June 2012

Sculptor Jean Thornber just turned 93, and is aging gracefully like the driftwood she has polished throughout her adult life. She is a West Seattle High School graduate of 1937.

She continues teaching her art at the Huntington Park activity center in Des Moines where she lives. She has also taught at Green River College and Highline College, and at community centers in Kent, Auburn, and Black Diamond. She sells her work through word of mouth, but avoids art fairs and shows.

"We take mother nature, and improve it," Thornber declared, referring to those who share her passion. "It's so much fun. You can't believe what you can do with an old muddy piece that mother nature's got out there once you bring it in here. We don't like perfect square pieces, or perfect circles, and will change the shape to form a sculpture. We can cut away pieces, but we never attach two pieces together. That wouldn't be art. It would be a craft.

Lifelong White Center resident Aileen Sison was confirmed as District 8 Civil Rights Commissioner June 12 by three King County Council members of the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee for a three year term. They included Joe McDermott, District 8, Larry Gossett, District 2, and Kathy Lambert, District 3.

District 8 includes Northern Burien, White Center, West Seattle, Vashon Island, and north Sea Tac.

There are nine total, one for each county district, and three at-large commissioners. She was appointed with the assistance of George Pieper, the current District 6 Commissioner and District Chair.

"George Pieper and I met through Camp Wellstone workshops," said Sison. "He said it would take a while, but it is soon to come together. Through the commission meetings, I plan to learn of a lot of opportunities to bring resources to the West Seattle and White Center area."

Des Moines sculptor Jean Thornber just turned 93, and is aging gracefully like the driftwood she has polished throughout her adult life. She continues teaching her art at the Huntington Park activity center where she lives. She has also taught at Green River College and Highline College, and at community centers in Kent, Auburn, and Black Diamond. She sells her work through word of mouth, but avoids art fairs and shows.

"We take mother nature, and improve it," Thornber declared, referring to those who share her passion. "It's so much fun. You can't believe what you can do with an old muddy piece that mother nature's got out there once you bring it in here. We don't like perfect square pieces, or perfect circles, and will change the shape to form a sculpture. We can cut away pieces, but we never attach two pieces together. That wouldn't be art. It would be a craft.

"To be a good 'driftwood hunter' you have to have what we call a 'seeing eye,'" she said. "We don't find our wood on salt water beaches. The tide comes in and out and it ends up as a stick, so we are looking around lakes, along rivers, and in sand dunes away from the beach. We only use dead wood."

By Patrick Robinson and David Rosen

The Automotive Collision Repair students at South Seattle Community College joined with legendary hydroplane driver Billy Schumacher, the new sponsor Beacon Plumbing and owner Tom Cahill and SSCC President Gary Oertli to unveil the brand new look for the hydroplane, set to race at Seafair this August.

During the ceremony instructors Steve Ford, Doug Clapper, Howard Andersen, and Eric Smock were recognized.

President Oertli recalled memories of his youth in West Seattle and how he would bring sandwiches to Seafair every year. He recounted meeting Seafair and hydroplane legend Bill Muncey and had his photo taken with him.

The students gave the race boat a complete make-over which included stripping the old paint, and applying the new color and clear coat. Heavy Duty Diesel and Automotive Technology students also performed major maintenance on the truck that will tow the boat for the 2012 racing season.

press release
In the coming week, the eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed overnight both Monday and Tuesday, June 18-19. The westbound lanes will be closed overnight on Wednesday, June 20.

On the morning of Thursday, June 21, the eastbound off-ramp at First Avenue S will be reopened.

Additional details on these and other project related traffic impacts in the coming week are outlined below.

Calendar of Upcoming Project Traffic Impacts:

Monday, June 18 – Wednesday, June 20

· Southbound traffic on East Marginal Way S at S Spokane Street will be detoured to the west and back south for three nights from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning. There may also be short-term restrictions on north to westbound turn movements.

Monday, June 18 – Tuesday, June 19

· Eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed at SR 99, with all traffic diverted to northbound SR 99. Traffic wishing to reach I-5 or SODO should use lower S Spokane Street. The closure will run from 10 p.m. both nights until 5 a.m. the following morning.

press release
Next Monday and Tuesday, June 18 and 19, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Seattle Department of Transportation Landscape Crews will be working on the bike trail that loops under the West Seattle Bridge at Harbor Island. Bicyclists will slow down and follow a very brief signed detour at the lower West Seattle Swing Bridge on 11th Ave SW on Harbor Island.

To accommodate the landscape workers, vehicle traffic will be reduced to one lane westbound on SW Spokane Street and one lane eastbound on Klickitat Avenue SW in the vicinity of 11th Avenue on Harbor Island.

Press release:

King County Executive Dow Constantine on Thursday, June 14 recommended alignments and station locations for two more RapidRide lines connecting Burien with Renton and Shoreline with Seattle.

The F Line in South King County will travel from the Burien Transit Center – via SeaTac and Tukwila – to downtown Renton, with a possible future extension to The Landing in North Renton. It will stop at both the Link light rail and Sounder train stations in Tukwila, plus connect workers to jobs at Sea-Tac Airport, Boeing worksites, and the Southcenter retail area.

“Implementation of the F Line is more than just moving people from one place to another,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson. “This east-west connection is about creating more opportunity for people to access jobs, services and shopping in South King County.

“With links to Link light rail and the Sounder, people of South County will have access to mobility options like never before.”

The Northwest Symphony Orchestra was awarded a First Place National ASCAP Award (given to an orchestra with an annual budget of up to $500,000) on Friday, June 8 at the League of American Orchestras Annual Awards Event at its 67th National Conference in Dallas, Texas. The Northwest Symphony Orchestra received this award for its outstanding commitment to the performance of works by local composers during its 25th Anniversary season. The League and ASCAP present awards each year to orchestras of all sizes for programs that challenge the audience, build the repertoire, and increase interest in music of our time. Approximately $700,000 has been bestowed on orchestras since the awards were established in 1947.

About ASCAP

The Amber Den, a cozy corner establishment on 17th Avenue N.W. and N.W. 56th Street, plans to close temporarily following normal service hours on Saturday, June 16.

The closure will allow for the completion of minor construction and interior updates. The Amber Den will reopen in July with a full bar, new menu and an “overhauled neighborhood attitude”.

“We always planned to spend our first few months listening to what the neighborhood told us they wanted here. We’re a neighborhood spot so it makes sense that we reflect those interests and incorporate elements of what makes our neighborhood spot uniquely neighborhood,” said Nick Simonton, proprietor of the Amber Den, in a statement.

The Amber Den quietly opened in February and quickly became a neighborhood favorite, serving over 4,000 customers since opening. Between February and June of this year, nearly 80 percent of its customers were surveyed, formally and informally, and asked what they wanted to see offered by the establishment.

It was a particularly emotional commencement ceremony for Highline Public School’s New Start High on June 12.

The school’s beloved science teacher, Beverly Mowrer is leaving the school…and the district.
Mowrer, who gave an inspirational commencement speech aided by a full box of tissues, noted to the students and staff, “I’m not ready to be done with you guys or the district or the community.”

But four years ago when she came down to Highline to from the small farming town of Bow, just south of Bellingham, she promised her husband it would be only for a year.

She’s rented a basement bedroom in Normandy Park from a fellow Highline teacher. She braved the 3-4 hour commute back to Bow every Friday night. The Monday morning return trip was easier—1-½ hours.

Her husband sat down recently and figured out they have spent an extra $20,000 the past four years so she could teach in Burien.

While she is done teaching in Highline, she has eight more years to go until she can collect full retirement benefits.

As of commencement day, she hadn’t yet applied for another teaching job.

“I’ve been too busy getting these guys graduated,” Mowrer explained.