December 2010

Kelly Fox, manager of Normandy Park's Dunn Lumber, has been named the first president of the newly formed Normandy Park Lions.

Kim Parks, Normandy Park Senior Living community relations director, was appointed secretary. The NP Lions meet every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 7 a.m.. Their new meeting place is the Des Moines Creek Restaurant. The club is sponsored by the Burien Lions Club.

Bill Wippel, who is helping organize the new club, laments about not having a restaurant open early enough to serve breakfast in Normandy Park.

"If a restaurant would have been available, we would have met in Normandy Park," he said.

Lions clubs focus on helping the blind and providing eye glasses and hearing aids for those who can't afford them. Call Kelly Fox at Dunn Lumber, 206-242-1010 for more information on joining the NP Lions Club.

The Sound Transit Board of Directors adopted Dec. 16 a 2011 budget that continues the momentum on major projects underway and sets a long-term path for delivering the bulk of Sound Transit 2 expansions approved by voters in 2008.

Sound Transit revenues expected through 2023 are $3.9 billion, or 25 percent, lower than forecasted in 2008 when voters approved the ST2 expansion plan. The ST2 plan included flexible provisions for delivering the projects during economic downturns including reducing the scope or delaying projects.

Budget details and long-term spending priorities are available at www.soundtransit.org/Budget.
The ST2 plan included 36 miles of light rail expansions south to Federal Way, north to Lynnwood and east to Mercer Island, Bellevue and Overlake, and with the last of the expansions running by the 2023.

The new budget and long-terms plans include continuing studies to open light rail from SeaTac to South 200th Street earlier than planned -- by 2016 and moving forward with High Capacity Transit studies from South 200th Street to South 272nd Street.

Sound Transit staffers also will study better access options to mass transit in south King County.

When the very wonderful guys at Fire Station 26 told me that they thought they really needed to take me to Highline Medical Center in Burien, I thought, "How embarrassing. Here I am in my polka dot, flannel jammies and no makeup!"

However, as I watched my last ounces of blood being collected in the myriad of color-coded tubes, I gained a better perspective of Christmas - what it was and what it isn't.

Whether you believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ or you think we evolved from microbes in a pond, you have to admit that Christmas is a magical time of year. It seems to be the one holiday that we all get to cry out "King's X!" and be nice to one another.

We send cards to people that we haven't contacted in months and we try to look kindly on those we flat-out never liked, those we find odd, as well as the lonely and downtrodden.

Most of the people in my ward were seniors, as was my roommate - we'll call her Eleanor. I watched her kids come to visit and she showed me her monkey pillow that a grandchild gave her, because she was ordered to eat lots of bananas for its potassium!

LAKEWOOD - Absence made the heart grow fonder while also strengthening the resolve of those who remained in the Class 1A Seattle Christian girls basketball 36-24 defeat of Class 4A Tahoma Saturday at the first ever Northwest All-Stars Shootout held at Pierce County College.

Missing 5-11 prime time player and Oregon commit Lexi Petersen, who tore her ACL one week earlier against Issaquah, Seattle Christian came together strongly after struggling to a 17-12 halftime margin.

Like storming troopers, the Warriors from SeaTac staged a riveting 8-0 points blitz to open the second half and create the distance that sealed the deal.

Katie Collier's inside power basket started the SCS surge. Six-foot Warrior sophomore Alayna Gleason followed a Maddie Harris free throw with a layup to stretch the Seattle Christian lead to 22-12. As the Warrior defense stiffened, a Gleason charity toss and Carissa Doyle's field goal from outside completed this attack mode, powering SCS to a 25-12 difference with just more than four minutes remaining in the quarter. The lead would balloon to 16 points before the Warriors took a 29-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

Tuesday, Dec. 14
Boys basketball
Beamer 72, Graham-Kapowsin 61
Todd Beamer outlasted Graham-Kapowsin in a high-scoring game last Tuesday.
Curtis 55, Federal Way 39
The Eagles tasted a rare defeat at the hands of the Vikings last Tuesday.
Girls basketball
Federal Way 87, Curtis 26
Five scorers hit double digits in the Eagle girls win over Curtis.
Darah Huertas-Vining led with 21 points, as Ty Burgess hit 20, Dyesha Bellhumeur 15, Raven Benton 11 and Talia Walton 1.
Beamer 52, Graham-Kapowsin 31
Todd Beamer grabbed a win against Graham-Kapowsin last Tuesday.
Decatur 42, TJ 36
The Gators outgunned the Raiders, 18-11, in the fourth quarter of last Tuesday's non-league game to wrest the win away.
Maddie Stevens swished in 22 points to lead the Gators and Alexis Cole wass net with 13. Taikya Flowers added nine, Haylee Ashby eight and Kayla Lipston six.

Wednesday, Dec. 15
Gymnastics
Todd Beamer
The Titans took first in a four-team meet last Tuesday, scoring 169.65 points ahead of Auburn-Mountainview (166,35), Olympia (154.25) and Kentwood (145.15).

Losing to two of the state's top-ranked teams back-to-back last week might have been a blessing in disguise for the Federal Way High basketball team.

The youthful Eagles, who are trying to find their identity after losing four starters to graduation last year, were plagued by numerous turnovers in losses to Garfield and Curtis.

Eagles coach Jerome Collins made a subtle change against Graham-Kapowsin Friday night, inserting Beamer transfer Napa Mefi at point guard and it paid big dividends.

Federal Way played confidently and efficiently with Mefi's direction, beating G-K with a vengeance, 76-39.
"We took him (Mefi) from the two-guard spot to the point," Collins said. "He controlled the tempo. He got us in our offensive sets and he called out the defenses. He did a fantastic job."

Federal Way had only 10 turnovers, compared to 25 to Curtis and 18 to Garfield in its previous games.

"We really cut down on our turnovers and were able to get some looks at the basket, that makes all the difference in the world," Collins said. "Turnovers handicap you. We took care of the ball tonight."
Federal Way put the game out of reach for G-K early.

Monday, Dec. 13
Girls basketball
Interlake 58, Highline 35
The Pirates took a loss to the Saints in Monday, Dec. 14 action.

Tuesday, Dec. 14
Boys basketball
SCS 55, Ch. Wright 41
Seattle Christian came out on the winning side in Tuesday action.
Auburn 68, Mt. Rainier 66
Auburn outlasted the Rams in a Tuesday, Dec. 14 game.
Kennedy 66, Foster 64
Kennedy edged out the Bulldogs last Tuesday.
Highline 42, Lindbergh 38
The Pirates also prevailed in a close Tuesday, Dec. 14 battle.
Girls basketball
SCS 54, Ch. Wright 20
Charles Wright went down to defeat against Seattle Christian Tuesday, Dec. 14.
Mt. Rainier 48, Auburn 28
It wasn't even close when the Rams met the Auburn Trojans last Tuesday,
Kennedy 74, Foster 48
The Lancers cruised to victory last Tuesday.

Wednesday, Dec. 15
Boys basketball
Renton 54, Tyee 34
Tyee lost by 20 last Wednesday.
Hazen 74, Evergreen 54
The Wolverines fell victim to the Highlanders last Wednesday.
Girls basketball
Tyee 60, Renton 54
The Totems towered above the Indians in last Wednesday's action.
Wrestling
Kentlake 44, Mt. Rainier 30

SEATTLE--Cole Dickerson has a sense of belonging.

He glides up and down the court at the University of Washington's Hec Edmundson Pavilion with seeming ease, even though he is only a true freshman in his first year at the University of San Francisco after graduating from Federal Way High School.

His 6-foot, 7-inch frame is an asset for the Dons, as is his shooting touch that includes setting up for outside attempts.

"I feel real comfortable out there," said Dickerson. "We've played Louisville and some great teams, so it's a real great atmosphere."

San Francisco lost Saturday's game to the Huskies at the UW by an 80-52 score, with Dickerson making two points in 11 minutes of playing time. Dickerson made his only shot -- a jumper -- for 1-for-1 totals and hauled down three rebounds -- all on the defensive side.

Dickerson came into the University of Washington game averaging similar statistics, with a 10.8 average for minutes played -- including time in all nine of the previous games. Dickerson's season shooting totals were 10-for-21 with a 2-for-7 total from three-point range. He had 4-for-4 shooting from the free-throw line and an average of 3.2 rebounds.

Photographer Kurt Howard captured these images of the Beamer girls' dethroning of undefeated Rogers on December 17.

SLIDESHOW: CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO PLAY SLIDESHOW.

The clouds cleared to expose a partially eclipsed moon visible in certain spots of Seattle, which included a spot right above Salty's on Alki. This photo was taken about 11:20 p.m. through a tree of their Christmas lights.

Here is the NASA website with specifics about this particular eclipse:

http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/lunar_eclipse.html