May 2012

Residents of North Highline will have the opportunity to cast their vote on annexation on November 6, 2012, and in advance of that vote Burien is starting their outreach process to inform citizens on what to expect if they become residents of the city.

Burien released a nine-page Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on annexation, available for download at the top of this story (or at their website). There is also an online tool to enter your address and find out if you are part of the proposed annexation zone.

The FAQ covers everything from boundaries of the proposed area and why Burien wants to annex, to more specific queries on taxes, public safety and utilities services.

Here are some highlights:

SLIDESHOW, CLICK ON PHOTO FOR MORE

The Highline Public Schools and Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence inaugural Highline Public Schools Scholar-Athlete, Coach and Community Recognition Banquet held Tuesday, May 22, was a big success. Enough money was raised in advance to donate from $500 to $2,500 to all 16 nominees chosen.

The event, organized by Terri McMahan, Highline Public Schools Director of Athletics, was held at Mount Rainier High School at 6:00 p.m. Scholarship recipients, coaches, community and business contributors and sponsors were honored, including the Highline Times for its sponsorship. More details about the event and a list of names of honorees appear in our article here.

Bob Rondeau, "Voice of the Huskies", was Master of Ceremonies. (He filled in for Dick Fain, KJR Radio host.) Highline Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Alan Spicciati welcomed scholars and helped hand out the awards.

On Tuesday, May 22, Seattle Public Schools released (in a memo to interim Superintendent Susan Enfield) the findings of an investigation into alleged misconduct by Lafayette Elementary Principal Jo Lute-Ervin in her handling of a sexual harassment claim involving students. The investigation found the principal did not violate school board policy, but recommended a better approach in the future.

It all started in early April when a male Lafayette Elementary student allegedly made inappropriate gestures that were possibly sexual in nature.

A student witness to the gestures told her parents, and those parents complained of sexual harassment to the principal on April 10, according to the SPS memo on the investigation.

The questioning of Lute-Ervin’s handling of the situation arose in what came next.

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, has been appointed to the Joint Higher Education Committee.

Appointed by Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, Kohl-Welles will join eight other lawmakers aiming to provide focus to increase educational attainment in Washington, including transitions from secondary to postsecondary and between and among postsecondary institutions.

The Joint Committee was created this session as part of House Bill 2483, which establishes the Student Achievement Council to replace the Higher Education Coordinating Board on July 1, 2012.

The purpose of the Joint Committee, which includes Democrats and Republicans from the Senate and House of Representatives, is to review the work of the Council and provide legislative feedback by December 1, 2012; engage with the Council and higher education community to create greater communication, coordination, and alignment between the system and expectations of the Legislature; and provide recommendations for higher education policy, including proposed legislation.

Seven Ballard High School track athletes are competing at the state competition this week. Here are their events and schedule:

Stuart Thomas
- Boys 110m hurdles
Preliminary heats Thursday at 5:35 pm
Final heat Friday at 5:45 pm
-Boys 300m hurdles
Preliminary heats Friday 1:30 pm
Final heat Saturday 11:55 am

Girls relay team: Emma Suchland, Carolyn Birkenfeld, Cora Davies, Mia Wrey, and Maria Culp
Girls 4x400m relay
Preliminary heats Thursday 9:15 pm
Final heat Saturday 5:30 pm

Emma Suchland
- 100m dash
Preliminary heats Friday 11:50 am
Final heat Saturday 1:10 pm
- 200m dash
Preliminary heats Friday 7:05 pm
Final heat Saturday 4:15 pm

Carolyn Birkenfeld
200m dash
Preliminary heats Friday 7:05 pm
Final heat Saturday 4:15 pm

Alex Bowns
Boys 1600m
Final race Saturday 4:20 pm

Mia Wrey
Girls 1600m
Final race Saturday 4:30 pm

The competition will be at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma. Follow the action live on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BallardHSSports

Principal at Chief Sealth International High School, Christopher Kinsey shared with us a letter he has sent to the community regarding the school's new Assistant Principal Andra Maughan,

Greetings CSIHS Community,

As we begin to close out our school year, I wanted to share with you an important addition to our staff for the 2012-2013 school year. Below is an email I sent to our staff today welcoming our new Assistant Principal, Andra Maughan.

I am writing this email to provide you all with an update on our Assistant Principal position. This has been an extensive process, and I want to thank everyone who participated on the screening and interview committees. The candidates have gone through a rigorous process which included a 45-minute, site-based interview and a school visit consisting of classroom walk throughs, tours, and a meet-and-greet with staff.

Seattle Police reports that there was a shooting on Sunday, May 20th, shortly after 9:00 a.m. at the Car Wash Palace on N.W. 85th Street and 8th Avenue N.W.

Officers responded and located a male in his 40′s with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Seattle Fire treated the man on scene before he was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Witnesses reported that the victim was sitting in his car at the Car Wash Palace when a male got into the victim’s vehicle and an argument ensued. The witness then heard a “pop”.

The suspect fled with an accomplice in a gold colored late 90’s Honda Accord eastbound in the alley south of N.W. 85th Street.

The suspect was described as non-Caucasian.

Information gathered at the scene indicates that this is not a random act. This is an open and active investigation.

By Jeff and Eileen Bidwell

Isn’t it amazing? Not so long ago we were all lamenting the seemingly endless rainy season. Then, as quickly as it arrived last fall, the dark spell was broken as Mother Nature waved her magic wand and the skies were transformed to clear and blue, decorating our Ballard landscape in luminous colors that come in all shapes and sizes.

It was under this blanket of blue that the Ballard Master Gardeners opened our Gardening Clinic at the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market.

Growing Vegetables Successfully

We began our fifth year on Sunday, May 6th, and spent that day and May 13th answering questions from our Ballard neighbors under stunning blue skies. The first question of the year came from a woman who wanted to know the best time to start a vegetable garden, and what to plant. In various forms, this was the most commonly asked question on both clinic days.

It's 3 o'clock on a Monday afternoon and inviting smells are starting to waft through the second floor hallways of Ballard High School, luring the occasional wandering teacher or staff to room SW209 where Ballard Cooks is in full swing.

A collaboration between Swedish’s Ballard Teen Health Center, The Ballard Farmer’s Market, and Seattle-King County Public Health, Ballard Cooks is a program to promote healthy eating by introducing youth to fresh, local foods and teaching them basic culinary skills.

Part of the newest generation of community kitchens, Ballard Cooks is the second program of its kind spearheaded by Diane Vinh of Community Kitchens Northwest.

"We empower students to make their own menu choices based on seasonal, fresh produce provided by generous donors. Our after-school cooking programs help build food literacy and cooking confidence among Seattle’s youth, and they are a lot of fun, too," according to Community Kitchen Northwest.

From October through May, Ballard Cooks meets every Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Selected Ballard parks may go brown this summer as Seattle Parks and Recreation tries to offset upcoming budget reductions by stopping or reducing watering selected Seattle parks.

Parks claims they pay about $1.25 million each year to irrigate 300 of Seattle’s 430-plus parks, and think they could reduce costs by reducing water usage.

“Our crews are excited about being able to make a tangible contribution to our water conservation efforts,” said Acting Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams in a press release. “It’s also an opportunity to learn what may happen during drought conditions and to validate the assumptions in our drought contingency plan.”

Parks conducted a study of water consumption over the past five years and evaluated landscape irrigation priorities in case a drought would occur. The results inspired the staff to put together a plan for testing Parks’ ability to cut water consumption without damaging the living assets.