June 2012

press release:
Drivers should expect a series of closures of the State Route 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct next week as crews continue to reinforce a two-block section of the structure located above the route of the future SR 99 tunnel.

SR 99 tunnel crews will close both directions of the viaduct starting Friday night, June 15, until the morning of Monday, June 18.

Crews will use both closures to continue wrapping a protective reinforcing fiber around the concrete beams of the viaduct’s upper deck between South Washington and Columbia streets in Pioneer Square. The fiber will protect this section of the viaduct when crews drive the tunnel boring machine beneath it in late 2013.

“Protecting this section of the viaduct is a precaution that helps us keep the SR 99 corridor open during tunnel construction,” said Matt Preedy, WSDOT Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program deputy administrator. “We are doing our best to minimize the number of times we have to close the viaduct as we continue to prepare for tunneling.”

Closure details

Seattle Department of Transportation shared this information:

After some unforeseen challenges that delayed work on the RapidRide bus stops at 35th Avenue SW and SW Avalon Way, the contractor has begun pouring the new sidewalk on the west side of the street, and
hopes to reopen the sidewalk on the west side of the street by the end of the week of June 18.

In the interim, the temporary westside sidewalk has been more clearly delineated to make it safer for pedestrians. The temporary sidewalk is also ADA compliant with temporary ramps for wheelchairs to maneuver between the section of the sidewalk still open and the temporary sidewalk. In addition, a police officer will be present through the week of June 18 while construction activities are occurring to ensure safety and smooth the flow of traffic.

As Brent Ray Fraser prepared his oil sticks and sized up his massive canvas plastered with a backdrop of nostalgic nude photography of the female form from decades bygone, an eclectic musical score filling the studio with deep bass, a woman came up and asked what he was going to paint.

“I have no idea,” he replied, “You are going to find out with me.”

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West Seattle art aficionados were treated to a live art performance from Fraser, a Canadian artist, on June 14 as part of the monthly West Seattle Artwalk, while tasting the Siren Song wines of local vintner Kevin Brown.

Fraser’s “Nostalgia” collection is adorning the walls of Mind Unwind, the Admiral District art gallery and studio located at 2206A California Ave S.W, until the end of June; its first stop on an international tour. The artist had made two trips from north of the border to interact with his audience (and potential customers), which he describes as a critical part of his artistic process.

It started with self-evaluation.

The Northwest Baseball Umpires Association (NWBUA) has announced they are recognizing West Seattle High School Baseball Coach Velko Vitalich as their 2012 Coach of the Year.

The members of the NWBUA recognize Coach Vitalich for his outstanding contributions to the lessons he imparts to his West Seattle High School team and students.

Coach Vitalich exemplifies the extension of the classroom to our athletic fields by his consistent and exceptional portrayal of the highest ideals. The West Seattle High School teams and students all benefit from their participation in the opportunities to experience competition, leadership, honor, respect, confidence, teamwork, focus, discipline, humility, pride and determination.

President : Rich Johnson
Director: John Philbeck

Thousands of Seattle SuperSonics NBA fans converged on Occidental Park in Pioneer Square June 14 to cheer their favorite former players, Detlef Schrempf, Slick Watts, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Nate Robinson and others, and boo their least favorite team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their mantra, "We want our team back!" And for two hours it seemed like they got their wish.

Taking the stage at the organized rally between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. were, in addition to the players, arena investor Chris Hansen, arena supporter, King County Executive Dow Constantine and other politicians, and musical performers Common Market, the Presidents of the United States of America and the Blue Scholars. Emcee was Kevin Calabro, play-by-play announcer and talk show host for 710 ESPN Radio Seattle.

The rally was organized by Hansen and his group, www.sonicsarena.com (Sonics Arena), which promotes tweeting, petitioning, letter-writing, and creating a video to direct your support for the return of the SuperSonics to City and County Council members.

The very first "Bark of Morgan" canine competition is now set to take place June 23 during the Morgan Junction Community Festival. The festival is held at the intersection of California Ave SW and Fauntleroy Way SW in West Seattle and is sponsored by The Morgan Community Association (MoCA). All well-behaved leashed dogs (over the age of 4 months) are invited to bring their owners and participate.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
2:00 - Pooch Parade: The parade of pooches will line up starting at 2:00pm north of the Morgan Junction Park along SW Eddy Street. Look for the signs. We will parade through Festival venues to the Bank Stage. Costumes optional.

2:15 - Contests: “Bark of Morgan” contests:
1) Cutest Puppy (4 months up to 9 months),
2) Best Trick,
3) Best Dog/Owner Look-Alike

First and second place contestants will be selected via the ‘audience applause meter’ as monitored by the MC and will be awarded commemorative medallions.

All “Bark of Morgan” participants will receive a special prize.

I don't know where he found it but number five son Scott Anthony somehow discovered a bruised and battered two door Chevy sedan someone had left to die.

It was on its side in a field near the airport flight path. With some of his teenage friends he got it on its wheels and managed to pull it with a chain and some luck up to our house.

He then came, muddy and merrily, into the house with the announcement that he and I could restore it and I would not have to help him buy a car for his 16th birthday.

He then tugged me outside to look at his muddy discovery.

I had built lots of things for the kids but had never tried to restore a battered, mud-covered mother-of-all-discards.

"I am going to make this baby sparkle by my birthday," he grinned, "But I could use a little help."
....There goes my golf match.

I had a garage but that was it. No air compressor, no paint gun, and certainly no experience.

I gave Scott a hundred reasons why it would be a foolish endeavor.

He calmly shot down all of them and as I looked on, he got his chums to help him manhandle the pile of junk into the empty garage.

Press release:

Members are being sought for pro and con committees to prepare statements on the proposed annexation of North Highline that will be included in the King County Local Voters’ Pamphlet.

At its April 2 meeting, the Burien City Council adopted Resolution No. 330, placing Proposition 1 on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. Proposition 1 is the North Highline Area “Y” Annexation Area proposed annexation to the city of Burien.

This proposition seeks voter approval of the annexation into the city of Burien of an area commonly known as the North Highline Area “Y" Annexation Area. The area consists of approximately 2,045 acres and 17,392 residents.

The area is generally described as lying north of the corporate boundaries of the city of Burien, south and east of the corporate boundaries of the city of Seattle, and west of SR-99 adjacent to the city of Tukwila and the city of Tukwila corporate boundaries. The area is legally described in Resolution No. 330.

Each committee’s statement must be no more than 200 words in length and must be submitted to King County Elections no later than 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 15.

The Des Moines Area Food Bank will be offering a summer feeding program to children in the area.

The summer meals program has developed over the past three years in response to the high need for food among children in the area.

Two out of three students in Des Moines’ local elementary schools qualify for the federal free and reduced meal program and 1 in 5 children in South King County live in families that 'often' or 'sometimes' run out of food.

Program partners include the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department, the Des Moines Farmers Market, New Futures, Para Los Niños and the YMCA.

The program will be operating seventeen sites. Thirteen sites will be serving both lunch and snacks, and three sites will be serving only lunch. Three of the sites will also have recreation/activities for children.

One new highlight will be providing suppers for children at the Wednesday evening summer concert series to be held in Des Moines. Site information can be found at www.myfoodbank.org/summermeals.

Here is the schedule of locations:

Parkside Elementary School (2104 S. 247th St, Des Moines)

SLIDESHOW, Click on photo for more

Thousands of Seattle SuperSonics NBA fans, many from West Seattle, converged on Occidental Park in Pioneer Square yesterday to cheer their favorite former players, Detlef Schrempf, Slick Watts, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Nate Robinson and others, and boo their least favorite team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their mantra, "We want our team back!" And for two hours it seemed like they got their wish.

Taking the stage at the organized rally between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. were, in addition to the players, arena investor Chris Hansen, arena supporter, King County Executive Dow Constantine and other politicians, (see slideshow) and musical performers Common Market, the Presidents of the United States of America and the Blue Scholars. Emcee was Kevin Calabro, play-by-play announcer and talk show host for 710 ESPN Radio Seattle.

Before taking the stage, Slick Watts told the West Seattle Herald, "We've got to keep the people interested so that the City Council can understand that we've got fan support, and that's the key. And this is really good today."

He added, "My son Donald still coaches at West Seattle High School."