December 2008

With more than 150 great gift ideas to choose from - including many affordable options - King County's Waste Free Holidays program could be a solution for holiday shopping budgets.

Now in its thirteenth year, Waste Free Holidays encourages giving an "experience" gift, such as theatre or concert tickets, gift certificates to a restaurant or even dance lessons.

All of the participating Waste Free Holiday partners offer their items with discounts ranging from 15 to 50 percent.

"As a nation, we create a mountain of waste between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, and

Beginning in 2009, Des Moines residents will be paying an additional $20 vehicle license fee on every vehicle they own.

This was done as another budget balancing strategy by the Des Moines City Council, which is still struggling to fill a more than $350,000 budget gap.

The fee will raise an estimated $467,920 for general road maintenance and repairs.

The state Department of Licensing requires six months notice before the city can begin collecting the fee.

A small group called the Committee to Free Lake Burien would like to have a public park on the lake, and they see the recent Burien Planning Commission decision to recommend Ruth Dykeman Children's Center's rezone request as their opportunity to realize their dream.

Ruth Dykeman Children's Center made the request earlier in the year to rezone approximately an acre of their property bordering the lake from Special Planning 2 to moderate density single family (RS 7200).

The RS 7200 zoning would allow for a public park, said David Johanson, senior planner for Burien.

It's back! Highline Christian Church is about to be transformed into "Bethlehem," as in the lyrics, "Oh little town of Bethlehem...."

The church will soon unwrap and present its gift to the Highline area.

No peeking though, until Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, for these are the dates of the annual Outdoor Living Nativity.

Due to the expansion and construction of the new church sanctuary, the living nativity was not presented last year.

We all know Ebenezer Scrooge, the villain from Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol," and the frightful visits by the three Ghosts of Christmas, but often we forget how the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge's deceased business partner, ushered in these life-changing events.

Whatever happened to Marley, anyhow?

Burien Little Theatre's production of Tom Mula's "Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol" answers that question, fills in the blanks, and tells the other side of the popular Dickens story.

Upon arriving in Hell, Marley, played by Eric Hamlin, is given o

New this year at Burien's Winterfest is a chance to win one of 15 Santa Bags each stuffed with items from more than 20 businesses to help kick off the holiday season in style.

The holiday-bedecked streets on Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. will also be filled with carolers, free activities and in-store specials.

Each Santa Bag features a combination lock, and it takes the correct combination to go home with a bag and its contents.

Festival-goers will receive possible combinations when they shop at participating businesses.

SUMNER - Dreams of a state title for a SeaTac squad were devastatingly dashed by a formidably faster and supremely stronger opponent on the moistened turf of Sunset Chev Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 22.

Landing hurting bombs against its opponents’ fortifications almost immediately, the Seattle Academy won a second Class 1A girls soccer championship in four years, defeating Seattle Christian, 5-0.

“They were just better than us everywhere in the field,” related Warrior head coach Melissa Bennett. “Seattle Academy is extremely fast and very skilled.

SUMNER - It was a lethal bolt of late fall lightning that disintegrated the dreams of a local soccer team in its quest to ascend to the throne on Saturday, Nov.

Kennedy didn’t have much to play for, after having its world rocked from a 4-1 semifinal loss to Everett that came quickly and suddenly, if not, shockingly.

But play they did the next day, beating a good Shorecrest team, 2-0, in the 3rd-4th place state girls soccer match at Harry E. Lang Stadium in Lakewood Saturday, Nov. 22.

“Great way to end the season,” said Lancers head coach Doug Stamnes.

Shorecrest was no slouch. They won some tough games this season, playing against 4A and 3A competition in the Wesco.

Duo with Huskies

Mount Rainier High School graduates Nikki Murray and Sarah Martinez are going to the NCAA soccer tournament with the University of Washington.

Murray is a 2006 graduate and Sarah Martinez is a 2008 graduate. They helped Mount Rainier to a fourth place finish when Martinez was a freshman and Murray was a junior.

Whitewater club opens

Miss watching Olympic swimming? Come try it yourself at Whitewater Aquatics.

The new season opened Sept.