April 2012

Denny International Middle School has produced a homegrown music video, now available on YouTube produced by "volunteer producer" Will Braden and features Principal Jeff Clark, and as listed, "Ms. Shculte, Mr. Burton, Mr. Watts, Mr. Higuchi, Mr. Brown, Mr. Lai, Mr. Cross," and is based on an original song "5 O'Clock" by recording artist T-Pain.

Entitled "MSP in the Morning" the video and song are about the Measurement of Student Progress test for grades 3 through 8). The test is described on the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction as:

"The Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) is the state’s exam for students in grades 3-8. The MSP name conveys the goal of the test: to measure student progress. State testing should never be the sole judge of a student’s academic skills and knowledge. A student’s entire performance should always be considered.

The MSP reading, math and science exams take one day. The writing exam takes two days. The MSP is also available in an online format. In spring 2012, grade 3 will be added.

Dave Bell is guilty as charged for moonlighting.
He works three 12-hour days on and three days off as master sergeant for the Des Moines police department, and on nights, off days and vacation days he doubles as a crew chief for the U-17 Miss Red Dot hydroplane on the unlimited circuit.

And he is not just any crew chief -- he was voted as the Crew Chief of the Year.

"Dave was chosen as the No. 1 crew chief of the sport," said U-17 fellow part owner John O'Brien.

Bell played his selection down, however.

"(Principle owner) Nate (Brown) is the crew chief on record, so he technically won it," Bell said. "The award is to the team, pretty much."
But Bell is putting in long hours, although he finds it pleasurable on the boat based in Preston, Wash.

"To me it's relaxing and I enjoy it," Bell said. "I can go up there and work in the middle of the night if I want to. The races are fun, and the interaction with people is at a different level than work. It's a lot more fun. People want to get up on the boat and everything."

Vacation time does not run out fast for Bell, who is a 32-year employee for the Des Moines police.

Former Fire Station 37 at 7300 35th s.w., left behind when the City built a more modern structure two blocks to the south 2 years ago will be sold by next week according to the real estate firm handling the listing.

Colliers Interntational that has been carrying the listing has taken the first round of offers and expect to get the final round next week and close the deal. "We'll pick the cream of the crop. We've gone back to those buyers for a second round of offers that are due next Wednesday and then we'll pick the buyer," said agent Arvin Vander Veen one of three brokers handling the listing. The other listing brokers are Greg Inglin and Steve Swanicke.

"We took the signs down because we're tired of getting phone calls on it," Vander Veen said laughing.

The station, an historic landmark built in 1925, is 5360 square feet and sits on a 9,464 square foot lot. There are six parking stalls at the rear of the building.

While many cigarette smokers will always buy their favorite brand by the box or carton at the convenience store no matter how high the price, some have recently switched to bargain do-it-yourself machines stationed in certain smoke shops to save big bucks. State tobacco taxes, 15 cents per cigarette, don't apply to those produced by these machines.

But if that's how you roll, you're soon out of luck as beginning in July, these cigarettes which now cost $36.50 a carton locally will almost double, with an additional $31 fee tacked on, as Olympia has nipped these machines in the bud for fear of losing revenue. Governor Gregoire is expected to sign the bill into law Wednesday, May 2. Legislators claim more than $12 million in increased revenue will come in the first year, slightly more annually after that.

Known at “The Mount,” Providence Mount St. Vincent finalized a significant expansion of their transitional care unit from 20 to just under 60 beds during the week of April 23, according to Mount spokeswoman Molly Swain.

The Mount provides assisted living, long term and end of life care in addition to transitional care services. Transitional care is described by Swain as “a place for people to come after a hospitalization to receive the skilled nursing and therapies needed to return home with an average stay of about 18 days.” Many Mount services are focused on the elderly, but Swain said transitional care rehabilitation is for people of any age.

“Our goal for our patients who come for a rehabilitation stay at Providence Mount St. Vincent is to not only help them regain their confidence and abilities to return home, but in many cases to help them achieve a level of health, strength, mobility, balance and independence they haven’t felt in years, “ Tom Mitchell, Mount administrator said.

The annual Seattle Lutheran High School football team fundraising dinner May 5, (open to the public) will feature former Seattle Seahawk Nesby Glasgow as a special guest speaker.

The dinner will be at the school at 4100 s.w. Genesee Street and begins at 5 pm.

Glasgow played 14 seasons in the National Football League from 1979 to 1992 playing Safety for the Baltimore Colts and the Seahawks. He attended the University of Washington and was recognized as part of the Century Team at the University of Washington. Glasgow was voted Team Captain and Defensive Player of the Year by both the Colts and Seahawks.

He has gone on to be a Project Director and Facilitator for West Seattle based Pacific Institute.

The Special Minister for the event Deacon Demetrius Deke Devers is also a former Washington Husky (he played Defensive End for the 1991 National Championship team).

As the Seamount League tennis regular season winds down, teams are on the verge of determining lineups for postseason action.

On Monday, April 23, at Highline High School, Kennedy Catholic posted a 7-2 team tennis victory against the Highline Pirates as both squads surveyed their players and evaluated future singles and doubles choices.

"Our girls team is young and inexperienced this season, but the girls are getting better and better each match," observed Lancer varsity coach Maryann Thorp. "Due to the (inclement) weather, we've had few practices. It's like hands-on training during the matches. They're great kids."

The returning boys team is in sharp contrast to the girls in terms of experience.

"The boys are really strong," she added. "The boys are doing so great. We just need to find playing time for all of them. It will be difficult to decide who plays."

Paramount among the talented and experienced group are Mitch and Jamie Thorp, who are back after winning last season's Class 3A boys doubles state championship. Taas Sribhibhadh played in boys state singles.

Burien lawmakers are expected to vote in May on placing a “Kids and Cops” initiative on the Burien election ballot.

As proposed by City Manager Mike Martin the six-year initiative would go to fund a surge in Burien police officers and provide grants to some city public elementary schools.

Funded by an increase in utility taxes, the initiative would need to be approved by Burien voters in the November general election or a special election early next year.

As envisioned by Martin, in the first two years $1.8 million-$2.3 million would be used to add 8-10 city police officers. Another $500,000 would go for discretionary public safety funding.

Following the two-year cops surge, the funding focus would shift for the next four years to kids in some Burien elementaries. The targeted schools would receive $300,000-$400,000.

But as Martin emphasized at the April 23 Burien council meeting all parts of the proposed plan are flexible and subject to council modification.

At the meeting, lawmakers heard the results of a survey prepared to gauge voter interest in the plan.

Sports Roundup

Monday, April 23
Baseball
Auburn 13, Mt. Rainier 2
Mount Rainier took a beating in a South Puget Sound League North Division game this past Monday.
Lindbergh 14, Evergreen 0
Evergreen was blanked by the Eagles in Monday Seamount League action.
Foster 10, Renton 2
The Bulldogs buried Renton in last Monday's game.
Hazen 16, Tyee 6
Hazen's Highlanders towered above the Totems this past Monday.
Life Christian 15, SCS 5
The Warriors also took a 10-run loss Monday.
Fastpitch
Graham-Kapowsin 7, Highline 0
The Pirates were shut out by Graham-Kapowsin last Monday.
Seattle Christian 13, Life Christian 0
The Warriors won big and earned a shutout Monday.
Tahoma 15, Mt. Rainier 0
Tahoma trounced the Rams on Monday, April 23.
Girls lacrosse
Mercer Island 24, Kennedy 0
The Islanders cruised past the Lancers last Monday.
Soccer
SCS 4, Life Christian 1
The Warriors won big last Monday.

Tuesday, April 24
Baseball
Hazen 2, Highline 1
Hazen edged past the Pirates this past Tuesday.
Kentridge 13, Mt. Rainier 3
The Rams were routed by the Chargers in Tuesday action.
Fastpitch
TJ 6, Mt. Rainier 1

Monday, April 23
Baseball
Lindbergh 14, Evergreen 0
Evergreen was felled by Lindbergh in a lopsided Seamount League game this past Monday.
Seattle Prep 7, Chief Sealth 1
Chief Sealth took a beating at the hands of Seattle Prep in Metro League action Monday, April 23.
O'Dea 5, West Seattle 2
O'Dea dealt the Wildcats a 5-2 loss last Monday.

Fastpitch
Seattle Prep 8, Chief Sealth 7
The Seahawks were edged by Seattle Prep in a one-run game last Monday.
Holy Names 7, West Seattle 2
West Seattle's Wildcats wound up on the losing side this past Monday.

Tennis
West Seattle 8, Ingraham 3
The Wildcats dominated Ingraham in a mixed tennis match Monday.
Eastside Catholic 7, Chief Sealth 4
Eastside Catholic got the best of Chief Sealth last Monday.

Tuesday, April 24
Boys soccer
Nathan Hale 7, West Seattle 0
West Seattle was blanked by Nathan Hale this past Tuesday.

Baseball
Chief Sealth 5, Bainbridge 3
Kyle Castillo struck out nine opposing hitters in Tuesday's win for the Seahawks and C.J. Hicks hit a triple, a double and a single with one RBI and two runs scored.