February 2010

Around 5:30 Monday morning the 8th, two masked men—one armed with a handgun—made their way into the Admiral Jack-in-the Box and demanded all of the money. Employees were made to lie on the ground, and one was pistol whipped. The robbers escaped with about $7,000. A K9 unit tracked the scent, which ended less than a block away, and it's thought that the pair fled in a vehicle parked nearby. The suspects are black males who wore masks and gloves. One had blue eyes. No other physical descriptions were available at press time.

Beginning wrestling studying Brazilian Ju-Jitsu West Seattle High School senior wrestler Conor McCarthy hopes to end his high school career by making it to the State Wrestling Championship.

McCarthy started wrestling late in high school, beginning his first year as a Junior. He ended his first year of wrestling as a finalist in the West Seattle Metro Championship and was one place away from making it into State.

A year and a half before he began wrestling in high school he studied Brazilian Ju-Jitsu at Seattle Gracie Barra. At five foot five and 130 pounds, he was the smallest and youngest person at Gracie Barra. He said he never thought about it too much.
McCarthy said he loves the challenge. “It’s tough, but I got used to it. Overcame size and strength difference,” he said.

He goes to Ju-Jitsu four to five days a week when he is not wrestling. The discipline of in a martial art is something he said he has not gotten anywhere else besides wrestling.

On February 4th at approximately 1:11 a.m. three unknown male suspects entered a convenience store in the 2400 block of Harbor Avenue SW to commit an armed robbery. One suspect was armed with a black handgun. During the course of the robbery, the victim clerk was punched in the face and roughed up while the suspects ransacked the front counter space of the store. The suspects ordered the clerk to open the cash register and subsequently stole cash and several cartons of cigarettes. There were no customers inside the store at the time of the robbery. The suspects fled the scene and remain at large.

Suspect #1 is possibly Samoan or black, 20’s, approximately 6″2″ tall, stocky build, black hair (tied up in the back), with a black jacket, jeans with a large red pattern on the back and black gloves.

Suspect #2 is possibly black, 18-20’s, approximately 5′8″ tall, medium build, dark hoody, jeans, white gloves and armed with a black handgun.

Suspect #3 is approximately 5′5″ tall, medium build, gloves, white and gray hoody with skull designs all over it and dark-colored shorts.

Cops and Firefighters were at it again – all for a good cause. First it was softball, then chili, and now basketball.

Federal Way Police Officers and South King Fire & Rescue Firefighters hit the hardwood once again for a little friendly competition, all to raise money for a good cause.

The FWPD once again proved its dominance on the court, edging the South King Fire team 57-44.

The Federal Way Lions Club sponsored the event to celebrate Helen Keller Day. The proceeds will benefit adults and children with sight and hearing needs in the community.

Photographer Seth Bynum captured these images of the February 6 event at Decatur High School. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO PLAY SLIDESHOW.

Dean Bershaw found his dog Paolo or maybe Paolo found him outside where he was working 8 years ago. "I don't know how he got there because it was in an industrial area south of downtown," said Bershaw, "and of course he's never told me his secret." In any case they became fast friends. He's a "Border Collie mix but he's a big dog so he's probably got something else in him," explained Bershaw.

Paolo likes to play with "bouncy balls" of the type you see at Target or other stores. "I buy those in the summer time and he loves to bite them so if he gets 30 seconds or five minutes out of it, it's worth a couple of bucks." Paolo is fascinated by squirrels and rabbits which he sees at Discovery Park but Bershaw guesses that Lincoln Park is Paolo's favorite. "The big trees and the squirrels and the views," are the draw for him said Bershaw.

Cheese and chicken are his food specialties of choice but he gets, "Breath-eze jerky for fresh breath." Paolo isn't really a serious guard dog but he will "Raise his voice if he hears someone out front as if to say 'Hey I'm in here'," Bershaw offered.

Editor's Note: Steve Shelton is a native West Seattleite and professional photographer whose profession has taken him to Kosovo, Nairobi, Sudan, Sri Lanka and many other destinations. When the recent earthquake struck Haiti it was only a question of when he would go. He flew to the Dominican Republic and taxied overland to the scene of the disaster.
His own estimate is that it will be "ten years before they can fully rebuild" what was destroyed and recover from this event.
His photographs tell an incredibly powerful story. Click the image above to see more photographs.

Like photojournalism, going to Haiti was a calling.

True, an earthquake of such proportions is rife with compelling pictures. And pointing your lens in nearly any direction is going to render a wrenching picture.

Likewise, doing a quick google search gives you all the facts you need from competing sources to back up those pictures--they don't lie.

Mardi Gras Dinner and Dancing
Bridge Park Retirement Community
3204 S.W. Morgan St.
206-938-6394
Tuesday, Feb. 16th,
5:30-8:00 p.m.
Join us for Southern cooking and Fat Tuesday merriment - live music.
Space is limited. RSVP at 206-938-6394. $5 fee. Free parking.

Hearing Loss Association of West Seattle
West Seattle Christian Church Library
4400 42nd Ave. S.W.
Feb. 17, 1:30 p.m.
Library - 2nd door south of S.W. Genessee St.
All welcome with or without hearing loss. This months presentation will be by John Waldo, a lawyer working to make theaters, movies and the like more accessible to the hard of hearing and deaf. Social time after meeting.

Tai Chi for Seniors
LifeCare of West Seattle
Feb. 12th at 10:30 a.m.
Complimentary. Tai Chi Instructor Stephen Coats will teach a system designed for slow meditative physical exercises, relaxation, balance and health. Call Cathleen at 206-935-2480.

Ecumenical Inter-faith Ceremony
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
3rd Annual Community Oyster Roast
Golden Gardens Bathhouse

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Highline Community College in Des Moines is hosting a special seminar this week on the "Science of Love.

Science Seminar, a popular weekly series, features presentations by Highline faculty that explore the scientific world.

The special love seminar is Friday, Feb. 12 from 2:30- 3:30 p.m. in Building 3, Room 102 at the college's main campus. The campus is located at 2400 S. 240th Street in Des Moines.

The class is free and open to the public.

Psychology professor Ruth Frickle will discuss what is love and the different kinds of love.

For more information, see http://flightline.highline.edu/scienceseminars

State Reps. Dave Upthegrove and Tina Orwall, both Democrats from Des Moines, along with Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent), will host a Community Jobs Forum on Saturday, Feb. 20.

Stepping out of the traditional "town hall" format, the three lawmakers put together a forum to give constituents an opportunity to connect with state and nonprofit agencies that do job placement, training, counseling, and similar services.

Legislators will speak briefly about state efforts to spur job creation and get the economy back on track. The rest of the event will be free time for attendees to visit tables from the participating agencies and speak one-on-one with the legislators.

The forum will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the Kent City Council Chambers, 220 Fourth Ave. S. in Kent.

Confirmed participating agencies include WorkSource, Port of Seattle Jobs, Highline Community College, Green River Community College, Renton Technical College, the Veterans Conservation Corps and U.S. Census Bureau.

The jobs forum is a free event; all South King County job seekers are encouraged to attend.

Burien's Wyatt DeMulling is headed for his first national tennis tournament in Claremont, California, Feb. 11 through Feb. 17.

He will be competing in the boys' 12's singles and doubles divisions.

Wyatt started playing tennis when he was 7 years old. At age 9, he played in his first tournament at the challenger level.

Now at 12, he plays an average of 10 hours a week and works on conditioning two hours a week.

Wyatt's been practicing very hard the past four months, playing local tournaments that include dual 5 and champ level.

His hard work has paid off as he earned enough points for a national ranking that qualifies him to enter the Claremont tournament.

"I am ready for the big tournament and up for the challenge," Wyatt declared.

He added, "Playing tennis is fun and you make friends. Tennis also makes you think. You can't just hit the ball hard all the time. You have to outsmart your opponent."

As for advice for youngsters starting up a sport, Wyatt said, "When you choose a sport, give 100 percent. When you miss, keep trying-don't give up. Practice, practice, practice."