July 2012

Nancy Ellen Elster, who was a competitive cheerleader in high school, has always been passionate about cheerleading. But it wasn’t until she saw her son play at his first high school football game that she stepped into the role of head coach for Ballard High School’s cheer program.

That was the day the cheer program shifted course.

The program was in a “moribund state” according to Elster’s biography on the BHS website. It was mostly run by the students themselves, who tried — and did not succeed so well — to throw it together themselves, she said.

“I thought, ‘I’m not going to watch this while my kids play football!’” Elster recalled in a phone interview.

Last month, after 15 years of coaching at BHS, Elster was inducted into the Washington State Cheer Coach Association’s Hall of Fame 2012. It’s an honor only given to two people a year, and one which requires a long time in the business and a lot of hard work and recognition.

On any given day in Ballard, even a workday, a diverse array of people can be seen at the Ballard Commons Park.

It’s a success story that won an award for the designers of the park, Seattle-based Swift Company. At the end of May, they received the 2012 Special Mention Award for Design from the Washington Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, a well-respected organization in the field.

“They don’t give awards lightly. They’re a pretty tough group,” said Barbara Swift, principal of Swift Company. “We were thrilled by their observations and their giving of the award.”

The young and the elderly alike share the park, which is split up in three main sections. In the cement plaza across from the library, toddlers can be seen tromping around interactive fountains, or people can be seen gathering for small events. Adjacent to them, teenagers and young 20-somethings test their skills in the skate bowl. And everyone can enjoy the slightly sloping grass amphitheater, which is perfect for relaxing, having picnics and soaking in the sun.

July 4 was a busy day for Washington State's gubernatorial candidates, Democrat Jay Inslee, former 1st District Congressman, and his Republican opponent, Attorney General Rob McKenna, each marching in multiple parades, and each vying to replace Chris Gregoire who retires at year's end.

In Inslee's case, however, the broad grin he wore in the Burien Independence Day Parade was due, in part, to his memories as a youth there the celebration evoked.

The following day, Inslee met with the Highline Times in front of Shorewood Elementary School where he attended grade school before attending nearby Cascade Middle School. He lived three blocks east of Shorewood.

"This school has been totally rebuilt. It's absolutely beautiful now. This is where I spent most of my youth, trying to hit a ball out of the park. Home plate was where this manhole cover is. (Located in the circular drive in front of the new school.) I never hit it over. But then I was MVP in the Congressional baseball Game so it all turned out."

If there is one traveling secret we folks living south of Seattle’s metropolitan congested traffic area wanted to keep to ourselves for commuting purposes, it’s State Route 509.

Where else can you drive these days on a freeway and feel safe because you’re not being blocked in by impatient bumper-hugging drivers demonstrating questionable driving skills to get somewhere else in a hurry?

My father, a professional driver, said let speeding cars pass by promptly because they’ll only get to wait at the next red stoplight before we do.

Freeways are great for traveling quickly and long trips. Yet, I wonder if we’re missing the relaxation found when using low-speed roads and taking advantage of opportunities to actually see how nearby scenery and neighborhoods look that we just by-passed at 65 mph?

Lack of heavy traffic on SR-509 now and then does lend itself to a quick squint at scenery and a deep breathe of relief from rushing around in heavy downtown traffic.

Yet maybe not for much longer. Highway construction will eventually find 509 now that our little secret is out and the Panama Canal is being widened.

I am astounded by the news that the new president at Boeing is from Renton and started from the bottom as a mechanic. Like I did many years ago.

I might have been president if I had been more patient and worn a hard hat.

I was new there working at the Marginal Way plant, drilling holes in the bulkhead structure. Right above me was a girl as a rivet bucker for a riveter partner securing the pilots’ housing structure.

Somehow the girl lost her grip on a heavy chunk of steel called a bucking bar and it fell directly on my hatless head, knocking me flat on the floor bleeding like a stuck pig from a crease on my forehead. She looked down and ran some place for help.

Pretty soon the foreman and others crawled under the bloody scene, told me to stop howling, got me out, wiped my forehead and took me go to a first aid station.

The girl rivet bucker never did come down and inspect what I thought was a fatal wound and would be disfigured and perhaps have a huge lump above my eye forever.

Press release:

Hampton Hotels (www.hampton.com), the global brand of mid-priced Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels, today announced the official opening of its newest property, the 218-room Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle-Airport/28th Ave., located at 18850 28th Ave. S. in SeaTac.

The hotel is owned by HCBMI and operated by HCBMI. Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle-Airport/28th Ave. hotel is located just minutes from Sea-Tac International Airport, Westfield Shopping Center, Central Link light rail, Pike Place Market, Safeco, CenturyLink Field, and the cruise terminals.

Hotel amenities include complimentary hot breakfast, complimentary garage parking, complimentary shuttle service to local attractions, business center, heated pool, fitness center, and 1,288 square feet of meeting space.

Guestrooms are equipped with complimentary high speed internet access and the Clean and fresh Hampton bed®.

On Thursday, July 5, a blood drive is being held for retired firefighter John Moncrief at South Fire & Rescue headquarters station #62,

South Fire & Rescue serves Des Moines and Federal Way.

The public is invited to participate. Contact Layne Winter at 206-228-4081 to schedule an appointment at the donation bus.

Moncrief retired from South King Fire & Rescue in 2011 after nearly a 25-year career.

Shortly after retiring, he was diagnosed with a form of cancer related to his years on the job being exposed to toxic products of combustion. His condition and treatment have required blood transfusions.

Press release:

On May 27th, restaurant owners and eaters of the city of Burien came together for the first annual Burien Bites.

Restaurant owners prepared dishes, people brought their appetites, and the city hit the streets to enjoy a beautiful Washington day in downtown Burien.

With nine restaurants participating, Burien Bites takes an innovative approach at fundraising for charity -- participants purchase a $10 entry fee, which gives them access to $5 and $10 flat-rate plates that local purveyors prepared for the “best of” food sample smorgasbord. Registration proceeds are donated to four local charities.

HomeTask founder and CEO Jerrod Sessler stopped by the Highline Area Food Bank to drop off a check and personally deliver several boxes of “Freggies”, fresh organic produce, for delivery.

Jerrod met with Highline Area Director Mike Werle, bringing three sets ready hands to package boxes for the community - his three children, complete with (somewhat large) Burien Bites Apparel.

McMicken Heights Elementary students from SeaTac recently presented a $1,000 check to Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

The kids collected $1,000 in pennies from fellow students and decided to donate the Penny Harvest funds to the mission.

press release
The roadway lane striping necessary to establish the bus-only (BAT) lanes on SW Alaska Street, a key element of the RapidRide bus service coming to West Seattle this fall, has been delayed. The removal of the existing lane striping, laying out the new lane striping, the necessary removal of some on-street parking, and installation of the associated signals and street signs is now expected to be largely completed the week of July 16.

The RapidRide service is intended to improve transit speed and reliability and support more convenient and efficient bus service. Specifically, an eastbound BAT lane is being installed between 40th and 42nd Avenues SW, while the westbound BAT lane will be installed between 35th and 42nd Avenues SW. Both are being placed in the curb lane, requiring the elimination of a number of on-street parking spaces. The RapidRide service also requires some lane reconfiguration on 35th Avenue SW between SW Avalon Way and SW Alaska Street, which will result in the loss of some additional on-street parking spaces on the east side of 35th Avenue SW.