July 2012

Burien Goodwill’s Job Training and Education Center, located at 1031 SW 128th Street, will register people for free classes July 16 – 19, 2012. The eight-week session runs from August 6 - September 27, 2012.

Classes fill up fast and sign-up is on a first-come, first-served basis!

The center will offer the following classes:

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Basic Computers: Introductory classes for people with little or no computer skills.

Computer Basics
Computer Basics for ESOL
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Outlook
Online Job Search
GED Preparation

Basic/Intermediate Math

Retail and Customer Service

Citizenship Preparation

Writing

Open Computer Lab


Open lab time for help with career related activities, practicing computer skills, or practicing English skills using Rosetta Stone.

For class availability and enrollment information, contact the center at 206-957-1026.

On a sunny 4th of July many young baseball fans at PacWest fields showed their patriotic side by wearing plenty of red, white and blue.

From socks to dresses and hats to headpieces, they showed what colors really mattered.

While sunshine and warmer weather are sure signs that summer is here, Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) wants to remind pet owners to keep their furry friends safe this season.

Animals cannot sweat like humans, and they are vulnerable to overheating quickly, especially when the temperature rises above 70 degrees. Be sure to provide plenty of fresh, cool water to your pets, and shade from the sun.

Though pets need exercise during warm weather, take extra care when exercising older dogs, short-nosed dogs, and dogs with thick coats, as they are especially vulnerable to overheating. On hot days, limit exercise to early morning or evening hours.

Another danger is leaving pets in a vehicle. In sunny weather, the temperature inside a car can quickly rise to 120 degrees or more, even with windows left slightly open. Animals left in a hot car, even for just a few minutes, can suffer from heat stroke, brain damage, or death. In addition, leaving a pet unattended in a hot car can be grounds for animal cruelty charges. In warm weather, leave your pets at home instead of taking them with you on errands.

Gov. Chris Gregoire has appointed Highline schools Superintendent Susan Enfield to serve on the newly created Joint Task Force on Education Funding. Dr. Enfield is one of three members appointed by the governor to the task force, which will be responsible for recommending sustainable funding options to support kindergarten through 12th grade education.

“I am honored by this appointment and have promised the Governor that I will do all I can to work with the other Task Force members to identify solutions that will best serve our students throughout the state of Washington,” said Enfield.

The other members appointed by the Governor are:

Mary Lindquist, president of the Washington Education Association and former teacher.
Jeff Vincent, Washington State Board of Education member and chief executive officer and president of Laird Norton Company LLC.

Eight legislators also serve on the committee. The joint task force is charged with:
Developing a proposal for a reliable and dependable funding mechanism to support basic education programs;

While people in other parts of the country sweltered through June, savvy Highline residents bided their time, patiently waiting for Independence Day.

They knew that after the Fourth, summer sun would finally arrive around here. Now that the Fourth has passed, the parks departments and arts commissions of our communities are seizing that small window of weather opportunity to present free outdoor music, movies and theater for families.

Here’s a rundown on summer fun in our parks. Be sure to check our Diversions section each week for updates.
And remember, there is no better place than outdoors in Highline on a sunny day.

Burien
Wednesday Night Music at North SeaTac Park. South 128th Street and Des Moines Memorial Dr. in SeaTac. 6:30-8 p.m. On rainy evenings, call 206-988-3700 after 5 p.m. to learn if the concert has been relocated. For more information, visit www.BurienParks.net or call 206-988-3700.
July 18— Johnny Conga and “Loco Mambo.” Afro-Cuban/Caribbean Drumming and Latin Jazz.
July 25—“Coco Loco.” Latin Fiesta.
Aug. 1—“Bottle Rockit.” Rock Party Band.
Aug. 8—“Boys of Greenwood Glen,” Bluegrass.

A couple of years ago we adopted a kitten from the Burien animal shelter, back when it was run by King County.

We had a fantastic experience with them, and my son and husband ended up volunteering there, to give back to them. When our kitten got sick we brought him in and received excellent and immediate veterinary care from the shelter vet.

Then Burien switched to using Burien CARES, our local shelter was closed, and sometime later I was bitten by a pit bull on my street.

This dog was regularly out on his own, outside his fenced yard, and according to CARES he had also been reported by several other neighbors. After the bite (which was fortunately through heavy pants & knee high leather boots, so I didn't scar) I had to go the long way around to avoid the dog and keep myself and my young children safe.

My issue is not so much that this dog is still on the street, but that CARES doesn't return my phone calls or emails.

When you call 911 after a dog bite, or to report a stray pit bull, they refer you to the old King County animal control, which no longer serves Burien, and you have to find your own way to Burien CARES.

To Jack Block, Lucy Krakowiak and Bob Edgar-- I applaud you for asking for information on how to change the form of government in Burien. You did that at the last city council meeting.

Economic recovery will not come to Burien until the current city manager and the current head of planning are gone. The city needs some new blood on the city council, too.

Burien needs an elected mayor who listens to the citizens and businesses. Burien needs to have the citizen and small business voice returned to citizen advisory groups. Maybe then businesses will come and stay in Burien.

As a previous small business owner in Burien, I can tell you why businesses refuse to come to Burien or leave Burien. The planning department, the city manager and the city council are all pains in the rump to deal with.

I heard the Burien city manager, Mike Martin speak at the bakery about why White Center should annex to Burien. This guy has no idea of what he is talking about but spins an interesting yarn.

He said that White Center and Burien were just like each other 20 years ago. I’ve lived in the North Highline area for 30+ years and these two areas were never like each other. We in White Center have always been very different and more independent than Burien and we were not sorry or sad when we chose not to join Burien in 1993.

We liked and continue to enjoy our independence from city officials and this Martin guy. We wanted to keep our Seattle addresses and had no interest in paying all the extra fees, business taxes, utility fees and permit fees that Burien levied against its citizens.

None of us cried or felt like we were being torn apart as a family as this guy stated at the meeting because we didn’t annex to Burien.

Who has this guy been talking to and smoking funny stuff with anyway? He has no idea what the politics were here in the 1990s. He was in San Francisco, CA at that time.

A couple of weeks ago, Burien City Manager Mike Martin, came up to White Center at the 3.14 Bakery with his dog and pony show trying to pedal why we should join Burien.

While the county has not always done what we wanted, at least they didn’t waste our tax dollars on chasing crows from people’s backyards. This was a story Martin told about the quality services Burien gives to its citizens.

Additionally, he mentioned that if we joined Burien, we would be getting a tax increase. While the handout from Burien says taxes would increase for us about $156, it turns out it will be closer to $256 per household. Martin forgot to include the new tax from Seattle Light to cover the cost of putting up new wiring underground along 1st Avenue in Burien.

But, it turns out it will really be lots more for those of us who have electric heat because the tax is based on total power use. Whatever happened to truth in selling to the customer?

Also, Martin mentioned that the medical marijuana dispensaries will be declared illegal by Burien and will have to go and to expect new business taxes.

Tukwila death
Late Saturday morning (June 30th), Tukwila officers responded to a 911 call from the residents of a house in the 5600 blk. of S. 152nd Place. A 26-year-old male with a history of mental illness was being combative with his family and making strange statements to the 911
operator. Officers arrived to find the male holding a golf club and threatening his family. The male broke his ankle while trying to escape from the officers as they were taking him into custody for an involuntary mental health commitment. An ambulance and a Fire Department aid crew were summoned to treat the ankle injury and to transport the male to the hospital. While inthe ambulance, the male began to have breathing difficulties. He was taken to Harborview Hospital for emergency care where he later died. Detectives from the Valley Investigative Team responded to conduct an independent investigation and document the incident. At this time the cause of death is unknown. The Tukwila Police Department cannot release any further information at this time due to the on-going investigation.

Burien woman bites sister's wrist