December 2010

Press Release:
Citing the potential for disruption to transit service, King County Executive Dow Constantine today approved an interim policy from Metro Transit that calls for a halt to the acceptance of any new non-commercial advertising on King County buses. Under provisions of the previous policy, Metro officials today also rejected a proposed ad from the Seattle Mideast Awareness Campaign and the proposed response ads from two other groups.

“The escalation of this issue from one of 12 local bus placards to a widespread and often vitriolic international debate introduces new and significant security concerns that compel reassessment,” said Executive Constantine.

“My job is to deliver essential services to the people of King County, including transit service,” he added. “I have consulted with federal and local law enforcement authorities who have expressed concern, in the context of this international debate, that our public transportation system could be vulnerable to disruption.

The winner of the Spud Fish and Chips 75th Anniversary Essay Contest has been announced. He is Chris Smith a resident of Snohomish. The restaurant celebrated the occasion on Sept. 15 and launched the essay contest with the theme "Why I love Spud Fish and Chips."

Smith received an official framed certificate as well as an Apple iPad and Argosy dinner cruise tickets for two, courtesy of American Seafoods.

Mr. Smith was selected as the grand prize winner due to his thorough and very inspiring essay. The staff of Alki Spud felt it best exemplified the spirit of Alki Spud as a local institution rich with tradition and history that has affected many peoples’ lives.

Runners-up in the essay contest were Kellie Rust (received a $100 Alki Spud Gift Card) and Lola Shugart (winner of Italian “Amore” bracelets from Alvin Goldfarb Jewelers). Ms. Shugart is 68 and started eating at Spuds when she was 7 and collected cans and bottles for money to buy fish and chips.

You can download and read his inspirational essay at the link above.

The Port of Seattle and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have signed a runway use letter of agreement that spells out how the FAA assigns aircraft to each Sea-Tac International Airport runway in different weather and traffic conditions, both on arrival and departure.
A non-technical summary of the agreement is available at www.portseattle.org/community/environment/runwayplan.shtml.
According to Port officials, the agreement is in direct response to the Highline community's request to better understand how the FAA assigns aircraft to Sea-Tac's three runways. The Port operates the airport.
The Port staffers also say the agreement will help maintain consistency in how the runways are used as well as help ensure the runways are used as outlined in the third runway's environmental impact statement and give residents greater assurance that the airport is operating as intended.
The ongoing Part 150 noise study will serve as the vehicle for the agreement's next steps in monitoring runway usage and keeping the public informed, according to Port officials.

By Katy G. Wilkens, MS, RD

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to mean fighting crowds at the mall. You can make some great, healthy gifts from ingredients you probably have at home, or which might take one quick trip to your nearest grocery store.

Infusions – a way to extract flavors from herbs, spices or fruits and release them into liquids such as oils, vinegars or honey – create big, bold flavors that help you overcome salt cravings. They also make great gifts for people who are watching their salt intake, and that should include everyone, including you.

To bottle up these beautiful and tasty treats, start saving your old salad dressing bottles, jam jars and wine bottles. A trip to the thrift store can also net you some beautiful vinegar carafes or oil dispensers. Grocery stores also carry inexpensive vinegar and oil dispensers in their plastic and cookware sections.

Infused Oils

Garlic Jim's Pizza, at 4520 California Ave s.w. has changed hands and reopened under new ownership. All employees were laid off in the process.

The new owners, Jeff and Page Taylor own an existing Garlic Jim's in Edmonds.
They said they were unaware of how the previous owners dealt with notifying employees but explained that the reason for the layoffs was that their insurance carrier is different and needs the information that employees would submit on the application forms.

Jeff Taylor said, "We're looking forward to embedding ourselves in the community like we have in Edmonds." That location is a delivery and carry-out only but Taylor said he has gotten to know quite a few of his customers.

The Taylors want to encourage all former employees to re-apply as soon as possible.

"We'd like to start out with an experienced crew if we can, " he said.

They are looking for a shift leader and Assistant Manager but Taylor said he plans to be on site "12 to 16 hours a day for awhile."

The West Seattle location has changed hands several times in the last few years.

Joe Reno is a well-known Ballard artist who has never stopped loving the Northwest.
Aside from a military duty in Germany and a time spent among the famous and talented as a student at the Art Student League in New York, Reno has never wanted to do his art anywhere but here.
“He’s in love with the state of Washington,” said architect and artist Milan Heger, a friend of Reno’s. “He’s a true Northwest Master.”
His home, a Sunset Hill house built in 1911 surrounded by an enormous laurel hedge, has been his residence since 1950, when Reno was seven years-old.
Today, it houses Reno’s studio and an impressive collections of art, books and paints he has accumulated over nearly six decades.
At the age of six, he completed his first mural - a floor to ceiling painting in wax crayon. Reno recalls needing the assistance of his older brothers to reach the higher parts.
“My mother told me the first thing I’m remembered saying is ‘Mommy give me pencil, I want to draw’,” Reno said.

Highline Medical Center and its affiliated network of physicians will provide in-network medical care to Medicare Advantage members enrolled with Humana beginning on Jan. 1 under terms of an agreement announced Monday, Dec. 20.
Under the new contract, members of Humana's Medicare Advantage PPO plans will have in-network benefit access to the medical center and more than 200 affiliated physicians, including approximately 80 primary care physicians and 120 specialty care physicians. The system includes 69 physician clinics and two hospital-owned health care campuses across southwest King County.
"Humana is excited about expanding our health care provider network in the Seattle area, as it will result in broader choice for our Medicare Advantage members here," said Oraida Roman, Humana regional president for Senior Products. "This addition to Humana's network makes the Choice PPO Medicare Advantage plans an even more attractive option for people with Medicare in King County."
Highline Medical Services Organization's network of physicians includes primary care physicians and specialists from a broad array of medical specialties.

Press Release:

Seattle City Light will expand its Powerful Neighborhoods program to install free compact fluorescent light bulbs in the areas of Burien, White Center, North Highlands, SeaTac Tukwila and Skyway served by Seattle City Light starting Jan. 3.

Powerful Neighborhoods started in South Seattle in April as a pilot program designed to reach out door-to-door to seniors, non-English speaking households, low-income residents and other customers who might not have participated in energy conservation programs.

“We want to remove any barriers that have kept people from taking steps to increase the energy efficiency of their homes so they can reduce their energy consumption and save money,” Interim Energy Conservation Director Glenn Atwood said.

Response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive with more than 96 percent of those who completed a satisfaction survey saying that they would definitely recommend the program to their neighbors and friends. According to one recent participant, "The representatives were courteous, considerate and very time efficient."

At the girls varsity basketball game last night, the lady Beavers held on to get an upset win at Redmond.

The Redmond Mustangs took the lead in the second quarter and kept it going into the fourth quarter. But the Beavers, down by two points at the start of the last quarter, held on and came back by scoring 18 points and winning the game by two points when the buzzer went. The 18 points scored in the last quarter is their highest quarter point total yet this season.

Senior Elena DeWeese scored 15 points and Senior Theresa Moriarty scored 13.

The win improves the Beavers record to two wins and three loses in the conference.

The girls will play four games next week at a Nike holiday tournament in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

The Seattle Police Department posted information on the arrest of a 33-year-old male at a downtown pharmacy on Dec. 21. The blotter report (posted below) states the suspect is believed to have robbed two other "chain pharmacies at locations in West Seattle and Capitol Hill."

The West Seattle Herald reported on a Bartell Drugs pharmacy robbery on Oct. 9 (that story is here). SPD detective Jeff Kappel said they could not verify that the arrested suspect was responsible for the Oct. 9 robbery until that information is released from detectives working on the case.

From the SPD Blotter:

Pharmacy Robber arrested downtown

Since early October, a lone male suspect was believed to be responsible for a series of pharmacy robberies. The first two occurred at a chain pharmacy at locations in West Seattle and on Capitol Hill. The most recent occurred downtown on December 14th, in the 800 block of 3rd Avenue. The suspect would usually imply a weapon and demand prescription drugs.