I will not accept the "poor employee morale," or "stressed out - we're about to be laid off" story.

Thank you for keeping the West Seattle community informed about the West Seattle High School schedule review over the past one and a half years. Communication is a key element in involving families in their children's education, and we find your newspaper reports are a real service to the community with issues that are difficult to follow.

I think most parents will agree that lack of communication creates frustration.