April 2011

Press release:

Local nonprofit, New Futures, that serves low-income children, youth, and families in Burien and SeaTac, will celebrate the academic achievements of four students at a May 4th benefit breakfast honoring the 2011 New Futures Scholars. The Sixth Annual Get Inspired! Breakfast, held at the Washington State Convention Center and emceed by KIRO's Angela Russell, features four Highline School District students who will each receive a $1,500 scholarship for higher education. Says New Futures Executive Director Mario Paredes, "It's a fabulous opportunity we offer to these students, to recognize their work and inspire their higher education endeavors. Not only do we hold the opportunity to inspire these four scholars, but also their families and friends, and the other youth throughout New Futures programs who aspire to reach for higher accomplishments."

Cecelia Arciga is the New Futures 2011 Scholarship recipient for Arbor Heights.

This spring, the Burien Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Dept. began the process of updating the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan. The plan update will guide the city in its management and development of park properties and recreation programs for the next six years.

The process started with updating the inventory of the city's parks, but will also include opportunities for public input, beginning with the Vision for Burien community forums currently taking place. (See www.burienwa.gov/vision4burien for details about the visioning forums). Other public meetings will take place over the next six months.

A survey is also available for the public to begin providing some input to the planning process. To take the survey, which is in both English and Spanish, go to the Parks Plan website at www.burienwa.gov/ParksPlan and follow the links.

Starfire Sports in Tukwila is among the winners of King County’s highest environmental honor - the Green Globe Awards. The awards go to individuals, school districts, cities and businesses that are the Puget Sound region's brightest environmental stars.

Starfire Sports in partnership with Seattle Sounders FC won the award as the leader in Beneficial Use of Reclaimed Water.
Starfire Sports and the Seattle Sounders constructed a new soccer field and landscape areas irrigated with reclaimed water, which is highly treated wastewater that is suitable for irrigation and industrial uses.

This world-class practice field is used by the Seattle Sounders FC and many soccer players from nearby communities. The use of this field by the Seattle Sounders helps demonstrate the benefits of reclaimed water and increase public acceptance of this drought-proof and environmentally sound resource.

Press release:
Walk with your Highline neighbors on May 1st as the Des Moines CROP Walk kicks off its 22nd year of CROP Walking to end hunger. Enjoy walking with neighbors and friends from Highline Community College (Global Health class) and six churches. We walk in solidarity with those who are hungry here and around the world. Each walk committee designates 25% of their funds to stay locally. The funds we raise help the Des Moines Area Food Bank, as well as the hungry in 80 countries.

Church World Service is the hunger-fighting agency that directs the funds. Because CWS is already working with local communities & partners around the world, they are usually the first to arrive at the scene of a natural disaster. For over 65 years CWS has provided disaster relief and long-term recovery for war-torn countries, flood and earthquake victims, and refugees. CWS works with local community groups to address their needs: literacy, education for girls and women, safe water, agriculture and job skills. Yes, CWS is working with 32 local agencies in Japan right now.

The West Seattle Herald has added a new Twitter account, specifically posting crime news as we get it.

Maintained and updated by reporter Ty Swenson, who also compiles the week Police Blotter, the @WSHerald Crime Twitter feed is meant to bring you up to date news about crime in West Seattle and White Center and North Highline. You can follow it at http://twitter.com/#!/WSHeraldcrime.

Press Release:
Mayor Mike McGinn announced this morning the appointment of Bernie Matsuno as permanent director of the Department of Neighborhoods. Matsuno had been serving as interim director since February 1. McGinn also announced two additional personnel decisions, including a new permanent director of the Personnel Department.

Matsuno had served as interim director in 2006 under Mayor Greg Nickels before Stella Chao was hired. She also was deputy director of the Department of Neighborhoods in 2007, director of the department's Community Building Division from 2004 to 2006, and participated in the creation of the Department of Neighborhoods and the Neighborhood Matching Fund in 1988. Most of Matsuno's public service career has been with Neighborhoods.

"Bernie has great experience in the Department of Neighborhoods from its inception,” said McGinn. "Her experience will help all city departments engage and partner with the public in improving our communities.”

Matsuno's appointment is subject to Council confirmation. Her salary is $127,950.

Update for 4/21
Captain Steve Paulsen reports that around 7 a.m. on April 21 officers and detectives with the SPD Southwest Precinct arrested a subject for burglary in north West Seattle, one of the hotspots of increased burglaries over the past two weeks.

Captain Paulsen said officers were patrolling north West Seattle when they "observed a suspicious vehicle."

While it is uncertain at this time if the apprehended subject is responsible for the spike in burglaries in the area, Captain Paulsen said "evidence and information collected from the vehicle may resolve a number of incidents/crimes that has affected this area in the recent past."

"This is a great example of our men and women sharing information with each other in regard to crime trends and targeting neighborhood hot spots in order to reduce crime," he added.

Original Story
Southwest Precinct Captain Steve Paulsen said over the past two weeks two areas of West Seattle have seen “huge” spikes in residential burglaries and asked that the community keep an eye out for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods to help police bring the numbers back down.

Press Release:
West Seattle resident Russ Brubaker, national tax policy advisor for the Washington State Department of Revenue, is the 2011 winner of a national award for leadership in tax administration.

he annual Wade Anderson Memorial Medal for Leadership was announced this week by the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) and the Multistate Tax Commission (MTC).

The medal is awarded annually to the individual who best exemplifies a commitment to fairness, simplicity, and consistency in state tax administration through interstate cooperation.

Governor Chris Gregoire said she is pleased that national officials recognize the leadership that Brubaker has demonstrated on behalf of the state.

“Russ exemplifies the dedication and commitment among state employees who serve the public well and produce results,” Gregoire said.

Brubaker, previously senior assistant director of tax policy for the Department, has a quarter century of experience working with lawmakers, businesses and national tax policy leaders as an advocate for modernizing tax systems to be as fair and simple as possible in a complex and evolving business environment.

The opening of two medical marijuana businesses dominated the White Center Business District Mixer on Wednesday April 20 at 3.14 Bakery, 9602 16th Ave s.w.

The owners of the G.A.M.E Collective, Brionne Corbray, and Herban Legend, Chris Cody came to introduce themselves to local business owners and answer questions. The businesses, while they center on the same controversial product are very different. G.A.M.E. Collective will open on May 1, as a kind of lounge complete with food (though no alcohol) and live jazz on the weekends at 9806 16th s.w. Herban Legend will open on May 4 as a dispensary of the type now found elsewhere in Seattle.

Both businesses will require a medical marijuana card for entry.

Corbray, who owns and operates three dispensaries in the Seattle area patterned the White Center location after one in Portland, Oregon and said he will not have 'employees' but rather "volunteers" and will operate as a "non-profit because that's what the authorities told me I had to do." Whether or not he will pay those working there drew questions about paying unemployment and withholding taxes. Corbray declined to answer the question.

In her heart Noelle McCabe is still a “Salmon Bay Lifer” (K-8), even though she’s a senior at Roosevelt High School who claims, “I haven’t gotten used to it.” But between now and graduation Noelle has another stop to make: one that usually represents an actor’s dream, not their starting point. Noelle will be one of three Puget Sound students competing on a Broadway stage in the 5th August Wilson Monologue Competition in May.

“It’s been amazing,” Noelle said. “As an actor you want to end up on a New York City stage, but as a teen…I still can’t believe it.” Noelle has never even been to New York.

Just returned from Washington State Thespian Festival (Showcase winner in Duo category) and currently rehearsing for two musicals as well as the competition, Noelle considers herself foremost a Shakespearean actor. Around third grade Noelle started doing youth theater camps that put on a Shakespeare play in a week. Then came a rite of passage for any Salmon Bay “lifer:” teacher Jan Wilson’s annual Shakespeare production.