August 2012

I was in 7th grade in 1964 and I was walking through the lunchroom at Puget Sound Junior High School when I first heard "I want to hold your hand" by the Beatles. It was electrifying and would come to shape my life.

Beatlemania grew so quickly and was such a phenomena that we even discussed it in geography class with Mr. Sealy, not one for frivilous discussion.

Then the word was spread that they were coming to Seattle! This would be the third stop on their first tour of America on Aug. 21. There was no question about it. I had to go. I knew a girl I sort of liked I could ask to go but the real reason was to see the band.

I knew my dad would drive us to the show but the ticket prices were outrageous!

I could NOT believe they wanted $6 to see a band!

I managed to get the money together and Dad dropped us off at the show. It was pandemonium at the Coliseum (now the Key Arena) with people massing and surging to get in.

We climbed to our seats roughly 12 miles from the stage but distance did not really matter. We were at the show!

Fall Sports schedule

Evergreen Lutheran
Saturday, Sept. 1
Football: Lake Quinault at Auburn Mountain View, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 4
Volleyball: Shoreline Christian.
Thursday, Sept. 6
Girls soccer: at Forest Ridge, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 7
Volleyball: at Yakima Tournament in Sun Dome.
Football: Neah Bay at Auburn Mountain View, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 11
Boys soccer: Crosspoint Academy at Starfire 3, 3:15 p.m.
Volleyball: Northwest Yeshiva, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 13
Girls soccer: LaConner at Starfire 2, 3:15 p.m.
Volleyball: at Mt. Rainier Lutheran, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15
Football: at Crescent, 1 p.m.
Volleyball: at Friday Harbor.
Girls soccer: at Friday Harbor, 1 p.m.
Boys soccer: Christian Faith at Starfire 3, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 18
Girls soccer: Mt. Rainier Lutheran at Starfire 4, 3:15 p.m.
Boys soccer: Mt. Rainier Lutheran at Starfire 3, 3 p.m.
Volleyball: at Crosspoint Academy, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 20
Girls soccer: at Mt. Vernon Christian, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 22
Football: Lummi at Auburn Mountain View, 1 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 24
Girls soccer: at Crosspoint Academy, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 25

Fall Sports Schedule

Seattle Christian
Thursday, Aug. 30
Football: LaConner at Harry Lang (Lakewood) Stadium, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 4
Volleyball: at King's, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 5
Volleyball: Life Christian, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 6
Cross country: Nisqually Jamboree at Kelsey Creek, 4 p.m.
Girls soccer: at Eatonville, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 8
Cross country: Tahoma Relays at Lake Wilderness, 8:30 p.m.
Football: Tacoma Baptist at Curtis High School, 7 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 10
Volleyball: at Cedar Park Christian, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 11
Girls soccer: Chimacum at Valley Ridge, 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 12
Volleyball: Eatonville, 5:45 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 13
Cross country: Charles Wright, Life Christian at Fort Steilacoom, 3:30 p.m.
Girls soccer: at Cedar Park Christian, 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 14
Volleyball: at Charles Wright, 5:45 p.m.
Football: at Charles Wright, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15
Cross country: Lakes Invitational at Fort Steilacoom.
Monday, Sept. 17
Girls soccer: Cascade Christian at Valley Ridge, 3:30 p.m.
Volleyball: at Bellevue Christian, 5:45 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 19

There is another sizeable hole being dug in West Seattle to make room for a seven story, mixed-use apartment and retail complex at 4502 42nd Ave S.W. (at the corner of 42nd and Oregon, just north of QFC near the Junction).

The building is being developed by ConAm Management Corporation, based out of San Diego, CA, and spokesperson Mike Mahoney provided the updates:

ConAm hopes to have the building finished by late summer/early fall of 2013 and just finished shoring the foundation so construction can proceed.

The complex will have 131 live-in units, 2 live-work lofts and 2900 square feet of retail at ground level (no word yet on what kind of retail). There will be underground parking for 137 vehicles.

Three existing homes were demolished earlier this summer to make room for the project.

Mahoney said his company is “really excited to be in the West Seattle area,” and believes the 360 degree views of Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier and downtown Seattle from the rooftop deck will be a big plus for tenants.

With a little over two months remaining until North Highline residents vote on their future, Burien officials made the case for becoming part of their city at the third annexation information meeting at the White Center Food Bank on Aug. 23.

The meeting was populated mostly by annexation veterans (both for and against), with only a few new North Highline residents in attendance.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin opened with an explanation of taxes, telling homeowners they can expect an average yearly raise of $140. Businesses would pay an annual business license fee and .05 percent Business & Occupation tax.

“If I were sitting in the audience, what I would like to have clarified is, ‘So, you get the same officers and a seamless change with the cops (policing numbers are expected to stay the same, potentially go up, Burien has said), special districts (including fire) stay the same, school district stays the same … what’s the point?,” Martin said.

The first point, according to Martin, is that King County does not want urban unincorporated areas under their control.

With a little over two months remaining until North Highline residents vote on their future, Burien officials made the case for becoming part of their city at the third annexation information meeting at the White Center Food Bank on Aug. 23.

The meeting was populated mostly by annexation veterans (both for and against), with only a few new North Highline residents in attendance.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin opened with an explanation of taxes, telling homeowners they can expect an average yearly raise of $140. Businesses would pay an annual business license fee and .05 percent Business & Occupation tax.

“If I were sitting in the audience, what I would like to have clarified is, ‘So, you get the same officers and a seamless change with the cops (policing numbers are expected to stay the same, potentially go up, Burien has said), special districts (including fire) stay the same, school district stays the same … what’s the point?,” Martin said.

The first point, according to Martin, is that King County does not want urban unincorporated areas under their control.

'Pigs & Pipes' Fundraiser

The Old Pequliar Public House will be hosting the annual Pigs & Pipes fundraiser, which helps to send the Seattle Fire Department Pipes & Drums band to Colorado Springs, Colo. to partake in the IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial. Sadly, firefighters will be honoring and putting to the wall three firefighters who passed away from cancer that they contracted on the job, according to the event info.

The event is just as it sounds. There will be pigs. And not only pigs (roasted on site, by the way), but macaroni salad, coleslaw and beans, rounding out what sounds like a fantastic BBQ dinner. Also, $4 micro-brew pints.

Organizers ask that you purchase tickets ($20) in advance.

Saturday, 12-6 p.m., The Old Pequliar Public House, 1722 Market St, 21+ more info

Memorial for Megan Vogel, BHS teacher

Folks may have heard the term “White Center Promise” swirling around North Highline as of late, including White Center Promise Summer Celebration coming up on Aug. 31, but there is a lot more behind that promise than just a name.

As Promise Neighborhood Project Director Laurie Bohm (working for Southwest Youth and Family Services and the White Center Community Development Association) explains, “Overall, the goal is really that there is social change in White Center and that we can stem the tide of poverty here and lift up the existing population to a higher socio-economic tier.”

How is that done?

“The goal is to ensure that every student in White Center graduates from high school, goes on to get a post-secondary credential, and obtains a living wage job,” Bohm explained, “and to support students and families in achieving that goal.”

The United Indians Youth Home is hosting their 2nd Annual Block Party at their place at 9010 13th Ave NW on Wed., Aug. 29, 4-8 p.m.

More than just people to come, they are also looking for volunteers to help out. Interested people can contact program manager Jenna Gearhart at jgearhart@unitedindians.org.

Entertainment includes a party and barbecue with DJ Dough Boy. Organizers ask that you RSVP to (206) 781-8303.

The United Indians Youth Home is a unique transitional and state group housing that provides for youth between the ages of 18 and 23. It combines a safe and nurturing environment and combines Native American wisdom and ceremony with modern educational, medical and social services. The three-story building has 25 beds and offers medical and educational services, case management, life skills training and career counseling.

With summer waning and days getting shorter, we thought it might be nice to share an old scene from what has become one of Seattle’s most popular parks -- Golden Gardens.

The scene would strike a little odd these days, of course. Whereas today two piece bathing suits and shirtless men in Hawaiian shorts are the norm, here we see a more conservative approach to bathing in the sun. Aside from the jovial young people in front, in the background a plethora of men can be seen dressed in full suits, as if that were the proper attire for a day of recreation or relaxation.

The photo comes from the 1920s. From left to right is an unknown person, Ruth Peterson and her then future husband, Ted Peterson. Ted Peterson came from a pioneer family and grew up in a Northwest Ballard house that his parents built in 1902. Both Ted Peterson and his father were marine divers who worked all along the West coast, from California to Alaska.