June 2010

Athletes are running, leaping, and vaulting this weekend, June 26 & 27 during the 2010 Junior Olympics Pacific Northwest Association Track & Field Championships. Winning athletes are from greater Seattle qualify for the Regional Finals here, where athletes compete statewide at Sealth Field July 8-11.

Girls and boys ages 8-18 compete. Many represent clubs, like the Barron Park Striders in Olympia, Flying AJS Track Club in Federal Way, Rainier Beach Track Club and Kent Xtreme Speed. Some athletes are "unaffiliated" and do not compete with a club.

Those winners advance to the National Junior Olympic meet in Sacramento July 27 - August 1.

The Swinery at 3207 California Ave SW is an artisan butcher and delicatessen that first opened last September but always had plans to make the business bigger and more capable, however, that took time. On Friday, June 25 they held their "Re-opening Party" which officially introduced their newly expanded facilities which include their new kitchen (with an amazing bamboo table) an enclosed courtyard, outdoor seating, a large smoker, and meat curing locker plus the "only meat storage locker with a chandelier."

Head chef and butcher Gabriel Claycamp (NOTE: Claycamp has since this was published, left the business)used to own a cooking school called Culinary Communion but closed it in April of 2009. The school had started a line of meats almost as a byproduct because meat production was a large part of what was taught. When the school closed they chose to continue the line of meats and open a store to provide them.

Rainbow Bingo had a “Woodstock” theme June 25 at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Participants both dressed and acted the theme. The indefatigable bingo caller Sylvia O’Stayformore was assisted by Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. While it's always unpredictable when the lucky winner with dauber in hand excitedly calls out "Bingo!" it was also a complete surprise to attendees who witnessed the center's director, Karen Sisson and hubby, Doug, "renew their vows" on their 21st anniversary with O'Stayformore officiating. Not sure if Sylvia is ordained, but the free spirit of Woodstock prevailed.

Event sponsors included Life Care Center, Dignity Memorial, and Park West Care Center.

Three car washes held this Friday, June 25, benefited the West Seattle Food Bank and Haiti. Cars were washed at State Farm Insurance at 4727 44th Ave S.W. , John L. Scott Realty at 5242 California Ave. S.W. and Keller Williams Realty at 4452 California Ave. S.W. All reported hefty donation totals despite the overcast weather.

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

Sponsors included:

Windermere Real Estate (Junction Office)
Keller Williams Realty
John L. Scott Realty
Windermere Real Estate (Fauntleroy Office)
West Seattle Realty
Husky Deli
Coldwell Banker Danforth & Associates
West Seattle True Value Hardware
Prudential Northwest Realty
Liberty Bell Printing
TILA Real Estate
West Seattle Desert Sun
Menashe & Sons Jewelers
Bakery Noveau
Capers
J.F. Henry
Terry Gagnon- State Farm Insurance
West Seattle Chamber
West Seattle Rotary Club
West Seattle Kiwanis

The World Harmony Run's Torch-Bearer Award was given to Charlene Boyd, Chief Operating Officer and Regional Administrator for Providence Health Services Senior Community Services Division on June 25. She was presented the award in the Providence Mount St. Vincent lunchroom by King County Executive Dow Constantine. Residents and staff filled the room, and Explorers Club children from Intergenerational Learning Center at the facility sat in the front row to hear the presentation.

"She has championed the ideal serving the whole person, not just treating the person's condition or illness, but engaging body, mind and spirit," said Constantine in a speech. "She's expanded Mt. St. Vincent volunteer programs. Under her direction, residents are cared for in 'neighborhoods' dividing a large facility into smaller more personal communities. She has testified before Congress in support of policies that promote and protect human rights and dignity for all, especially the poor and vulnerable."

The head of the federal government's Small Business Administration (SBA) appeared at Burien's Mud Bay pet store Friday morning to showcase the federal government's Recovery Act for small businesses.

Administrator Karen Mills said the program provides 90 percent loan guarantees for small business loans.

"This is how America will grow, through entrepreneurs like (Mud Bay,)" Mills said.

Mud Bay received loans from Columbia Bank backed by the SBA guarantee to open new stores in Ballard, Sumner and Belltown in 2009, enabling them to hire eight new workers. They plan to open five new stores this year with help from the SBA.

Mud Bay purchased the Burien store from Bosley's Pet Food Mart in 2000 and moved it from Southwest 153rd Street to 148 S.W. 148th St.

Marisa Wulff, Mud Bay co-owner, said the company experienced double-digit revenue gains for 20 years but only posted a single-digit gain in 2009.

"This was shocking to us," Wulff noted.

However, even with the economic downturn, Mud Bay was able to expand through the Recovery Act program, she said.

Brad Stevens, Mud Bay vice president of marketing, said "what's good for business is good for communities."

Seattle Public Utilities informed Seattle Parks and Recreation June 25 that test results from samples taken this week at Golden Gardens Creek reveal very low levels of fecal coliform.

The test results conflict with test results released June 22 by international nonprofit Surfrider Foundation that showed high levels of fecal coliform in the creek.

Parks requested that Seattle Public Utilities take samples from the creek to determine the health and safety of the creek for recreational use, according to a Parks press release.

Sampling on June 23 confirmed that sewage from the city’s system is not entering the stream, according to the press release.

“As a result of the information released today, Public Health – Seattle & King County does not recommend closing the creek,” Charles Wu, King County Public Health & Environmental Investigator, said in the press release. “However, there is always the potential for urban streams to be contaminated from a variety of sources, including pet and wildlife waste, and so we advise people to stay out of urban creeks at all times.”

An event to protest offshore drilling, 'Hands Across the Sand' will see potentially hundreds of people come to Alki Beach to join hands at noon on Saturday June 26. The event co-sponsored by political organization Moveon.org will begin at 11am near the Alki Bathhouse. The organizers have a form for those who wish to participate here.. At noon, participants will join hands, forming a line on the beach for 15 minutes.

This protest is not new or formed specifically to protest the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. It began in 2009 when Florida restaurant owner Dave Rauschkolb formed the Hands Across The Sand organization. In February, 2010 he organized a statewide gathering in his state to protest offshore drilling. That successful effort has now grown to be international in scope. According to Rauschkolb there are 852 total events organized with 757 events organized in the U.S., in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. There are events organized in 518 different U.S. cities. 87 cities outside the U.S. will be staging events as well.

Purse thief spends over $800

Des Moines police have not yet apprehended a man who stole a purse from a nursing home last month and bought over $800 worth of goods. The suspect had been seen in the nursing home twice before, but the police were not notified until a nurse discovered her purse missing.

The suspect was filmed on a security camera at the Redondo Safeway, where he used the debit card.

Malicious arts and crafts incident

The school resource officer for Chinook Middle School reported that a suspect had taken a paper clip fashioned into a sharp clay engraving tool and hidden it in a ball of clay. He then convinced a classmate to punch the ball of clay, causing the classmate injury.

Counterfeit bill circulates

Police were informed that the victim was given a counterfeit bill at a check cashing business, which was not recognized at the time. When the victim tried to spend the bill at a small grocery store, the clerk recognized the bill as counterfeit.

Guest steals money orders

Federal Way National/Soundview scored early but not often while their foe, Bonney Lake/Sumner, scored early and often.

That fact led to the foe's 10-7 loser-out game victory in the All Stars District 10 10-11 Fastpitch Tournament played at the Federal Way National Complex Monday.

"We couldn't get hits when we needed them," said Brady Nelson, FWN/SV manager, whose team played hard but recorded a second straight loss in this double elimination all stars tourney of teams playing from various District 10 charters. Some charters combined like this southwest Federal Way and northeast Tacoma/Brownspoint team did for 10-11 age girls all stars.

This game started off on the right foot for FWN/SV, pressing BL/S toward the wall early, scoring four runs in the FWN/SV top of the first inning. Emery Norwood drew a walk, and, then, after a 5-3 third to first put-out and a strikeout, a FWN/SV rally ensued as Maddie Stensrud was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Avery Liening followed with an RBI single, scoring Norwood to make it 1-0. Then, furthering its opening offensive good, Anna Kerrone smacked an RBI double, scoring Stensrud and Liening to make it 3-0.