February 2010

West Seattle students, parents, and educators need you to Vote Yes! on Props 1 & 2!

The February 9th Special Election gives Seattle voters the opportunity to renew our commitment to schools and vote Yes! on the Operations and Capital Levies, Propositions 1 and 2 on your ballot. Both renew existing levies that are set to expire – they are not new taxes.

Proposition 1, the Capital Levy, ensures all of our kids have safe and well-maintained learning environments. Capital Levy funds pay for critical improvements including roof repairs, seismic upgrades, fire suppression and updates to worn-out athletic fields. It also supports improvements to heating and cooling systems and replacing water lines so our kids have clean air to breathe and water to drink.

In addition, funds from the Capital Levy support technology improvements to give students the learning tools they need, new green technologies for energy efficiency, and skills centers that will pave the way for vocational careers ensuring our kids succeed right out of high school.

The Municipal League of King County has chosen longtime Federal Way City Council Member and former Mayor Jeanne Burbidge as its Public Official of the Year.

Burbidge is one of four Civic Award winners the league named for 2010, its centennial year.

Presentation of the awards will take place on March 18 in Seattle at the league’s Centennial Celebration Dinner.

“The award winners have strengthened the civic life of our community and provided inspirational examples of service,” said league co-chair Kathy Elias.

Burbidge’s award in particular recognizes a public official who, in addition to routine service, “has brought outstanding innovations or contributions over many years.”

Burbidge has lived in Federal Way since 1969.

She was involved in the pre-1990 incorporation effort and was first elected to the Federal Way City Council in November 1997.

She has served continuously on the council since then, including a term as mayor for 2002-2003.

Her current term on the council expires in December 2013.

Editor’s note: This is the second of three installments of this story. The story continues from the last issue.

Jenny, 28, of West Seattle, is a hypochondriac and experiences extreme fear and medical anxiety every day. She spends hours researching diseases and symptoms on the internet and has recently made the decision to get help.

Last month she married John, an employee of Boeing. He’s been in the Northwest for a few years working, while she just recently relocated. They had a large wedding in southern California, where they were both raised.

While most brides experience nerves on the big day, Jenny’s experience, in contrast to her daily life, was very calm, even when she was stuck in traffic and late for the ceremony.

“My support group was there with me. My friends are big time worriers and control freaks. When they are around, I don't feel so anxiety-ridden and I really think my issues over the last few years are about not having them around to vent to,” Jenny says.

Dear Editor,
Regarding Jerry Amato's essay about Obama's losing popularity, I would like to add that the reason Obama is losing popularity is because the progressive left put him into office under the illusion that he was going to be different than his centrist rhetoric. Those of us who listened carefully to his campaign speeches knew that he was not going to withdraw from Iraq, nor was he going to seek indictment of the Bush administration for launching an illegal war and engaging in torture in violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions. The war in Iraq for oil profits continues and another one in Afghanistan accelerates.

Some West Seattle families may know music director and teacher David Koch (pronounced “Coke”) through his decade-long staff position with Stage Struck children’s music camps. Or perhaps you attended one of his 65 musical productions of Seattle’s Cabaret Paris he created for over 12 years prior to that.

Koch, a youthful 54, was recently tapped to direct the French comedic operetta “La Perichole” written by composer Jacques Offenbach in 1868. It will be performed in English, and despite the translation, his pervasive punnery and wordplay promises to remain somewhat in tact.

Woodland Park Zoo’s animals will celebrate Valentine’s Day the wild way when otters, red pandas, gorillas, snow leopards and more will enjoy heart-shaped ice pops made of fruit juice, honey, strawberries and cranberries, herbal bouquets, heart-shaped steaks and more.

The special treats are part of the zookeepers’ ongoing program to help enrich the lives of the zoo’s animals, promote natural animal behavior, keep animals mentally stimulated and engage zoo visitors.

The Valentine's Day treats will be distributed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Feb. 13.

Following is the scheduled Feb. 13 feedings times for the animals:

Golden lion tamarins 10 a.m.
Snow leopards 10:30 a.m.
Otters 10:30 a.m.
Orangutans 11 a.m.
Goats 11 a.m.
Pigs 11 a.m.
Willawong Station 11:30 a.m.
Sloth bear 11:30 a.m.
Jaguar 1 p.m.
Gorillas 1:20 p.m.
Penguins 1:30 p.m.
Lemurs 1:30 p.m.
Keas 1:30 p.m.
Tiger 2 p.m.
Elephants 2 p.m.
Red pandas 3 p.m.

Sitting here one day in the cloudy and overcast weather which often brings sadness to many people who have S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) I was jolted out of my doldrums. Joseph Sacks, a young West Seattle WWU student was looking for a grey haired old lady to act in a non-profit video he was producing. He had been referred to me by a friend of mine who assured him that I could do anything—act, sing, dance, you name it.

My phone rang and I was offered a chance to be a star ending up on You-Tube.
“What am I to do?” I asked, wondering if I had gotten in over my head. “Just read these lines,” he replied. “I’ll give you time in between takes to practice.”

All my life I have said “yes” and then filled in the gaps afterwards. However,
now faced with a video camera, hot lights and props resembling credit cards I wondered

Fans, including University of Washington head basketball coach Lorenzo Romar, had their eyes on the 6-foot-8 Todd Beamer big show, Kevin Davis, on Saturday.

Davis came through with a solid performance, but an unsung teammate took the big spotlight on Saturday at Beamer High School.

Titan guard Napa Mefi converted 5-of-6 three-pointers on the way to a season high 31 points to fire Todd Beamer to a 75-62 South Puget Sound League boys basketball victory against Puyallup in an encounter of teams tied for second place in the South Division.

The point total was a complete surprise to Mefi.

"Really ? Wow," Mefi exclaimed. "It didn't feel like it. I was just working hard to get open. My teammates found me with some good passes. Our team didn't come out flat at the start of the game like we sometimes do."