July 2011

Furry Faces Foundation in cooperation with Hotwire Online Coffeehouse at 4410 California Ave. s.w has a special sale on plants through the end of July. Just $2 for pansies, violas, lychnis, day lilies, ornamental grasses, veggies, diathus, verbena, nicotiana, tomaotes, succulents and more, all on display outside the shop.

100% of the proceeds go to support Furry Face's two programs,"It's Hip to be Snipped," their spay and neutering effort and "Oliver's Fund" The fund established to assist people experiencing financial hardship with pet food and to help with unexpected veterinary needs.

F3 accounts have been established with several Veterinary clinics in the name of Olivers Fund. If you would like, ask your vet if they have an account.

In support of their 11th Annual Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive happening June through August, this year WestSide Baby launched a "50 Diaper Drives in 50 Day for 50,000 Diapers campaign" in June hoping the King County community they serve would work in groups to increase their diaper collection for their Stuff the Bus event by at least 25%.

The community rallied with 57 adults, children, businesses and organizations accepting the challenge of hosting diaper drives to help Stuff the Bus with diapers. Several drives hosted in public places are happening this weekend. All of these efforts are in addition to the many individuals they hope to see pulling up to their big yellow school bus on July 24 at Viking Bank in West Seattle.

The Diaper Drivers are all signed up and now they need help to respond to their outreach by giving diapers or even buying lemonade from the many children’s stands sprinkled on sidewalks all over Seattle.

Press release from the Log House Museum:

Vintage Swimsuits on Display

As part of the Alki Bathhouse Centennial Celebration, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and Log House Museum will present “100 Years of Bathing Suits” Fashion Show at this years’s Alki Art Fair. The bathing suits are from the Seattle Goodwill Vintage Fashion Collection. Volunteers modeling vintage bathing suits dating from the 1890’s to the 1970’s will be parading along the beach promenade on Saturday, Jul 23rd from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Fashion Show will be begin at 2:30 pm on the Main Music Stage.

The bathing costumes and swimsuits from Goodwill's Vintage Fashion Collection are all authentic pieces. Showing the collection is one way Goodwill spreads awareness of their job training and education missions.

The July 17th issue of Paul Dorpat’s “Then and Now” column in the Seattle Times Sunday Pacific Magazine will feature the Alki Bathhouse signifying its centennial birthday (1911- 2011).

By Theresa Edwards, Intern.

In her new book, "Potty Trained by Two", emerging Ballard author Angela Graham challenges our disposable diaper culture to rethink when and how children are potty trained for a more environmentally sound, cost effective, and meaningful experience.

Did you know that half of the world’s children are potty trained by age one? In contrast, the United States holds the record for the latest potty training age, with an average of three years for girls and 39 months for boys, says Graham in her book. Why so late? According to Graham, many of today’s parents are afraid to start potty training too early because they are worried that their child isn’t “ready”.

The book confronts this misconception, explaining that society has made parents ignorant to babies' communications. This in turn can inhibit the child’s awareness over time.

“Training our babies to ignore their elimination processes for a solid two years creates a major disconnect within the mind and body of the child,” explained Graham.

For many parents, the diaper choice seems simple—cloth or disposable?

In recognition of zookeepers, aquarists and animal care professionals in our national zoos and aquariums,
National Zoo Keeper Week is held July 17th through the 24th.

There are approximately 6,000 animal care professionals in the United States that serve as animal care experts, front line educators and conservationists.

In honor of this national celebration, the Woodland Park Zoo is providing the opportunity to learn what it's like to be a zoo keeper.

Woodland Park zoo keepers will make “cameo” appearances to chat about the zoo keeping profession and their passion for animal care, animal welfare and commitment to wildlife conservation.

Check out a sampling of culinary items prepared for zoo animals; touch boxes to guess what kind of food and which animal eats it; and see tools of the trade used every day by zoo keepers. Additionally, Keeper Chats at different animal exhibits will be held throughout the week.

Meet ‘n’ greet zoo keepers: Tuesday, July 19, 10:00 a.m.-noon; 1:00-3:00 p.m., at the West Plaza.

As Burien lawmakers take up a discussion on annexing White center and the rest of North Highline at Monday’s council meeting, they will be told it appears the city can afford it.

Background information from City Manager Mike Martin’s office states, “Initial, draft data seems to indicates the annexation is financially viable, largely because of a sales tax credit offered by the state as an incentive.”

The council will meet Monday, July 18 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 400 S.W. 152nd St., in the first-floor council chambers.

Here is the background statement from the meeting packet:
BACKGROUND (Include prior Council action & discussion):
Annexation of the so-called “area Y” in the North Highline, including White Center, has a long history that council is well aware of. In short, Burien and Seattle in 2009 agreed to bi-furcate the North Highline Area into two areas; “X” in the south and “Y” in the north. Each city agreed it could advance annexations in adjacent areas without opposition until January 2012.

Although the Burien City Council did not add arts and culture as a separate "core value", lawmakers strengthened language about arts in the final visioning statement approved July 11.

In the overall defining statement, the council added arts as a second value immediately after diversity.

The approved statement reads, "Burien: A vibrant and creative community where the residents embrace diversity, celebrate arts and culture, promote vitality, and treasure the environment."

Council members also strengthened a section on creativity to read, "Burien promotes and supports its rich palette of arts, culture, and heritage."

The visioning process, which included a consultant, steering committee, affinity groups, surveys and several public forums, was designed to provide a sense of direction and framework for evaluating future policy decisions, according to city staffers. It will also be used to help shape Burien's long-term future.

Besides the defining statement, council members approved seven "core values." Each core value contained three "concepts."

Editor's note: The West Seattle Herald has been covering news here for nearly a century. Robinson Newspapers (which publishes the West Seattle Herald) have a massive news archive of Herald coverage dating back to 1928. What follows are crime reports and public safety issues from 1934. Although reporters’ names were not included with stories at that time, their original words remain intact. As more historical crime reports are compiled there will be more installments of West Seattle All Time Crimes.

March 22, 1934
Reward is Offered for Dog Poisoner
Aroused over the appearance again this spring of the dog poisoner who has been active in the district for a number of years, residents of Endolyne have banded together and are offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the guilty party.

The first poisoning of the season was reported this week. The dog was saved by giving it immediate attention. Strychnine has been used in each case investigated. A series of poisonings is expected.

Ready for another lengthy legal battle like the one over the third runway?

That's what it might take if the city of Burien and its Puget Sound shoreline residents want to retain a 20-foot setback requirement.

The city of Burien and the state Department of Ecology (DOE) are at an impasse over the city's proposed Shoreline Master Plan.

The state DOE has rejected elements of the city's shore plan approved by the City Council that allow for a 20-foot building setback from the average high water mark. The state agency is insisting on a minimum 50-foot buffer and an additional 15-foot setback for new development along the Sound shoreline.

Burien's shoreline advisory committee and Planning Commission recommended the larger buffer and setback. The City Council approved a narrower requirement. The DOE has agreed that a smaller buffer would be OK in areas where neighboring houses are closer than the requirement.

Responding to comments by Councilman Gordon Shaw at the July 11 council meeting, Burien City Manager Mike Martin declared that "under no circumstances" would DOE accept the city's 20-foot setback requirement.

Two West Seattle teams are making preparations for trips to Little League baseball state tournaments -- and a third just missed qualification.

The West Seattle Seniors age 14-15 all-star team made it back through the loser's bracket to earn the right to play Rainier District/Renton for the District 7 championship, but still needed to beat that team twice to go on to the state tournament.

A second game was not required, however, as the Westsiders were eliminated, 8-1, in a first game defeat.
If West Seattle had won twice, it would be playing close by at Brannan Park in Auburn while the two teams that actually did make state will be geographically challenged.

The West Seattle age 10/11 all-star baseball team is traveling all the way to Spokane this weekend to play at state, opening Saturday at Salnave Park.

West Seattle also won the District 7 Major Little League age 12 title and will open state Saturday, July 23 in Vancouver at the Fort Vancouver Little League complex.