September 2010

Sept. 23 marked the day when national health care reform entered its first stages of action and on Sept 15, King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson held a public meeting to address the issues attached to that.

State Sen. Karen Keiser and Susan Johnson, director of the Northwest region of the Department of Health and Human Services, were also there.

Keiser told the small audience of less than two-dozen people that on Sept. 23, "a lot of consumer protections would take place. Those include:

Parents with a young adult as a child can extend their insurance coverage to their young adult up to age 26
Insurance coverage will not have a cost cap - meaning that insurance companies cannot stop covering a patient because their medical costs are too expensive

Children with pre-existing conditions are eligible for coverage

A new state program called the Health Insurance Partnership, which small businesses can enroll into to provide affordable health insurance to their employees, with at least 60 percent of the premium costs covered by the state

"Washington state is leaning forward in the implementation of health care," Keiser said.

You've seen the television shows "CSI: Las Vegas," "CSI: Miami," and "CSI: New York." Are you prepared for "CSI: Highline?"

It's not a television crime drama on your TV screen but it is coming to a stream near you. "CSI: Highline" is a new effort to better understand the health of Miller and Walker Creeks, which drain Burien, Normandy Park and SeaTac.

The Community Salmon Investigation for Highline - or CSI: Highline program - will count coho and chum salmon returning to the creeks from mid-October to late December. This is the first time a methodical survey of adult salmon has occurred on the streams.

Data also will be gathered on seemingly healthy fish that die before they can lay their eggs. This phenomenon, known as "pre-spawn mortality," occurs in many urban streams in Puget Sound. Pre-spawn mortality has been seen in Miller and Walker Creeks but the extent of the problem is unknown.

Volunteers will be the salmon "investigators" in the new program. Two-person teams will visit several locations on the creeks daily and record their observations. A variety of private and public landowners are providing access to the streams.

By Anne-Marije Rook

As Washington celebrates the 100th anniversary of women voting in the state, the Nordic Heritage Museum exhibits a similar story from abroad.

A new exhibit, “100 Years of Women’s Voices and Action in Finland,” is currently on display at the museum paying tribute to Ballard’s Nordic ties and the women that fought for equality.

At the Sept. 10 exhibit opening, Tarja Filatov, deputy speaker in the Finnish Parliament, spoke about the Finnish women’s movement and the history reflected in the exhibition, previously displayed in New York and Washington D.C.

In 1906, Finland became the second country in the world to grant suffrage to women (following New Zealand) and the first to allow women to be elected.

“This was an international breakthrough for women," Filatov said. "We are still proud of this decision. I believe that Finnish society’s pioneering example has also encouraged other countries.”

3700 customers lost power Sept. 20 due to a pole fire caused by a tree hitting a power line. Power is now restored but some businesses had to wait until well into the evening.

The power outage boundaries were s.w.Hudson Street on the north to s.w. Henderson Street on the south. Eastern boundary was 5th Avenue South, and the West boundary was 39th Ave. s.w.

Seattle Public Schools and Chief Sealth International High School are inviting the public to take a tour of the newly renovated school and celebrate the opening on Sept. 25 at 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.

The school is located at 2600 s.w. Thistle Street.

For Special Parents & Guardians of Sealth students they are offering an Early Bird Preview from 9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

This is the public's chance to tour the newly completed buildings new Galleria, renovated Gymnasium, and Chief Sealth’s main building plus more.

SCHEDULE:

9:30 a.m. PTSA meet and greet for Sealth Families

10 a.m. to noon: Open house environment with guests allowed to walk the halls and to view the new Galleria, the Library, several classrooms, Teen Health Center, Gym and Confucius Institute.

There will be guided tours at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. that will start in the upper Common outside of the main office.

Seattle earned the name the Emerald City largely thanks to one reason. We have a high percentage of tree cover- 23% in fact but EarthCorps in cooperation with the City of Seattle has a goal of reaching 30%.

Over 85% of the land in Seattle is privately owned which means it's not enough to plant trees in parks and along streets – residents need to plant trees around their homes and businesses as well.

To address this need and help Seattle meet the 30% goal, the City of Seattle has teamed up with EarthCorps to provide free trees to residents of these SE Seattle neighborhoods. Target areas focused on the neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of canopy cover:

• Roxhill / Westwood
• Highland Park
• South Park
• Georgetown
• North Beacon Hill / Jefferson Park
• Beacon Hill
• South Beacon Hill / New Holly
• Columbia City
• Seward Park
• Rainier Beach

Visit www.Seattle.gov/trees/treesforneighborhoods.htm to see a map of eligible locations:

Program participants receive:
• Free trees!
• Watering bags
• Training on proper tree planting and care
• One free bag of GroCo compost, made with King County biosolids

It may not have mattered in the South Puget Sound League standings, but Thursday's volleyball match between Thomas Jefferson and Todd Beamer was a crosstown battle and brought out plenty of action.

The match lasted a full five games with the visiting Titans of Beamer posting an eventual 25-22, 25-15, 19-25, 19-25, 15-8 over the Raiders.

Strangely enough, the match left the Todd Beamer team down and the TJ team up.

"We're a better team than that," said Titans head coach Jason Boyd of his team's struggle to beat the Raiders. "We didn't pass very well tonight. But TJ is scrappy. They dig a lot of balls."

"We did make a comeback," said Raiders head coach Megan Melver. "We finally started serving tough and got a bit of momentum and started talking."

Both coaches have to deal with a common malady this year -- youth.

"We're a really young team," Melver said. "We graduated six seniors from last year and seven girls are brand new to the varsity level. So we're young and we're green and have a lot of hard work ahead."

"I have a young team and a lot of young kids stepped up," Boyd said.

It may not have mattered in the South Puget Sound League standings, but Thursday's volleyball match between Thomas Jefferson and Todd Beamer was a crosstown battle and brought out plenty of action.

The match lasted a full five games with the visiting Titans of Beamer posting an eventual 25-22, 25-15, 19-25, 19-25, 15-8 over the Raiders.

Strangely enough, the match left the Todd Beamer team down and the TJ team up.

"We're a better team than that," said Titans head coach Jason Boyd of his team's struggle to beat the Raiders. "We didn't pass very well tonight. But TJ is scrappy. They dig a lot of balls."

"We did make a comeback," said Raiders head coach Megan Melver. "We finally started serving tough and got a bit of momentum and started talking."

Both coaches have to deal with a common malady this year -- youth.

"We're a really young team," Melver said. "We graduated six seniors from last year and seven girls are brand new to the varsity level. So we're young and we're green and have a lot of hard work ahead."

"I have a young team and a lot of young kids stepped up," Boyd said.

Foster 41, Highline 14

It was a mismatch in the mud Friday as host Foster dealt Highline a 41-14 loss.

Foster went out to a 14-7 lead by the end of the first quarter before outscoring the Pirates, 20-0, in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs tacked on seven more points in the third quarter before Highline scored the game's final touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Cedric Cooper led the way for Foster, scoring four touchdowns.

Cooper came through with two four-yard touchdowns along with a 20-yard touchdown and a five-yard touchdown.

Kentlake 67, Mt. Rainier 0

The Rams continued to struggle in their first South Puget Sound League North Division season, taking a 67-0 beating at the hands of the Kentlake Falcons.

Kennedy 42, Hazen 20

Darian Brooks pounded in three touchdowns from close range to lead the Lancers to a 42-20 victory over the Highlanders Saturday.

Brooks forced his way into the end zone for two one-yard touchdowns and tacked on a two-yard touchdown.

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