January 2010

Second place Seamount League Mount Rainier kept up the pressure in a 69-33 girls basketball defeat of Evergreen (White Center) in Des Moines on Monday, January 11.

“We talked about keeping our focus for the whole game,” said Mount Rainier head coach Bob Bolam. “The girls were over aggressive and we fouled too much. We have to learn how to play hard without fouling.”

Mount Rainier (6-1 league, 9-2 overall) put any doubts of the final outcome to rest immediately, scoring the first 10 points of the game in rapid succession off steals and turnovers before Chaz Tarimei converted two free throws for Evergreen (0-6, 0-7). Next came a kick out pass to Zerina Kapetanovic for a three-point goal that ignited a 7-0 Ram scoring salvo that led to a 23-7 first quarter command for Mount Rainier.

Despite bouts of errant passing and occasional lapses of cohesiveness, the Rams whisked away to a 34-15 halftime control.

“We have to keep our focus,” emphasized Mount Rainier guard Marisa Blair, who ran to daylight for 16 of her game high 20 points in the first half. “In the second half, we lost some of our focus.”

On Saturday, February 6th, 2010 at 6:30 pm at the Federal Way City Council Chambers, the Federal Way High School Class of 1974 and the City of Federal Way are hosting a reception to “Send Bob and Sue Celski to Vancouver”.

Bob and Sue Celski are classmates from FWHS class of74.

Their son, J.R. Celski is competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Short Track Speed Skating.

J.R. started his skating career at Pattison’s West Skating Rink here in Federal Way at the age of 3.

After qualifying for the USA Olympic Team in September 2009, J.R. suffered a horrific accident on the ice but has fought back to recover and is “ready” according to his dad, Bob Celski.

This will be a time to meet and greet and wish well the Celski’s on their way to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

For more details contact Bruce Honda at hondabg@hotmail.com

At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 18, officers responded to McGinnis Marina in Salmon Bay in the 5300 block of 28th Avenue Northwest for the report of a body floating in the water.

Patrol and Harbor officers responded to the scene and located the body of an adult female who appears to be in her 40s.

She was found under a pier in the marina.

Investigation thus far indicates no sign of foul play. This is being treated as an accidental death.

The King County Medical Examiner took custody of the deceased.

Get ready for the 2010 West Seattle 5K Run/Walk on Sunday, May 23,
2010. Show your Westside pride and join us at our second year event to
benefit West Seattle High School PTSA.

Enjoy gorgeous views of Puget Sound and the city skyline on this
scenic 5K route along West Seattle’s own Alki Beach. Hear the waves of
Puget Sound and the call of seagulls as you run or walk from Alki
Beach Park and the historic Bathhouse to Anchor Park and back. When
you’re done, relax at one of Alki’s famous eateries, enjoy a day of
beachcombing, or revisit your journey from your bike, while you take
in all of the amenities that Alki Beach has to offer.

Registration is now open! See http://www.westseattle5k.com for more information.

An employee at the DSHS office on Delridge was startled on Tuesday to see a stranger in what was supposed to be a secured area of the complex. Not only that, but the man was walking around with a laptop under his arm. Three employees gave chase, and the suspect ran to the Delridge Playfield, where he dropped the loot. He also dropped a card showing that he was a Department of Corrections client. He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of burglary.

Child Protective Services visited a Highland Park daycare and took custody of an 8-month old whose mom had been arrested in Snohomish County earlier in the day. It seems mom had been one of a group of gals hired to “service” some party goers in Mountlake Terrace. But the ladies decided to rob the men instead—and mom landed behind the wheel of the getaway car. (She also managed to run down one of the gents who tried to block the gals' getaway.) The infant's three-year-old sister was taken into custody as well, but she is already considered a ward of the state.

Citizens Discussion
Southwest Branch Library
9010 35th S.W.
206-763-2195
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2-4 p.m.
Is our Health Care Delivery changing? Should it? Yes, no, and why? Congress is having a big time confusion over this. Are there other countries doing ti cheaper and better? Join us in the upstairs meeting room.

Lunch With Our Neighbors
Seaview United Methodist Church
4620 S.W. Graham St.
206-932-7609
Friday, Jan. 25, 11:33-1:30 p.m.
All are invited to join the first of the year free lunch at Seaview. The menu includes hearty, homemade soup, make it yourself sandwiches, dessert and beverage. Children are welcome.

BNI West Seattle Champions Meeting
The Kenney
7125 Fauntleroy Way S.W.
Thursday, Jan. 28, 7:45-9:15 a.m.
Learn how to grow your business with quality referrals. We are looking for Photographers and a Moving Company to pass referrals to. The cost is $10 and includes breakfast.

West Seattle Reservoir Park
Southwest Community Center
2801 S.W. Thistle Sr.
206-684-0902

Washington is one of only eight states that does not collect an income tax.

So far, suggestions to the Legislature and to our own representatives that suggest that they consider ABOLISHING sales tax by July 4th and declaring that day as TAX FREEDOM DAY has fallen on deaf ears.

The tax could be replaced by a state income tax that exempts income under $150,000. Most voters earn less than $150,000. The existing IRS records for Washington state and Freedom for Information Act will provide revenue information.

About 2003, Congress eliminated payment of a substantial share of the federal income tax for wealthy Americans. The premise for this tax venture was that the wealthy would invest this money in the nation's infrastructure.

This plan did not work. The revenue went into misguided banking schemes, collapse of the housing market, major bank failures, collapse of the U.S. dollar and on.

Congress has never attempted to recover this misguided tax gift. The Washington State Legislature could recognize that this gift technically violated the state's own constitution by the gift of tax revenue for questionable purposes.

Citizens of SeaTac:

For those of you who attended the last regular council meeting of the city of SeaTac on 1-12-2010 but left early, and to those of you who were unable to attend, you absolutely missed the most ridiculous display of immaturity I have ever seen from a city official.

This official was only about two hours into his recent retirement from the position of our ceremonial mayor. I urge all of you to watch the video of this meeting!

It will open your eyes to why we so desperately need to have an elected mayor and not one appointed through the "good ol' boy system" that prevails today!

Be prepared for an "extended" viewing time, as this meeting lasted about five hours, but believe me the absurdity of the whole thing is worth your time!

The video will be available on Ch. 21 if you have cable TV (these meetings typically air at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily). If you would like to watch it on your computer, go to: http://www.seatvonline.com

Then click on "Council Meetings" at the top of that web page. The council meetings will be displayed chronologically (most recent on top).

Click on the link for the 1-12-2010.

The repeal of the Park N Fly condemnation was inevitable with a 6-1 or 5-2 vote.

Shape decided he would lecture the citizens, put off the vote, and throw a hissy fit at 11 p.m. This showed he was part of the problem versus any reasonable solution because he did not get his way of continuing the ridiculous condemnation of a parking lot to create another parking lot.

Though within his rights, he put the vote off for two weeks by using council procedures.

Many of the remaining audience were aghast at this display of arrogance and pettiness on the part of Shape and it was suggested by some that he be recalled.

While that would be an expensive and time consuming effort, it may be worth it if Shape continues rhetoric and actions that compromises property rights, spews untrue data, and uses the council forum for his own self-aggrandizement.

It used to be "Mayor" Shape until Tuesday's council meeting and the rest of the council realized his dictatorial attitude and methods will no longer be tolerated.

The viaduct will stand another sixty plus years by replacing the one section that is failing at Yesler Way.

Propaganda about extensive foundation problems has some merit: however, a prominent consulting civil engineer (Victor Gray) has publicly stated that those problems can be economically solved.

In the 1970s, a gasoline truck hit the east column of the lower road at Yesler. The resulting huge fire damaged the reinforced concrete.

I was amazed that this section of the viaduct was not replaced immediately. Reinforced concrete structures are susceptible to failure from fire damage.

Prior to construction in 1945 there was a 6+ earthquake; hence builders drove 80 to 100 foot concrete piles under each column foundation to withstand the possibility of the surface soil sliding caused by liquefaction in the area.

The viaduct structure is steel-reinforced concrete that withstands earthquake shearing of column supports and keeps the beams from separating from the columns.

The State proposes a two-mile long tunnel estimated at $4.5 billion ($450,000 per foot!) Citizens pay the cost overruns. Voters rejected a tunnel twice. Our State has budget problems in the billions.