March 2011

When Dr. Carolyn Fancher was six years old she was exercising on some gym equipment and had a terrible accident, breaking her neck and back. Her recovery was long but she did find that some level of discomfort was there and in the process of seeking relief discovered chiropractic. She had the great good fortune to be treated by Dr. Dan Lewis in Fremont. What he did changed her life for the better.

"When he adjusted me I saw colors brighter I had just an amazing experience about the third or fourth time he adjusted me he got it just right," Fancher said. That was in 2001. On the day her vision changed she stood up and told him, "I'm going to be a chiropractor." She took information home and eight months later she was going to school.

She's been in the field since 2007 and later joined Dr. Lewis in his office at Healing Hands Chiropractic.

Highline Public Schools Superintendent John Welch has resigned to become the superintendent of the Puget Sound Educational Service District.
He will stay on with the Highline district through August. The Highline School Board is developing a transition plan and timeline for a superintendent search.
Welch was selected as Highline’s superintendent in July 2005, replacing Dr. Joe McGeehan, who retired. Dr. Kay Royster was the other finalist for the job.
Welch was promoted to the top job after serving as deputy superintendent. Before coming to Highline, Welch was vice president for administrative services at South Seattle Community College in West Seattle and chief financial officer for Federal Way Public Schools.
As Highline’s superintendent, Welch was selected in 2007 by the Washington Association of School Administrators as “Most Effective Administrator.”
The district’s website notes that during Welch’s tenure, Highline’s on-time graduation rate has increased by 6 percent, extended graduation rate by 8 percent and the number of students graduating with a university-eligible transcript has improved by 15 percentage points.

A mini press release regarding this year's beneficiaries and sponsorship drive.

The West Seattle Garden Tour (WSGT) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3)
staffed entirely by a group of volunteers from the West Seattle
Community, many of whom are previous WSGT gardeners, long-time tour
attendees or people who just love gardening, good food and wine and
the West Seattle community.

Each year, the WSGT donates the net proceeds from the Tour to
Seattle-based non-profit organizations that promote horticultural,
educational, or artistic endeavors. This year, we are pleased to
announce that proceeds from the 2011 Garden Tour will benefit ArtsWest
Theatre, the Seattle Chinese Garden, the Duwamish Longhouse, Lincoln
Park P-Patch, Nantes Park, the Nature Consortium, Walking on Logs
Landscape Restoration Group and the West Seattle Tool Library.

We are also in our last month of soliciting sponsorship for the 2011
WSGT. Sponsorship accounts for more than 50% of the Tour’s proceeds
and is a critical component to help us reach our revenue goals so that
we may fully fund our beneficiaries. 2011 sponsorship is lagging

The area at the south end of the West Seattle High School Commons/lunchroom used to be part of the stage before the school was remodeled. The floor space was largely unused. But this week that all changed as ping pong tables, foosball tables and tables for chess boards plus couches and more were brought in through grants from the YMCA and WSHS PTSA. The ping pong tables are from the P.E department now but will be replaced with new ones soon.

The PTSA grant was for $1200. The YMCA grant was for $2500.

Ruth Medsker, just named to the Principal's job on a permanent basis said, "The idea is to try and give them other activities to keep kids on campus."

The foosball tables were funded by the YMCA grant, "This is the first week we've had this, and my leadership students are helping to monitor it, " said Craig Richardson WSHS Activities Coordinator, "So I'm out here getting things worked out." Richardson said that students have said they enjoy having something to do at lunchtime.

At 8 a.m. this morning, members of the Ballard community and representatives of Seattle Department of Transportation met at the corner of Market Street and 24th to discuss changes to that intersection.

SDOT has proposed changes to that intersection to make the #44 bus route between the University District and Ballard more reliable. The Ballard District Council argued that the proposed changes will negatively impact other drivers and bus routes.

Peter Hahn, director of SDOT, and his colleagues invited Catherine Weatbrook and members of the Ballard District Council to take a look at that intersection during morning traffic and listen to the concerns of the community.

Warren Aakervik and Eugene Wasserman spoke on behalf of the Industries along Shilshole Avenue while Beth Miller from the Chamber of Commerce spoke about the interest of business along Market Street.

"In a situation like this we believe we ought to be out in the field to listen to the community and get a new perspective," Peter Hahn said.

SDOT's proposed changes will mostly benefit the East-West lanes and include adding another East-bound lane and installing new controllers and times lights.

The Normandy Park Arts Commission is sponsoring a contest for the best slogan and logo indicative to Normandy Park. Logo designs should be kept simple, limited to one color and the slogan short, original and catchy. No limit to number of entries per person.
Contest deadline is May 16th. Forms are available at City Hall, 801 SW 174th St., Normandy Park on the city's website www.normandyparkwa.gov and can be mailed or emailed upon request to artscomm@ci.normandy-park.wa.us or by calling 206-248-8248.
The Arts Commission will post the top logos and top slogans at the Arts Festival on Saturday, June 4th and Sunday, June 5th for judging by the public. The Arts Commission reserves the right to make the final selection, to slightly modify a submission and to use a combination of a logo and slogan entered by multiple candidates.
The winner or winners will receive a free T-shirt. Shirts will be sold from City Hall and on Sundays at Marvista Park during the Summer Concert Series

Press Release:

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced this morning its intent to enter into an agreement to receive contracted services from the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC). The two entities signed a memorandum of understanding that lays a framework for negotiating a detailed contract defining the working relationship by the end of April.

“This partnership is a significant step forward in our commitment to rebuilding public trust in Seattle Public Schools,” said Interim Superintendent Susan Enfield, Ed.D. “The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission will provide an independent ethics and whistleblower protection program that district staff and community members can rely on. We look forward to developing the detailed agreement and implementing this new program Districtwide.”

Head inside the Steve Cox Memorial Park's "log house" community center between 5-7pm any Monday through Friday and you will wtiness teens punching and groaning and sweating, and getting into shape while staying out of trouble. Sometimes 35 kids show up to duke it out with those human head-sized wobbly punching bags as well as the life-sized bags, tangling from chains. Yes, there is a ring where they hit each other, too.

Welcome to the King County Police Activities League, or P.A.L. Boxing Club. P.A.L. also has a basketball and football league. According to its website, "PAL is Cops Helping Kids. Police Activities League (PAL) is recognized by the Department of Justice as a juvenile delinquency reduction program. PAL gives youth a positive outlet for their energy and builds strong relationships between youth and law enforcement. Through recreational and educational programs, PAL brings kids under the constructive influence of law enforcement officers and expands awareness of the police’s role in the community. Today, there are over 360 PAL chapters in the United States.

Washington Watershed Education Teacher Training is being offered for free (a NOAA B-WET program)
in Seattle, March 26 – 27, aboard the Indigo & at Duwamish Longhouse

Follow link to register, for more info, more training dates/locations. http://serviceeducationadventure.org/noaa.php

K-12 free credit/clock hours. Contact Amy Johnson 425.640.1882. For teachers, pre-service teachers, community based organizations, and government agencies interested in issues surrounding the Puget Sound Waterways. SEA (Service, Education, Adventure) and the LEAF School (Learn and serve Environmental Anthropology Field School at Edmonds CC) are hosting a series of FREE marine based professional workshops funded by NOAA.

K-12 teachers, community organizations, & government agencies
It’s all free!!! Free credit/clock hours!
Register at: http://serviceeducationadventure.org/noaa.php
Contact: Amy Johnson 425.640.1882

(click on photo to start slideshow)

Last night the Mayor of Seattle and the M.L. King County Labor Council were honored at the Pacific Fishermen Shipyard Sandblast and Paint Booth Dedication for their contribution in supporting the maritime business community.

Their support came in form of petitions to the US Maritime Administration in Washington, DC. who subsequently awarded the Pacific Fishermen Shipyard a  $1 million dollar Small Shipyard Stimulus Funding Grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for worker training and capital improvements.
 
The City’s Office of economic Development, Department of Planning and Development and the Fire Department staff who worked on the project were honored for expediting and approving the building plans within 10 months.
 
Complementing the Paint Booth is an environmentally friendly Sand Blast Booth, embracing the latest technology for recyclable steel grit with zero emissions to the air and surrounding water.
 
Part of the grant also bought two new Genie Manlifts and a Grove 9 ton crane.