February 2011

By Aya Hashiguchi Clark
Everyone loves a clean house. Who among us does not envy the home with pristine countertops, shining floors and crisply folded (and April fresh) laundry...with no dust, grease spots or pet hair in sight?
I have.

You see, as a beleaguered housewife and mother, I have bravely fought the battle of Clutter Hill. Sadly, however, I occasionally wave the white flag of surrender. So, as the Burien Little Theatre's newest show, "The Clean House" opened this past weekend, the housework warrior within me smiled and said, "Amen, Sister."

This delightful comedy thrusts us straight into the trenches of the Dust Wars with the introduction of three incredible women and what they will do (or not do) in order to achieve that clean house.
We meet Lane (Geni Hawkins), a workaholic physician who expects a perfectly clean home, and has hired a live-in maid in order to get that perfectly clean home. This gives her a sense of control and success. As she shares with us at the top of the show, "I didn't go to medical school so I could clean my own house."

On Saturday, March 5th Hospitality House is having its annual Spring Fling Buffet Dinner.
This year it is being held at Highline Community College Student Union, 2400 S. 240th St. in Des Moines. The doors open at 6 p.m. The tickets are $50. Tickets may be purchased by calling 206-242-1860 or at Hospitality House’s website http://www.hospitalityhousesouthking.org/2011springfling.html.
Hospitality House is a homeless women’s shelter, located at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church in Burien.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Erin Hennessey, news director of KPLU FM radio. Mary Magdalene Choir of Seattle will provide music. The church of Mary Magdalene is a Christian community of homeless and formally homeless people. There will be a silent auction of Beds for Boats as well as a Raise the Paddle auction.
This year marks the shelter’s 10-year anniversary. In the 10 years, over 700 women have been served, and over 45,000 bed nights with an equal number of home-prepared evening meals were delivered. Residents, with staff assistance, prepared detailed weekly plans to take them from homelessness to stable housing and hope.

SeaTac lawmakers may take further action Feb. 22 on the city's plan to consolidate five departments and divisions into one community and economic department.
The consolidation is designed to improve the city's permitting process for builders.
Council members approved Feb. 8 Cindy Baker's contract as the first director of the new merged department. They also voted to eliminate the planning director position.
Baker was serving as the interim planning director before she was selected to head the new department.
But Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher asked for at least two more weeks to study the full consolidation plan unveiled by Interim City Manager Todd Cutts.
Cutts asked for three new division manager positions. While there would be no net gain of positions in the transition, salaries for the three managers would cost the city an additional $31, 415 per year, Cutts estimated.
The fiscal impact figure is based on paying the five managers at the maximum pay rates.
"We don't have to hire at the maximum but I would guess that someone wouldn't come over from another city and take a pay cut, "Human Resources director Anh Hoang said.

(click on photo to start slideshow)

USA network and The Moth, an acclaimed not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. have paired up to bring star-studded story-telling events to cities around the country.

Seattle was the third stop of the national tour titled "A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power" which is part of USA network's Characters Unite public service campaign to to help combat prejudice and encourage greater tolerance.

The sold-out event at McCaw Hall, hosted by comedian Tom Shillue, starred five celebrity raconteurs including Seattle's very own activist and Washington state Human Rights Commissioner Charlene Strong and writer Michaela Murphy.

Other story tellers included Greg Walloch, a comedian, performer and disabilities advocate; Imam Khalid Latif, the first Muslim chaplain at New York University and youngest chaplain of the New York City Police Department; and Stephanie Summerville, actress currently in residence with the Instant Shakespeare Company.

Press release from Teri Ensley with the Furry Faces Foundation:

CAT-tacular ADOPTION EVENT Feb. 12th & 13th

The best Valentine’s Day gift for you or someone you love is one that cuddles and purrs!

Kitty Harbor and Regional Animal Services of King County are joining forces to bring you a CAT-tacluar Adoption Event on Feb 12th & 13th, ( Sat & Sun), from 12 to 4 PM. Come on down to Kitty Harbor to meet the fifty plus cats & kittens who be onsite to greet and charm you. All ages, colors and markings. All are spayed or neutered.

Kitty Harbor has reopened just to host this event for Regional Animal Services of King County. They are located at:
3422 Harbor Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98126

After the final review of the Des Moines Police shooting of Rosie, a Newfoundland dog, was made public many citizens spoke out expressing their anger and distrust of the police department.
Vicki Daniels, speaking to the Des Moines Council on Thursday night (Feb. 10) told the council, “the police department and the city’s elected need to know we still expect accountability.” She described the whole process as a dog and pony show.
Daniels said she felt like justice was never the intent, but that the investigations and reviews that were done came back with self-serving results to cover up the police department’s complacency.
The third party review by Pierce County Animal Control’s Manager Tim Anderson was the final review into the shooting death of Rosie by the City. The review by the PCAC is not a criminal investigation, nor was it looking at whether Des Moines policies and protocol had been followed.
The Pierce County Animal Control (PCAC) came back with a recommendation that police officers receive animal control training but the officers did not inappropriately when dealing with Rosie, given their perception she was a dangerous animal.

King County Prosecutors have charged Gregory P. Hess, 65, with First Degree Robbery based on evidence and a recorded confession to a robbery that took place Saturday morning, Feb. 5, at the Shell Station at 2805 s.w. Roxbury.

Hess allegedly used a BB gun intended to look like a real handgun in the robbery that yielded him $200 and national attention as the “Polite Robber” in surveillance footage the Shell station owner released to the media.

Hess has made the papers before, earning the FBI nickname “Transaction Bandit” for a string of bank robberies in Seattle in 2003. According to a Seattle Times story, Hess used an air pistol to rob several bank tellers by asking for a small amount of change, then demanded all the money once they opened the drawer. He had recently quit working at a Starbucks and his former co-workers identified him from surveillance footage of the robberies.

Carrie Burr, Athletic Director at Ballard High School announced this morning that the girls basketball head coach, CJ Sealey, has resigned.

Sealey was head coach of the girls varsity team for only two seasons. Both seasons had a record of three wins and 17 loses overall.

Sealey resigned to spend time with her three children.

"We would like to thank Coach Sealey for her service and what she’s given to the young women here at Ballard High School, the program and to the community of Ballard," Burr said.

"We wish her the best in the future."

Press Release:
Using both mixed media and photography, Michelle Bear and Kestral Skyhawk fuse nature, culture and technology together to create stories of beauty and installations on the influence of our natural resources.

Please join us for an opening reception for the artists and community from 12-1:30 pm on Tuesday, February 22.

The mission of the South Seattle Community College Art Gallery is to introduce students and the community at large to unique artists and their works. Receptions are given to afford the opportunity of interacting with the artists. The local and campus community is encouraged to visit the Art Gallery to enjoy the inspiring works of art.

Admission is always free and open to the public. For gallery hours and information about future exhibits, visit http://studentlife.southseattle.edu/art.html

Friday, February 18 – Monday, March 14, 2011
Opening Reception Tuesday, February 22, 12 – 1:30 pm

South Seattle Community College Art Gallery
Jerry Brockey Student Center
6000 16th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98106-1499
Contact: Tracy Cilona
Phone: (206) 764-5337

Press Release:
West Seattle Little League is holding their last In-Person Registration Tuesday February 15, 2011 in the West Seattle High School Library from 6 pm to 9 pm.

Please bring completed registration and signed concussion forms along with a copy of your child's birth certificate and copies of 3 proof of address.

If you are unable to attend please mail in all of the necessary documents and paperwork. All registration forms and mailing instructions can be found at www.westseattlelittleleague.com.

A $25.00 late registration fee is added to all registrations post marked/received after February 22nd.