August 2012

Editor's note: While Brionne Corbray initially declined to comment on his guilty plea to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, he contacted the West Seattle Herald to explain his side of the story on Aug. 24. His comments can be found in italics below.

Brionne Corbray, the owner of GAME Collective medical marijuana dispensaries in West Seattle and White Center (both now closed), pleaded guilty on Aug. 20 to federal drug trafficking charges, according to U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan in a Department of Justice press release.

The West Seattle resident, 47, who also owned and operated a dispensary in northeast Seattle, admitted to conspiracy to distribute marijuana in violation of federal and state law.

“These drug fronts had little to do with ‘compassionate care’ and everything to do with lining their own pockets,” Durkan said in a statement, also referring to the guilty pleas of Craig Dieffenbach, 61, and Jingjing Mo, 31, owners of the Seattle Cannabis Cooperative in Rainier Valley and Greenwood.

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.
Art Exhibits
Burien Community Center-- Portland Artist John Sinclair is showing works at the Burien Community Center lobby, 147006 6th Ave. S.W. The beautifully crafted pencil drawings will be on display until Sept. 28th. Hours are Mon.-Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.

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

The Burien City Staff is not really interested in getting correct and factual information about annexation to the public. This lack of effort on their part has contributed to the confusion on the issue of annexation. Citizens and voters can’t get a sense of what is truth and what appears to fabricated fiction about annexation.

I read on the City of Burien website this statement about what kind of taxes citizens in North Highline/White Center/Area Y should expect with annexation;

“The property tax rate will decrease from $14.07 to $13.74 per $1,000 assessed value beginning the second year of annexation. For property with an assessed value of $200,000, this would result in a reduction of $65. The City levies a 3% utility tax on electric and a 6% utility tax on cable, gas, garbage and telephone utilities. Seattle City Light customers in Burien also pay a special fee for undergrounding of utilities along 1st Ave. S. Based upon usage, the total increase in utility taxes and fees would be $205 per year for the average household.
The combined overall change in property and utility taxes for the average household would be an increase of about $140 per year.”

Today I woke kind of pessimistic, having been mulling the general state of the economy both nationally and globally ,probably from listening to too much news coverage, or it might be me just getting up in a funk but there are many indicators that may warrant my malaise.

Obviously, everyone is aware of the increasing calamity of Europe’s countries finances and their methodically going over the proverbial financial cliff. They have over spent on entitlements for decades, continued with a declining birthrate and an increasing aged population, increased unassimilating immigrant population hooked on the welfare system and with the resulting decreased number of people for the revenue base it is a recipe for disaster.

Greece will be the first domino to fall, followed by most of the southern European countries. The scary fact Is that the United States is right behind Greece in fiscal insolvency, with its high debt to GNP ratio.

by Kurt Howard

I must admit my knowledge of roller derby was almost nonexistent (I remember watching it a little on TV in the 70's) but that changed on Aug. 18.

Here's some surprising information about roller derby. It is truly an international sport with some 1,280 amateur roller derby leagues found worldwide in countries like Malaysia, Israel, Brazil, Iceland, South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, Portugal and more.

The doubleheader event was held at the Southgate Roller Rink in White Center and was a fundraiser for the Rat City Rollergirls. First on the track was the Rat City Rollergirls “B-team”, named the Rain of Terror who played host to the Everett Jet City “B-team”, the B-52’s. The second bout was the Rat City All-Stars Rollergirls taking on the men of Puget Sound Outcasts from Tacoma.

The rink was originally built as a boxing arena in 1920, but from 1937 to present it has been used as a roller rink (with a short period of vacancy and then as a swap meet location). It is a flat track, no banked corners.

By Gwen Davis

“Most people see teenage prostitutes as willing participants in the act of prostitution. It’s not true. Children are forced to work as prostitutes by vicious, vile pimps who make them do unspeakable things with their little bodies,” said Dr. Lois Lee in a video presented to the SeaTac City Council on Aug. 14 honoring members of the police department who cracked down on sex trafficking in SeaTac.

“American people are beginning to realize child prostitution is an American problem going on in the streets of our cities. It’s not just a third world problem,” she said.

Three members of the SeaTac Police Department received a “Soldier of Social Work” award for their work in founding and supporting the Genesis Project in SeaTac – a 24-hour drop-in center for young women and girls involved in sex trafficking.

The honorees – Officer Andy Conner, Det. Joel Banks and Det. Brian Taylor were awarded by Lee in front of council members.
Lee’s work in fighting sex trafficking and helping its victims has been ground breaking.

Man with warrants runs from police
A man walking in the area of 400 block S.W. 152nd Street attempted to run from police. When he got caught he tried to fight with the Deputy and armed himself with a weapon. Police found a bat/club and a knife on his person. The man ran because he has outstanding felony warrants. Now he faces new charges that include aggravated assault.

Bold escape to Japan from Sea Tac
King County prosecutors claim Ryoko Fukuda absconded with her daughter the day she was supposed to hand over the girl’s Japanese passport. According to charging documents, the girl’s father rushed to Sea-Tac Airport in an attempt to retrieve her. But prosecutors say Fukuda and the child were already flying to Japan. Writing the court, Senior Deputy Prosecutor David Martin noted Fukuda had been ordered not to take the girl out of the country hours before she did exactly that.

Tukwila teen charged with first-degree manslaughter, unlawful possession of firearm

At the Back to School Fair at Valley Ridge Park in SeaTac on Aug. 16, Elisha Singh (5) wondrously still trying to believe she had just been given a free pair of shoes.

Behind her, waiting in turn is her brother Multani (left, 9) and Jerry Fia (right, 6).

Almost 3000 people attended the fair. 1500 backpacks, 250 early learning packs, 400 bike helmets, 1000 books, 1200 hot dogs, 1300 reading awards, many dental checks and haircuts, and 250 pairs of shoes were given away.

Man with warrants runs from police
A man walking in the area of 400 block S.W. 152nd Street attempted to run from police. When he got caught he tried to fight with the Deputy and armed himself with a weapon. Police found a bat/club and a knife on his person. The man ran because he has outstanding felony warrants. Now he faces new charges that include aggravated assault.

Bold escape to Japan from Sea Tac
King County prosecutors claim Ryoko Fukuda absconded with her daughter the day she was supposed to hand over the girl’s Japanese passport. According to charging documents, the girl’s father rushed to Sea-Tac Airport in an attempt to retrieve her. But prosecutors say Fukuda and the child were already flying to Japan. Writing the court, Senior Deputy Prosecutor David Martin noted Fukuda had been ordered not to take the girl out of the country hours before she did exactly that.

Tukwila teen charged with first-degree manslaughter, unlawful possession of firearm