June 2012

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.

Seven students in the Ballard High School Video Production Program were winners at this year's regional Emmy awards.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences gives High School Awards of Excellence to recognize the best in student television production. The regional awards celebrate outstanding work from five Northwest states: Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Entries are judged by the same professional organization that selects Emmy winners, and presented at the Northwest Regional Emmy Awards.

Ballard HIgh School's Ariahna Ghormley, Louis Weissman and Mackenzie Wright won for Photography/Editing on their commercial for Crash Landing Pizza. Walker Evans, Elise Neroutsos, James Vitz-Wong and Sam Weller won the Long Form Fiction category for their sinister short, The Craft.

This makes the sixth year in a row that students in the Ballard High School Video Production Program have been winners at the event.

Free West Seattle Business Networking Mixer
Windermere Real Estate Office
4526 California Ave. W.W.
Thursday, June 7, 6-8:30 p.m. West Seattle Chapter of ‘I Take the Lead’ hosts free networking mixer for local business owners. 6:30-7:30 guest speaker, Pamela Warren a Financial Advisor with Waddell & Reed, Inc.; 7:30 p.m. there will be a Raffling of some great prizes. All funds go to Lead with Heart for food baskets for families in need.

Duwamish Raven Canoe “Paddle to Suquaxin 2012” Support Event
Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center
4705 W. Marginal Way S.W.
Sunday, June 10, 1-4 p.m. Fun event supports the revival of NW Native Canoe Culture. Food (Indian Tacos), film, exhibits, art gallery show by Peter Boome, and more. $10 suggested donation supports the “Paddle to Suquaxin 2012” this summer. Free parking.
www.facebook.com/events/387265154642429/

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206 971 7169

The popular Garfield Drum Line returns to the Bridge Tavern in West Seattle June 8.Read our last year's story about their performance here.

Former Chief Sealth High pitcher Keone Kela has been selected by the Texas 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 the Rangers 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 Kela might now be a Texas Ranger.

K-5 STEM Meet & Greet (press release)

STEM stands for Science Technology, Engineering and Math. K-5 STEM is a public option Seattle Public School in West Seattle opening Fall 2012.

When: Wednesday, June 13th 6-8 pm

Where: Madison Middle School (3429 45th Ave SW)

Who: Enrolled families, interested families, community members, and partners

What: Meet the faculty and staff and get an update on K-5 STEM Fall 2012

For more information contact: Dr. Shannon McKinney (shmckinney@seattleschools.org)

Like a fine-cut gem, there are many scintillating facets to Marlow Harris, whose colorful world may have more expressions than Walter Mitty's. A real estate agent with Coldwell Banker, her Dream Homes website includes a nod to "Seattle Googie" (not Google) architecture reflecting 50's and 60's culture, "Seattle Tiki Fever", and "Vanishing Seattle", where the architecture was "using the vernacular of the area and the materials that were easily accessible in that locale", she writes.

Many area residents have spotted the maroon, mobile shrine to Elvis Presley, a 2001 VW camper van she and her husband Jo David created that visits area street fests, and have visited her permanent, deliberately tacky display, "Seattle's Official Bad Art Museum of Art", or "O.B.A.M.A.", including poker-playing dogs and crying clowns, which hangs in Cafe Racer. Yes, that Cafe Racer.

Harris lost some very dear friends in the May 30 shooting tragedy. She is helping publicize some upcoming fundraisers to assist families of those killed. She explained her connection to West Seattle, and to her loved ones she lost.

*** Please note that the following scenarios do not apply to situations, like the recent Pawn shop robbery, where lives are in danger.

The Burien Police Department (BPD) is contracted through the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO). The contract allows us to concentrate our resources in patrol and investigations. We do not carry or pay for the overhead of having our own SWAT or other less used, and expensive, resources unless and until we need them. This provides a cost savings to the Burien tax payer.

Currently, BPD regularly provides "mutual aid" and is provided mutual aid to/from KCSO in North Highline. That means if we're short an officer or they're short a deputy it's not normally THAT big of a deal to help each other out.

The KCSO West Precinct is responsible for patrolling Vashon Island, North Highline, West Hill-Skyway and the unincorporated areas West of Auburn south to the Pierce County line.

By Raechel Dawson, UW News Lab

The summer solstice is just around the corner, which means that Fremont is the place to be this weekend for the annual Fremont Fair and the popular Solstice parade.

The annual fair celebrates the arrival of summer with events that showcase all the quirkiness that resides in the self-proclaimed "Center of the Universe".

Now in its 41st year, the Fremont Fair will actually kick off on Friday, June 15, this year, adding an extra evening so that the Center of the Universe can commemorate summer one day earlier with twice the music, double the beer garden.

As always, the fair celebrates the community's “Delibertas Quirkas” or Freedom to be Peculiar, a motto that comes to life in the popular solstice parade.

Friday night, from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., fair goers will be able to relax with summer brews while listening to Kissing Potion, Unite-One, Soul Senate, Lucky Brown and Altered States of P-Funk at the Redhook Main Stage.

“Our production team works hard to get the Fremont Fair staged by Friday, so we decided to let the community in on the fun too,” said Lacey Lybecker in an email exchange.

Twenty-six life-size human sculptures of cast iron and aluminum will be revealed at Westlake Park today. Titled "Borders", the installation by Icelandic sculptor Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir will be one of two cross-town exhibitions opening today.

Coinciding with the installation at Westlake Park, "Borders at the Nordic Heritage Museum" opens today as well. This exhibition, open through August 28, features smaller figures by Thórarinsdóttir and photographs by Murray Head of the exhibition when New York City hosted Borders in 2011.

With her life-size sculptures, Thórarinsdóttir seeks to bring a significant and striking artistic experience to the daily lives of Seattle citizens and visitors. The figures will stand dispersed around the park and seated on park benches, mirroring each other in silent conversation and form unseen borders that visitors are welcome to cross — serving as ambassadors between sculptures.