October 2010

During the 1970s and 1980s, I was a big fan of a local TV news anchor.

Unlike some anchors, he wasn't airbrushed or an airhead.

He wasn't classically handsome, he wore glasses and he often punctuated his news delivery with a bemused smirk.

Because of those quirks, I felt comfortable that Aaron Brown would never leave Seattle for a bigger market or the network news.

You were never quite certain what would happen during one of Brown's live newscasts.

At KIRO TV, he presented a routine story about local African-American pioneers and then threw it to Harry Wappler for the weather.

Faithfully following his news director's edict to engage in happy talk between segments, Harry, everybody's favorite uncle, blurted out, "Yeah, Aaron, I was the black sheep of my family."

Harry, the most uncontroversial guy to ever grace the local airwaves, looked to his anchor for a lifeline but all he got was that smirk. Brown wasn't a fan of happy talk. Harry used most of his weathercast to profusely apologize.

I was wrong when I figured Brown would never be called up to the big leagues.

SeaTac and Tukwila have been chosen as pilot cities for the collaborative local 'Global to Local" health initiative.

The selection was announced Monday morning before the start of a two-day healthcare symposium in Seattle. The U.S. Surgeon General and the CEO of GE are expected to participate.

Washington Global Health Alliance, Public Health - Seattle & King County, HealthPoint and Swedish Hospital announced their collaboration and plans to use the same practices health organizations use in developing countries here at home.

"It is surprising to many that some of the greatest disparities between the wealthiest and poorest in our nation can be found in our own backyards," said David Fleming, director and health officer, Public Health - Seattle & King County. "We selected this location as our pilot site because there are profound differences between the health of its residents in comparison to other communities in the region. Not only will Global to Local benefit these individual communities, it really has the potential to serve as a model in furthering community health."

Not enough money has been invested into community health, Fleming said.

Sound Transit will host an open house Wednesday, Oct. 27, from 5-7 p.m at the Burien Library Multi-purpose Room, 400 S.W. 152nd St., Burien, WA 98166.

The agency is holding meetings around the region for community members to review proposed responses to the national recession's impact on agency revenues.

Agency revenues currently expected through 2023 are $3.9 billion, or 25 percent, lower than forecasted in 2008, requiring difficult choices during the 2011 budget process.

Major mass transit expansions are on their way in the years ahead. However, it is no longer possible to complete the Sound Transit 2 Plan within 15 years, Sound Transit officials said.

The Sound Transit Board received recommendations from CEO Joni Earl on options for realigning agency projects and services in response to the lower revenues.

The Seattle Chinese Garden, located on 4.6 acres just north of the campus at South Seattle Community College, is speeding along with the 50 x 70- foot welcoming courtyard — the first major structure nearly complete. Cement pavers are being added quickly and a crane was brought in to help lift in and position heavier elements in the project. One of these elements, a stand of four vertical stones is made of "Bamboo Wood" that are quarried stalagmites from Zhe Jiang province in China.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS

Also close to completion are a source pond for the other water features of the courtyard, wooden railings and a single wooden window, and other stone work.

Jim Dawson the Seattle based architect who has worked on the project off and on for two decades said, "It shocks me when I go back and look at photographs of that period," referring to the placing of the final beam a few weeks ago," now when I see them I see they were quite a ways from being done. They've done an incredible amount of work in that time, including the stone work, the paving of the courtyard, the windows, the stucco, painting and the roof tiles."

Seattle Christian High School principal, Stephanie Knipp, has announced that Abbie Barronian and Camille Wilson have been named Commended Students in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program.

A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented by the principal to these scholastically talented seniors.

About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

Although they will not continue in the 2011 competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2011 competition by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).

Abby resides in Normandy Park and plans to attend college in Boston or New York, pursuing a major in Journalism.

Camille plans to attend school either in Washington or California, pursuing a career in Psychology. She resides in Federal Way.

On Oct. 27, the new airport-area noise exposure "contour" maps showing neighborhoods currently affected by noise and those that will be affected by noise in the future will be unveiled at a public workshop.

The community is invited to attend the third in a series of public workshops for Sea-Tac Airport's Part 150 Noise Study at Mount Rainier High School, 22450 19th Ave. S. in Des Moines. The program is from 6:30- 8:30 p.m.

As with the last two workshops, small group working sessions will be utilized to foster conversation and actively develop solutions to reducing airport noise.

Visit the dedicated Part 150 Study website, http://www.airportsites.net/SEA-Part150/, for all documentation and reports connected to the study including the comprehensive summary from the June 9th public workshop.

If the West Coast premiere of "Zombie" at Burien Little Theatre from Oct. 15 through Oct. 30 doesn't scare you to death, you're already dead.

In this terrifying drama written by Bill Connington and adapted from the novel by Joyce Carol Oates, a psychopath kidnaps boys and tries to turn them into zombies with an ice pick.

An intense one-act, "Zombie" won the 2008 FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award for Outstanding Solo Show.

This late-night one-act production at 10:30 p.m. is just under 1 hour long. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays with opening night Oct. 15.

Tickets are $10. Or for $25, see "Zombie" and the campy musical "Reefer Madness" at 8 p.m. the same day. The $25 deal must be purchased online or day of show at door.

A performance schedule, including dates and times, is available at www.burienlittletheatre.org or call the ticket office at 206-242-5180.

The play will be performed at the Burien Community Center Annex, 425 SW 144th St. The annex to the is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Fourth Avenue Southwest and Southwest 146th Street in Burien, with the parking lot entrance on Fourth.

Man found dead after fire destroys home
Investigators are looking through a burned-out home on Macadam Road in Tukwila after firefighters found a man dead inside early Oct. 4. Officials said neighbors called 911, The home near the intersection with South 150th Street was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived just after 4 a.m. After they got the fire under control, crews found a body in a hallway inside the burned house. The victim's name has not been released, but officials said it is believed to be that of the homeowner. Neighbors said the man was in his late 50s or early 60s. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Stabbing in Des Moines
Des Moines police arrested three people Oct. 9 after an argument with the owner of the Dragon's Gate Restaurant at 22315 Marine Views Dr. S. Three people were stabbed in the incident.
When the owner refused to serve a 61-year-old man, his wife and son any more alcohol and asked the party to leave, the man allegedly stabbed three patrons who intervened in the ensuing argument.
The victimes were taken to the hospital with serious but non-lefe threatening wounds.

Last year, 81 girls in SeaTac were arrested for prostitution.

On Oct. 5, nearly 700 people showed up to an event aiming to change that number.

The Genesis Project, a locally-based nonprofit group that aims to provide outreach services to victims of human sex trafficking, held a movie screening and panel discussion at Burien's Criminal Justice Training Center to raise awareness about the rising problem of young women being caught up in the sex trade.

The event opened with a screening of the movie, "The Playground," a documentary that explores the sexual exploitation of children and led into a question and answer session with a panel of nine local experts ranging from community leaders and law enforcement officers.

"Six years ago, when I saw a prostitute, I saw a criminal," said King County Deputy Andy Connor. And then he encountered a 17-year-old girl working the street. Connor asked her how long she had been working in the sex trade.

"Five years," she said. The girl had been working on the streets since she was 12.

Connor was shocked.

"Who put you out here?" he asked.

Her father, she said.

A Normandy Park resident known for his love of archery passed away last month in his home at the age of 98.

Glenn St. Charles was considered an archery pioneer, having owned a small archery shop called Northwest Archery Company in Normandy Park on 1st Avenue South for over 50 years.

Jerry Guite owned AAA Liquidating next door to St. Charles' shop. He said St. Charles had a "remarkable life."

"I have lots of respect for the guy," he said.

Guite said it was St. Charles who connected with a man named Henry Bear, the mind behind a successful brand of Henry Bear knives. Guite said the knives were a success back then and he and St. Charles sold "tens of thousands of Bear's knives."

Guite said that the former archery shop owner used to have target practice right in the store parking lot.

"I don't think you can do that nowadays. Back then it was a little more country," he said with a laugh.

St. Charles also owned a lot of museum quality merchandise at his archery shop, which he donated to the Archery Bistro, the restaurant that replaced his shop and opened in Nov. 2009.