March 2011

Interviewee: Mike McGinn
Occupation: Mayor of Seattle
Riding style: Commuting
His ride: a new Raleigh Detour Deluxe

At 7 a.m. on Monday morning, I met up with Mayor Mike McGinn at his Greenwood home to bike with him to work. He was kind enough to let me question him during his 45-minute commute to City Hall.

The morning was clear and the weather was mild - perfect biking weather.

As the mayor went into his garage to pull out his bike I was eager to see what he would be riding after his wife's bike got stolen two weeks ago and he had donated his beloved Trek 700 to Bikeworks earlier in the year.

McGinn is now commuting on a new Raleigh Detour Deluxe he bought at Recycled Cycles in the University District.

“This is the first new bike I have bought since I was 16,” he said. “It’s a nice, affordable commuter."

McGinn said he may be investing in a few more bikes as he learned the hard way that it's always good to have a backup.

Not to make him late for work, we bundled up, posed for a quick picture and off we went.

As we doubled up on Phinney Avenue, which has a nice flat and wide lane, I asked him if he felt biking in Seattle is safe.

King County Executive Dow Constantine issued a proclamation in honor of International Women’s Day, honoring the monumental contributions women have made to our county’s history.

“I encourage all residents to support the goals of International Women’s Day, and to reaffirm our commitment to end gender-based discrimination,” said Constantine.

“Women have come a long way in the struggle for equal rights and opportunities, and it is up to all of us to continue consciously creating positive change for women worldwide.”

King County has a strong history of providing leadership and management opportunities to the women in its workforce. Women comprise 50% of the Executive’s leadership team, including Assistant Deputy County Executive Rhonda Berry, County Administrative Officer Caroline Whalen, Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives Carrie Cihak, Director of Customer Service Natasha Jones, and Director of Labor Relations, Patti Cole-Tindall.

Angelo Felice, 19, plead not guilty to first degree murder charges on March 8, according to King County Prosecutors.

Felice is being held in King County Jail on a $1 million bail for the alleged stabbing death of West Seattle resident and traveling vaudeville performer Robert Stabile, aka Hokum W. Jeebs on Feb. 16.

A case setting hearing is scheduled for April 6 at the King County Courthouse.

To read more about the stabbing, check out the Herald article, Man charged in West Seattle stabbing death of Hokum W. Jeebs.

To read more about Jeebs, please check out West Seattle murder victim spent life as a traveling vaudeville performer.

After 30 years working as a crime prevention coordinator for the Seattle Police Department, Benjamin Kinlow will retire March 15 … but not before imparting his wisdom to one last class of soon-to-be blockwatch captains in West Seattle.

The West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network (WSBCN) put on a blockwatch training session at the Southwest precinct on March 7 for anyone interested in what it takes to form a blockwatch and how to be a productive blockwatch member.

In West Seattle the vast majority of crime is property crime (burglaries, car prowls and car thefts) that occur in our neighborhoods, making organized blockwatches with a watchful collective eye a potent deterrent.

“Almost all of our arrests are because concerned citizens take the time to call 911 and I believe West Seattle (has) probably one of the most alert and caring citizens in the City …” Kinlow said.

Kinlow said the first step in forming a blockwatch is to invite everyone to a neighborhood meeting. The purpose of that first meeting is to meet everyone interested in taking part, gather contact information and create a map of who lives where on the block.

A small scale barge, carrying garbage ran aground on Three Tree Point Tuesday, Mar. 8. around 11:30 am One of the men towing the barge, who asked not to be identified, told the Highline Times, that the boat he was using to tow the vessel lost power, and the wind and tide did the rest.

The barge was removed and refloated early this morning, Mar. 9.

Press Release:
Locally homegrown TV pilot, The Divine Marigolds, who are gearing up to pitch their locally written, produced, and performed show to Hollywood, have big plans for Irish Week!

The show, which is an off kilter family comedy about an large Irish American family living in Seattle, was created by a team of 5 local producers, Jeremiah Kaynor, Will Chase, Jordin Mitchel, Alder Sherwood and Lisa Coronado.

On September 24, 2010, Tow Truck Driver William “Tony” Padilla was struck and killed by an impaired motorist while hooking a vehicle up to his tow truck on Interstate 5 near Spokane Street. Padilla was working for GT Towing in Seattle when he was killed.

Padilla was a Burien resident.

In recognition of the value tow operators bring to driver and responder safety plus keeping drivers moving, the Washington Traffic Incident Management Coalition honored Padilla in a ceremony during its annual 2011 Traffic Incident Management Conference. As part of the honor, Padilla’s name has been added to the Circle of Honor Memorial Plaque that recognizes other Washington State transportation or public safety employees who have lost their lives while doing their jobs.

By Michael McDonald, UW News Lab student

With just two prior seasons of play, the Ballard High School Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams aren’t the most experienced of squads. But that isn’t stopping the teams from feeling confident heading into the upcoming season.

Last year, in its second year of existence, the Ballard Girls Lacrosse team managed a 6-4-1 record and made the playoffs, losing in the first round to Overlake. Head coach Suzanne Replinger believes her team can be a factor again this year.

“The team had no seniors last year, so we have a lot of strong returning players,” said Replinger, entering her first season as head coach.

“The team is fairly well mixed with regard to age, with seven seniors, five juniors, six sophomores and one freshman.”

Replinger named Kelsey Barta and Maddie Soukop as team captains. They were two of the top returning players.

As far as competition in league play is concerned, a shakeup in the structure of the league has left things a bit unsettled.

Seattle Public Schools on Monday announced the appointment of Robert S. Boesche as the district’s interim Chief Financial Officer. The announcement was made by Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield, Seattle School Board Vice President Michael DeBell and Director Sherry Carr, who chairs the board’s Audit and Finance Committee.

Boesche, who started his job Monday, has served as an interim Chief Financial Officer for several Puget Sound school districts, including Edmonds, Shoreline, Vashon Island, Monroe and Kent. He also was employed as Chief Financial Officer for the Northshore School District from June 1989 until he retired in November 2001.

Boesche will fill the interim CFO role while the School Board conducts a national search for an individual to fill the role permanently. The board, which made the decision to separate the former Chief Finance and Operations Officer job into two distinct positions, will also be seeking a permanent Chief Operating Officer.

TACOMA -- There were 67 teams at the start, all of them with a single goal in mind: make it to state.
Kennedy Catholic finished in the final four again, the third time in four years.

"Playing on March 5 is every Class 3A girls basketball team's dream," said Kennedy coach John Barbee. "Our seniors have left a legacy."

The Lancers rolled past Auburn-Mountainview 55-35 on Saturday to finish fourth in the Class 3A girls basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

Kennedy (25-4) absorbed a heartbreaking 46-40 loss to state runner-up Prairie (27-1) on Thursday in the quarterfinal opener before coming back and beating Glacier Peak 58-45 in consolation play on Friday and then Auburn-Mountainview (23-9).

It ended a remarkable four-year journey for Kennedy senior players Aminah Williams, Ali Madison and Jasmine Lemon. The trio played on the 2009 state championship team and got trophies in each of their four years at Kennedy, amassing a 100-12 record.