June 2012

By Gwen Davis

Burien city council members were “dismayed” when Jim Atkins, manager of the developing company Urban Partners, read a letter at the June 4th Burien City Council meeting accusing the council of “refusing to cooperate” with his company.

The issue at hand was Resolution 344 – which unanimously passed that evening – that considered whether the city should repurchase three undeveloped Burien Town Square parcels.

As the City of Burien’s website explains:
“In 2002, the City purchased the Town Square property at fair market value of $4,050,000 and invested significant public resources in constructing and maintaining transportation and park facilities in the Town Square. Following a Request of Qualifications process, the City sold the Town Square property consisting of Parcels I, IV, V, and VI to Urban Ventures Burien, LLC ("Owner/Developer"), at fair market value of $4,666,016 pursuant to a Disposition and Development Agreement dated June 29, 2005.”

Congrats graduates!

Four Ballard High School graduated from Cornish College of the Arts:

Joanna Brownrigg - B.F.A. in  Art, with concentration in Photography
Louisa Buckland Cranston - B.F.A. in Design, with concentration in Visual communication (Magna Cum Laude)
Jasmin Kwan - B.F.A. in Art, with concentration in Photography and Video
Sydney Tucker - B.F.A.  in Theater, with concentration in Acting (Magna Cum Laude)

And the following Seattle area students will be graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts:

Rebecca Lynn Adamec,  
Brianna Kathryn Ahron 
Elizabeth Rose Allison   
Aleksander Fjaerestad Amundsen
Kelsey Ann Anderson  
 Teresa Marie Bailey  
Ornella Elsa Bardinelli  
Travis Allen Barnes  
Collin Robert Belcher  
Daniel Charles Belmore  
Adrian Shu Sha Bennett  
Jacob Samuel Bennett  
Mark Quevedo Bensadon  
Christopher Allen Berg  
Joshua D Berg  
Yekaterina Aleksandrovna Borisenko 
Naida Alexandria Boyer 
Tyler Leigh Britton  
Jessica Elaine Brodland  
Keith Robert Brodland  
Paige Frances Brooks  
Jeremy Michael Brumbaugh  

Roxhill Elementary School Principal Carmel Dellino shared news about an upcoming fundraiser for students headed to camp.

"Shadowland in West Seattle is hosting a fundraiser for Roxhill for Islandwood. 15% of all proceeds from 3pm to close on June 16th will go to Roxhill to support our 5th graders going to camp. Many from the Roxhill staff are going to try to be there from 7 – 10:00.

This is a great way to support our school and a very valuable program! A huge shout out to Grant Cho of Shadowland for supporting one of our West Seattle Elementary schools."

Shadowland is located at 4458 California Avenue Southwest.

press release

Beginning on Monday, June 11 through Friday morning, June 15 the southbound Metro bus routes 54, 120 and 125 will be rerouted off the Alaskan Way Viaduct to accommodate work being performed by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The overnight closures are expected to be from 9:00 PM each night until 5:00 AM the following morning, however, start and end times can change without notice. Visit the WSDOT website or check media reports for updates.

Routes 54, 120 and 125 will travel instead via I-5. Their last stop in downtown Seattle will be southbound on 3rd Av just south of Columbia St. They will not serve the stop westbound on Columbia St at 2nd Av.

Northbound Viaduct service is not affected.

by Sam Reed
Chief Sealth International High School
Athletic Director/Activity Coordinator

It is my belief that the 2012 spring sports season at Chief Sealth International High School will be one that sets a new standard for excellence and success and will be a season that we look back on as a building block toward growing the premier athletic program in Seattle Public Schools.

This group of Seahawk student-athletes, totaling 262, pushed each other in and out of competition, represented the school well in League, District and State, is set to graduate a great group Seniors that have laid a strong foundation, and yet have prepared a young squad of competitors set to build on these successes. Thanks to the hard work of those athletes, a tremendous group of coaches, and great crowd support, the 2012 spring sports season sure was a lot of fun!

The Seattle Police reports that Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives have solved the July 28, 2011 hit-and-run case on Dexter Avenue N that killed Michael Wang. Details will be revealed later today.

Michael Wang was an esteemed photographer who worked with the local nonprofit group, PATH. Wang biked to work from Shoreline to South Lake Union everyday and was killed last Thursday, July 28, 2011, when he was struck by a black SUV on Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street.

At a press conference on Thursday morning, Seattle Police announced that the suspect is Erlin Garcia-Reyes, 28, of Normandy Park.

Police went to Garcia-Reyes’ home on Wednesday to interview him about the incident. Garcia-Reyes was placed under arrest for felony hit-and run following the interview.

"As we all know, tragedies can not be undone but at least today we'll be able to give some positive news surrounding one of the tragedies that occurred here in the city of Seattle," said Assistant Chief Paul McDonagh.

McDonagh said the case had been "very difficult" and credited the community's engagement, the many tips, and good detective work for the arrest.

An equipment failure has knocked out power for 87 homes south of 128th s.w. and east of 14th Ave. s.w. and extending across Ambaum Way s.w. over to approximately 10th Ave. s.w.

City Light estimates restoration will happen after 4 pm today.

You can check the status of power using the City Light System Status Page here.

press release
Students in South Seattle Community College’s Automotive Collision Repair program will have the opportunity to see their work making waves in the waters of Lake Washington this summer, after they finish their makeover of the Schumacher Racing unlimited hydroplane.

The No. 37 hydroplane currently housed at the college in West Seattle is owned by legendary Billy Schumacher (“Billy the Kid”), the former unlimited champion driver who won 17 races from 1967-1976, and is perhaps best known for his unprecedented string of wins with the Miss Bardahl team. Schumacher Racing pays a shop fee and materials costs for the project.

The newly-painted and refinished boat will carry the South Seattle Community College name and logo on its side, as it competes throughout the U.S. and in Qatar during the 2012 racing season.

According to instructor Steve Ford, the project couldn’t have come at a better time. His spring quarter curriculum focuses on painting and refinishing, and he has grouped students into three teams that work on fabrication, prep, and paint. Their assignments all serve as final performance tests on problem solving and critical skills.

The West Seattle High School Alumni Association has awarded 7 new and 5 returning scholarships to West Seattle High School graduates for a total of $76,500.

Two of the returning students are college juniors:

RAYMOND CARTER -- ($6,000) Awarded the Clarence and Margaret Duke-Rader Memorial Scholarship. Raymond is a third generation WSHS graduate. He is attending the UW majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in music.

KAREN LOWE -- ($8,000) WSHS Alumni Scholarship attends the UW and is majoring in Bio-Chemistry. Karen’s uncle is a Class of 1958 Alum.

Three students are returning sophomores:

CHRISTIAN CARPIO -- (All expenses) Ross & Viola Galbreath Scholarship. Christian is attending the UW and majoring in Engineering.

LAUREN JEGLUM -- ($3,500) Tim Brenton Scholarship, attending Seattle University in the School of Nursing. She is a second generation WSHS graduate.

MICHAEL SWANSON -- ($8,000) WSHS Alumni Scholarship, attending the UW, majoring in Business and is on the Dean’s List.

Former Chief Sealth High pitcher Keone Kela has been selected by theTexas Rangers in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.Kela, a 2011 Seahawk grad, was picked in the 12th round, the 396th pick in the nation."This pick marked the fifth straight right-handed pitcher taken by theRangers and the tenth college player in a row selected by them," according to ML Baseball Blogs.Kela, at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the 29th round last year, but chose to attend Everett Community College instead."The right-hander has a "loose arm," M's scouting director Tom McNamara told Seattle Times' Larry Stone last year. (In baseball parlance, a "loose arm" is a flexible arm; quick and strong.)"Sometimes those local guys, you want to take them, and someone's taking them before you," McNamara said. "We were glad to have him."Too bad Keone is now a Texas Ranger.