April 2010

It was kind of like the lamb entering the lion's den.

Sea-Tac Airport manager Mark Reis spoke to members of Citizens against Sea-Tac Expansion (CASE) on April 7 to address their concerns about the noise control and other matters associated with the third runway.

During the question-and-answer session, CASE members held nothing back.

One woman said it was "insult to injury" that taxes had to be paid for the Port of Seattle to operate.

Reis assured her that "none of your taxes goes to the airport."

The airport is funded entirely by revenue generated by the airport and that revenue must stay at the airport, according to Port spokesman Perry Cooper. That would include landing fees charged to the airlines and non-aeronautoical revenue such as parking revevue from the garage, concession fees from restaurants and shops and fees from rental car space leasing, Cooper noted.

"Why can't we just put up a sound wall," asked another man at the meeting.

"We don't know the impact of a wall [but it will definitely be considered],"Reis replied.

Escape to the ballpark and get primed for the boys of summer with the comedy "Bleacher Bums" at Burien Little Theatre.

"Bleacher Bums" slides in to home plate with nine hilarious innings, eight diehard fans and the persistently losing Chicago Cubs battling it out with their archenemy, the St. Louis Cardinals.

This comedy about friendship, incurable optimism and beer was conceived by Joe Mantegna and written by Roberta Custer, Richard Fire, Dennis Franz, Stuart Gordon, Josephine Paoletti, Dennis Paoli, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, Michael Saad, Keith Szarabajka and Ian Williams.

The play will run at Burien Little Theatre from April 16 through May 9. Tickets are $13-$20 online and, $17-$20 at the box office, with all tickets just $7 on Seven Buck Sunday, April 18.

Also during the run, Burien Little Theatre will host free bonus readings of Ellen Byron's "Graceland," a short comedy about two Elvis fanatics.

A performance schedule including dates, times and ticket prices is available at www.burienlittletheatre.com or call the ticket office at 206-242-5180.

Woman struck and killed in Tukwila
Police are searching for two cars after a woman was struck and killed by at least one car late April 9 in Tukwila. The accident occurred in the 10300 block of East Marginal Way. The cars are described as a red 1990s Cadillac and a silver import, possibly a Honda.. When Tukwila police arrived at the scene, the victim was in the roadway. She was transported to harborview Medical Center, where she died.. Anyone with information should contact Tukwila police at 206-433-1808.

Police car burglarized for beer money.

According to GOOGLE, Boris Sieverts has no university degrees, worked as a shepherd in France and runs a tour agency that tours junkyards, wastelands and empty lots. He claims these are the wildland outskirts of cities; places of the last adventures.

Sieverts, self-declared poet writer, believes you should never read a newspaper in a city you visit but you should get drunk in the afternoon and sleep it off in inappropriate places of the city you are visiting.

Boris has no credentials in biology, environmental science, planning or architecture. So why did he come to Burien for less than half of a day and decide he could tell us what we should do with our city?

And why is he allowed a letter in the Highline Times that is more than 400 words? Other citizens must keep their letters to a 400-word length.

His father, Thomas Sieverts, claims that cities are evolving, but to what still remains unclear. So who has not already figured that out in these economic times?

Burien Little Theatre's current production, a humorous look at the forever optimist Cubs fans as they root on the Cubs, "Bleacher Bums" will run April 16 through May 9. http://www.burienlittletheatre.com/page2.html.

So who cares? Why support the arts in Burien anyway? Isn't just a way for a few people to feel good about themselves? Why help? Why now?

Well as it turns out, arts are good for business! Arts are good for Burien! As explained in an article in the most recent edition (March 2010) of The Business Report, a newspaper serving business interests in South King County. http://www.businessreportonline.com/.

The article, "Arts Represents a Boon to the Local Economy," describes some of the economic benefits arts organizations provide to South King County.

As the article notes, a 2005 study by Americans for the Arts showed that nonprofit arts and culture organizations generate $166.2 billion in economic activity in a year. The ArtsFund 2003 King County Economic Impact Study reported that countywide arts and culture were responsible for $208 million in sales, $113.4 million in labor income and $8 million in tax revenues.

Seattle City Light invites you to share your thoughts on what our energy future should look like. Come attend the public meeting to make your voice heard and have a positive effect on the planning that would affect our future electricity rates and the health of our environment.

Answer questions like: "Where will we get the energy we need?" and "How will we meet our renewable energy requirements under Initiative 937?"

Light refreshments will be served and the first 100 attendees will receive a free compact fluorescent light bulb and an energy-saving showerhead.

The meeting will take place from 7PM to 8:30 PM at the Southwest Community Center, 2810 Thistle Street.

Make a tangible difference in the community by helping friends and neighbors spring clean an even bigger Burien than last year.

The city’s twelfth annual Clean Sweep on Saturday, April 24 will also spiff up the recently annexed portion of the North Highline Unincorporated Area.

Volunteer from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and in return receive breakfast, lunch and a chance to win prizes. Presented by the city of Burien and the Discover Burien Association, Clean Sweep is sponsored by Burien Auto Row, Burien Press, Highline Medical Center, Les Schwab Tires, Prudential Northwest Realty Associates, and Law Offices of Lin, Schisel & DeMarco.

Last year more than 400 people spruced up Burien’s streets, parks and commercial areas. To donate, volunteer or get more information for this year’s Clean Sweep, call 206-941-7199. Or just show up at the event. Sign up early to choose a specific area to work on.

The West Seattle Tool Library working group has just been formed by Sustainable West Seattle. The group just won a grant from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods to finance the start up of the West Seattle Tool Library.

SWS is currently creating a community-led tool library here in West Seattle that will provide low-cost, community access to a wide range of tools, training, and relevant advice.

To learn more and get involved, email: library@sustainablewestseattle.org

Take the SWS Tool Library survey at this site

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4nFv7Wx8bTBno5CxUlBLLw_3d_3d

King County Executive Dow Constantine answered concerns over transportation and animal control at a Burien Lions meeting on April 7.

King County, said Constantine, has a “future of boundless potential” but cities must partner together.

Lions members were greatly concerned about transportation, particularly Metro Access vans. They said the vans are late or bypass patrons, particularly blind users.

Constantine says this is a source of frustration for him, as well. The service is expensive for taxpayers and should not operate this way.

He promised to forward the complaint to Metro officials.

Another source of concern was animal control. Recently, due to the risk of flooding in the Green River Valley, the Kent Animal Shelter will no longer be accepting owner-surrendered pets and will also be relocating the animals at the shelter. Shelters are also facing funding cuts and elimination.

Constantine says he and others have been working on solution to this. By partnering with other cities and animal welfare groups he hopes to almost eliminate the need for shelters and control so the costs of such things will go down.

Today Seattle City Councilmembers unanimously passed a resolution stating their intention to seek a November 2011 annexation election for the remaining unincorporated area of North Highline. This timeframe will provide time to outline a work program, deliverables and a schedule to support the Mayor and City Council in determining whether Seattle should pursue annexation of this area.

“Annexing North Highline will benefit the citizens of that area, as well as those in the City of Seattle,” stated Council President Richard Conlin. “There would be initial investments in the community, and the shared fire and emergency services will improve quality of life in this South Seattle area.”

While the action taken today is non-binding, it will allow the Council to proceed in working with King County and the community to evaluate all aspects of the potential annexation. Once compiled, this information will provide the necessary analysis for residents to make an informed decision, should annexation come to a vote in November 2011.