May 2012

Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA) held a “Coffee with your Congressman” event in the White Center neighborhood at DubSea Coffee 9910 8th Ave. s.w. on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at 10:00 A.M. It was the latest in a series of events that the Congressman is hosting throughout Washington’s 7th Congressional District.

The event was well attended with approximately 45 people in the room with questions for the congressman.

The 2010 health care law was a major topic of discussion with people questioning whether it will be upheld or struck down by the Supreme Court; Also on people's minds was the upcoming elections and the role of Super PACs; and, the economy and the ongoing housing situation.

There was also discussion about the industrial farming system and concerns over the growth of diabetes in America.

A day after new Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Jose Banda was voted into the job by a unanimous School Board vote he came to Arbor Heights Elementary School to take a tour, meet some students and answer some early questions from the media.

Banda, who is currently the Superintedent of the Anaheim City School District, will leave that job at the end of June and start his new role in Seattle in July.

The tour consisted of brief visits to reading and math classes where he took the time to speak to a few students about their studies.

He was accompanied by John Christenson Arbor Heights PTSA, School Board Member Marty McLaren, Principal Christy Collins, Aurora Lora

It was concluded with a rehearsal/performance by 5th graders
in the instrumental music program at Arbor Heights. This is part of school-day
instruction and is available (free of charge) to any 4th or 5th grader who is
interested.

At times during his visit, it was like a rockstar was on campus with 7 or 8 media people running ahead of him, and jockeying for position. Banda took it all in stride and spoke to teachers and students about what they were studying.

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Residents of Burien Nursing & Rehabilitation were treated to traditional music and dance Wednesday by five students from Auburn's Chinook Elementary School. The nursing home planned activities for its residents May 13 to 19 for National Nursing Home Week® 2012, or NNHW.

According to the NNHW website, its theme this year is "Celebrating the Journey". And while Burien Nursing & Rehab residents seemed charmed by the young dancers, and offered applause after each song, the kids, too, celebrated their journey from Auburn as they moved in circles and leaped with a spring in their steps to the beat of a traditional drum.

Chinook School instructor, Robin Pratt, said her dance group meets every week and performs around the Seattle area. Some have been in the group five years. The dance group includes more students than the five appearing.

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Jose Hernando. Mike Wang. Larry Kemp. Cecy krone. Fred Rehberger. Brad Nakatani. Kevin Black. Bryce Lewis. Terry McMacken, Marvin Miller. Carol Salomon. Susanne Scaringi. Joel Silvesan. Well over 70 cyclists came out on Wednesday night to ride in memory of these people and many more who were killed or injured by motor vehicles on the road.

Google any one of those names and you'll find a tragic ending. "Many of which could have been prevented," said ride organizer J Steve Mayo in his opening words at Gas Works park.

"Today there are a lot of cyclists that have passed away in the last years. These are not accidents. These are collisions and fatalities. Punishments have been trivial," Mayo stated. "We ride tonight to be visible. To remind people to share the road."

With over 300 rides world-wide, the Ride of Silence is a yearly international bicycle ride to commemorate cyclists killed or injured while riding on public streets. The event helps to raise awareness among motorists of the dangers they pose to cyclists.

The Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has announced nominees for the Northwest High School Awards of Excellence.  

These awards celebrate the most outstanding productions from five Northwest states -- Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska -- and BHS film students earned no less than seven nominations, the most of any school or program.

The winners will be announced on June 2nd at the 49th Annual Regional Emmy Awards ceremony.

Ballard’s nominations span four categories. In the technical category of Photography/Editor, BHS Video Production students garnered every nomination:

Photographer/Editor:

- Louis Weissman, Ariahna Ghormley and Mackenzie Wright for "Crash Landing Pizza".

- Louis Weissman, Nate Sawtell and Dylan Spence for "Safe at Last: The Story of Antwaan Dixon".

- Alex Johnston, Tony Meyer and Elizabeth Turnell for "Senior Assassin".

Writing:

- Louis Weissman, Nate Sawtell and Dylan Spence for "Safe at Last: The Story of Antwaan Dixon".

Long-Form, Fiction:

- Elise Neroutsos, Walker Evans, James Vitz-Wong and Sam Weller for "The Craft"

Despite a disappointing playoff loss to Issaquah, the Lady Beavers had one more chance to advance in the state tournament with last night's game against Skyline.

The score remained deadlocked at 0-0 until an exciting 6th inning when Ballard scored a pair of runs in the first half. With pitcher Andrea Jewett in the circle, Skyline was unable to rally.

The game concluded with Ballard shutting out Skyline 2-0.

Andrea Jewett posted 2 RBI's and 3 QABs defensively, and she pitched all game, striking out 8, and allowing one hit and 1 BB.

The Lady Beavers play again today at 3:00 p.m. at Hartman Field in a loser out game against Issaquah. They have to win today for an opportunity to play for state.

Track and Field:

Sixteen Ballard High School student-athletes competed in the Track and Field District Tournament on Wednesday. Among the participated athletes, the following five (AP STYLE) will advance to Friday's final:

Stu Thomas won the 110 meter hurdles and finished third in the 300 meter hurdles.
Emma Suchland won the 100 and 200 meter dash.
Alex Bowns took fourth in the 1600 meter.

CoolMom and Sustainable West Seattle are hosting a fundraiser Saturday, May 19th from 2 to 5pm to benefit some creative sustainable campaigns including local food, anti-idling, walking school buses, toxic runoff and recycling.

They do all this with small budgets and tireless volunteer energy, but with your help, they can continue their work to make West Seattle more sustainable. The event will be outdoors with an open bar, and snacks.

You may place bids on their online auction here: http://www.32auctions.com/organizations/1153/auctions/4169 and can resume your bidding at the event.

Some live auction items include a year's supply of pasta and sauce and Tour of the Cucina Fresca factory, A tour and lunch for 8 at the Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center, and a getaway to Lopez Island.

Buy your tickets ($25) here http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/239637 or pay at the door 4106 SW Findlay Street, 98136.

I’ve been listening to my friend Erika talk about her Zumba teacher’s tight butt for over a year now. Although I love a viewing of a good butt as much as the next gal, I didn’t want to have to enter a gym just to get a glimpse.
“I hate gyms,” I told her one day when we were at the park with the kids. “I like to get my exercise outside. Plus, I can take my walks with greasy hair, coffee breath and bad BO and never worry about seeing anyone.”
“I see you on your walks all the time?”
“You do?” Although this slightly alarmed me, it still didn’t warrant a trip to the gym. But then Erika took off her sweatshirt and revealed toned, muscular arms.
“Holy crap!” I screamed. “Where did you get those?”
“At the gym. After Zumba I lift free weights.”
After fondling her arms to make sure they were real, I asked her for the true test. “Wave to me,” I commanded. “No, lift your arm high and wave hard.”
And damn if her arm didn’t wave back at her. Up until that day, I had assumed a woman’s lower arm began waving back at her once she hit forty and there wasn’t anything we could do about it. Erika proved me wrong.

by Kaelyn Sayles

It was a close game. It was an aggressive game. It was a game with advancement on the line.

In the end, the undefeated Shorewood Thunderbirds out-scored the Chief Sealth Seahawks 2-1 Wednesday night at Shoreline Stadium.

This would mark the end of Sealth's 3A State Soccer tournament hopes.

But in all of his 15 years as coach, Sealth head coach Ron Johnson said this has been his best team - playing with both passion and heart. Not to mention, skills.

It was obvious as the Seahawks left the field, that memories of this close, hard-fought game would take some time to get over.

After a scoreless first half, Sealth was hopeful something would turn in their favor.

“We just told them you’ve got to keep the hard-fought play up like we did the first half and just continue, and something was going to break,” Johnson said.
Throughout the game, there were a lot of shots on goal for both teams, but Shorewood seemed to spend most time on Sealth’s end of the field. There were also a lot of fouls.

There were two yellow cards, both given to Sealth players, but both teams played aggressively, knowing what was at stake.

West Seattle High School baseball head coach Velko Vitalich and assistant coach Brian Tupper made a promise to their Wildcat squad a few weeks ago: You make the playoffs; you can give us Mohawk haircuts.

Well, guess what?

With a 2-1 victory over Liberty on May 16 and an upcoming 3A regional playoff game against Timberline on Saturday, May 19, the coaches’ fate was sealed.

The kids have gotten Mohawks at playoff time for years as a superstitious tradition, and Tupper said he would do it too if they kept on winning.

“(Tupper) said, ‘How about you coach?’ In one of my dumber moments I said, ya, I guess I could do that,” Vitalich said before the cut. “And now we are at State, so I guess I’ll have to pay up.”

“Hope it doesn’t look too bad because I have a banquet to go to Friday and a coaches’ meeting tonight, so probably a lot of hat wearing the next few days.”

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