November 2011

Playoff Football SLIDESHOW: Kennedy Catholic takes out Lincoln, 52-14

There was no question the winning coaching staff would have a family member in it.

Mike Merrill is the head coach of the Lincoln team that visited a Kennedy Catholic squad that has his father Tom Merrill as an assistant coach.

PLEASE CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR MORE

When all was said and done, it was Kennedy that won in convincing fashion -- pounding the visiting Abes by a 52-14 score in a Class 3A West Central District football playoff played at Highline Stadium.

Kennedy goes on a long trip to the Vancouver area to play Camas in its state quarterfinal at 7 p.m. Saturday, and Lincoln was sent home for the year with this past Friday's loss to the Lancers.

Both teams started out slowly, before Kennedy slipped ahead first.

Orion Prescott punched in a 1-yard run with 3 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first quarter, before kicker Colin Cossette's bounced the extra point attempt off of the post.

Lincoln took its only lead with 2:03 remaining in the first quarter.

Julius Colwash scored from 19 yards out with a pass reception in the end zone and Travis Nguyen gave the Abes a 7-6 lead with his PAT kick through the uprights.

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Sequim pounds Foster in volleyball

TACOMA - An impulse to attack was absent without leave for the Foster High School girls volleyball team in a 25-7, 25-15, 25-14, Class 2A West Central District III tournament loss to Sequim on Friday, November 4, on the main court of Franklin Pierce High School.

As a result, Foster of Tukwila faced the specter of winning three consecutive matches in order to earn the fifth and final district seed to the state tournament.

"Our team didn't start out being aggressive, and that set the tone for the rest of the match," observed Bulldog head coach Brandi Travess. "We needed to hit the ball and make them (the Wolves) work. Instead, we made the plays for them. They had some hard hitters and their libero was able to set up the hitters, but we also made mistakes. Our momentum would get killed by mistakes, like missed serves."

In the beginning, Foster seemed to be operating under a non-aggression pact as Sequim as the powerful front line of Alexas Besand, Katelyn McDaniels and Haleigh Harrison killed to their hearts' content.

Leads of 14-3 and 22-5 against the passive Bulldogs told the story of the first set.

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Highline New Start teacher honored with KCTS Golden Apple

Press release from the Highline School District
Beverly Mowrer, a teacher at Highline’s New Start program, is one of eight teachers in the state to receive this year’s Golden Apple Award from KCTS 9, Seattle’s PBS television affiliate.

Mowrer is known for her innovative approach to teaching and her ability to rally the community around her students. She identifies and works with students' individual needs—everything from transportation to clothing to study skills. She goes after resources for her students no matter how much time and effort it takes.

The New Start program is an alternative for students who have been out of school for extended periods of time or who don’t thrive in a standard high school environment.

Mowrer often develops unique and engaging learning opportunities for students, such as taking students sailing aboard the schooner Adventuress. Students who have never been on a boat before are exposed to navigation and other science-based skills. "That experience has such a powerful impact on our students. It is just amazing to see the transformation," says Mowrer.

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School bus and passenger car collide at 18th s.w. and Elmgrove

Two people taken to Harborview; one with minor injuries, no children were hurt

From the Seattle Fire Department Fireline:
Seattle Firefighters treated two patients after a collision between a school bus and a passenger car. The accident occurred at the corner of 18th Avenue SW and SW Elmgrove Street in West Seattle shortly after 9 this morning.

The driver of the car, a male in his early 30’s, was transported to Harborview Medical Center by AMR with minor injuries. Seattle Fire Paramedics transported a 10-month old female to Harborview Medical Center as a precaution. The driver was wearing a seatbelt and the infant was strapped into her back car seat.

Paramedics evaluated seven children on the school bus and found no visible injuries. The female school bus driver was examined and did not complain of any injuries.

Seattle Police Department officers are investigating the accident scene.

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Reduced service Metro reminders for bus riders through the holidays

Press release from King County Metro

Next reduced schedule falls on Veteran’s Day - Friday, Nov. 11

King County Metro Transit reminds bus riders that it will be operating a reduced weekday schedule on several holidays now through January – including a full week of reduced service at the end of December.

These are planned reductions for holiday periods where Metro has historically seen 20-40 percent fewer weekday riders. Also, on several of the upcoming legal holidays, Metro will use a Sunday schedule.

The reduced weekday schedule will be in effect on:

· Friday, Nov. 11 – Veteran’s Day

· Friday, Nov. 25 – day after Thanksgiving

· Tuesday-Friday, Dec. 27-30 – winter holiday period

· Monday, Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Sunday schedules will be used on the following holidays:

· Thursday, Nov. 24 – Thanksgiving

· Sunday, Dec. 25 – Christmas

· Monday, Dec 26 – Christmas holiday observed

· Sunday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day

· Monday, Jan. 2 – New Year’s holiday observed

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The Champion Within

By Kregg P.J. Jorgenson

Most martial arts champions enjoy a short stay in the winner’s circle.

Time, tough opponents, and injuries each take their toll, and any time they do have in the limelight is usually hard fought and harder still to hold.

However, Sgt. Don Gulla of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien has managed to hold onto his championship status for well over three decades, and counting.

Since 1985, the 53-year-old King County deputy has won five gold medals in the World Police and Fire Games in Karate with his most recent win coming in this year’s International games held in New York City.

In his teens he was a Junior Olympic gold medal winner in Judo, and in between then and this latest Karate gold, he had also managed to squeeze in regional championship titles in Tae Kwon Do, Flipino Arnis Stick fighting, and Kung Fu.

True to form Gulla is humble about his many career wins and plays down his tournament success.

“I’ve done okay,” he says.

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UPDATE: Two of our Coast Guard vessels on thin ice

UPDATE: Wednesday, 3:50 p.m.

This is a tail of America's only two heavy icebreakers, the Polar Star, dry-docked for refurbishing at Vigor (formerly Todd) Shipyard on Harbor Island, and, in a sadder state of condition, the Polar Sea, docked at the Pier 36 Coast Guard base. Both are 399-feet, the Star commissioned in 1976, the Sea a year later. While Congress may decommission both for cost concerns, Senator Maria Cantwell wants both back in action with the possibility of new vessels to eventually replace them.

Meanwhile, the United States Coast Guard is rehabbing the Star, and intends to mothball the Sea.

"The (Polar) Star is going to get a new engine and be fully refurbished, I believe, by the end of 2012, or 2013," Chief Robert K. Lanier told the West Seattle Herald. He is Assistant Public Affairs Officer, Thirteenth Coast Guard District.

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Update: Movie kicks off Highline Schools Foundation symposium series on Thursday

The Highline Schools Foundation Symposium Series, a bi-annual event at which the foundation will bring education-related issues to the community for reflection and dialogue, will kick off with a presentation of the documentary, "Race to Nowhere."

The showing will be held at the Mount Rainier High School Theater, 22450 19th Ave. S. on Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m.

"Race to Nowhere," produced by Reel Link Films and written by Vicki Abeles, offers a close-up look at the pressures on today's students to achieve.

This thought-provoking film tells personal stories of over-scheduled and over-stressed students, parents, and educators, as they try to navigate their way to getting into college.

The close of the film provides helpful action items for various interest groups including students, parents, educators, administrators, and policy makers.

A brief question and answer session will follow the film, moderated by parent educator Jan Faull, M.Ed.

Tickets can be purchased for $10 in advance online at highlineschoolsfoundation.org or for $15 at the door on a space-available basis.

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Glacier High School Gone But Not Forgotten

(This summer I dropped by the all-class reunion for SeaTac’s Glacier High School and wrote a column about it. Some alums felt the column was a little too much about me (and a long-lost Glacier girlfriend) and not enough about the wonderful school or its strong alumni association. So I agreed to let the alums tell Glacier’s story--unfiltered. Eric Mathison)

By Glacier Alumni Association
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES/NEWS

To our Alma Mater we pledge our faith to thee…

No truer words could be spoken of the people who touched our lives on our journey to graduation.

Glacier High School opened in 1960 and closed in 1980. Some 10,000 people walked through the halls. Teachers, students, administrators, janitors, cooks and secretaries…not to mention the coaches, Driver’s Ed instructors, gardeners and the PTA.

The teachers cared about us and our well-being and we respected their authority.

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