October 2010

Design your own glass pumpkin and watch it being made at Avalon Glassworks on Sunday, October 17, 2010.

You choose the color, shape, and stem type and see your unique piece being created.

A limited number of time slots are available for purchase on their web site, http://www.avalonglassworks.com/designyourown.aspx at $60 (plus tax) each.

Pumpkins made during "Design Your Own" will be available for pickup the following afternoon.

Order online at www.avalonglassworks.com or call 206-937-6369.

Dozens of tow trucks from companies all over the region came to the Eastlake Park and Ride in Bellevue to honor the life William Padilla.

Padilla was killed by a hit and run driver while responding to a call on Sept. 24.

A growing truck procession went from Bellevue to Seattle across I-90 to a memorial service in Seattle attended by a large contingent of tow truck drivers, owners, friends and family.

Padilla's obituary was read in a brief memorial ceremony.

His ashes will be carried back to Arizona by his brother David and where he will be laid to rest next to dad on his birth date in February.

Tony's name will be placed in the National Towing Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee on the "Wall of the Fallen" honoring those who have lost their lives in service.

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If you were in attendance at the memorial, or if you'd like to offer some thoughts to the public about Tony, please leave a comment below.

It seems that the summer that never really happened is over, the kids are back in school and it's time to start thinking about getting ready for the fall and winter seasons ahead.

October is National Fall Car Care month, so it's a good time to get that vehicle inspected to make sure you're ready for the shorter days, rain, frosty mornings, cool evenings and more rain.

Some of the things that may need extra attention this time of year are wiper blades to keep your vision clear, good tire tread depth to avoid hydroplaning in giant puddles, a properly working HVAC system to insure good windshield defrosting and comfortable heat in the cabin and finally making sure all exterior lighting is in good working order so other drivers can see you.

Stop by a shop near you and make sure your vehicle is up-to-date on it's regular services and get it ready for our stormy Northwest, watch out for trick-or-treaters, and I'll see you on the road!

Drive safe.

Todd Ainsworth is one of the owners of at West Seattle Autoworks and can be reached at todd400@comcast.net or 206.257.5344.

Eric Thomas, owner of Solar Epiphany has opened a new "Educational Showroom" at 6016 B California Ave. s.w. to both sell solar equipment and bring people up to speed on using solar energy as a supplemental energy source for their home or business. His partner is Tricia DiBernardo.

Thomas, also owner of Red Cup Espresso in the Junction, has operated the solar energy equipment company for the past few years and his new location is meant to help him with meeting his goal of explaining and educating people on what works, how it works, and what the best applications are for solar energy.

"We have actual diagrams painted on the walls, along with the real equipment so that when people come by that are interested in solar, we can walk them through systems and show them exactly how they work and what they are getting into before they make their investment."

The company conducts classes in the space though space is limited. To sign up go to their website, solarepiphany.com and click on Free Solar Classes to RSVP.

The Ballard High School football team missed opportunities to get on the board Oct. 8 against Garfield High School and was shutout for the fourth game in a row, losing 17-0.

After Garfield scored six points on a long first-quarter drive, the Beavers answered with an impressive drive of their own, including two fourth-and-long conversions – one through the air and one on the ground on a fake punt – by sophomore quarterback/punter Johnny Verduin.

But, the Ballard drive stalled near the Garfield 20 yard line, and Verduin missed the field goal. On the ensuing play, Garfield took the ball all the way to the Beavers' 4 yard line and would head into halftime with a 14-0 lead.

Garfield's Valentino Coleman and Milton Wright scored rushing touchdowns, and Chauncey Neyman added a 39-yard field goal.

The Beavers (0-3 KingCo, 1-5 overall) will look to end their scoring drought against Roosevelt High School (0-3 KingCo, 2-4 overall) at 7:45 p.m. Oct. 15 at Memorial Stadium. Ballard lost to Roosevelt 21-14 in their meeting last season.

After that, Ballard wraps up its season against Bothell High School (3-0 KingCo, 5-1 overall) Oct. 22.

It seems the West Seattle Herald has featured a battery of electric car stories lately. First, our article on the outrageously sporty Tesla, as expensive as it is fast. Then we plugged into West Seattle-owned MC Electric and their more affordable fleet.

Now meet West Seattle’s Craig Vinton, an active member of SEVA, or Seattle Electric Vehicle Association, who collects, updates, and repairs gas cars to electric, charges their batteries with his backyard solar panel, and even rents out Segways, those two-wheeled gasless wonders that somehow keep their balance with gyroscopic sensors.

Vinton is a scrappy 63 year-old who operates Allstar Entertainment and supplies inflatable slides, climbing mountains, and celebrity look-alikes to corporate and private parties. (www.allstarfun.com) He lives north of the Fauntleroy Ferry, and attended South Seattle Community College, which, he said, has excellent courses on electric car conversion.

“Everything I have in my life runs on batteries,” he said.

“My cars run on batteries, my house, Segways, razors, and my heart,” he said, referring to his lithium-powered pacemaker.

This month Hank Bakken turns 90. Though he no longer builds remarkable houses, this modest Burien man has lived a remarkable life.

I luckily met him 30 years ago after I asked the owners of Logan Lumber (now Dunn Lumber) in Burien if they knew a good builder. I asked a bunch of their employees.

Everybody sang his praises.

Thirty years later the house Hank built has never had a crack in the plaster. Burien Architect Al Sasonoff designed it strong and Hank built it the same way. They made a great team.

Maybe it was the mud and dirt of Auburn High's football turf in the late 30's that gave Hank the grit he needed to become an all-star athlete in two sports. Maybe it was his mom and pop who instilled in him the traits that carried him through WWII and a 62-year marriage.

Whatever he learned as a youth was put to the test after Pearl Harbor. Hank enlisted with the Army Air Corp in 1942 just days before he got his draft notice.

Skinny and smart, Hank signed up for flight training in Uvalde, Texas, just west of San Antonio. His bunkmate from Illinois was Dick Barnes, later to become a Washington State Representative from Normandy Park.

The discussion over revised council rules turned heated at the Oct. 7 Des Moines City Council Meeting as the conversation turned personal.

A committee began work on a draft of revised council rules in April. The last time the council rules were updated was in 2006.

Councilman Dan Sherman proposed major changes to how the mayor is elected, and the extent of the duties.

Sherman wanted to remove language stating the mayor is the lead in representing the city "to those from outside the community who are interested in joint ventures and efforts to bring economic development and investments to the city, including other local governments, regional organizations and federal, state and international government representatives."

"The City Manager should be the face of the city," Sherman said. "These are not the roles of the mayor."
Sherman said he truly believed the way Des Moines has been running could be against the regulations of state law. Sherman also said he did not feel City Manager Tony Piasecki was strong enough to speak up if the mayor was infringing on his duties.

Dr. Leslie Kasper, who manages Burien's animal control shelter, has announced she is closing down her veterinary clinic on Oct. 15.

She has said she will continue to operate Burien's animal control shelter.

Burien lawmakers opted out of King County's new contract for animal control services and shelter. The council decided that Burien would operate its own service using Dr. Kasper.

Kasper's Companion Animal Medical Center is located at 19655 1st Ave. S. in Normandy Park.

Kasper blamed the poor economy for the closure. Businesses in that area along 1st Avenue have complained that they have not been able to attract customers because of road construction along 1st Avenue. The city of Normandy Park and the contractor are in a dispute over the construction. Federal stimulus funds have been used for the project.

The Times/News will update this story when more details become available.

King County Executive Dow Constantine has issued a proclamation to honor William "Tony" Padilla, who was killed in a hit and run accident Sept. 24 on I-5. A procession in Padilla's honor will take place Saturday, Oct. 9.

The proclamation reads:

KingCounty

In Memorial

WHEREAS, William A. "Tony" Padilla was born on February 1, 1959 as the fourth child of Gildardo and Ann Padilla; and

WHEREAS, Tony, a Burien resident, worked in the towing industry for more than 15 years for several different towing companies and was respected by his peers as a hard worker, a skilled tow truck driver, and a man who loved his job and enjoyed helping others; and

WHEREAS, throughout his career, Tony impressed his co-workers with his kindness, his generosity, and his respectful treatment ofall; and

WHEREAS, while working as a driver for GT Towing on September 24, 2010, Tony Padilla lost his life as he was aiding a motorist on Interstate 5 in Seattle; and