July 2010

Highline High School Alumni scholarship winners gathered recently at Sal's Deli in Burien. Top row winners, from left, are Mark Kerrigan, Alana Lopez, Meskerem Johnson and Deonate Cruz. In the middle row are Mares Asfaha, Kristi Jean Dela Cruz, Dijana Raco, Monique Johnson and Amber Rowe. In the front row are Rachel Fernandez, Berhane Tesfahun, Katherine Quilantang and scholarship counselor Holly Tanhueco. Natasa Dukic, Michele Wunch and Sofia Locklear are not pictured.

Students from the Waskowitz High School summer session program worked on Friday, July 9 to improve the Burien environment.

In the morning, students cleared invasive English ivy from the trunks of trees along Miller Creek at Kiwanis Schoenwald Park. Removing the ivy extends the life of the trees and improves streamside ecology.

In the afternoon, the students marked storm drains to increase awareness about storm water pollution. Storm water runoff is not cleaned before flowing into local streams and Puget Sound.

The plastic markers and painted stencils are intended to remind people that car washing soap, oil, and other pollutants need to be kept out of the storm drain system.

The 6-week Waskowitz summer program is a partnership between Highline School District and King County Work Training's "Stay In School" program.

Students spend the summer outdoors doing service projects, introductory work training, and outdoor challenge. They can earn school credit in Outdoor Leadership and Physical Education.

This year Des Moines has been focusing on revitalizing its downtown.

Beginning with the Gateway transportation project currently going on at South 216th Street, the improvements extend to upgrading water mains downtown to accommodate new development.

The City Council is currently discussing a group of development guidelines for downtown Des Moines, referred to as the Marina District.

The city continues to seek citizen input in the process of determining the best ways to develop downtown.

The Marina District Design Guidelines (MDDG) are not building codes, and are not intended to give specific rigid rules to developers building downtown.

Councilman Scott Thomasson asked at a recent council meeting how the guidelines would affect developers. Staff did offer clear answers on the issue, it will be discussed further when the come back to the council on July 29.

City staff suggested putting language into the municipal code incorporating by reference the guidelines, stating that new development, or substantial redevelopment proposals must demonstrate substantial compliance with them.

In what Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler described as a history-making moment, the city and Water District 54 have taken the next step toward getting higher fire flow into the downtown area.

At a recent council meeting, the City Council unanimously approved negotiating a contract between the district and the city to put a 12 inch water main down Marine View Drive and add connections at the cross streets from that water main to the water main along 7th Avenue South.

This new project has been scaled down from original proposals and will cost an estimated $500,000 less to construct. The new project is estimated to cost $1.2 million.

In the new project, the cross street connections between 7th and 8th Avenues were eliminated. City staff told council members they hoped construction would begin in March or April and last two to three months.

In the current agreement being worked on the district has agreed to pay for the project, including taking out any required loans, if Des Moines releases the $486,000 in federal grant money they received to improve the water system downtown and waive all permit fees and administrative charges.

Olde Burien will swing into summertime street party mode on Saturday, July 17 from noon to midnight.

Event-goers can get their Olde Burien Block Party on with ice-cream-eating and sausage-eating contests, live music, a fashion show and a drawing for a $500 shopping spree-all for free.

The party's multiplicity of diversions will include a fashion show at 2 p.m. Attendees will be able to test their eating skills against other competitors in ice cream-eating and sausage-eating contests at 4 p.m.

From noon to 10 p.m., live tunes will range from Motown to hard rock. Olde Burien eateries will offer extended outdoor seating.

Event-goers who make purchases at participating businesses on July 17th will be entered into a drawing for a $500 Olde Burien shopping spree.

The street party's entertainment schedule is:

• 12-1 p.m. - Greg Parke (easy listening acoustic & electric guitar)
• 1:30-2 p.m. - Guest Band
• 2-2:30 p.m. - Fashion Show
• 3-4 p.m. - The Blame (rock & roll)
• 4-4:30 p.m. - Ice Cream and Sausage Eating Contest
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. - Seatown R & B Players (R & B, Motown)

As golden retrievers and Scotties sniffed politely, pet owners of Burien queued up to receive free pet licenses at Burien's first Music in the Park concert in Lake Burien School Park.

Recent changes in King County animal control policies spurred Burien to begin its own less expensive animal control services, including a city pet licensing program. Dr. Leslie Kasper, a local veterinarian, will shelter pets and provide other animal-related services.

According to Kasper, the city invited local vets, groomers, and kennel owners to a meeting, asking those interested in animal control work to submit proposals. She saw the position as a chance to use her skills to "give back to the community" and sent in a proposal.

"I have a strong community service desire," she said. A large facility, her clinic had plenty of room to harbor animals. The space has been divided into a room with cat cages and one with dog kennels, which is already partially occupied.

Besides sheltering pets, Kasper will coordinate animal welfare efforts and handle aggressive animal problems.

By Bethany Overland

Call the babysitter: The Des Moines City Council just approved the city's first "Brews and Blues" festival. It's certainly not an event for kids, but that doesn't mean it won't benefit them.

As part of the Des Moines Rotary Club's "Music for Youth/Music for Life" service project, all proceeds from the music-laden, beer-sipping festival will provide instruments to local fourth and fifth graders to encourage early participation in the musical arts.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25.

"Often the arts and music are the first to go during [school] budget cuts," said Brian Snure, speaking on behalf of the Des Moines Rotary Club. He said Brews and Blues will help to encourage schools' music programs by supplementing kids from low-income families with instruments, supplies and repairs they may not be able to otherwise afford.

"Any elementary school within our service area will be included," Snure added. This would include the many Des Moines children who attend Federal Way School District's nearby Woodmont Elementary.

No third SeaTac trial
The King County prosecutors announced July 9 they will not seek a third trial for former sheriff's Deputy Paul Schene on assault charges. Two juries were not able to come to a unanimous verdict in earlier trials. Schene, who was fired as a deputy, had been charged with assaulting a teenage girl at the police precinct behind SeaTac City Hall.

Man barely survives festivities
A July 4th explosion of homemade fireworks sent a SeaTac man to Harborview Medical Center with critical injuries. He had tied together several sparklers and secured them in a concrete block. When the fireworks were detonated, the block flew apart, one fragment hitting him in the head and causing life-threatening injuries. Other fragments his the garage door and a nearby car. Deputies continue to investigate the situation.

Unlawful airport visit

After spending much of last summer in working with other members of the North Highline and White Center communities to "Save Our Pool," it is a pleasure to be actually swimming and exercising in the "Evergreen Community Aquatic Center" this summer.

The programs have been growing in use and the dedicated staff has gradually been working out a schedule that will serve everyone.

What we need to do now is use the pool and encourage others to "come on in"...The water is really fine.

Congratulations to members of the King County administration, the Highline School District, White Water Inc. and members of the community who wouldn't let this valuable asset be lost.

"Let's use it so we don't risk losing it" again.

Information about programs and hours: 206-588-2297

Rachael Levine
Burien

For up to 70 years, the students of Tukwila have shown their pride on the "Rock."

This local fixture is layered in paint and memories. With class years, student names, proclamations of love, and dedications to those who have been lost, the Rock is a staple of not only the high school, but of the history of Tukwila.

One Foster alumnus, however, is concerned over the lack of knowledge of the true history of the Rock. Alan Gunsul, M.D., believes this truth has been lost beneath rumors and misunderstanding.

Dr. Gunsul was a Foster High School graduate of 1944 and actually witnessed the discovery and unearthing of the Rock, back in the days before the I-5 freeway.

The Rock was discovered after King County decided to level out 51st Avenue South.

Gunsul says road graders were brought in to complete this task, and as they were leveling out one of the small hills, they ran across a large rock too big for the graders. A "powder man" from Maple Valley was called in by King County to blow the rock apart.

Holes were drilled around the rock and dynamite was placed in each hole.