February 2012

I was a product of the Highline School system when it provided the world’s best education. These days, as a result of a lack of focus on what really matters and trying to be everything to everyone, our schools rank last or near last, relative to the entire rest of the industrialized world in every measurable category except one: self-confidence.

Note to the Highline School Board – If you are intent on displaying such hubris by forwarding the insane notion that you can teach better in two languages what you cannot yet teach in one, at least make the second language Mandarin. That way, our children will be able to converse with their future masters.

John Rankin
Normandy Park

When I went to the SeaTac Senior Center dance, I wasn’t looking for a couple to feature for Valentine’s Day, but I sure found one.

The floor was full of couples dancing to the old tunes, but one couple stood out. It wasn’t just that they danced so well together. It was that they had this newlywed way about them. You know the look, when a couple is gobbling up every moment together and have that adoring look for one another? It’s the way that we all wished someone would look at us.

That lovely couple was Don and Elaine Burns of Burien.

Both Don Burns and Elaine Murray grew up in Alberta, Canada. By the time Don was five, he and Elaine were living within a few blocks of one another, but went to different schools, so they never met.

When the Depression hit, Elaine’s folks moved up to Porcher Island, where her father panned for gold and her mother worked as a cook. Elaine was only six.

“I used to go help the miners by tossing out the worthless rocks that were sorted from the gold. It was kinda fun,” she said.

(Editor’s note: Jerry Robinson first met Clay Abraham in high school in Portland in 1936. They became fast friends-- double dating and hanging out at Jantzen Beach. World War II interrupted their lives. Clay became a pilot; he lost his life over Germany in 1944. Jerry helped build the planes he flew. Here is a letter to Clay about things Jerry wished he could have shared with his best friend.)

Dear Clay,

Well buddy, it's been quite some time since we spoke to each other. When you left Boeing in '41 for the Army Air Corps, I was jealous. But I've always been envious of you. That tousled blonde hair, the steel-grey eyes and that courage. Man you had courage. I would never have tried to climb Rooster Rock on the Columbia River in '38 if you hadn't shamed me into it. I was a born chicken until I met you.

I know you liked my sense of humor; you said I was skinny and called me "Blackie" like many of my friends because I had that shock of black hair. I still got it but the gray has crept in mostly. You know those trips I took back to Portland after we both landed jobs at Boeing? You knew it was to see my girlfriend, Lee. You might have guessed. I married the girl.

Friday, Feb. 3
Boys basketball
Decatur 65, Aub.-Mtn. 62
The Gators won a close one over Auburn-Mountainview in South Puget Sound League 3A action Friday.

Kentlake 63, TJ 54
The Raiders absorbed a nine-point loss in their SPSL North 4A division game Friday.

Girls basketball
TJ 32, Kentlake 27
The Raiders won a close, low-scoring game over the Falcons Friday.

Federal Way 67, Todd Beamer 34
Federal Way posted a victory over Todd Beamer in home action Friday.

MR Lutheran 58, Christian Faith 34
Christian Faith Center of Federal Way fell to Mount Rainier Lutheran this past Friday.

Saturday, Feb. 4
Wrestling
SPSL North
Thomas Jefferson took eighth place with 96 points and Mount Rainier ninth with 79 in Saturday's meet. K.W. Williams of TJ defeated Matt Hopkins of Tahoma, 8-4, in the 195-pound finale.
SPSL South
Todd Beamer High School finished fourth with 219.5 points in Saturday's action and Federal Way finished ninth with 90.5.

Alleged voyeur arrested for taking photos inside a women’s gym locker room in Tukwila
A 48-year-old Renton man was arrested on charges of voyeurism after a woman at LA Fitness in Tukwila told police she discovered him inside the women’s locker room taking photos. She confronted the man and he fled. An hour later employees at the Fairwood LA Fitness identified the suspect (he was a member who checked in) and police responded to the scene, arresting the man.

19-year-old woman shot and killed in Tukwila
Around 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 2 a 19-year-old woman was shot as her friend drove near the intersection of S. 116th St. and Tukwila International Boulevard in Tukwila. The victim, a passenger, was hit and her friend drove her to Harborview Medical Center where she later died. Police found shell casings at the intersection and are looking for leads in the continuing investigation.

Suspicious circumstances in Tukwila man’s death

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week’s Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: hteditor@robinsonnews.com Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our “Out & About” advertising section.

Valentine’s Events
ChoralSounds Northwest Cabaret & Silent Auction 2012—Feb. 12. 5 p.m. SeaTac Community Center, 13735 24th Ave. S. Sneak peek at spring concert, soloists, small ensembles, youth choirs, SilverSounds. $40 per person, $400 per table. Includes buffet dinner. Reservations at 206-246-6040.

Destination Des Moines Sweetheart Ball—Feb. 11 Landmark on the Sound, 23660 Marine View Dr. S. 6:30-11 p.m. Entertainment by Joey Jewell and his Orchestra with a tribute to Frank Sinatra and friends. Tickets, $55. destinationdesmoineswa.org.

Friday, Feb. 3
Boys basketball
Seattle Lutheran 67, Evergreen Lutheran 45
Seattle Lutheran dealt Evergreen Lutheran of Des Moines a defeat Friday.

Lindbergh 55, Foster 49
Foster fell to Lindbergh in a Seamount League battle this past Friday.

Girls basketball
Kennedy 66, Tyee 46
Kennedy conquered the Totems in Seamount League action Friday.

Highline 74, Evergreen 38
Highline hammered Evergreen in Friday's regular season finale.

Lindbergh 54, Foster 51
Lindbergh slipped past the Bulldogs in a three-point game Friday.

Mt. Rainier 63, Kentridge 15
Mount Rainier finished the season with a 20-0 overall record -- and the South Puget Sound League North Division title -- with Friday's lopsided win over the Chargers. Brittany McPhee led the Rams with 24 points.

Seattle Lutheran 43, Evergreen Lutheran 13
Evergreen Lutheran took a 30-point loss to the Saints on Friday.

Gymnastics
Seamount League
Mount Rainier hosted Seamount League action Friday.

Feb. 12 UPDATE:

West Seattle's Trenton Tibbetts, who wrestles for O'Dea, beat the same opponent for the regionals Feb. 11 at Eastside Catholic he beat a week earlier for the Metro matches. This time he won 11-2 and moves on to State Championships.

Totals for 2-11 Championship:

Class 3A Region 2
At Eastside Catholic H.S.

Team scores — O'Dea 201, Highline 179, Bainbridge 175, Bishop Blanchet 137, Hazen 136.5, Eastside Catholic 106, Nathan Hale 84, Ingraham 54, Kennedy Catholic 33, Franklin 29, Cleveland 26, Chief Sealth 23.5, Rainier Beach 10, West Seattle 9, Lakeside 7.5.

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Friday, Feb. 3
Boys basketball
Bainbridge 65, Chief Sealth 57
Chief Sealth ended its regular Metro League season with a 65-57 loss at Bainbridge Island this past Friday.
Eastside 70, West Seattle 51
Eastside Catholic got the best of West Seattle in Metro League action on Friday, Feb. 3.

Girls basketball
Eastside 63, West Seattle 37
Eastside Catholic blasted West Seattle in a Metro League final this past Friday.
Highline 74, Evergreen 38

The Highline Pirate’s boys’ basketball team visited the Evergreen Wolverines for a Seamount Conference game Friday night with Evergreen prevailing, 56-38. The teams came into the game with almost opposite conference record -- Evergreen had a record of 9-2, while Highline was 1-9.

From the start both teams looked good, running their plays, getting good shots, rebounding and playing tough defense. At the end of the first quarter the Wolverines led by four points. In the second quarter things were much the same with Evergreen still leading by only four points, 25-21.

The second half is when things came undone for Highline as Evergreen’s coach Tony White had his team playing more aggressive. It was almost like two different games. They put on a full court press that caused havoc for Highline which caused turnovers and easy baskets for Evergreen. Highline just wasn’t able to figure it out as they passed the ball from side to side, getting double teamed, and having problems advancing the ball up court.

DES MOINES--Competing without its top all-arounder, Allison Sherwin, the Decatur girls gymnastics team fell just short in its bid for a top two team ranking from the South Puget Sound League 3A/2A sub-district championships that would send it to West Central District.

Scoring 157.475 points, the Gators just missed second place Auburn-Mountainview's 160.525. Enumclaw ran away with the top spot to the West Central District meet at 172 725 on Saturday, Feb. 4.

All members on the two qualifying teams plus three additional all-around competitors and top seven additional individual event qualifiers earned spots to the district meet to be held Feb. 11 at Mount Rainier High School.

"Almost everybody made it to district, even though the team didn't," said Decatur head coach Patty Braun. "Our top all-arounder was missing, so what more can you do?"

Anna Paradee led the Gator gymnasts in the special qualifier category as the all-around No. 1 with a third place 34.2 score. The best scoring event for her was a 9.2 sixth place on the floor exercise.

A vault of 9.125 netted her a second place as her to finish.