July 2012

Granite Falls mayor won't be charged for Sea-Tac incident
The King County prosecutor's office has decided not to file charges against Granite Falls mayor because of insufficient evidence.
Haroon Saleem, 58, was arrested on alleged felony harassment charges after threatening a family member at SeaTac Airport. Port of Seattle police received reports of a man shouting at family members and threatening harm. The mayor was at Sea-Tac picking up his daughter after a trip with her cousin. Allegedly, the daughter was treated badly on this trip and the mayor confronted the niece. Saleem is planning on suing the Port of Seattle Police for a wrongful arrest. He feels police discriminated against him.

Missing 7 year old SeaTac girl found safe
A 7-year-old autistic girl who went missing in the SeaTac area has been found safe. The girl was last seen in the 3300 block of South 211th Street on the evening of July 12th. Her mother said she was being cared for at a private home daycare in SeaTac. She received a call from the daycare that her daughter had gone missing. Police were alerted right away and deputies found the 7 year old at a location in SeaTac.

The nice weather last week brought out the neighborhood lemonade sellers on many street corners. In Seahurst these youngsters and young adults seemed to be having a great time offering blue cups of pink lemonade. The kid with the juice wants to know why the photographer isn't buying?

It was a tough tussle of determined teams that produced a champion.

Solid hitting and defense teamed up to lead the unbeaten Pac West All-Stars to a 15-6 championship victory against a tough Rainier District team at the Washington State District VII 9-10 age Little League Baseball All-Star tournament in July 6th action at the Pac West Fields in SeaTac.

Pac West earned a state tournament berth hosted by District 10 with its opening game scheduled for high noon on Saturday at GSA Park of Auburn against a District V team.
Rainier's only other loss was to Pac West in the second round.

"We basically out hit everybody," said Pac West manager Roger Patten. "Today we had good defense and we have plenty of bats. Rainier is a tough team. They're relentless. Just when they're at the cusp of being blown out, they wouldn't go away. We have plenty of pitchers when we go to state."

Like troublesome tornadoes, the Pac West All-Stars devastated their opponents with swirling winds of early destruction.

Family and friends are mourning the loss of 20-year-old Ben Huppe, a West Seattle resident and 2010 graduate of Garfield High School where he helped start a non-profit that brings technology to underdeveloped nations.

According to a Seattle Times article about the young humanitarian, Huppe died in a single car accident in Kitsap County on Saturday morning, July 14 after his vehicle left the road, went down and embankment and crashed into a tree. Troopers believe he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Huppe was a founding member of Technology Services Corps (TSC), a non-profit “that engages youth in technology-oriented service projects, including working in teams to refurbish used computers, to install them in underserved areas around the world, and to teach the recipients in the use and maintenance of the computers.”

Jubilee Days kicks off their 2012 community event with the family owned Davis Shows NW on Wednesday July 18th. at Steve Cox Memorial Park. The carnival opens to the public at 4pm followed by our ever popular fireworks show that evening.

The two day street fair opens at 10am Saturday July 21st. with two entertainment stages, beer garden, car show, kids center, and vendors row along 17th Ave SW south of SW Roxbury. Plenty of food, music, and fun.

Jubilee Days organizers said, "For our neighbors in West Seattle, when your finished enjoying your fantastic parade come on down to White Center and complete your days enjoyment by attending our street fair."

On Sunday July 22nd the fun continues with the Jubilee Days Parade starting at 11:30am. The parade route starts at SW 112th St. and heads north on 16th Ave SW to SW 100th St. After the parade an awards ceremony will be held at the south stage beginning at 1:30pm.

The street fair continues on Sunday with north (main) stage entertainment provided by “My Wife’s Book Club” and the always popular children’s act “The Not Its” on the south (family) stage.

If you'd like to improve your photography skills, getting them up to speed with digital, or if you love to cook and want to get your grill skills polished and primed South Seattle Community College has some Continuing Education classes ready for registration later this month and in August.

Register Online at www.LearnatSouth.org

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES
Meredith Blache, a West Seattle resident, brings her outstanding photography and instruction skills to South Seattle Community College with guidance for the new or experienced digital photographer. This quarter she is offering:

Beyond Introduction to Photoshop
Saturday, July 21
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
$125

Intro to Adobe Photoshop Elements
Saturday, July 28
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
$125

Getting Great Digital Photos
Saturday, August 4
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
$125

Street Life Photography – Seattle’s Waterfront and Pike Place Market
Saturday, August 18
10:00 am – 4:00 pm
$69

FACEBOOK FOR SENIORS

SEATAC--It was as close as close could be.

West Seattle squeaked to three one-run victories in a row to claim the District 7 Senior age 14-14 Little League baseball all-star championship and the state berth that goes with it.

The Westsiders open the 10-day double-elimination state tournament with a 1 p.m. game Monday, July 16 at the Sherman Anderson complex in Mount Vernon.

"At least it's this side of the mountains," said West Seattle manager Vinnie Sposari. "A couple of years ago we went to Spokane. This time we can go home to our own beds. I like our chances when we can do that."
Sposari and the West Seattle team also liked their chances going into the District 7 tournament at the PacWest complex in SeaTac, but had to do things the hard way after losing their opener to South Highline National, 3-2. They bounced back to beat Renton by a 4-3 score, then edged South Highline National, 4-3, in eight innings in the provisional championship game to force a second if-necessary game Friday.

That turned out to be another close pitcher's dual, with West Seattle winning, 3-2, on a run in the bottom of the seventh.

By Kaelyn Sayles

On a sunny Wednesday evening amidst the smell of sunscreen, South Highline National took on Pac-West in the District 7 Little League All-Star Tournament.

South Highline traveled to the Bar-S Playfields in Alki to keep their tournament hopes alive. Pac-West came to seal the deal with a championship.

At the end of the sixth, Pac-West became tournament champions, beating National 10-9.

“Before the game, we just said that they need to stay focused and try to finish it off tonight so we didn’t have to play tomorrow,” Pac-West coach Luke Hagler said. “All that hard work; this is what they were working for.”

It was a hard-fought game on both sides, with aggressive hitting, throwing and, of course, cheering.

Pac-West came out strong with their leadoff hitter Tony Brookbank hitting a home run to set the tone for the rest of the game.

Pac-West went on to score three more in the first inning while National scored none. That didn't last long as by the end of the fourth, National was up 7-4 after National player Trey Hunt hit a homer.

From then on, it was a close game, full of focused players and an anxious crowd.

AUBURN - Once their pitchers were securely settled in, the District VII Pac West All-Stars were ready to rally.

Kayla Siler and Timothy Brodigan combined for a five-hitter to serve up a 4-2 victory against District V Walla Walla Pacific in opening round action of the 2012 Washington State Little League Baseball 9-10 age tournament on Saturday at GSA Park.

District VII qualified for a winners bracket match up against District III Chehalis at noon Sunday but lost that game, 15-5.

Siler surrendered only one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings of pitching against Walla Walla while Brodgigan brought his best in allowing one run on two hits in his 2 1/3 innings on the mound. After Siler lasted for 48 pitches, Brodigan closed out with 39 pitches to save the win.

Pac West manager Roger Patten was pleased with the win but looked ahead for more production from his hitters.

"We need to press hard for more runs," he said. "We had them on the ropes and could not put them away. Each inning, we wanted to put pressure on them. You can't give good teams opportunities."

AUBURN - Once their pitchers were securely settled in, the District VII Pac West All-Stars were ready to rally.

Kayla Siler and Timothy Brodigan combined for a five-hitter to serve up a 4-2 victory against District V Walla Walla Pacific in opening round action of the 2012 Washington State Little League Baseball 9-10 age tournament on Saturday at GSA Park.

District VII qualified for a winners bracket match up against District III Chehalis at noon Sunday but lost that game, 15-5.

Siler surrendered only one run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings of pitching against Walla Walla while Brodgigan brought his best in allowing one run on two hits in his 2 1/3 innings on the mound. After Siler lasted for 48 pitches, Brodigan closed out with 39 pitches to save the win.

Pac West manager Roger Patten was pleased with the win but looked ahead for more production from his hitters.

"We need to press hard for more runs," he said. "We had them on the ropes and could not put them away. Each inning, we wanted to put pressure on them. You can't give good teams opportunities."