February 2012

Hello WSH,
As a long time subscriber of the Herald, I have enjoyed many issues over the years. However I must comment on the lack of sound judgement regarding the pairing of stories and photographs for your recent front page for the 2/10/12 issue.

I am pro medical cannabis. I am not a mother. Still, my heart sank as I saw the headline and nearly full page story about medical cannabis, featuring a quarter page close-up of buds, accompanied by your sweet photo of 5 young dancers in the lower corner. What was the reasoning behind this choice of photos for your front page?

I can only imagine the parents of these young daughters being so proud to have their photo featured so prominently, yet perhaps awkwardly scrambling to find words to explain what the bud photo was about. The photo of these girls captures their youthful innocence and anxious joy for this exciting moment in their lives. They will find out about cannabis soon enough...thanks to you, perhaps even sooner. This pairing of stories shows your utter lack of respect and sensitivity for these girls and their families. Shame on you, Herald!

By Scott Anthony Robinson

I’m not certain what his motivations were, but back in 1970 or so, when Dad remarried and brought three new kids into the family, he decided that we all needed to go skiing.

I was fourteen, Linda was too, little Mike was about ten I guess and one afternoon Dad came home from the thrift center with a car trunk full of old skis, poles and boots.

He summoned a few us out to see his prizes, ‘Look at the great stuff I got at St. Vinny’s!’ He hoisted a pair of beat up old skis from the hatch and balanced them on end. ‘Two bucks!’ he crowed, and he handed them to me.

I distinctly recall the metal edges with zillions of tiny screws holding them on to the ski. A few screws were missing, and the old cable bindings had rust on them.

The boots were lace up style that were so heavy and clunky as to make Frankenstein jealous.

Now that Seattle has become quite a metropolis you will find on every downtown newsstand free newspapers exploding with ads. These ads range from cultural events and sightseeing opportunities to telephone sex or even an exotic massage. One female massage therapist was getting calls from men expecting more than massage. If they only knew her sexual orientation they would not have called her. Soothing massage is a sensual experience so it is no wonder that men, who usually outnumber women in paying for sexual experiences, hint at receiving sexual favors. Travel agents are aware of the sin cities around the world where usually the male of our species can find exciting sex vacations. Of course there are men who supply sex as well but they aren’t advertised so prominently in the ad sections.

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206 937 7169
All items with yellow tags are $1.00 Monday, February 20th through the end of the month.  The Shop will be closed Sunday, February 19th so we can prepare for our semi-annual antiques and collectibles fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.  The event begins on Monday, February 20th and you can take advantage of our early-bird reward of double stamps on your customer card from 10 to noon every Monday.  Our shop is non-profit and all income supports research to find a cure for cancer.  Volunteer with us and in just 4 hours week, you can be part of this exciting quest.  The American Cancer Society shop is open Sundays from 11 a.m. to  3 p.m. and every other day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Introduction to Chinese Language & Culture
Seattle Chinese Garden
6000 16th Ave. S.W.
Learn basic Mandarin Chinese conversation words, learn about Chinese culture, and join easy all ages games and activities such as painting, mah jong, and card games using your new words. Eight sessions on every other Thursday from 4-6 p.m. Dates: March 1, 15, & 29, April 12 & 26, May 10 & 24.

This is follow-up story to Sunset Hill Community Association: Figuring out the next 90 years.

By Christy Wolyniak, contributor.

A bright, cheerful community building faces changes for its next 90 years after a decline in community involvement. On Sunday, the Sunset Hill Community Association opened its doors to hear the community’s thoughts on the purpose and plan for the building’s and association's future.

“The few, the proud, the bold,” SHCA President Lois Spiegel said as she introduced her handful of board members and volunteers to a packed audience.

Expenses such as heating and maintenance with so few volunteers left the board questioning the building’s purpose in the community. Programs and the sustainability of SHCA as a value to its community reined the conversation.

Gymnastics:

A number of Ballard gymnasts competed Saturday at the District competition at Sammamish High School and three gymnasts will be moving on to the state meet at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall on Friday night.

At the 4A District II meet Senior Maria Volk placed 10th on vault and floor and 9th all around. She will be competing on vault and floor at state.

Freshman sisters Laila and Lauren Lee also qualified for the state meet. Lauren placed 8th on bars and beam and 10th all around. She will be competing on vault, bars and beam. Laila will be competing on bars and beam.

Swimming

Six Ballard High School student athletes competed in two individual races and two medleys at the SeaKing 4A District swim meet at University of Washington pool over the weekend.

Senior Caleb Jaeger took 6th in the 100 butterfly race. Caleb will compete in the 100 butterfly and 100 breast stroke at State this weekend. In addition Ballard’s 200 free relay team will compete which includes Kyle Garrity, John Hall, Caleb Jaeger, Andrew Stevens, Philip Anderson, Alec Barrett-Wilsdon, Duncan Fowler, and Josh Pehrson!

Wrestling:

More than 500 people were part of the 11th Annual WestSide Baby Benefit Tea on Feb 12, helping to raise more than $172,000 to fund the charitable agency. That number is a new record said Executive Director Nancy Woodland. "It's a huge record since last year we raised just over $100,000 at the event. It was amazing. It was fantastic. The energy in the room and the generosity of spirit in that group was humbling just beyond belief. We had about 100 more people there."

The event was held at the Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center for the first time this year and those attending had the opportunity to bid on a diverse array of items donated for the cause. WestSide Baby collects new and previously owned items for children and babies and distributes them free of charge to families in need through partnerships with other agencies and organizations.

The Highline School Board has named three finalists in its search for Highline’s next superintendent, including the interim superintendent of the state’s largest school district.

Dr. Susan Enfield indicated recently she is not interested in becoming Seattle’s permanent superintendent although she is reportedly highly regarded in the district.

Sources said Enfield was upset with meddling by Seattle School Board members. The Highline board has been generally supportive of interim superintendent Alan Spicciati and former superintendent John Welch, who left the district to become superintendent of the Puget Sound Education Service District, although board member Susan Goding has often publicly voiced frustration about district curriculum and has pushed for more rapid changes.

Enfield has also applied for the superintendent position in Bellevue, lamong the state’s largest districts.

Other Highline finalists are Dr. David Engle, who led school transformation efforts in Seattle Public Schools, and Dr. Joshua Garcia, Federal Way Public Schools assistant superintendent.

The services for Alki Lumber owner Jim Sweeney were held Sept. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe church and the event was so crowded those in attendance said they had never seen the church so full, with estimates of more than 850 people attending the event. Sweeney, long time owner of Alki Lumber passed away Feb. 5.

Out of respect for the Sweeney family the Herald did not report on the church service but the reception that followed at the Hall at Fauntleroy was a genuine celebration of memories of a man many called a "Pillar of his family and the community."

The West Seattle Herald spoke to some of Jim Sweeney's friends and family about him.

"Jim was always trying to get me into some of these political projects," said former port commissioner Jack Block," like the viaduct. But I told Jim that the only thing I'd get involved in was something I could see in my lifetime. We were good neighbors, and he was a good guy."

A Russian space capsule landed inside the Seattle Museum of Flight last Friday, Feb. 10. Not to worry. It was a scheduled, and highly anticipated entry. A flatbed truck arrived from Chicago to the museum's new Charles Simonyi Space Gallery holding a crate containing the 3-ton prize, the Soyuz TMA-14 Descent Module. The capsule is on long-term-loan, purchased by Hungarian-born billionaire Simonyi, a key architect of Microsoft Word and Excel, and founder of Intentional Software. He has flown twice as a "space tourist" to the International Space Station on a Russian Soyuz. He was honored Dec. 8 at the gallery's official unveiling. He also appeared when the capsule arrived. Museum staff said he was thrilled. Now all can visit the craft.