June 2010

As an audience of local marine life and ebullient visitors looked on, Highline Community College graduated its first cephalopod.
On June 5th, the Highline Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center, a small public aquarium at Redondo Beach, invited the community to a celebration of George the giant pacific octopus' release into Puget Sound.

The resulting gathering, said Woody Moses, a Highline Community College biologist, "shows how much people love and care for their environment."

Although the MaST Center does not normally release aquarium animals, the seven-foot George had become too large for his tank, said Moses. More importantly, he noted, George had reached breeding age, and it was the MaST center's ecological duty to return him to the wild.

Octopi are among the most popular animals at the aquarium, and MaST staff seized the opportunity of George's release to "get the community involved and interested in what we're doing" at the MaST Center, Moses said.
MaST's primary mission is to increase the public's knowledge about and appreciation of local marine life, thus inspiring environmentally responsible behavior.

The dance and choreography of Anika Martynowych (a recent high school graduate and West Seattle resident) will get their professional debut in Seattle Theater Group's 12th Annual 'DANCE This' at the Paramount Theater July 10. Through her participation in Seattle Theatre Group's Young Choreographers Lab this past fall, she was selected from 18 other young choreographers to debut her piece in this year's show.

Anika has been dancing since she was seven years old, beginning with the Kaleidoscope Dance Company in North Seattle. "It was natural for me. My mom had been dancing with me and she wasn't in any dance companies but she's always loved to dance and it was something I just loved as much as she did," Anika said. Martynowych choreographed her own piece, selected teen dancers and worked her dance to a professional performance quality for the show.

You have a chance to get much better background information on the upcoming deep bore tunnel set to replace the now terminal Alaskan Way Viaduct tonight on Cable Channel 21 at 7 p.m on a show called Inside/Out with C.R. Douglas. You can also view the show online once it is posted on SeattleChannel.org.

City of Seattle release:
City Inside/Out with C.R. Douglas looks at the latest news about the tunnel replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct, including concerns about cost overruns. Guests include Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata, Ivar’s Bob Donegan and architect Mark Reddington

As the bidding gets underway to build a tunnel to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct, a political debate rages over who will be responsible for potential cost overruns. Mayor Mike McGinn says he won't sign agreements with the state until the legislature guarantees that it will pay for any cost overruns. The majority of the Seattle City Council says it's time to proceed with the project.

After a ten year wait and lots of hurdles the Junction Plaza Park will finally be open to the public next Tuesday in a Grand Opening Celebration sponsored by the West Seattle Junction Association, the Seattle Parks Foundation and Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Last weekend, 35 volunteers showed up to add 800 plants to the space and only minor brick, cement and electrical work remain according to Project Manager for Parks Gary Gibbons.

Seattle Parks Department release:
Join in the community celebration for the new Junction Plaza Park on Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. West Seattle Junction Association (WSJA), Junction Neighborhood Organization, Seattle Parks Foundation, and Seattle Parks and Recreation are hosting a festive evening ribbon cutting event for this new gathering space that will include music, an official ribbon cutting and light refreshments.

In November 2009, Ballard Landmark residents Ned Skavlen and Betty Kent collected 300 signatures between the Landmark and Canal Station Condos to improve the mid-block pedestrian crossing on Leary Avenue south of Market Street. In January, the Seattle Department of Transportation announced improvements would be forthcoming.

"I almost got hit," Kent said in November 2009. "And, a lot of other residents have said the same thing."

"You're taking your life into your hands to cross that street," Skavlen said in November.

This summer, the Department of Transportation will be constructing improvements to the existing crosswalk in the 5400 block of Leary Avenue, the department announced June 18.

This project, valued at approximately $35,000, will be constructed over an estimated seven-day period sometime before Labor Day, according to a Department of Transportation press release.

Improvements include:

• Ladder style crosswalk markings in the street.
• Overhead flood lighting in the crosswalk zone.
• Vehicle stop line for southbound traffic located approximately 35 feet north of the crosswalk.

June 19

Arbor Day Celebration--The City of SeaTac will be hosting an Arbor Day Celebration at Sunset Park, 13659 18th Ave. S. 9-10:30 a.m. Two trees will be planted in honor of Arbor Day. Light refreshments will be served.,

Garage Sale--A garage sale will be held from 9-4 p.m. at the Ruth Dykeman Children's Center, 1033 Southwest 152nd Street. There will be many unique items available and 100% of the proceeds will go towards helping the children. Please stop by and support a good cause.
June 21

Free Employment Workshop--Every Monday Noon-1p.m. To support & assist those looking for work or seeking more fulfilling employment. Help creating resumes, interview skills and job searches. Des Moines United Methodist Church, 22225 9th Ave. S., 98198 (9th Ave S & 223rd). 206-878-8301 www.desmoinesumc.org

Burien Master Gardeners

Get answers to general gardening questions. Learn about proper plant selection. Bring a sample of a diseased plant for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Have an insect identified. Learn least toxic ways to treat diseases and pests.

This past week the State filed its application for “Race to the Top” funds from the Federal Government. The Feds have promised states, who present a proposal that seems to have promise, dollars, that is your dollars, for the implementation of those plans that they deem to have promise.

Washington did not apply for the first round and their application, 902 pages in length, may not be a contender in this round. The Obama administration has been pretty strong on three features that seem to have escaped the folks, all highly paid gnomes in Washington education, grasp. Obama and Duncan, Secretary of Education and basketball Obama team member, have been pretty clear about mechanisms that link teacher pay and promotion to the successes, or failures, of the kids that they are to be educating.

They have also been quite clear that the opportunity for others, than the establishment, (Charters) to improve education are a desired feature. Charters have been rejected in this state by the “voters” with help of a multimillion dollar campaign from the Washington Education Association in conjunction with the National Education Association.

Fatal Car Accident

A 23 year-old Des Moines man died this morning when his car left the roadway and struck a tree. He died shortly after he was taken to Harborview Medical Center. The incident happening this morning (June 10th) about 1:15 AM. Witnesses reported seeing the man leave the Mt. View Elementary parking lot at a high rate of speed. The school is located in White Center at SW 108th and 12th Ave SW. When the vehicle got to the 800 block of SW 108th it crossed over into the westbound land of travel then struck a raised curb and a large tree. The collision caused massive damage to the left front of the car, a 1995 Ford Explorer. No other vehicles were involved in the collision.

Detectives believe alcohol was a contributing factor.

Candidate for County Prosecutor arrested at SeaTac

Three innings of terror torpedoed Steel Lake out of the District 10 Little League baseball 9-10 age All Star tournament on Monday, June 14.

Firing salvo after salvo at the Federal Way National Complex, the Auburn All Stars sunk Steel Lake, 24-10, in a loser-out game.

After Auburn opened its outer doors to strike seven hits for eight runs in the top of the second inning, Steel Lake scored hits of its own in the home half of the inning. Michael Woods singled with two outs and promptly reached second on a wild pitch. Then, Darnel Calugay singled to left field where the outfielder bobbled the ball, enabling a Steel Lake run to be posted.

Steel Lake drew closer with one shining inning in the third. With one out, Jake Jex ripped a double to left field. Jex advanced to third base on a ground out to first base. On a wild pitch, Jex reached home before Brayden Teder drew a base on balls. A single sent home another run ahead of a walk and Calugay's 2-run double.

One of my school board friends, yes I do have friends who are school board members, told me this past week about a parent who called him because their child would not be graduating on Saturday.

They suggested that they were unaware of the lack of progress that their child had made in school. One needs to remember that this state, now 35th in the nation in graduation rates, has a very minimal set of requirements, and this child couldn’t meet them!

I suggested that our school systems don’t have a “Dead-man’s switch.” For those of you who are unaware of this term a little history might be in order. Railroads and trolley companies found that they were experiencing operators who either had medical problems, or fell asleep, and this resulted in some serious disasters. To reduce these “Train wrecks” switches were, and are, installed on all trains that require frequent responses from the operator to be sure that they are awake and are not suffering some kind of incapacitating event.