September 2010

A new ice cream vendor is about to open in a somewhat unlikely place. Moon-I Ice Cream, owned by Ji Moon Jang will open next week inside Ali's Corner Gasco at 8856 35th Ave. s.w.

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The owner of the Gasco, Thomas Jun, who has been in business for the last 11 years and who is sub leasing the space said, "We sort of talked about it, it was my idea but I didn't want to get into that business."

"I searched for a lot of things I might want to do in West Seattle," said Jang, "and I decided to settle on Ice Cream because nobody is selling waffle cone, organic ice cream here."

The counter/store will likely open in late September or early October after they get their ice cream maker and select an organic farmer to supply the raw ingredients. "Right now I'm looking for a local farmer to supply the organic milk and organic fruit to make the ice cream," said Jang.

9:34 p.m. Sept. 6 – 9:34 p.m. Sept. 7, 6700 Block of 24th Ave. N.W.

Police met "Anthony" waiting outside his apartment. He told them he had arrived home to find someone had forced entry into his apartment.

According to Anthony, who did not stay at his apartment the previous night, he could not get his key to work in either the doorknob or the deadbolt in the front door. He used a ladder on the side of the apartment complex to crawl through a living room window.

He did not find anyone inside his apartment but noticed $500 missing from an envelope on the couch. The $500 was being kept as the final payment for his truck, which he had just sold. According to Anthony, no one knew the cash was sitting on the couch.

He believes someone forced entry through the front door to his apartment because he was unable to get his key to work in the locks. Police inspected the area and did not locate any signs of forced entry.

Anthony told police he had trouble getting his keys to work before the incident as well. There were also several items of electronics and tools in the living room near the cash that were not taken.

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson is hosting a Community Coffee Chat in Ballard as part of a series of chats in October and November for all parents, grandparents and caregivers of Seattle Public Schools students.

“I am eager to listen and learn from our families and to hear more about the educational issues that matter to them,” Goodloe-Johnson said in a press release.

Ballard's Community Coffee Chat takes from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Nov. 2 at North Beach Elementary School, located at 9018 24th Ave. N.W.

In addition to the chats, Goodloe-Johnson is inviting family members and guardians to attend a “Welcome Back” meeting in their region of the city.

Families will have an opportunity to meet and talk with the Goodloe-Johnson, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Susan Enfield, the executive director for schools in their region and representatives of schools in the region.

A brief presentation will be given by the leadership team that will welcome everyone to the new school year and describe the new regional structure. The majority of the meeting will be devoted to informal interactions between families and district and school leaders.

As a citizen of Des Moines, I felt somewhat confused about two recent articles in The Highline Times that refer to our mayor's jaunts to China.

In the first article it mentions, casually, that our mayor went to China, "at his own expense," which I did not believe and, as it turns out, my assessment was right on target!

It was your article, "Trip to China by Des Moines mayor opposed by lawmaker" headline that jarred me awake with some feeling of disappointment in the apparent waste of even one penny of taxpayer's money.

My disappointment was quickly replaced by words of reason emanating from one lone, brave "renegade" on our Des Moines City Council, standing valiantly in defiance of his peers and articulating loudly and for all of us citizens to hear, one word, "ENOUGH!"

Now it was difficult to watch our police force being whittled away and $12,000 dollars being spent on a public relations person, which ended in cancellation after only one year of apparent failure.

It was not easy seeing our city hall dwindle to skeleton crews and our taxes rising to maintain a pool that we could not otherwise afford.

Murdered woman identified
The King County Medical Examiner's Office has positively identified the woman found stabbed to death on Aug. 31 in her apartment in the 24000 block of 25th Ave. S. as Jennifer Walstrand, 29, a woman with a long history of prostitution arrests. Walstrand was currently using an online dating service and has gone by the names "Roxie" and "Face." Police said a motive for the slaying has not been established but they are analyzing evidence recovered from the scene.
The Des Moines Police Department is looking for help from the public on this case. They are especially interested in Internet and cell phone record information. Information can be reported anonymously to "Crime Stoppers" 1-800-222-TIPS or 206-343-2020.

Dog alerts family of fire
A Burien family credits their dogs barking for alerting them to a fire that broke out in their garage. The fire erupted in the garage on Southwest 143rd Street near Ambaum Boulevard Southwest. All three people inside the home got out safely. The flames charred the garage and an old car the family was trying to restore.

Bathroom disturbance

The Des Moines City Council is looking at a resolution to amend the council rules. One council member proposing changes to the powers of the mayor, and how the mayor is elected.

A committee, consisting of Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler and Councilmembers Scott Thomasson and Carmen Scott, was created in April to review council rules and propose amendments.

In the proposed amendments made by the committee a council member would have to have served two years to be considered for mayor.

The mayor would be elected by a majority vote by the council.

Also suggested by the committee were amendments that would make the mayor the voice of the council and the city. The mayor would inform the city staff and the public about issues affecting the city.

The mayor would have the power to make proclamations for the council and act as the lead in representing Des Moines to organizations and local and foreign governments who are interested in joint ventures to bring economic development and investments to the city.

Any action, or committing of the city must receive majority approval by the rest of the council.

The Fall Season has begun, and all the usual events that go with it are in full swing. School is back in session and the Hi-Liners are once again performing their annual mainstage production.

With a long history of producing top-notch musical theatre using young actors between the ages of 9 and 19, the Hi-Liners have entertained local audiences with a fun mix of musical comedies such as "The Music Man," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," " Cinderella" and "The Wizard of Oz."

But this year, the Burien-based youth theatre troupe is taking a bold turn in a new direction. Instead of the light-hearted fare we have come to expect, Hi-Liners director Kathleen Edwards has chosen to stage the dark and tragic story "Les Miserables (School Edition)."

Based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is the tale of suffering, poverty, social justice and moral uprising in early 19th century France.

Not exactly the stuff most musical theatre is made of.

But, "Les Miz" is the third longest-running show in Broadway history with a memorable musical score that includes such popular hits as "I Dreamed a Dream" and "On My Own."

May I commend to your attention a highly successful event held by Janice Hammond for "Pay It Forward."

This organization assists people and groups who can use a helping hand.

Janice, Sunrise Financial, organized an event with music, food, car washes and collection areas to amass a gigantic amount of donations for those in need.

It was an amazing display of goods and cooperation that culminated in three huge moving vans filled and ready to distribute the contributions.

I just felt the community should be aware of this occasion and this young woman.

Patricia Ronhaar
Gregory Heights

The first time I met Gertrude Finney she was on her hands and knees and they were all dirty. It was in the early fifties.

She and my wife were planting petunias or pansies in the middle of downtown White Center.

County Councilman Ed Munro had arranged to have his road crews place a number of large planters in the middle of 16th SW from Roxbury to 100th.

I stopped, met Gertrude and left quickly in case they needed someone to dig weeds.

I was to see her many, many times on the following years, as she was mother to our circulation manager Glenn Finney and patron saint at the local library. She is now 100 years old, lives in Bellevue in assisted living and is still busy creating beautiful handiwork for sale at the tenants bazaar.

In her honor we asked her to recall some of her amazing life she dedicated to her community.

She lived in the Highland Park Dumar district and went to Highline High School.

The following are excerpts from her personal diary, transcribed from her hand-written notes:

Diary 1

We had enjoyed a long leisurely Labor Day weekend but by Tuesday morning it was time to get back to work.

But, still lounging in her bathrobe, Marge lingered over her coffee.

It turned out that the Tuesday following Labor Day was one of those furlough days that state workers like Marge have suddenly had tacked on to the beginning or end of their holidays.

We are all making sacrifices during this bad economic spell so I can live with my spouse receiving furlough days, cost of living freezes and increased medical insurance premiums.

When the state's bottom line improves, I would expect the benefits to be restored.

Of course, much of the reason government employees workers have these benefits is they belong to labor unions.

You can see why employers like to call all the shots.

But what's surprising is most private sector employees seem to align with their bosses-- against their own interests. Sorta like a version of Stockholm syndrome.

Many workers have been told unions are corrupt or act thuggishly.

That attitude is based on old stereotypes. It's been 25 years since Jimmy Hoffa disappeared.