January 2010

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about choices I made a choice nine years ago, and I certainly have had plenty of time to think about it since then.

That was when I left my (extremely) cushy federal job to work from home here on the island.

Why? Maybe it was the third child coming along. Maybe it was the commute from my home on Vashon. It could be because I saw the kids growing up way too quickly.

Whatever the reason, though, I made the choice. I vividly recall talking to a friend of mine then. Here I was, a pretty progressive (code for liberal) mom, ready to give up the big career to be home.

And make no mistake, it was a big career. I started as a radio reporter, worked as a Congressional press secretary, and managed plenty of folks and emergencies in a high-level federal public affairs job. My career was pretty much how I defined myself.

This Valentine's Day do something exciting for your sweetheart and take your honey to a matinee at the Burien Little Theatre for just $14.

Feb. 14, St. Valentine's Day, is "Seven Dollar Sunday" at BLT. That means all tickets are just $7 on Feb. 14.

Add dinner after the show with the Mark Restaurant and Bar's dinner and a show package, and you have a complete Valentine's Day event for two for just $54.

So get out your poodle skirt, find your rotary phone, call up your sweetheart and make a date for Feb. 14th. But hurry, Seven Dollar Sunday is always a sellout and when it falls on St. Valentine's Day, tickets will be gone before you can eat a box of chocolates.

Directed by Burien Little Theatre's Maggie Larrick, this Midsummer will have you singing along with star-crossed lovers during this romantic comedy from Feb. 12 through Mar. 21.

"It's the most approachable of Shakespeare's shows," said Larrick. "And the musical numbers in each scene really tell the story."

The play is set in a 1950s gymnasium at Athens High School on graduation day 1957, and in a neighboring forest.

King County Metro Transit will make changes in its bus service starting Saturday, Feb. 6.

The changes will affect more than 80 bus routes-- either by adding or reducing trips, adjusting schedules, or changing routing.

The most significant revisions in the Highline area include:

New Metro Route 156 service between Southcenter and SeaTac, replacing portions of the current Route 140.

Route 140 routing adjusted to serve the Tukwila International Boulevard Link light rail station. Route 140 will no longer serve Sea-Tac Airport, which will reduce travel time between Burien and Renton on that route.

Bus service revisions at Sea-Tac Airport to connect Metro and light rail service at the new SeaTac/Airport Link station.

Discontinuation of Metro Route 194, now that light rail serves the airport.

While the number of trips on some routes will be reduced to deliver more efficient service, overall those reductions will be offset by expanded service on other routes in the next two years.

Metro projects a slight increase in total service hours through the end of 2011 as a result of scheduling efficiencies and new partnerships that leverage Metro's service investments.

The mother and child figures from "The Passage" artwork are gone from the Burien Interim Art Space but the accolades for the mother and father of the temporary installation continues.

Monday, Jan. 11 was declared "Dane Johnson and Kathy Justin Day" in Burien by official proclamation.

The two founders of the interim art space project were awarded a special certificate of recognition from Mayor Joan McGilton and the city council on the evening of the celebratory day.

In March, Johnson and Justin had been honored as the top community leaders in 2008 by the city of Burien.

After a year of art installations and community events, the interim art space came to a close at the end of 2009. Johnson and Justin are in the process of documenting the interim art space events.

The project was collaboration between Ignition Northwest, the Burien Arts Commission, Urban Partners and GGLO.

It was envisioned as a one-year project while developers waited for better economic conditions. The area had been originally planned as the third phase of Town Square condominiums.

For people who need a computer to search the Internet for jobs, or get advice on preparing a resume and applying for jobs online, Burien Goodwill's Job Training and Education Center is here to help.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. during the current session that runs until Feb. 25, the center's computer lab will be open to the public.

Individuals can use the computers for career-related activities, and instructors will be available to answer questions and provide assistance.

People need not take a Goodwill class to use the computers; they are available to everyone in the community for career-related activities.

"A lot of us take it for granted that we have access to computers. For those who don't, it's extremely difficult to look and apply for jobs. By opening our computers to the public, especially people who don't have jobs, we hope to lend them a hand and get them on the path to employment," said Jim Hale, Goodwill's director of Field Site Operations.

The center is located at 1031 S.W. 128th St. For more information, call 206-957-1026.

Current Burien residents and residents of the North Highline annexation area, which will become part of the city on April 1, are encouraged to apply for current openings on the Arts Commission, Planning Commission and Parks & Recreation Board.

Serving on a Burien advisory board is a great way to become involved with the city and give something back to the community, Burien staffers noted.

Application forms are available at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, Ste. 300, or on the city's Web site at www.burienwa.gov/boards.

Applications are being accepted through Feb. 19. For further information call Monica Lusk, city clerk, at 206-248-5517.

Boulevard Park resident Norma Burroughs jokes that after 68 years of marriage she is still chasing her husband.

Don Burroughs, who will be 95 in May, is not an easy man to catch. Just ask his competitors in four Senior Olympics.

In 1995, at the age of 80, he was the fastest runner in the United States in his age group, winning the gold medal in the 200-meter track event and silver in the 100-meter dash at the San Antonio Senior Olympics.

At 82, Don bested his 1995 time in the 200-meter but had to settle for a silver at the Tucson Senior Olympics. The temperature hovered around 101 degrees during the race.

Don's exploits on the softball diamond began at age 67 when he joined the Renton Merchants senior team.

He was promoted to the cleanup position after he hit a home run in every game as the leadoff hitter.

Don played the infield but was sent to the outfield when his team needed more speed out there.

It looked like his softball career would end when two of his toes were almost completely cut off in a skill saw accident.

But six weeks after the toes were pinned and sewn back on, Don was the designated runner for his team at a Reno tournament.

A Metro bus driver, age 56, was assaulted early Saturday Jan. 23, and received injuries that resulted in her hospitalization at Valley Medical Center.

Three persons were later arrested, one for the assault and two for vandalizing the bus.

The incident occurred just after midnight. The Route 124 bus stopped in Tukwila at South 144th Street and International Blvd to let passengers off. A group of seven or eight youths gathered at the back door but only two got off before the doors closed.

At least some of the group went to the front of the bus and the driver was punched in the head several times, knocking her unconscious.

Meanwhile two suspects kicked and hit the rear door of the coach, breaking glass and bending the door frame. All suspects then ran off.

A Tukwila K-9 dog tracked the group to a house in the 13700 block of 45th Ave South. Eight people were detained. Eventually witnesses from the bus identified three people who were directly involved in the altercation. They were arrested.

Des Moines, Normandy Park, SeaTac and Kent are the recipients of grants from the state Department of Ecology that will help them comply with federal regulations regarding toxic runoff from streets and other surfaces.

Each city will each receive $50,000 that can be applied toward anything from equipment purchase and storm drain cleaning to public education and outreach.

Rep. Dave Upthegrove (D- Des Moines), who chairs the state House Ecology and Parks Committee, says the timing of the awards couldn't be better.

"Toxic runoff is one of the major causes of pollution to Puget Sound," Upthegrove said. "Research clearly shows it is a threat both to drinking water and marine life.

"These grants will help communities that are already operating on lean budgets still meet federal requirements to address this very serious environmental health issue."

About 14 million pounds of toxic pollutants - including petroleum, pesticides, and heavy metals - enter Puget Sound each year, according to Ecology staffers. This constant influx of hazardous substances kills fish, closes beaches to swimming, and threatens drinking water supplies.

Sea Mar Community Health Centers in Des Moines, devoted to assisting south King County's growing Latino community, received a motorized boost to their program with a delivery by Metropolitan King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson of a retired Metro eight-passenger van.

A crowd of volunteers and staff greeted Patterson. They were eager to take a look inside the shiny, blue, van and welcome her to Sea Mar.

"I am very touched by the work of Sea Mar Community Health Centers and their commitment to providing quality, comprehensive care to individuals and families across King County," Patterson said. "Their Des Moines location serves an incredibly diverse, low-income population, which will benefit greatly from having this new mode of transportation to and from much-needed medical and dental appointments."

Sea Mar was established in 1978 with a single medical clinic serving Seattle's South Park neighborhood. Today, Sea Mar, a private, non-profit community health center, operates nearly 50 medical, dental and behavioral health clinics and centers in 10 western Washington counties.