June 2008

"We'll go after it tomorrow," said Steel Lake Minors manager Ken Allen. "And then we can see these guys again."

Steel Lake was hoping to play Kent for the championship after press time Saturday if it won the games before that. After all, the final score may have been a seven-run difference, but the game was a little closer than that.

Kent got on the board in the top of the third inning, with a home run hit over the center field fence to make it 1-0.

The Westwood Neighborhood Council has developed an early vision for the existing site of the Denny Middle School and lands owned by the Seattle School District, according to a news release e-mailed Saturday morning.

Steven Fischer, president of the Westwood Neighborhood Council, said the community's vision includes a neighborhood-oriented combination of open spaces, natural areas and ball fields that are open to the public.

"This area needs better public spaces that serve the community and complements the role of our schools and the Southwest Community Center.

There are shutouts and no-hitters, then there are perfect games, really perfect games and really, really perfect games.

Sonny Dorhofer of the South Highline National Little League Juniors flirted with a really, really perfect game, then still had a perfect game before she wound up with "only" the no-hitter and a shutout.

Dorhofer struck out every Renton batter she faced through two outs in the fourth inning before the string of 11 strikeouts to start the game ended on a ground out to second base.

Dorhofer kept the perfect game through a ground out to shortstop

Recently, Steve Dubiel, the Executive Director of EarthCorps, reminded me of birthday celebration possibilities that restore our sense of community and connection to the earth:

"As a parent of two young children, I have my share of trepidation when it comes to the consumption associated with birthday parties. EarthCorps is one of four US nonprofits teamed up with ECHOage to create meaningful birthday celebrations.

A village is defined as bigger than a hamlet, usually smaller than a town. Urban is defined as characteristic of a city or town, or citified. But put together, what does urban village really mean? It is a term used in urban planning since the 1980's to describe a community that ideally offers medium population density, mixed use zoning, good public transit, access to public space and community institutions, and pedestrian only zones. For purposes of future growth targets and amenities Ballard is a designated Hub Urban Village by Seattle's Department of Planning and Development.

Carnegie's a nice place to relax

Carnegie's

2026 NW Market Street

789-6643

http://www.carnegiesrestaurant.com/

By Patricia Devine and Jim Anderson

The Romans had their Circus Maximus. The Burien City Council has its Circus Annexus.

The council is on the edge of a fiscal annexation folly.

The council even has a straight man in the form of a city manager. He says things like, "Full annexation will break the bank". Members of the city council come back with the idea of annexing in phases, hoping that no one will notice that the city is going broke slowly.

The city manager says that we can pay for annexation with grants and promises of tax reimbursements.

A letter writer recently criticized the Burien City Council for not ordering people to let the city decide how people should trim or cut down trees on their own land.

I say good job, council, for following the traditions of freedom and respect for other's property and for not abusing their power.

Perhaps Ms. Mackey-O'Brien wants to start fund raising to pay people the extra costs of redesigning their homes to have a tree in the middle of it.

I have become aware of CBS's new series "Swingtown" and am writing to express my displeasure with the station's decision to air it.

Due to an editing error, the date of the next SeaTac City Council meeting was incorrect in a letter by Pam Fernald of SeaTac in the June 11 Times/News.

Council meetings are on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. at city hall, 4800 S. 188th St