March 2008

The streets of Ballard turned violent on March 2 when a homeless man, Matthew Scott Korpinen, 38, was beaten to death with a metal pipe.

Police arrested John Robert Dwyer, 53, nearby after talking to a witness. Dwyer was charged with second-degree murder by the King County Prosecuting Attorney's office last week. Bail has been set at $1.5 million.

A witness told police there had been an altercation a few days earlier between Korpinen and Dwyer, also homeless and living in a vehicle nearby.

A $500 reward has been offered for the return of the stolen historic arrow sign that hung outside the Olympic Athletic Club's parking garage on Ballard Avenue. It was installed in the 1930's, when a bowling alley opened there.

"It's a felony, but we don't want to see anyone get in trouble. We just want our sign, no questions asked," said Mark Durall, the club's general manager. He said the club stays open 24-hours a day.

"But we close at 7 p.m. Saturdays until 8 a.m. Sundays, and I noticed it missing Sunday morning, Feb.

A citizen-led effort to save another longtime community gathering place got a boost last week when the new owners of the Sunset Bowl property agreed to consider incorporating a bowling alley into its development plans, which would demolish the 30-year-old local landmark.

Brian Fritz, vice president of development for AvalonBay Communities, said his company is willing to look at the idea, but "can we do it? I have no idea," he said.

"I don't want anyone to think that we are guaranteeing anything," said Fritz.

"Why am I doing this?" I asked all the way to the sign-in table on the first Saturday of March. I had not only chosen to spend a precious weekend day at a public policy forum; I had been forced to plead my case to be allowed to attend.

Lately in the interest of Ballard, I have been leaving Ballard. Like the trek downtown for the Landmark Board meeting and now, the University of Washington campus for a Neighborhood Planning Forum sponsored by the Evans School of Public Affairs.

- During their sensational 2007-2008 season drive, the Decatur High School boys basketball team played scintillating games that came down to the wire.

At the Tacoma Dome, three out of four games were decided on the last possession, but two of the three games resulted in losses.

On the afternoon of Saturday, March 1, two familiar adversaries returned to thwart a Decatur try for triumph in another final possession encounter.

At West Central District, junior guards Abdul Gaddy and Avery Bradley led the Bellarmine Prep Lions past the Gators (20-8) in a 66-62 winner

TACOMA--There's no shame in losing a game.

That's especially the case when a team battles all of the season and postseason to get to the state championship game, when expectations were that it wouldn't be anywhere near. Not even the team expected to be there in the case of the Federal Way boys basketball team.

"We didn't expect to be where we are," said Federal Way head coach Jerome Collins.

Responding to numerous offers of extended vehicle warranties targeting consumers around the state-including in the Highline area-the Washington Attorney General's Office is advising caution.

"While the official-looking postcard in your mailbox warns that your car's warranty is about to expire and urges you to call a toll-free number to ensure you're covered ...

and Rep. Eileen Cody

Reforming our health care system is like rebuilding an airplane while it's in flight. It's incredibly tough to do - some say impossible.

But we have to try. _We have to try because we can't stay on this course and smash into a financial wall. Think that health care costs have been going up lately? Wait until all the baby boomers retire. And they just started.

The need for reform _

Everybody is hurt by the flaws in our system today:

(_Businesses can't keep paying more and more to offer health insurance.

Is there really a way to prevent the common cold and flu?

Well, one retired local pharmacist-turned-author believes he has the answer to this age-old question.

In his new book, Finally!!! Stop Having Colds & Flu, Normandy Park's J. Albert Hermle shares what he learned through the years. The big news is that his antiviral breakthrough is surprisingly simple.

At a book signing on Saturday, March 15, from 12 to 2 p.m. at Burien Books, 643 S.W. 152nd St., readers will have the opportunity to meet Hermle. He will also sign books March 16 from noon to 3 p.m.

South King County is struggling.

Poverty, poor health, high dropout rates, lack of options for transportation and parks and trails, and little opportunity for arts and culture have challenged our economic development and fractured our cities as they, often unsuccessfully, fight to compete for grants and regional funding.

If the following statistics come as a surprise, you are not alone.

Over the past several weeks, I have presented startling facts to city councils, chambers of commerce, Rotary Clubs and other groups, with responses ranging from shock to anger a