May 2010

Art

Evergreen Fine Art Gallery-Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 17700 1st Ave. S., Normandy Park.

Loren Gallery-1,200 sq.-ft. unique art gallery. Next to Marina Inn Hotel. 22300 7th Ave S., Suite B, Des Moines. Local artist will have hangings and varied art pieces. Art walk reception will be held every 3rd Saturday of month. LorenGallery.com. 253-223-7015.

Vino Bello Wine Bar-636-F S.W. 152nd St. Burien. For information, 206-244-VINO.

Auditions

Les Miserables!-- Hi-Liners youth theater will hold auditions for actors ages 9-19 6/4,5,& 6. To schedule the audition go to www.hi-liners or call 206-617-2152.

Farmers Markets

Burien-Thursdays. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Burien Town Square, Fifth Avenue Southwest and Southwest 152nd Street. 206-433-2882 or www.discoverburien.com.

Des Moines Waterfront-Saturdays. Opens June 5. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. South 277th Street and Dock Street. www.dmfm.org.

Festivals

Kellen Bryan is a student at Washington Middle School who lives in West Seattle. He will be graduating from eighth grade soon and wrote a free verse poem, entitled “Big Steps,” about how he is feeling about this new change he will be making. He said, " I feel that many of your young teenage readers (or readers who were once teenagers), will be able to relate to it. Large changes are something that everyone has gone through at some point or another and I believe that much of your audience would enjoy seeing the point of view of a young teenager on this subject today."

Big Steps
By Kellen Bryan

All big steps from here.
I'm nervous to start, but is there really anything to fear?
A whole new place teaming with friends to make.
Hope all this new pressure is something I can take.
Tons of knowledge, waiting for me to drink up,
And all I have to do is grab the cup!
Starting again at the bottom rung,
Another climb is soon to come.
From here it looks like a long way to the top
I have to keep pushing, I know I can't stop.
If I work hard now I’ll get where I want to be:
Going to college and surfing on a western sea

May 29
Artisan Crafts & Plant Sale-10 a.m.-3 p.m. Glendale Lutheran School, 13455 2nd Ave SW in Burien with over 30 vendors with proceeds going to school.

June 1
AARP Driver Safety Class--is scheduled from 1- 5p.m. at Boulevard Park Place Retirement Community, 2805 S. 125th St., Burien. $14 fee. Call 206-244-2945 to register.

June 2
AARP Driver Safety Class--is scheduled from 1-5p.m. at Boulevard Park Place Retirement Community, 2805 S. 125th St., Burien. A $14 fee. Call 206-244-2945 to register.

June 6

Just as a robin in the spring
Returns, so do our memories bring
Us back to find the road ahead
Is one we have already tread

A memory can be bittersweet
Like lover’s eyes that never meet
And tender as a baby’s face
Or soldier’s welcome home embrace

They warm our toes like summer sands
But then can slip through aging hands
To lay forgotten on the beach
So close, yet so far out of reach

And though our memories we may share
With those who might pretend to care
They will remain, from start to end
A treasure only we can spend

(Editor's Note: In the May 21 Times/News, Keith Daigle reported on a Des Moines City Council meeting where city officials said Water District 54 staffers had essentially backed out of plans to upgrade the downtown water system. Daigle reported that Mayor Bob Sheckler said the city handed the project to the water district on a silver platter and the mayor had no idea why they would reject it. Sheckler also noted the city may have to take over the water district. John Rayback, Water District 54 commissioner, sent the following letter to the Times/News explaining the district's side of the controversy.)

I am concerned about the misinformation published under Keith Daigle's byline about Water District 54 and its role in the problems facing developers in the Des Moines business district.

Burien's Seahurst Park is being recognized nationally for its beautiful beaches.

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) announced on May 24 that the beach at Seahurst is a winner of its 2010 Best Restored Beach Award.

The Best Restored Beach Award pertains to Seahurst's beach area south of the beach parking lot. The City of Burien and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers teamed up for the initial phase of the restoration project in 2004, which cost $1.5 million.

This work involved removing a 1,400-foot seawall, restoring the beach to its natural state and restoring the marine habitat for federally listed threatened species such as Puget Sound Chinook salmon. In 2008, the city completed $1 million more in habitat and recreation improvements to complete the south shoreline project including rebuilding trails, adding picnic areas, replacing the restroom, and revegetating the shoreline with native plants.

The city and Corps are again partnering to restore the beach at the northern section of Seahurst, a project twice the size of the southern beach restoration project. Work is expected to get underway in fall 2011.

Highline Community College students Anna Boyd, of Tukwila, and Wassan Singh, of Auburn, have been named members of the 2010 All-Washington Academic Team.

Highline is located in Des Moines.

The All-Washington Academic Team honors the top two students from each of the state's 34 technical and community college for academic achievement and community service.

In addition, Boyd received national recognition as a 2010 Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar. Selection as a Coca-Cola Scholar is based on scores earned in the All-USA Academic Team competition and Boyd will be listed in an April issue of USA Today.

All-Washington Academic Team members receive a $250 scholarship from KeyBank of Washington and a $500 scholarship from Northwest Education Loan Association.

Boyd, 17, discovered a stronger appreciation for music while earning her associate of arts degree at Highline.

She has been a strong presence in the Music department, playing the violin in the string ensemble and singing in the Highline Chorale. She is also a teaching assistant in Highline's Honor Scholars program where she helps students improve their personal essays for four-year school applications.

Normandy Park’s Archery Bistro will present “Running Blind,” a 5K Run to benefit the Hear See Hope Foundation for Ushers Syndrome, on Sunday, June 6th starting at noon at the bistro. It is located at 19803 1st Ave. S.

This inaugural 5K Run is inspired by restaurant owner, Todd McKittrick and his wife Lane, who have four sons, two of which are afflicted with Ushers Syndrome. The boys were born deaf and as time goes on, they will become blind.

The McKittrick family has set up “The Hear See Hope Foundation” to create awareness and raise money for Ushers Syndrome.

For one mile of the run, starting at 12:50 p.m., participants will have the choice to be guided, to walk or run blindfolded while wearing earplugs, so they can feel what it would be like to be deaf and blind.  

As part of the festivities, a BBQ and beer garden, as well as a root beer garden for kids, will be set up on the Normandy Park Towne Center property. A hay maze will also be available with the option of being blindfolded with earplugs.

Bright blue eyes, a solid square jaw and a ready smile met me in the front lobby of The Gardens at Wesley Homes in Des Moines.

After a few minutes of talking with 961/2-year-old Richard Bruce, I would say that tragedy and triumph pretty much describes the life of this lovely old gentleman.

The phenomenal part is that he remembers it all.

He talked of being two years old-- remembering the horse-drawn milk wagons in West Seattle and a skateboard made from a disassembled skate that was nailed to a 2x4 and an apple box, with sticks to steer the contraption.

He lived the life of an early version of Spanky and Our Gang.

"We lived close to the fire station. They had the horse-drawn rigs and the horse droppings became quite a thing. There was a funny story about a kid who emptied out the toys from his little brother's stocking and put horse droppings in it. When the kid saw the droppings on Christmas morning, he said, "I think I got a pony, but he must have gotten away."

I couldn't tell whether Richard was spoofing me or not.

He also told about the old closets with windows.

(Editor's Note: Jerry Robinson replies to this letter about a previous column.)

As a lifelong Pantheist I want to assure Eric Dickman and others I am a tree lover and the root of my rant about enticing tourism is purely about bringing tourist dollars to Highline while they are in the Seattle area.

Denuding Dottie Harper Park is not part of the idea.

As it stands now, there is a small former house in one corner of the park that once served as a residence for a friend of mine. His upstairs bedroom is now full of pictures and it takes a pair of sturdy legs to climb the stairways.

I would love to see someone build an art museum in another location.

Some residents do use the rest of the hilly park for walking the kids and or dogs . The park is not designed for that. It is dark, and has no restroom facilities.

There is a group of undernourished overcrowded sun-starved fir trees that suffered great damage in the Big Wind a few years back.

If someone has a better idea for it's present usage, I am all ears.