July 2011

press release:

The Road Map Project, which is aimed at driving major improvements in education results in South Seattle and South King County, is releasing the final round of individual school district data collected by the Higher Education Coordinating Board on the number of eligible 8th graders in the project region signed up for the College Bound Scholarship by this past June 30th. A record 91 percent of students signed up, compared with 74 percent this time last year. ( click here to view)

For the first time ever the region’s school districts worked collaboratively to increase the number of eligible students signed up for the scholarship which covers the cost of tuition at Washington’s public colleges and universities. Low-income students who sign a pledge by June 30 of their 8th grade year to graduate from high school, demonstrate good citizenship and seek admission to a college are eligible.

Press release:

The City of Burien is in the process of updating its Drainage Master Plan to be in compliance with requirements of the state Growth Management Act. A Citizen Advisory Committee, formed to guide the process and make recommendations, is holding its kick-off meeting on Wednesday, July 20, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., at the Burien Community Center (Hilltop Room), 14700 6th Ave. S.W.

Representatives from different neighborhoods - Lake Burien/Puget Sound, Arbor Lake, north, south, east/north and east/south - are needed to serve on the advisory committee.
Representatives are also needed from the business, education and medical elements in the community. To sign up to serve on the advisory committee or for more information, please contact Malissa Phok, Public Works Inspector, at 206-248-5538, or attend the kick-off meeting on July 20.
The purpose of the City's surface water management program is to:
* Protect public health and welfare
* Protect wetlands, shorelines, streams and creeks as natural surface water resources
* Maintain the City's storm water drainage system
* Identify and solve storm drainage problem

Press release from Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner:

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A Burien auto glass company owner has been sentenced to jail for a billing scheme that’s believed to have cost insurers more than $1.5 million.

Michael Alan Perkins, 44, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree theft in King County Court July 1. He was sentenced to 9 months in jail, with 30 days of the sentence converted to 240 hours of community service.

Investigators for state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler are recommending a total of more than $1.6 million in restitution to the companies. The court will decide the amount at an upcoming hearing.

“Insurance fraud drives up the cost of insurance for everyone,” said Kreidler. “And in this case, the overbilling went on for years.”
Perkins is the owner of Autoglass Express Inc. and Premier Auto Glass, LLC., both run out of Perkins’ Burien home. The glass shops overbilled insurers, including State Farm, Allstate and MetLife insurance companies.

Press release:

Do you need sidewalks in your neighborhood, or safe bike paths to local schools? Do the streets near your home or business need resurfacing, or are entirely new streets needed? Is using public transit convenient for you?

These are some of the many questions the City is asking residents and businesses as the City maps out the Burien community's transportation needs for the next decade and beyond. The City is in the process of updating its Transportation Master Plan and seeks to gather information about multi-modal transportation for all ages and abilities.

A series of meetings are being planned to gather information from the public on transportation needs in Burien. An introductory meeting is planned for Tuesday, July 19, 4 - 6 p.m., in the first floor multi-purpose room at the City Hall/library building, 400 S.W. 152nd St. Watch for notices of future meetings.

City staff seeks to learn from the public needs for multi-modal access particularly for:
* School access (safe routes to school)
* Grocery/shopping centers including food banks
* Hospitals and medical clinics
* Parks and open spaces

UPDATE:

In July, Fred Meyer filed a Land Use Application wishing to expand the existing Greenwood Fred Meyer store by 55,305 sq. ft. and demolish the Greenwood Market.

A public meeting to review this application will be held on October 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th Street.
This will be a chance for the public to submit written and/or oral comments.

Original article:

A Land Use Application was filed to demolish the Greenwood Market building and expand the existing Greenwood Fred Meyer store by 55,305 square feet.

This comes a year after Fred Meyer scrapped its decade-long redevelopment plan for a below-grade, mixed-use store, and decided to remodel instead.

The scrapped plan was for a $91 million multi-use development, including a 170,000-square-foot, underground Fred Meyer topped with additional retail and residential space, as well as a three-story parking garage.

press release:

The Seattle City Council seeks candidates for appointment to three positions on the seven-member Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) Review Board. Working in concert with the civilian OPA Director and the civilian OPA Auditor, the Review Board plays an important role in Seattle’s police accountability system through its assessment of policies and practices and recommendations for their improvement.

“The OPA Review Board looks at the big picture, learns what other cities do and, most importantly, engages with the public to both explain the system and receive feedback about where the system could be improved,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Council’s Public Safety and Education Committee. “We are looking for candidates who have substantial time and energy to commit to making our police accountability system more transparent and accessible.”

Press release:

Join South King County nonprofit New Futures as we dance the summer night away to salsa, bachata and merengue rhythms on July 15th!

When: Friday, July 15th 7:00pm-11:30pm

Where: Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Avenue SW

How much: $20

Who: The event is for people 21 years of age and up.

What for? All proceeds will support New Futures work with immigrant and refugee communities in South King County.

For more information, contact Laura Garcia at (206) 248-9647 ext. 21 or laurag@newfutures.org

Here is the link to New Futures' poster for the event.

New Futures partners with families in their communities and with educators to ensure that children succeed in school and in life. Our integrated, culturally relevant programs in low-income apartment complexes build skills, foster connectedness, and promote strengths.

Strength of Place Village (SOPV), the affordable housing project under construction in White Center began taking applications for residents recently and conducted tours on July 13. The project contains 30 aparment units near downtown White Center. The project broke ground on Sept. 15 last year. It should be completed almost one year to the day in mid September, with a planned opening on Oct. 19.

The project targets families at 30% (15 units), 40% (8 units) and 60% (7 units) of area median income. Six of these units have been set-aside as permanent housing for families transitioning from homelessness and will receive case management and support from Family Services of King County.

The majority of the apartments are two- and three-bedrooms in order to serve the larger, multi-generational families of the White Center community.

Ballard High School graduate, Thomas Ryan, has been awarded the rank of Eagle Scout.

Tom is a member of Boy Scout Troop 100 in Ballard. Troop 100 holds an annual Christmas Tree Sale, at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church on NW 15th Avenue, and has been doing so for the past 30 years.

Tom has been part of the Boy Scouts of American for six years and is currently president of Venture Crew 100 and an Assistant Scout Master for Troop 100.

To be eligible for the Eagle rank, Tom advanced through the ranks of Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class, Star, and Life Scout. He completed 31 merit badges, some of which included; Citizenship, Wilderness Survival, Lifeguarding, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, and First Aid. In addition, Tom earned the Ad Altare Dei Award from the Catholic Religious Emblems Program through Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, with the assistance of Father James Johnson.

The Seattle Police Department has changed the way they deal with trespass complaints.

Intended to assist property owners in addressing crime occurring on their property, the new program will empower the property owner to give admonish trespassers off their property for life.

"I have been getting more calls regarding trespass and homeless complaints," said officer Scott McGlashan, who addressed the Ballard District Meeting on July 13 to explain SPD's new protocol.

This new contract is available for open-to-the-public businesses and deals with people who are neither patrons nor customers.

If a business sets up the trespass contract with the SPD, an uniform Conditions of Entry sign will be posted at the entry of their business or property. This contract empowers the property owner to admonish someone off their property who violates the conditions of entry. With documentation - a 911 call, a picture of the trespasser, or his or her name - officers can then enforce this warning.