March 2012

With temperatures warming and blue sky sightings increasing many barbeques are making it out of the garage, officially reporting for duty as the all-American grilling season begins.

Before you fire up the propane or dowse your coals with lighter fluid, here are some good safety reminders from the Seattle Fire Department to keep your home and family safe as the shrimps hit the barbie.

From the Seattle Fire Department Fire Line:

Every year, the Seattle Fire Department responds to fires caused by outdoor grilling. With the arrival of Spring and warming temperatures, the potential for an increase in grilling fires is much higher.

Here are some safety precautions to prevent grilling-related fires:

1)For gas grills, make certain the hose connection is tight and check the hoses for leaks. Turn the grill and fuel cylinder off immediately after grilling.

Information from King County
King County will be hosting two community meetings for Westwood Village Sunrise Heights neighbors to discuss the Barton Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) project. This project is designed to control CSOs at the Barton Pump Station near the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock.

1st meeting
Wednesday, March 28, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Presentation starts at 6:45
Westside School
7740 34th Ave S.W.

2nd meeting
Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. to noon
Presentation starts at 10:15
High Point Community Center
6920 34th Ave S.W.

The project team invites you to learn about:
- Streets selected for detailed evaluation
- Process used for street selection
- Next steps
- Opportunities for public input

Meetings include a short presentation on bioswale (rain garden) design and street selection, and sessions to discuss streets in detail and receive neighborhood feedback.

For more information, special accommodations, or questions, contact: Kristine Cramer at 206-263-3184 or kristine.kramer@kingcounty.gov.

Monday, March 19
Baseball
Eastside Catholic 6, Sealth 1
Nic Layton of Chief Sealth had a strong pitching outing last Monday but had only one run scored behind him in a loss.

West Seattle 7, Blanchet 2
The Wildcats won in Metro League action Monday.

Tyee 10, Evergreen 0
Chad Celestres struck out 12 in a one-hitter this past Monday and also hit 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Fastpitch

Tyee 19, Evergreen 9
Evergreen High School took a 10-run loss in a high scoring game Monday.
Tennis

West Seattle 9, Nathan Hale 2
West Seattle cruised to victory in a mixed tennis match played at Lincoln Park this past Monday.

Tuesday, March 20
Boys soccer
Tyee 5, Evergreen 1
Evergreen took a 5-1 loss to the Totems last Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 21
Baseball
Kennedy 18, Evergreen 0
The Wolverines were shut out in Wednesday, March 21 action.

Chief Sealth 16, Franklin 5
Layton hit 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI as the Seahawks trounced the Quakers this past Wednesday.

West Seattle 10, Ingraham 0

All was not lost when the University of San Diego gutted out a 58-47 win over Washington in the quarterfinals of the women's National Invitation Tournament Sunday afternoon in front of 1,140 fans at Hec Edmundson Pavillion.

In winning three straight WNIT games impressively to get the Elite Eight, the Huskies have rediscovered the glory of seasons past. It portends of better things to come for the women's basketball program, which had been reeling after four losing seasons under former coach Talia Jackson.

"Our team has turned the Husky program around and hopefully we (the underclassmen) can keep it going," UW freshman forward Aminah Williams said graciously after her team's tough loss. "I wish all our seniors the best of luck in everything they do in the future. It was great playing with them in my first college (playing) experience. I will never forget them."

By Bob Sims

All was not lost when the University of San Diego gutted out a 58-47 win over Washington in the quarterfinals of the women's National Invitation Tournament Sunday afternoon in front of 1,140 fans at Hec Edmundson Pavillion.

In winning three straight WNIT games impressively to get the Elite Eight, the Huskies have rediscovered the glory of seasons past. It portends of better things to come for the women's basketball program, which had been reeling after four losing seasons under former coach Talia Jackson.

"Our team has turned the Husky program around and hopefully we (the underclassmen) can keep it going," UW freshman forward Aminah Williams said graciously after her team's tough loss. "I wish all our seniors the best of luck in everything they do in the future. It was great playing with them in my first college (playing) experience. I will never forget them."

By Kyle Howard
Evergreen boy’s soccer team visited Tyee Tuesday, March 20 for both teams' first Seamount League matchup. It was a cold, rainy, windy, miserable night. Tyee showed great offensive execution as they beat Evergreen, 5-1, for their first win of the season.

Tyee found themselves down 0-1 early in the game when a Tyee defender accidently headed the ball into the Totems' own goal. Tyee was able to come out strong in the second half. Junior Freddi Altamarino opened the flood gates by scoring the Totems' first goal. From then on the Totems found their stride, scoring three more quickly after that and with one near the end beat the Wolverines 5-1.

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE

Tyee head coach John Yellam said after the game, “We had a great start for the first 20 minutes, then I felt like we stuttered a little bit for the rest of the half, and allowed them to control the game. But the whole second half we picked up our game.”

The Totems' next league game will be against Renton at home on Tuesday March 27. The Wolverines will play on the road against Foster on Friday, March 30.

When I look back at my heritage I find evidence of the pioneer spirit. My grandfather William Stanley McLaughlin bought into the Puget Sound Co-operative colony in Washington Territory in 1887 for the sum of $50. This entitled him to one 50 foot-front lot in the property to be acquired from the government. There were thirty-five members of the Incorporating Convention of the colony including three women. We now call this area Port Angeles.

My grandfather was named trustee of the new cooperative colony which was to be just that—cooperative in maintaining this community. They set up to live off the land and to share expertise. There were no TV experts urging them to buy products or showing them how to cook or keep house. Grandma cooked up a great mulligan stew which my own mother learned to cook and serve up to our family as well. My grandmother made decisions based upon her experience without leaning on anyone to persuade her.

Late last monday – that being March 19 – Israel took a large legal step against the rising rates of eating and body dysmorphic disorders sweeping across nearly every developed nation the world over. Their new law bans the Israeli media from using models with BMI's under 18.5 in catwalks, commercials and advertisements. Furthermore, the law also requires that disclaimers be placed on all images in which the models have been digitally altered to appear thinner. This is a good thing, and yet change always has a way of sparking the kindling of debate.

I don't quite understand how this is an issue. For me, it's simple. The media, whether it was the original intention or not, sets the visual ideal. Advertisements are, in fact, designed to make you want to have/use/be something “better.” And it just so happens that their product is what will get you there. Food commercials are orchestrated to make you hungry, car commercials to make you desire whatever new feature your current car doesn't have, and cosmetic commercials to make you feel ugly. Want is okay, but it's that feeling of need that makes you seek out a product. Do you get where I'm going with this?

     When I was a kid it was customary to play pranks on April Fools' Day. You know the story that began as far back as the 1500's when the calendar year began in April instead of January. Anyone who forgot was considered an APRIL FOOL. Tradition followed for folks to trick their friends into something for a laugh. We still do this today.

       Harmless fun I called it as I handed my sister's boss a small telescope to see the heavens. He placed it up to his eye, twisted the focus ring and simply could see nothing more than a white opaque light inside. He handed it back to me suggesting I was looney. I smirked at his beautiful "shiner" applied by himself with that twisting motion of the eye piece. He was none the wiser until my sis scooted me out of his office while she helped her boss with some tissue and water.

The Summer Sack Lunch program has been renamed the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and they are looking for appropriate sites to provide free snacks for kids this summer. You can apply at the link below.

SFSP is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and was established in 1968 to respond to growing research that correlated a child’s nutrition with academic success and concerns about the lack of nutrition resources for children during the summer months. The City of Seattle has operated this program in Seattle since the early 1970s.

The program provides no-cost breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for kids and teens ages 1-18. This 2012 program is expected to run from Monday, June 25 to Friday, August 24. The meals are served to children at approved sites where at least half the children are eligible for free or reduced price school lunches.

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