July 2012

Deadline for receiving items for Community Calendar is 5 p.m. Wednesday for the following week’s Times/News. Events are published based on timeliness and space availability. Email submissions to: hteditor@robinsonnews.com Items can be accepted from nonprofit groups and government agencies only. Others may call Dona Ozier at 206-708-1378 for inclusion in our “Out & About” advertising section.
Auditions
ChoralSounds Northwest-- Auditions for Fall 2012 Concert. Adults 17+. Auditions are by appointment Aug. 25–Sept. 30, 2012. Persons interested in auditioning may contact 206.246.6040 or e-mail info@nwassociatedarts.org.

Call to artists

Burien’s Arts-a-Glow Lantern Festival-- Looking for artists interested in creating illuminated works for the 2012 festival to be held Sept. 8th. Works can be created for the festival or be already created work that needs to be repaired or altered. Fore more information, contact 206-988-3700.

It has been reported that property tax revenue in Burien is down 8.8 percent for 2012 and revenues will be down another 4.5 percent in 2013.

These figures are from the city of Burien's finance director.

This will put a strain on resources already stretched thin with costs like police increasing 4 percent according to city figures.

I want to draw the council’s attention to the fact, that as the elected government of the city of Burien, the council has a fiduciary responsibility to write a fiscally responsible budget.

The residents expect the council to take budgetary measures to prevent Burien from going into the red, without having to increase taxes or reduce services to compensate for the revenue shortfalls we are currently experiencing.

The 2012-2013 budget should include the projected costs of the annexation of Area Y, since the majority on the council is determined to see it through.

One thing for certain is that the current business plan the city is using, which is based on the Berk Report, is out of date and overstates the property tax revenue from Area Y.

(Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to King County Councilmember Julia Patterson with a copy to the Times/News. The writer included a news article on Normandy Park resident Erlin Garcia-Reyes. Garcia-Reyes pleaded guilty to felony hit-and-run for an accident that killed bicyclist Michael Wang. Federal immigration officials have requested an immigration hold be placed on Garcia-Reyes.)

Zack, a young man about the age of our kids, is permanently disabled by a drunk driver. No sports for him as he grew up.

Zack worked for years to get out of a wheelchair and walk.

We are not holding illegal convicted drunk drivers and turning them over to the FEDS, WHY?

How about a news conference?

Let’s deport criminals first and keep law-abiding immigrants.

What will you say to the parents or grandparents of a dead or maimed child, a victim of an illegal drunk driver?

We have too many drunk drivers without keeping the deportable.

Kevin Christian
Des Moines

I suggest the cities of Des Moines and SeaTac and the Port of Seattle collaborate to upgrade the Des Moines sewage treatment plant to Level Three so the water going into the creek and Puget Sound is fit for humans and sea life to drink.

That would set an example for our state

John Corr
Des Moines

(Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to SeaTac City Councilmember Dave Bush with a copy to the Highline Times.)

Dear Council member Bush,

Your off record comments at the end of the RCM on 07/10/12 calling me a racist were inappropriate. Your comments were witnessed by others and let this serve as notice that this behavior will not be tolerated on my part.

My comment to you was only meant to clarify who I was talking about in my own PUBLIC comments regarding a committee applicant whom I showed the decency of not calling them by name regarding their integrity.

Nothing I have said past, present, and future can be construed as racist and if you take a close look at me it is obvious why. I have endured lots of racism from all sides of the fence and it has become routine but I can cope and ignore it. Its called growing up and playing the cards you are dealt.

Your “blow-up” suggests you may have anger management issues and I have observed this previously. I can relate. In my past I have too so do not think I am unsympathetic. Your face turned beet red and I thought you might explode.

If the annexation meeting at the Dubsea Coffee Shop is any indication of what begin a part of Burien is like, COUNT ME OUT.

As a meeting place it was hot, noisy with loud fans, the coffee grinder going and not enough chairs. The City Manager/Martin started the meeting by telling us to expect more in property taxes, business taxes and fees. Medical marijuana dispensaries will be closed. He was really unable to tell us/North Highline what more he could give us for our extra taxes other than enforcing more codes and changing our culture up here.

It seems Burien has no monies to improve the road, park, and such. And he is not even sure how much money he really will get. Some people from the city of Burien raised the question of how much money he is going to get from the state because his report called the Berk Report gave a different amount of money he could get than what he was claiming.

Jerry Robison cut off one of the guys who was asking questions and refused to even let the guy finish his question about the law and this sales tax money. So the guy's question never got asked and we never heard the answer.

The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday, July 30 gave its unanimous approval to the proposed alignments and stations for Metro Transit’s two RapidRide lines that will begin operating in 2013.

One of the two routes will travel between Burien and Renton, making it the second RapidRide route to provide service to riders in south King County.

RapidRide route F will begin service in the fall of 2013. It will be joined by RapidRide route E which will connect Shoreline with downtown Seattle.

The F Line will offer a 10-mile connection between the Burien and Renton transit centers, serving major employment, commercial and retail centers in Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and Renton.

The F Line will replace Metro Route 140. Between the Burien Transit Center and the Tukwila Sounder Station, the F Line will follow the current Route 140 routing along South 156th Street, the Tukwila International Boulevard Link Station, Southcenter Boulevard, Westfield Mall and the surrounding commercial area.

The Metropolitan King County Council on Monday, July 30 gave its unanimous approval to the proposed alignments and stations for Metro Transit’s two RapidRide lines that will begin operating in 2013.

One of the two routes will travel between Burien and Renton, making it the second RapidRide route to provide service to riders in south King County.

RapidRide route F will begin service in the fall of 2013. It will be joined by RapidRide route E which will connect Shoreline with downtown Seattle.

The F Line will offer a 10-mile connection between the Burien and Renton transit centers, serving major employment, commercial and retail centers in Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila and Renton.

The F Line will replace Metro Route 140. Between the Burien Transit Center and the Tukwila Sounder Station, the F Line will follow the current Route 140 routing along South 156th Street, the Tukwila International Boulevard Link Station, Southcenter Boulevard, Westfield Mall and the surrounding commercial area.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to Flute Quest at Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, celebrating the Native American flute and world instruments.
The three-day music festival runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 17 through 19 at Saltwater State Park, 25205 8th Place South, Des Moines.
Flute Quest is the largest Native American flute festival in the Northwest and features internationally known flutists and accomplished local musicians.
Adults and children interested in the history and culture surrounding the Native American flute or wanting to learn how to play the flute are welcome to the festival.
The Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to the event.
The festival features beginner and accomplished musician workshops, flute and drum circles, flute and drum vendors and live music on the New Breath stage.

World-renowned instructors lead workshops for accomplished musicians (fees vary depending on program). Beginner workshops are free. Seating for all workshops is limited and participants can register in advance at www.flutequest.com

Burien Little Theatre announces auditions for the comedy A Tuna Christmas, written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard.

The producers are seeking two actors to each portray 12 quirky characters, both male and female, with split-second costume changes. A Texas/Southern dialect is recommended. Actors of all ethnicities are encouraged to audition.

Synopsis: Two versatile actors with split-second comedic timing and lightning-fast costume-change artistry, portray all 24 citizens of Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas, where the Lion's Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies!

This time, it's 24 hours before Christmas and the delightfully eccentric characters are attempting to cope with seasonal traumas such as a disaster prone theatre production of A Christmas Carol, and a yard-decorating contest being sabotaged by a mysterious Christmas phantom.

Performances are at Burien Little Theatre from Nov. 23 through Dec. 16, 2012. Rehearsals begin in mid-October. $100 stipend provided. Directed by Timothy Kelly.