February 2010

When I fractured my leg the middle of July by slipping in the shower, I ended up sedated and at Highline Medical Center in Burien under the care of a hip repair surgeon.

I didn't know what arrangement for my recovery Elsbeth made, but woke up at Judson Park rehab in Des Moines laying in a hospital bed gazing out of a window.

About 6 a.m. the next morning a nurse was hovering over a tray with breakfast.

I tried to eat a little, but was not hungry so I settled for some apple juice before laying back to catch some zees.

That repose did not last. Into the room swooped a guy in a wheelchair who said he was there to help me get dressed for therapy. "I am Mark Harrison. Can you sit up?"

My eyes cleared. I noticed he had bulging biceps, but no legs. As I struggled to rise he suddenly grabbed some handle on his chair and in one movement flung himself out of his wheelchair and plopped on the floor.

He was pleasant, but taciturn and helped me get to a sink, helped me put on my shirt, pants and slipper sox on my near lifeless left leg.

He showed me how to prepare my own wheel chair for easier use.

The city of SeaTac is holding a 20th birthday celebration March 1 at SeaTac City Hall, 4800 S. 188th St., from 5- 8 p.m. with informational displays, tours, entertainment and refreshments. A ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Sheila Lengle from the Times/News asked three people involved with the incorporation efforts and subsequent governing of the city to provide their insights.

Betty Brennan was one of the original organizers of the SeaTac Community Council along with her husband, Joe, who served on the city council until his death in October 2008. Frank Hansen was a city council member from 1990 to 2005. Julia Patterson served two terms on the SeaTac council before going on to the state Legislature and then the King County Council where she is a current member.

1. How were you involved with SeaTac's incorporation efforts?

Elections to the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council will be held on May 20.

Anyone interested in serving the community through the council must submit an application. There are a total of seven positions available, one from each of four districts and three At-Large positions.

To run for a district position you must reside within the district you are running in.

The At-Large positions are available to any resident of North Highline, a business owner or an employee of a non-profit organization within the boundaries of North Highline.

Each position is a two-year term with requirements to attend one meeting per month.

Applications are available at www.northhighlineuac.org and at the North Highline Fire District headquarters at 1243 SW 112th St.

For additional information please refer to the candidate application or contact Ron Johnson at 206 767-3053.

Sound Transit contractors begin work this weekend to make light rail tracks in Tukwila and Seattle quieter.
The work will take place overnight, mostly on weekends and may cause service delays between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. Information on service interruptions will be available at all stations.

Contractors will begin installing automatic track lubricators along curving sections of the light rail tracks in Tukwila and the Rainier Valley in Seattle and will also modify a set of track switches in the Rainier Valley.
The solar-powered track lubricators automatically dispense a biodegradable gel across the tracks, which lessens wheel squeal when trains pass over.

The track switch work will also make them quieter as trains pass over.
Last fall Sound Transit determined that the noise levels along some sections of the light rail line between downtown Seattle and Tukwila were higher than anticipated. This work is designed to lower these noise levels.

Sound Transit contractors in December ground the surface of the rails and adjusted the rail profile in some areas to help lessen track noise.

Highline Schools administrators will have "recommitment conversations" with each teacher at SeaTac's Chinook Middle School and White Center's Cascade Middle School to see if they are "up for change" or want to transfer to "start afresh someplace else," according to Superintendent John Welch.

"In addition, the district may administratively transfer staff as necessary," Welch noted.

The district is applying for a grant that would mandate significant changes at the two schools, including the replacement of the principals.

A special board meeting to approve the Chinook and Cascade plans will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4 at district headquarters, 15675 Ambaum Blvd. S.W.

The district received official notification on Jan. 28 from the state office of the superintendent of public instruction that Chinook and Cascade were identified as low performing schools and eligible for a grant that could bring up to $2 million for each school. The funds must be spent to implement one of four rigorous intervention models.

One month before a lawsuit against the city by a group Ballard businesses to halt the completion of the Burke-Gilman Trail goes to court, a second suit was filed against the city, this time by bicyclists hoping to get the trail completed.

On Feb. 8, a Complaint for Damages was filed against the city by five cyclists asserting they sustained injuries, both physical and fiscal, due to unsafe conditions on Shilshole Avenue Northwest where it curves underneath the Ballard Bridge.

That portion of Shilshole Avenue is part of what has come to be known as the Burke-Gilman Trail's Missing Link, a section of unfinished trail that extends from 11th Avenue Northwest to the Ballard Locks.

In the complaint, David Middaugh, attorney for the plaintiffs, states that hundreds of bicycle crashes have occurred on Shilshole Avenue near the bridge as cyclists attempt to cross the Ballard Terminal Railway Company's railroad tracks.

Middaugh states in the complaint the the city has known for many years the area is not reasonably safe for ordinary travel by cyclists.

When Representative Sharon Nelson (D) announced she was leaving her job as 34th District Position 2 to run for State Senate (seeking Joe McDermott's former job now that he is running for King County Council) it set in motion a number of plans for people who think they can fulfill those duties. Last week Marcee Stone (D) announced her candidacy and previously Mac McElroy (I) had said he was launching a campaign. The latest to join the fray is former South Seattle Community College teacher Sabra Schneider who has announced her intention to seek the 34th District House Seat. A resident of Arbor Heights in West Seattle, Schneider currently manages online communications for King County.

"I have a 15 year career in public service," Schneider said, "It's always been something that's incredibly important to me. I started in education, training, basically, the workforce of the future, and teaching people computing technology and communications and how the digital age has impacted those things...I very much want to have an impact on how the state funds education, how we view technology, how we create equity among the disenfranchised and how we get people back to work."

Rental property owners in Des Moines will no longer have to pay the annual Crime Free Housing fee after the city council repealed the mandatory Crime Free Housing Program as part of a settlement with the Rental Housing Association.

The Crime-Free Housing Program was enacted in 2005. It required owners of rental property in Des Moines to pay $100 per rental unit a year, and apply and pay for a separate business license for each rental property.

In addition, rental property owners, or property managers were required to undergo an eight-hour workshop every three years, as well as do a property walk through with police and hold a 'safety social' of the tenants, to obtain a crime-free endorsement.

Julie Johnson, president of the Puget Sound Rental Housing Association, said she feels the fee was an illegal tax. She said the biggest problem was that by charging the crime-free fee, police became property tax collectors.

Des Moines raised approximately $250,000 every year from the fee. This money went to fund a part time police officer and a full time community resource officer, as well as pay for the mandatory workshop.

Famous rock bands perform their concerts in front of thousands of screaming fans. Traveling Broadway shows bring the delight of live theatre to people all across the country.

"The Drama Dollies and A Dude," a local amateur acting troupe based in Burien, prefer the allure of retirement and senior centers.

"The Drama Dollies and A Dude" are seven women and one gentleman who travel to venues such as the SeaTac Community Center, Judson Park in Des Moines, the Kent Senior Center and Village Green Retirement Campus in Federal Way to perform sketches and musical ditties to older audiences across the Puget Sound area.

Lloyd Coble, the "Dude" of the troupe, has been a lawyer for 32 years and joined the team with no previous acting experience. He says being a part of the team has been a great learning experience.

"This group is so much fun. When we start laughing a lot, I know it's going to be a good week," Coble said.

As for being the only man in the group, Coble said he does not mind but wishes more men would join. He said he was pressured by friends to join and has not regretted doing so.

The road construction throughout the SODO (South Downtown) district is continuing and the City of Seattle issued an update today on traffic restrictions caused by the work being done.

- Beginning approximately March 10th, 4th Ave S will be restricted to one travel lane in each direction near the Spokane St Viaduct for eight weeks for shaft drilling and column placement.

- Airport Way S paving will begin March 15th between S Royal Brougham Way and S Spokane St.

- Crews will be closing the Alaskan Way Viaduct Saturday, March 27th and Sunday, March 28th for bi-annual maintenance.
This information can also be found online: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/sodo_latest.htm Questions? or to be added to/removed from this mailing list, contact the SDOT Construction Coordination Office at construction.coordination@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8390

SODO Planned Construction / Events

Feb 26
10AM to 3PM

Lane closure on SR 99 at Diagonal Ave S

Crews will close the right lane of northbound or southbound SR 99 from Diagonal Ave S to S Idaho St.