November 2010

UPDATE: Alaskan Way Viaduct has reopened; Water Taxi shut down

The Alaskan Way Viaduct was closed both north and southbound due to snow conditions but has now been reopened southbound to 1st Ave. South.

The King County Water Taxi service between West Seattle and Pier 55 has been cancelled for the remainder of the evening (11-22) due to high winds and unsafe docking conditions.

Service on West Seattle DART Routes 773 and 775 has been suspended for the remainder of Monday evening, due to weather conditions and the cancelation of the King County Water Taxi, West Seattle route.

Road conditions worsen on elevated structures

Press Release from the City of Seattle EOC:

For safety reasons, the Seattle Police Department is closing the following roadways due to icy conditions.

· Northbound and southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct

· West Davus Street between 20th and 27th avenues

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is working aggressively to treat them and reopen them as soon as possible. SDOT recommends that drivers find alternative routes.

The West Seattle Bridge remains open. Seattle Department of Transportation anti-icing plows are working with the assistance of the Seattle Police Department to treat the bridge.

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TJ leads way in state swimming

Led by five swimmers and three divers, Thomas Jefferson rolled through the 4A state meet with a second straight top-four girls state finish. That meant something good once again came for the Raiders after butting heads with state-best competition at the WIAA Dairy Farmers of Washington 4A swimming and diving championships at the Weyerhaueser King County Aquatics Center pool in Federal Way Saturday, Nov. 13.

Trophy time!

Only the top four teams at state get a trophy. Those so honored get to stand on the podium at the end of a state meet, get their picture taken by the press, and get to escort that hardware to their school's trophy case.

"It was all good," said Wendy Neely, TJ's coach who's volunteered time to coach Marine Hills for the Seattle Summer Swim League many years and also has the honor of coaching the 2004 TJ boys state title team.

Last year, Neely's TJ girls team took the third place trophy at state.

The points came from different places.

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Winter sports schedules

Wednesday, Dec. 1

Gymnastics: Federal Way, Kentwood, Kentlake at TJ; Todd Beamer, Tahoma, Rogers at Mount Rainier; Emerald Ridge, Decatur, Enumclaw at Auburn-Riverside, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 2

Boys swimming: Federal Way at Puyallup; TJ at Kentridge; Decatur at Peninsula, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 3

Boys basketball: TJ at Kentridge; Federal Way at Puyallup; Beamer at Emerald Ridge, 7:30 p.m.
Girls basketball: Kentridge at TJ; Puyallup at Federal Way; Emerald Ridge at Beamer, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 6

Boys basketball: TJ at Kent-Meridian, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 7

Boys swimming: Kent-Meridian at TJ; Emerald Ridge at Federal Way; Rogers at Beamer, 3:30 p.m.
Boys basketball: Federal Way at Emerald Ridge, 7:30 p.m.
Girls basketball: Kent-Meridian at TJ, Emerald Ridge at Federal Way, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 8

Wrestling: Aub.-Riverside at TJ; Bethel at Federal Way; Beamer at Rogers; Decatur at Lakes, 7:30 p.m.
Gymnastics: Mt. Rainier, Federal Way at Auburn; Beamer, Sumner, Bonney Lake at Emerald Ridge; Puyallup, Rogers, Kentwood at Decatur, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 9

Boys swimming: Clover Park at Decatur, 3:30 p.m.

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Parks and Recreation cancels programs, closes some facilities

The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department has posted these snow notices on their website:

Seattle Parks and Recreation has taken these weather-related actions:

• All community center programs scheduled after 6 p.m. are canceled.

• All pool programs are canceled.

• Pools and community centers will be open for drop-in use until their regularly scheduled closing times: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/centers.asp and http://www.seattle.gov/parks/pools.asp.

• All athletic fields are closed.

• All evening recreation programs are canceled.

• Parks and Recreation’s middle-school learning centers are closed.

• Late night programs will not take place tonight.

• Golf courses are closed but not open for sledding because there is not enough snow.

• School age care camps are in session today at these locations:
o Jefferson Community Center
o Rainier Community Center
o Rainier Beach Community Center
o Van Asselt Community Center
o Delridge Community Center
o Hiawatha Community Center
o Hiawatha program at Schmitz Park Elementary School
o Hiawatha program at West Seattle High School

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Arrest in Death of 2 year-old Federal Way girl

Sheriff's detectives arrested a 28 year-old man in the death of a 2 year-old Federal Way girl who died yesterday afternoon.

The man was arrested this morning and booked into the King County Jail about 10:00 AM.

Deputies were called yesterday (November 21) about 1:00 PM to a house in the 36200 block of 21st Place S. in unincorporated King County east of Federal Way. The suspect had called 9-1-1 because the girl was not breathing.

Fire responders began CPR on the little girl and she was rushed to Harborview Medical Center but was dead on arrival.

The girl’s mother was at work, and the suspect, who is her live-in boyfriend, was taking care of the girl and her 4 year-old brother.

Deputies and detectives believed the death was clearly suspicious. The girl had head trauma and numerous wounds on her body. Additional follow-up work was completed and the suspect was arrested.

The man was booked for Investigation of Murder 2nd Degree. His first appearance will be tomorrow.

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City of Seattle continues weather response

Press Release:
With the National Weather Service calling for continued subfreezing temperatures and winds gusting up to 40 mph, the city of Seattle continues its response. Following is an update.
 
• The Seattle Department of Transportation continues its snow response with 22 plows and three flusher trucks applying anti-icing material on snow routes through 8 p.m. On the night shift SDOT will continue salt brining on snow routes. For more information, please see http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/winterweather.htm.
 
• The city of Seattle will open the Seattle Center Pavilion near Key Arena tonight through Thursday, Nov. 25, as an additional shelter for homeless people. Doors open at 9 p.m. each evening. These shelters are also open the nights of November 22, 23, 24, and 25:
 
o City Hall, 4th Avenue between Cherry and James Sts., is open from 9 p.m. and people should not arrive before 8:30 p.m.
o Frye Hotel (women only), 3rd Ave. and Yesler Way, opens at 8 p.m.
 

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National Weather Service posts Winter Storm Warning

Continues until 10:00 pm

At 1:02 p.m. the National Weather Service posted this winter storm warning announcement for tonight.

Winter Storm Warning
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
102 PM PST MON NOV 22 2010

EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS-EVERETT AND VICINITY-
SEATTLE/BREMERTON AREA-TACOMA AREA-HOOD CANAL AREA-
102 PM PST MON NOV 22 2010

...WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING
FOR THE SEATTLE...TACOMA...EVERETT METRO AREAS INCLUDING THE HOOD
CANAL AREA...THE KITSAP PENINSULA AND THE EASTERN PUGET SOUND
LOWLANDS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONTINUED THE WINTER STORM
WARNING FOR THE SEATTLE...TACOMA...EVERETT METRO AREAS INCLUDING
THE HOOD CANAL AREA...THE KITSAP PENINSULA AND THE EASTERN PUGET
SOUND LOWLANDS FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST
THIS EVENING.

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...EVERETT...GOLD BAR...SEATTLE... NORTH
BEND...BREMERTON...SHELTON...TACOMA...AND ENUMCLAW.

Neighborhood
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Muslim students at SSCC to fight for halal food

Of the 5,000 full time students at South Seattle Community College, hundreds, maybe more, are Muslim, adhere to Islamic dietary law, and consume only halal food. "Halal" means legal, or permitted, in Arabic. The halal menu has some similarities to "kashrut" or kosher food which means "fit" for consumption in Jewish dietary law.

The campus cafeteria includes two restaurants, a food court and bakery, but does not offer halal food. Muslim students must brown-bag it, dine off-campus, or select from limited options such as fruit, tuna, and snack foods.

"Enough!" say some students, both Muslim and non-Muslim, who believe it is unjust to accept a menu of foods that are "haraam" or forbidden, to their religious beliefs and will soon circulate a petition to collect signatures to present to faculty for SSCC to offer a halal menu option. Like kosher beef, halal beef must be slaughtered and bled in a specific way, and no pork, including gelatin from pig skin is allowed. That means no Rice Krispees Cereal or smores (marshmallows.) In addition, alcohol to drink and to cook with is taboo.

Neighborhood
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