December 2009

The Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department has done a holiday outreach program for needy families for over 25 years.

Each year they receive names from the state Department of Social and Health Services office and then provide each family with a nice turkey dinner as well as several boxes of other assorted food.

Each family also receives several toys and gifts for each child and gift cards to Fred Meyer for each teenager 13-17 years old. All donations are returned to the community and all donations are distributed locally.

Cash donations are still being accepted at the fire department headquarters station, located at 15100 8th Ave. S.W.

The Burien Elks Lodge has just celebrated its 50th anniversary. The festivities lasted three days and included gourmet dinners, a ceremonial champagne toast and dancing to the music of The Mood Swings Jazz Band.

Frank Larland, Grand Lodge Sponsor Emeritus, performed a rededication ceremony in the grand ballroom. Larland, now in his nineties, came with his wife, Polly from the Tri-Cities for the occasion.

"Many are unfamiliar with the Elks and what they're about," said Patty Hoffman, Burien Lodge secretary.

For the uninitiated, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is a charitable fraternity that was started in 1868 by a group of Thespian actors. It grew from there to include many famous people including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Gerald Ford. Another famous Elk is Clint Eastwood, who is a member of Monterey Lodge No.1285.

Nationwide, the Elks have about one million members with more than 2,000 lodges across the country. However, attendance is down nationally and also in Burien.

Twenty-five years ago the Burien Lodge had 1,500 members and now they have 500.

Thirteen was the lucky number for Sound Transit as they officially opened the SeaTac/Airport light-rail station, the 13th light-rail stop connecting SeaTac to downtown Seattle at 10 a.m. on Dec 19.

“Five years ago we came to this airport to announce an historic agreement between Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle,” Seattle Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chairman Greg Nickels said. “We promised that we would have a link running to the airport by the end of 2009 and as of 10 o'clock we will have kept that promise.”

Nichols said he is glad to see the station open in time for people flying in for the Olympic Games in Vancouver, B.C., which begin in February.

“With more than 30 million passengers through Sea-Tac every year, and 15,000 airport employees, we anticipate light rail will be a welcome 'green' alternative for travel to and from the airport,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “Using light rail will reduce air emissions and traffic congestion. It’s good for the airport and it’s good for our region.”

Newly elected King County Executive Dow Constantine will be the guest speaker at the Southwest King County Chamber's January Membership Luncheon on Friday, Jan. 8.

The luncheon will be held from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at Cedarbrook Lodge, 18525 36th Ave. S, SeaTac. The cost is $20 pre-paid by Jan. 7th or $25 at the door.

It is sponsored by Puget Sound Energy. Register by contacting the Chamber at 206-575-1633 or e-mail staff@swkcc.org.

Constantine was sworn in as King County Executive on Nov. 24. He has served King County for seven years, most recently as chair of the county council and has held elected office in Washington state for 13 years.

As Executive, Constatntine said his goal is to make county government more efficient and performance-based -- giving citizens maximum value for each tax dollar.

Constantine is a member of both the Sound Transit and RTID (Regional Transportation Investment District) boards of directors.

As chair of the Capital Budget Committee and a four-year member of the council's budget leadership team, he noted he worked to help the county maintain service levels in the face of shrinking revenues and increasing health care costs.

The ribbon-cutting ceremonial scissors needed a lot of sharpening in 2009 as the Burien Town Square, Burien Transit Center, Highline YMCA and two area light-rail stations opened.

Ground was also broken for the Seahurst Environmental Science Center and the regional Des Moines jail.

Burien's long-planned downtown square finally debuted and annexation of the southern portion of North Highline was approved while SeaTac staffers ran into controversy with their plans for a city center/entertainment district to go with the new airport light-rail station.

Celebrating its 50th birthday, Des Moines looked to its waterfront downtown/ marina district to enhance revenues.

Des Moines, along with other cities, public agencies and businesses struggled with the economic downturn.

Here's a month-by-month review of what made news in Highline in 2009.

January

Complaints about overuse of the new third runway are based on community misperceptions, Sea-Tac airport director Mark Reis said.

The new runway was designed to be used in both poor and good weather during peak periods, he added.

Thank you West Seattle for your continued support and readership of the West Seattle Herald and WestSeattleHerald.com. The staff of Robinson Newspapers wants to extend our genuine gratitude to you not only for reading the paper and the website but for everything you do to make West Seattle a truly unique, vibrant and special place to live.

We wish you the best of holidays and look forward to bringing you news and information in the coming year.

A man stabbed outside Good Time Ernie's in Burien along with his brother is offering a reward for information on his brother's murder.
On Nov. 12 at about 1.45 a.m. a large group attacked two brothers outside the pub at 15747 Ambaum Blvd. S.W.

Both brothers were stabbed several times and one died at the scene. The deceased was identified as Mark K. Ebinger.
His brother, Peter K. Ebinger spent several days in hospital but will recover from his wounds.

Detectives believe there are witnesses who have not come forward and that these witnesses have information that would help the investigation.
On Monday, Dec. 28, Peter Ebinger is scheduled to speak at a press conference and offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who killed his brother.

The Ballard District Council is compiling a list of street lights that are not working to send to Seattle City Light for maintenance.

The council is especially concerned about non-functioning lights on arterial streets, according to Dawn Hemminger, president of the East Ballard Community Association.

The community association is helping the district council by providing input on street light conditions along specific arterial streets in east Ballard.T

The community association is requesting any residents out for a stroll before Dec. 31 to jot down any lights that are out and submit this online form.

Current results from the survey can be viewed here.

With 2009 coming to a close, here is a look back at some of the biggest stories of the year. Click the image above for a slideshow of the year in photos.

JANUARY

Ballard thief arrested
By Michael Harthorne

A 46-year-old man suspected of stealing from numerous businesses in Ballard in the past weeks was arrested Dec. 31 near 20th Avenue Northwest and Market Street for an outstanding warrant in Missouri.

According to victims, the man is suspected of entering businesses on Market Street and Ballard Avenue during business hours and taking money from back offices, safes and employees’ purses.

“I’m glad he’s been caught,” said Kylee Harris, owner of Cugini Café on Ballard Avenue. “But, I think the real thing we need to figure out is how to bust him for what he’s stolen.”

Macefield house to be sold
By Michael Harthorne

The house once belonging to Edith Macefield that has stood empty in a cocoon of new development since her death in June will be sold by its new owner, Barry Martin of Ledcor Construction.

According to a report from ArtsWest Executive Director Alan Harrison "at 6:00 am Wednesday morning there was a break in at ArtsWest. Someone (or perhaps more than one) broke the back door's glass with a rock, ran in, and tried to steal the Lucite donation box. The alarm went off and the perpetrator smashed the box to the floor, breaking it and sending money everywhere before running away. We don't think he/they took much money, but the new door is going to cost us $500 to fix. There was a police report on it. If anyone has any legitimate information about the break-in, they can report it to SPD.

$500 is a lot of money to ArtsWest. If anyone would like to donate money to help us fix the door and install a new security/camera system (an additional $1600), just have them call us or click directly to

https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/MakeDonation.aspx?ORGID2=91-144…

If they'd like (it's optional), under the "Designation" box, they can type in "Back Door."