July 2008

Librarians come alive

By Shannon Schinagl

Sensible shoes. Hair in a bun. Glasses perched on the tip of a nose. Tweed suits. Do you recognize the occupation? Shhhhh! Whisper the answer! You're in the library!

Yes, librarians have been battling this stereotype for years. Thankfully, books are helping us change our image.

While some books work subtly to show librarians in a different light, others make it their mission. There are books about librarians in every genre, and for readers of every age.

Romance in the library? Yes, indeed.

'The Love Guru' misses Myers' insight

Directed by Marco Schnabel

Rated PG-13

(Two stars)

By Bruce Bulloch

After seeing a really funny movie trailer have you ever run out to see the film only to realize 90 minutes later that the entire movie produced just enough laughs to fill that trailer and nothing more?

On behalf of the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA, we would like to thank Nucor Steel Seattle for choosing the YMCA as the beneficiary of their first ever charity golf tournament.

Thank you for this article raising awareness of the importance of doulas and the wonderful program from Open Arms (Herald, July 9).

I read this article over and over again, as I am myself a doula, childbirth educator, and provide lactation support. I'd like to add a little bit more.

As the article alludes, there are two types of doulas, birth doulas and postpartum doulas. A birth doula visits with a pregnant woman, sometimes offering massage, and learns what the mother hopes for in her birth.

not at parade

We are very sad that we were not able to bring J.P. Patches to the West Seattle Hi-Yu Parade this year. He had a prior engagement with his wonderful granddaughter and was unable to make it.

It has been a wonderful 15 years we've had with J.P. and we have had so much fun with him in the parade. If we had a photograph of every person that teared up when they met him, we'd have enough to stretch from here to D.C.! The way his fans feel when they meet him is hard to explain, but they never fail to get a big "hello" from J.P.

If you live within a few blocks of 53rd and Alki avenues Southwest, the beautiful sites and sounds of sunsets and waves have yielded to a crescendo of nasty sounds and smells of construction due to "that pump station's" upgrade.

The 22-month long, $6 million 53rd Avenue Pump Station project that broke ground February came to and odorous apex in the wee hours of Thursday with half a dozen trucks, a backhoe, and an army of workers frantically transporting wastewater to the Alki Stormwater Treatment Plant on Beach Drive, and the West Seattle Pump Station at Harbor Drive.

With the ball already rolling on construction of a new Denny Middle School, Westwood Neighborhood Council members hope they can make their voices heard regarding future plans for the old school site.

The eventual use of the Denny property, once it is demolished and removed in 2011, has caused concern in the Westwood community.

The Coast Guard has become aware that some fishermen engage in the practice of working all day and, then in the evening, allowing their vessels to drift while the entire crew sleeps.

This practice is dangerous and is a violation of basic seamanship rules.

The expansion of the Multi-Family Tax Exemption program approved by the Seattle City Council on June 30 allows developers a 12-year tax exemption on portions of new construction rentals and homes affordable to those earning between 80 and 90 percent of median for renters, and between 100 and 120 percent for homebuyers.

It has been said that by playing a musical instrument it make one smarter, teaches a person discipline, relieves stress, gives an individual a sense of achievement and is just a fun thing to learn and know how to do.

For Toni Reineke, head teacher and ensemble coach for the Seattle Public School's 55th Annual Summer Instrumental Music Program at West Seattle High School, her love and knowledge for music was reintroduced to her after a 25-year hiatus.

Reineke walked away from her passion and knowledge for music at the time of unrest, when civil rights, anti-Vietnam War and