January 2011

“You can’t write about what goes on in the locker room,” my husband said to me. “That’s sacrosanct.”

“Don’t men talk in the locker room?” I asked.

“They don’t chat,” Martin said. “They just go about their business. Shave. Shower. At a golf course they’re in a hurry to get dressed and meet at the bar. Now if you’re talking about a team locker room…that’s different. There’s camaraderie.”

Granted I have never been present in a men’s locker room but can it be true they don’t compliment one another’s outfits or discuss civic affairs? I am a latecomer to the locker room, desperate in high school for any excuse from P.E. and previously only familiar with the women’s locker room before and after family swim at the Ballard Pool. But here I am 50, getting my money’s worth every week for the price of a $38/month membership at Ballard Health Club.

The first West Seattle Artwalk of 2011 was held under misting rain but saw undampened spirits for artists and attendees alike on Thursday Jan. 13.

As usual more than 60 businesses participated all around West Seattle and those who made the effort were rewarded by some remarkable art on display. The artists whose work was featured are too numerous and varied to describe here. You can learn more about them on the West Seattle Artwalk blog but some are worthy of mention.

Interim Des Moines Police Chief John O’Leary gave an unexpected statement at the Jan. 13 Council meeting, where he said he will not be imposing any formal discipline on the police officers involved in the shooting of a dog in November.
O’Leary said while he regretted the outcome, in the minds of the officers they perceived Rosie to be a threat and felt the situation warranted the use of lethal force.
“I wish I could change the outcome, but I cannot,” O’Leary said. But he also said he completely supports the decision of the officers to use lethal force.
“The officers took the lethal action when they felt the dog was in a safe position to be fired upon as opposed to out in the open running down the road,” O’Leary said. “The officers did not believe the dog was contained.
“We believe the investigation reveals the officer’s decision and actions were motivated by their sworn duty to protect the general public. The officer’s genuine concern and dedication for the safety of the public has been overshadowed by how this incident was perceived and initially made public.”

Voters in the Highline School District should be receiving their ballots in the mail soon for the district's education programs levy.
Ballots must be postmarked no later than Feb. 8 for the mail-in only election.
The levy would raise $46 million in the first two years, $47 million in the third year and $49 million in the fourth year. The district's current levy expires this year.
Homeowners should expect to pay $3.44 per $1,000 of assessed home valuation.
The levy needs a simple majority of yes votes to pass.
With big cuts from the state, the Highline district is counting on the levy to provide nearly 25 percent of its budget. District officials say they have trimmed $14.5 million from the budget over the past three years and face up to $2.1 million in additional reductions this year
Highline staffers say the levy would fund about 250 jobs. Eighty percent of the levy is targeted for teachers and support staff.

Two small schools on SeaTac's Tyee High campus and Tukwila's Foster High are eligible to receive federal school reform grants because of persistently low academic achievement.
This is Foster’s second year on the list.
If the schools receive the grants-- at a minimum-- they would have to replace their principals and undergo big changes. However, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction estimates there will only be enough federal funding for nine of the 50 schools named to the list statewide.
The SeaTac schools are Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment (ACE) and Odyssey-The Essential School.
Highline School District administrators had hoped to improve school performance by changing the district's high schools from comprehensive schools to small learning academies grouped together on campuses.
The traditional comprehensive model features students moving from classroom to classroom during the day with different teachers and classmates.
In small learning communities of 200-300 students, the students stay together with the same core group of teachers in a more personalized approach.

The Highline School District takes allegations against staff members very seriously, according to district spokeswoman Catherine Carbone Rogers.
The district investigates to determine if there is any reason to issue some kind of discipline.
In the case of possible criminal action, police officials are notified, Rogers noted.
The district fired Jason Boehm, a substitute stadium manager, last spring for conducting physical exams on students without the proper medical credentials.
The district athletic director and Evergreen High athletic director were also placed on leave and eventually reassigned to other positions.
The state organization that oversees high school and middle school sports was also contracted to conduct a full audit of the district’s athletic program.
One of the first things the district does when it receives anonymous allegations is try to get the accuser to reveal themselves so the district can obtain more information, according to Rogers.
Most people with concerns identify themselves, she added.

King County Metro Transit will be operating a reduced weekday schedule on Monday, Jan. 17 due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The King County Water Taxi will not operate either the Vashon or the West Seattle routes on Jan. 17. The free West Seattle Taxi Shuttles - Routes 773 and 775 - are also taking the day off.

On days with reduced weekday schedules, Metro does not operate some commuter and school-oriented routes, and other routes have individual trips canceled.

A complete list of routes that are canceled or have trip cancellations on these days can be found on Metro Online at: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/holiday-service.html.

The reduced weekday schedule features more bus service than on weekends, but somewhat less service than on normal weekdays.

Visit Metro Online for more information, or call the Customer Information Office at 206-553-3000.

In a letter sent to those who have previously contacted the Mayor's office, Mayor Mike McGinn invited interested parties to attend an Open House at City Hall on Jan. 29.

"I hope you will join me, my staff, the City Council and the city departments to celebrate our ongoing commitment to openness, citizen engagement and the spirit of service. On Saturday, January 29, 2011, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., we will highlight our 2011 plans for the Engage Seattle initiative and the Cities of Service plan. This is an opportunity for you to meet and speak directly with the public servants who work for you every day.

Staff and volunteers will conduct public tours of the Mayor's Office. We will have performances by local cultural organizations in the public spaces of City Hall and many city departments and the City Council will have outreach displays at the event, along with information about city services.

Please let us know if you plan to attend with an RSVP at this website so we can get an accurate count of how many people will attend.

Fauntleroy resident and author Conrad Wesselhoeft wrote a book of fiction about a West Seattle teen with angst and a wild guitar called Adios, Nirvana, which the West Seattle Herald covered here:

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/09/09/features/new-book-adios-nir…

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2010/11/07/features/west-seattle-based…

The American Library Association just announced that his book was one of 99 chosen by their YALSA, or Young Adult Library Services Association, division. Adios Nirvana was honored on the 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. Although Wesselhoeft modestly told the West Seattle Herald that his book was just one of 99, the American Library Association told the West Seattle Herald their choices were significant.

It was announced Jan. 13 by the Department of Parks and Recreation that what was to be "Perugia Park" will now be named "Summit Slope Park".

On Dec. 30, 2009, Seattle Parks announced their naming of an abandoned former parking lot at 200 Summit Ave. E. on Capitol Hill would be "Perugia Park" in honor of one of Seattle's sister cities, Perugia, Italy. Then, a few ticks before New Year's Eve the next day, Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher put the name on hold. The name was nominated by the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Organization and its director, Mike James. Seattle has 21 sister cities in its program.

The controversy was due to West Seattle-raised Amanda Knox who has been in a prison in Perugia since November, 2007 for the murder of her college roommate Meredith Kercher in that city. The trial is currently in the appeal process with the next court hearing scheduled for Jan. 22.