May 2012

By Kyra-lin Hom

If you've been following my column – and no, I will not be docking points if you haven't – you know by now that I'm a fairly serious, left-wing Christian. I go to church every sunday, say my prayers and then go either dancing or bar-hopping with friends with nearly equal regularity. I don't see a contradiction. I believe I am perfectly able to express myself, be myself and be a good person who treats others as she would want to be treated. Mind blowing, I know.

In this regard, I'm very lucky to be where I am. My church, Tibbetts United Methodist Church (Tibbetts UMC), is a good fit. We're a reconciling congregation, which means that our West Seattle branch is 100% accepting of people of any sexual orientation. We do silly, goofy things during the church service that often fly in the face of traditional stiff-lipped sermons. My pastor and I even go to the same tattoo artist.

Okay, you get it, we're a liberal church. And you're probably wondering where I'm going with this. I promise I'm not just raving about the pros of socially liberal Christianity. Stick with me.

West Seattle High School All School Reunion
3000 California Ave. S.W.
Friday, June 1, 4-7 p.m.~View Classic Cars on S.W. Stevens St; 5-6 p.m.~Doors open, pick up programs, name tags, roam halls, food & refreshments available for purchase until 7 p.m.; 6-7:15 p.m.~Individual Class Reunions in assigned classrooms; 7-7:30 p.m.~WS Big Band playing in the Theater; 7:30-9 p.m.~Program in the Theater, Scholarships, Hall of Fame.

Arbor Heights School Carnival
3701 S.W. 104th St.
Cafeteria, Gym & Playground
Saturday, June 2, 3-6 p.m, rain or shine. Annual end of school Carnival with lots of games and fun, both outdoors and indoors. Play to win some awesome prizes! Delicious made-to-order tacos, hot dogs, cotton candy, chips & drinks. Wristbands for unlimited rides/$15. Game tickets are 50 cents each. Rides range from 2-4 tickets.

Free West Seattle Business Networking Mixer
Windermere Real Estate Office
4526 California Ave. W.W.

I don’t do puddles
On May 17 a construction crew was doing work on the 6000 block of Beach Drive S.W. The work required closure of one lane and a flagger was on duty safely guiding traffic. As a woman in a yellow Chevy Camaro approached, the flagger waved her to the left of the cones blocking off her lane. The woman asked if she could stay more to the right to avoid a puddle, and the flagger said she needed to go ahead and ford the puddle. Stories diverged at that point as the woman told police the flagger started pounding on her car as she drove past. The flagger said as soon as he told her she needed to go through the puddle, the woman swerved towards him, causing him to brace against the hood and push off the Camaro’s side to avoid getting hit. The foreman on duty said he turned just in time to see his flagger “bounce off the hood of the car,” at which time the woman stepped out of the Camaro and yelled, “I didn’t want to go through the puddle!.” No one was arrested.

Nice try guys

By Greg McCorkle

To celebrate his service franchise moving to a new location in downtown Burien, CEO of Home Task Network Jerrod Sessler organized a community event to celebrate local restaurants with the alliterative title of Burien Bites. “We wanted to give something to the community” said Sessler.

SLIDESHOW. CLICK ON PHOTO FOR MORE

Pin-Ups Against Cancer held its first charity bowling event at West Seattle Bowl,4505 39th Ave SW, Saturday. The theme was the popular movie "The Big Lebowski" starring "The Dude", Jeff Bridges. It contained well-known scenes in a bowling alley.

Activities included raffle, merchandise, costume, and bowling contests. Pin-up models circulated. While fun and games were offered, the message was serious.

According to its website, Pin-Up's Against Cancer is a group of pin-up models who have joined together to use their modeling experiences to draw attention to fund raising efforts of organizations directly connected to all forms of cancer, focusing on families in the Northwest. They organize their own charitable events, and funds go directly to families affected by cancer. They offer resources to those seeking other financial assistance with medical bills.

Kitty Mansfield of Federal Way is the president and founder of the year-old organization.

King County Press Release:

Officials express dismay at FEMA denial of reimbursement for cost of Green River Valley flood protection

FEMA denies $31 million reimbursement for levee and other costs associated with the Howard Hanson Dam flood threat

King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Flood Control District Chair Julia Patterson yesterday expressed disappointment at a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deny reimbursement for work done to protect the people of the Green River Valley from the flood threat posed by the federal Howard Hanson Dam. FEMA’s denial was the second and final stop in the federal appeal process.

“While we categorically disagree with FEMA’s determination from both a regulatory and pragmatic point of view, we are also aware that this ruling is the final step in the agency’s appeal process,” said Executive Constantine and County Council Chair Larry Gossett in a letter to the mayors of Kent, Auburn, Renton, and Tukwila.

National statistics show that nearly one-third of alcohol-related teen traffic deaths occur during April, May and June, when prom and graduation parties often turn tragic when teenagers drink or use drugs and get behind the wheel.

West Seattle High School has been part of a program since 2009 that is aimed at keeping teenagers safe and it's anything but boring.

In fact it promises to pack in more entertainment, than they would ever be likely to have into a safe but amazing package. Run through a Seattle based commercial venture called Grad Nights it starts late on graduation night June 16 and goes until 6am the next morning. Beginning at WSHS students pile into buses and are taken to secret locations where entertainment awaits.

The whole point of it is really fun, but fun in a safe environment. "More kids die the night of their high school graduation than any other night of the year said event organizer, Cheryl Ormsby. "The guy who started the company, his best friend was actually killed in an accident 40 years ago. It's why he started the company."

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.

Art Exhibits

Burien Community Center—Marquetry art by Dennis Harrison. Marquetry is an art form that uses only natural and dyed wood veneers in its presentation. It is a little-known art form in America, but it is hundreds of years old as practiced elsewhere. Through May 31. 14700 6th Ave. S.W. Mondays-Thursdays 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Classes

If interim Seattle schools superintendent Susan Enfield thought she could leave a squabbling school board behind for a harmonious board in Highline, she may have guessed wrong.

In an occasionally uncomfortable 90-minute work-study session on May 23, mediated by a Washington State School Directors Association (WSSDA) facilitator, board members hashed over their differences in leadership style and goals.

The board plans to schedule a three-hour study session soon with Enfield and facilitator Phil Gore to go over goals and expectations. Enfield’s officially takes over as Highline’s superintendent on July 1.

Gore told Highline board members that they need to come to a common agreement on how they work as a board.

With just a few weeks to set her leadership style, Enfield will need clear direction without mixed signals, Gore cautioned board members.

How do you improve a waterfront farmers market?

Move it closer to the water.

That’s what the organizers of the successful Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market have done. This year the market moves from the south end of the Des Moines Marina to the north end near the Harbormaster’s office.

The grand opening is Saturday, June 2 at 10 a.m. The market will open with a military color guard ceremony with the American Flag displayed from a South King Fire & Rescue engine.

Also on display will be a steel beam artifact from the World Trade Center in New York. The artifact is to be placed in a memorial at South King’s Federal Way headquarters to honor the firefighters who died on 9-11-2001.

The market will be open every Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through Oct. 27.

Opening day events also include a remote broadcast by WARM 106.9 FM and a classic cars display.

Besides the produce, arts and crafts and flowers, new this year is a “Boardwalk Bistro” plus tables to enjoy the food.

PW Dwyer will provide musical entertainment from noon-2 p.m.