May 2010

AFS Intercultural Programs, formerly the American Field Service, is accepting applications from local families interested in opening their homes and lives to exchange students who will be attending high school in the Seattle area.

AFS is a worldwide nonprofit that has been leading international high school student exchange for more than 60 years.

More than 2,500 AFS exchange students arrive in the United States each year to be welcomed into families, high schools and communities.

Host families provide a bed and meals, share their daily lives with students, and help guide and support students as they would their own children.

Rick Bendix of AFS said Ballard families have been welcoming exchange students to the neighborhood for the past 15 years.

AFS differs from many other exchange organizations thanks to its network of thousands of volunteers in the United States, many of whom have hosted themselves or studied abroad with AFS.

In addition to paid staff, more than 300 local volunteers for AFS-Greater Puget Sound support families, their hosted students and schools to ensure everyone gets the most out of the hosting experience.

Crown Hill's ARC Dance returns to the Seattle Center for its third season of Summer Dance at the Center, a mixed-rep program, July 15 to July 17.

ARC Dance, which is based out of the Crown Hill Center, presents five world premiers by choreographers Penny Hutchinson (Mark Morris Dance Group), Marie Chong (Artistic Director), Betsy Cooper (ARC Resident Choreographer), Jason Ohlberg (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago) and Kiyon Gaines (PNB) in a July 15-17 program at the Bagley Wright/Leo K. Theatre.

The annual summer performances are a wonderful opportunity for locals and tourists alike to see that Seattle has a vital dance community operating all year long, Artistic Director Marie Chong said in a press release.

A King County 4Culture grant helps ARC give back to the community during difficult economic conditions by partially covering the cost of half-priced tickets offered to students and seniors.

Join the Ballard High School girls varsity soccer coaching staff and players at Ballard High School for a week of soccer this summer.

New this year is a middle school camp geared toward the middle-school soccer player wanting to take their playing ability to the next level.

At all camps, the coaches will work with the players to improve their technical, tactical and mental skills needed for high-level soccer.

The goal of the Beaver soccer camp is to provide great role models for the campers, help each camper build a road map for future success, and have fun.

For more information and to register, click here. Camps fill up quickly.

Six productions by Ballard High School video students have been honored with student Emmy nominations at the regional level.

The awards are a project of the National Association of Television Arts & Sciences and honor the best in student television production. The regional awards celebrate the most outstanding productions from five northwest states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

"The Crumb" by Emily Deering, Karli Lafferty, Sarah Maloney and Taylor Rubright; "Dead End" by Emma Hutchison, Kaila Lafferty, Karli Lafferty and Kirsten Zeller; "Manimal" by Levi Friedman, Matt Law-Phipps, Esther Magasis and Ryan Zemke; and "Reflection" by Sheridan Koehler and Blair Scott were nominated in the Dramatic Presentation category.

"Loose Change" (produced for Real Change) by Emma Hutchison, Georgia Peck and Alex Scheller and "Swine Flu Apocalypse" (produced for the Teen Health Center) by John Christensen, Conner Jarvie and Matt Law-Phipps were nominated in the Public Service Announcement category.

Explore your options at South Seattle Community College’s annual College Night. Everyone is invited to this free event – neighbors, high school students, parents and families, counselors, career changers, and anyone with questions about college.

Faculty, staff and students will be on hand to answer questions about everything South has to offer, and the many ways you can Start Here, Go Anywhere!

Begin training for your dream job in one of our career-ready programs, including Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts, Business Information Technology, Landscape Horticulture, Wine Technology, Nursing, Transportation & Logistics, and more.
Start your four-year transfer degree here.
Finish your bachelor’s degree on South’s campus with our university partners – Heritage University, City University, or Central Washington University.
Learn about South’s bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management program.
Prepare for college with Basic & Transitional Studies and ESL.
Get information on financial aid and scholarships.
Explore Continuing Education and personal enrichment classes.

Prize drawings will also be held throughout the evening.

Child steals mom's car

A concerned witness called police to report a collision in the 20400 block of International Boulevard South. The car that was involved had been stolen from the owner. Police arrived and determined that a 12-year-old boy had stolen the car from his mother. He crashed his mom's Nissan Maxima into a fence and yard and then ran away. Police were able to find the boy and his mother. The boy was arrested and booked; he now faces charges of grand theft auto.

Boy beat up for his PSP

A boy and his sister were playing outside at an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Southwest 124th Street. The male victim had a PSP, a portable game system, in his possession. A group of boys approached the victim and began beating him up.

They grabbed his PSP and ran off. Police arrived and the boy was treated for a broken nose and other minor injuries. They were able to find the boys; it was not clear how many, and they were arrested and booked. They face charges of robbery.

Vandalism to mailboxes

For obvious reasons, I've always been fascinated by struggling writers.

Robert Dugoni used to be in that category. Dugoni is the author of the David Sloane legal thriller series.

The fictional Sloane, "the lawyer who does not lose," lives on Three Tree Point and hangs out at Olde Burien's Tin Room Bar & Grill. (If Sloane knew that's how they spell "Old," he would drink somewhere else.)

Dugoni will sign copies of his brand new book, "Bodily Harm," at a Tin Room launch party on May 27 at 4:30 p.m. Dan House, who is both the real Tin Room proprietor and a character in Dugoni's series, will be there, too. The bar is located at 923 S.W. 152nd St.

Dugoni and I talked at the Tin Room last month.

He revealed that it had taken him eight very long years after he began writing seriously to get published.

Before embarking on the literary life, Dugoni was accustomed to success. Always a writer, he majored in journalism and hired on at the Los Angeles Times.

But coming from a family with 10 kids-all "compulsive overachievers, " the family code was to attend a professional school.

Exception is taken to the letter in the 5/14 edition of the Times/News by Harold Herrera, re his dislike of the Arizona Immigration Law that he disrespectfully calls the racial profiling law.

I am 69 years old, born and raised in the USA and make no apologies for that and, yes, I support the Arizona law 100 percent and the attempts by some other states to duplicate it.

I remind Mr. Herrera of the laws that Mexico imposes on those from Central and South America who seek to enter Mexico and especially what happens if they enter illegally.

The 12 million or so illegals is an estimate and now considered to be on the low side.

I have no problem with legal immigrants, even those who are now illegal, but only if they "take a number," get in line and wait their turn and if it takes 50 years for your name to get to the top, so be it. Learn English while you are waiting.

Let us also not forget the drug violence in Mexico and its effect north of the border and the crimes committed by illegals.

We are a nation of laws, but it appears not all think that should continue. If that makes me a "racist" in your eyes, believe me. I can live with that.

Phillip Stanat
Des Moines

Burien Little Theatre has just completed its 29th season. It was a great season, made possible with the help of countless volunteers!

Live theatre requires three things: space, lots of space; volunteers willing to give up weekends, evenings and days to make the magic happen; and money, lots of money; money from ticket sales only covers a portion of the cost of production, and financial support from many benefactors is essential. (BLT is not part of the city Burien. BLT is an independent non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization.)

Burien Little Theatre is part of the suburban fringe movement in American theater. It produces the highest quality live productions. It takes many people working hard to produce better live theater for the enjoyment of BLT's audiences.

But BLT does more for Burien than simply produce better live theater for the residents of Burien. It brings people to Burien, some from as close as Des Moines, Renton, Bellevue and Kirkland, but many from even further away. These people shop and eat in Burien. BLT surveys show that 82.1 percent of BLT patrons eat or drink before or after the performance.

Have you seen the movie "Food Inc."? I've known about it since it came out, but just got around to watching it. Nothing it the movie surprised me, but it did re-ignite the fire of indignation in me at how we are so misled in the name of corporate greed.

Every parent of every child in every school in our country (indeed the world) needs to see it. All of us have the right to good food.

This is our problem, not someone else's; it's yours, mine, theirs, ours. "Food Inc." isn't about staying away from meat - the meat, saturated fat and bone broths from healthy animals are all good for us.

It's about insisting that we stop the abomination of confinement farming and mechanized food production. If people demand better food, all food will be sustainably and humanely produced.

We made similar requirements with the tobacco companies who were loath to admit in public that they knew the dangers posed by their product.