February 2011

Seattle Christian girls head basketball coach Bob Kickner has witnessed plenty of grind it out games since losing two starters in December.

Last Tuesday, it took another patient effort, but the sixth-ranked Warriors finally pounded out a 37-26 Class 1A Tri-District quarterfinal home win against Northwest Conference and District 1 representative Nooksack Valley. With the win, Seattle Christian (18-4) moved into a Thursday semifinal game against Northwest Conference District 1 Lynden Christian at Mountlake Terrace High School.

"This was a real grind it out game," Kickner said. "We're not afraid to be in a close game. It was critical to get this game because it gets us into the sweet 16. I'm pleased that we were able to extend the season. On the other hand, we didn't shoot well (36 per cent). We'll just continue to adjust accordingly."

When you've had a hand in building 13 restaurants, dozens of commercial properties, numerous rental properties, two retirement complexes and a motel, you've earned the right to take it easy at 80.

But Burien businesswoman Viola Mae Steinman stays busy helping run and garden around Boulevard Park Place, an active north Burien retirement community she and her late husband, Merle Steinman, built in 1996.

They got her to stop working long enough on Feb. 3 to celebrate her 80th birthday along with 200 friends at Boulevard Park Place, which she still owns.

Vi has been active in the Burien community for 40 years. Among the commercial building she and Merle built are the Des Moines Police Department headquarters and the Arlington Courthouse.

She's the mother of four children and three grandchildren. Vi is the matriarch of four generations, who are still involved in the family businesses in varying capacities. Her parents were Norwegian immigrants.

The busy woman also travels extensively with friends and fellow members of the Elks and Emblem clubs to which she has belonged for 50 years.

Prepare to make merry with Burien's first annual Mardi Gras on March 3, 5 and 8. This jam-packed Discover Burien Association event features a Lipstick Pub Crawl, Scavenger Hunt, live music, drink specials, a Mardi Gras King and Queen, food and, of course, BEADS.

Enjoy festivities in downtown Burien at host restaurants and bars Bison Creek Pizza & Pub, CC's Lounge, Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub, Hey Paison!, La Costa, Mark Restaurant & Bar, Mick Kelly's Irish Pub & Restaurant, 909, Piranha Joe's, Sidestreet Kitchen & Bar, Tin Room Bar, and Vino Bello.

Thursday, March 3

Kicking off the event on Thursday, March 3 from 6 to 11 p.m. are the Lipstick Pub Crawl, Mardi Gras-style food specials, drinks and beads.

While the Lipstick Pub Crawl is a ladies-night-out activity, men can participate. For $10, pub crawlers get drink specials and BEADS at 11 host restaurants and bars, plus a chance at prizes.

Dogs can be trained to do amazing things and this Thursday, March 3 (rescheduled from Feb. 24 due to weather concerns) in a lecture by Katherine Ayres, presented by The Whale Trail you can learn how specially trained scat detection dogs are helping researchers learn more about the endangered southern resident killer whales. Ayres from the Center for Conservation Biology, will describe how she selects, trains, and works with dogs on the water, and how one dog, Tucker is leading us to critical clues that can help save this iconic population. The event is taking place from 7:00 pm - 9:00 p.m. at the Duwamish Longhouse, 4705 W. Marginal Way s.w.

There is a $5 cost; advance tickets at Brown Paper Tickets www.brownpapertickets.com or purchase at the door.

Sex offender registered in Des Moines
Des Moines police are notifying the public of a Level 3 sex offender release. He has registered his address in the 23300 block of 19th Ave. S. Alfredo F. Manuel, 63, is a white male 5'9" and 200 lbs. He has grey hair and brown eyes. Manual was convicted of two counts of child molestation in the first degree on May 26, 1993 and was released from prison in November of 1999. Both victims were known to Manuel and were females ages 10 and 12. Manuel has been charged and convicted of other sex related offenses in the '80s and '90s. Manuel's victims range from 10 to 17-year-old females. When Manuel was a teenager he also offended with a 10-year-old boy he was babysitting. Manuel disclosed that he has committed other non-adjudicated sex crimes with minors as well as voyeurism (peeping) and exhibitionism (public flashing and exposure) on numerous occasions. Although Manuel did receive sex offender treatment while in prison, he was rated as a high risk to re-offend. Manuel is not under DOC supervision.

Suspect in '83 SeaTac slaying pleads not guilty

Burien's Robert Butler of RJB Photo, a catalogue and fashion photographer, and White Center's Cleo Petra, founder/owner of The Burning Hearts Burlesque, are collaborating on a new magazine, "Pin-up Quarterly, Seattle's Girly Magazine."

Its high-quality glossy, colorful pages feature women sporting provocative costumes while playing out various roles involving flashy cars, drinks, and cigarette holders.

The line-up of ladies runs from coquettish and petit to brazen and buxom. If the question is, "Are they nude?" the short answer is "No, but almost." Like WWII pin-up icons Rita Hayworth and Betty Grable, what is not revealed seems to catch the eye.

Butler seems adroit at capturing a "good girl" in a "bad situation" without showing us every anatomical detail of his subject, to paraphrase a pin-up website.

The modest goddess tips her hat to Butler. "Rob and I have known each other for years," Petra said. "He's so consistent and really a rock star of photography in this town."

Butler recently utilized the cavernous SODO rockabilly bar Club Motor for its raw atmosphere to shoot pin-up models for the second issue, due April 1.

King County has posted an update to their Barton and Murray (West Seattle) CSO Control Facilities Plan.
The proposals aim to control combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in two West Seattle locations, the Murray and Barton CSO basins.

Part of the Murray Basin project would mean the construction of a new 1.0 million-gallon storage tank on the east side of Beach Drive s.w. near Lowman Beach Park. Another project would be the installation of "rain gardens" in the right of way along 32 to 64 half blocks in the Sunrise Heights and Westwood neighborhoods east of 35th Ave. s.w.

The final facilities plan will be ready in summer of 2011.

Quoting from the executive summary:

(Editor's Note: This is the thirteenth in a series of articles on Morey Skaret, who served as a captain in the Coast Guard during World War II and the Korean War. As World War II was winding down, Morey befriended a mysterious Philippine national, with surprising consequences.)

Morey Skaret's Coast Guard ship was docked in Mindanao, one of the Philippines' southern islands, when he received an urgent plea: "I'm on the Philippine Cabinet," claimed a desperate man. "I'm head of Forestry for the Government. I've gotta get back to Manila.' "'Well, I can't do that,'" Morey told him. "'I can't take you up there. I'm not allowed to take passengers. This is a military ship. We got rules against it.'

"Oh, he just pleaded with me," Morey recalls, his voice assuming a tender tone. "I was dubious as to whether he was the head of the department. He was just a raggedy-lookin' guy who just got out of Japanese prison and wanted to get back to Manila."

But one of Morey's junior officers chimed in: 'I think it would be a good thing to do, Captain. If he's on the Cabinet, we should get him back to his government seat.'

(Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from the autobiography of Jerry Robinson called "Listen to Your Father." In this excerpt, he recalls his mother and life with his family in the 1920's in Portland.)

Mom was born Eva Mae Scott in Newark, New Jersey in 1881. She had two older sisters and a little brother.

Her father was a moderately successful pattern maker in East Orange and on Sundays he took his family out in the family carriage. The horse's name was Ben and he was 17 hands high. I guess that is a pretty big horse because Mom bragged about it numerous times.

Grandpa Scott was apparently a very bright guy but better with his hands than his head. According to Mom, Grandpa invented a machine that wound the core of a golf ball with a continuous strip of thin rubber. He took in a partner who promised to raise money to develop the working model. The partner stole the idea and later filed for the patent.

Mom never got farther than a grade school education but she had a natural gift for writing and hand skills.

The 6th annual Empty Bowls event on Jan. 28 broke contribution records.

Over 1,000 community members came to the event, picked out bowls made by Moshier Arts Center potters and enjoyed a soup meal. A total of $16,300 was raised. This year was the first year at the new Burien Community Center.

It was also the first year awards were presented for best soup. Kitchen Managers John and Dana Lasswell did the judging. The winner was Archery Bistro for their Chicken and Bacon soup. Runners up were 909, The Mark, and Mick Kelly's.

One hundred percent of the proceeds went to the Highline and White Center food banks to help fight hunger in the Burien and surrounding communities.

According to event organizers, n the past two years food insecurity has grown. The rising cost of housing, food, health care and cutbacks in federal funding for housing and food assistance, and the loss of manufacturing jobs leaves many working families short on food.

The White Center and Highline food banks continue to provide much needed emergency food relief while promoting efforts to fight poverty in local communities.