September 2012

West Seattle resident and block watch captain Dick Hurley has been keeping his eyes and ears on his Sunrise Heights neighborhood and beyond for decades now, and every chance he gets (including a recent town hall meeting), he asks Seattle’s leadership if they will consider funding gunshot locator technology.

It appears his request has a chance at fruition as Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn recently announced his intent to fund gunshot locator technology (he also hopes to fund 10 additional police officers, upgraded in-car video equipment and improved crime analysis capabilities) in the 2013-14 budget.

Called ShotSpotter, the automatic gunshot locator system is expected to cost $950,000 over two years for installation and operation, according to a press release from the Mayor’s office.

Seattle-based Group Health Cooperative is reorganizing due to financial constraints, and plans to cut annual expenses by $250 million by the end of 2013, CEO Scott Armstrong said in an email to employees. He said some job cuts will come. Richard Magnuson, executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer, is leaving shortly. His resignation is due to a larger reorganization already in motion, Group Health reports.

The Highline Times reached Group Health Media Relations Manager, Mike Foley, who said no layoffs will occur in the Burien Group Health Clinic. He said, however, that the expansion plans at its current location, 140 SW 146th St., will be delayed, and the project will be finished in 2015, not 2014, as was previously expected.

Foley said that the current quality of care Group Health provides will remain high.

So far, two houses have been purchased, leveled and cleared by Group Health's Burien clinic to make way for the expansion.

Editor's Note: This is part of a series of food posts by West Seattle's own Holly Brown whose food blog and WebTV show, The Brown Lounge has gained a national following.

By Holly Brown

Don’t let summer fade away without giving zucchini its due. Home gardeners know this squash is easy to grow and prolific, especially this time of year! Adventurous cooks know the delicate zucchini blossom is a delectable treat, especially when it's stuffed and fried. We'll show you how to cook with zucchini and its squash blossom this week on TheBrownLounge.com.

There have been 16 unsolved murders in Seattle since January of 2010 and the Seattle Police Department, along with the Department of Justice and Crime Stoppers, is taking a new approach to solving those crimes and bringing justice to the victims’ families: billboards and Metro bus ads.

The campaign was unveiled on Sept. 17 with a billboard between Martin Luther King Jr. Way S. and Graham St., near where Danny Vega was murdered on Nov. 15, 2011.

“In partnership with the Seattle Police Department and Department of Justice, we have launched the Who Killed Me? Don’t Stay Silent! campaign because we need your help in providing us with tips and leads of what you may have seen, heard, and/or read about these crimes,” Myrle Carner, director of Crime Stoppers, said in a statement. “It is important to emphasize that your tips and leads – no matter how insignificant you may think they are or no matter how brief they may be – are pieces of powerful information that will help us find their killers.”

Press release:

The Annual Bicycle and Pedestrian Count will be taken at locations throughout Washington State in nearly 40 jurisdictions, including Burien.

Data collected from these counts will be used to monitor success in increasing bicycle and pedestrian travel as identified in the Washington State Bicycle Facilities and Pedestrian Walkways Plan while also providing critical data to support improvements to bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Let’s show them how many of us really are on foot or on our bikes!
We at WABI are opening up a rare volunteer opportunity for those who want to contribute to the bicycle and pedestrian counts for 2012. There are only about 18 volunteer spots left, so hurry!!!

The bicycle and pedestrian counts are, as you might guess, a tally of bicyclists and pedestrians at selected intersections. We do the tallies every year, in the same locations and compare and contrast trends over time.

The count is run by Cascade Bike Club and the numbers are all turned in to WSDOT.

Navos Mental Health Solutions, a private non-profit with locations in West Seattle and Burien, is putting together a group of businesses, citizens, non-profits and government agencies to launch a Community Coalition for Drug Free Youth, aimed at reducing drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse in the Highline School District and White Center/Burien communities, according to Rudy Garza, the coalition coordinator for Navos.

Garza said the coalition will be primarily focused on working with teens at Cascade Middle School and the Evergreen Campus, but services will be available to all area teens. The program is tentatively set to launch in March of 2013, with youth surveys and coalition meetings in the coming months to create a plan.

Over 25 different organizations are currently on board, and Garza said they will be adding students and parents soon (see his contact information below for more information).

· King County Housing Authority

· Community Schools Collaboration

· Boys and Girls Club

· YWCA

· White Center Rec & Park

· White Center Community Development Association

Have you thought about wanting to make the switch to transit, but didn't quite want to pay the price for the convenience of an Orca card? Now is your time for a smooth transition, as King County Metro will provide free Orca cards to anyone who registers for their new InMotion campaign. See below for full release.

(Full disclosure: Ballard News-Tribune is a community sponsor of the InMotion program.)

--

Ballard and Crown Hill are getting In Motion!

This fall is the perfect time to make easy changes to the way you travel by joining the Ballard/Crown Hill In Motion program, beginning September 10th. In Motion offers a great opportunity to learn about how to get the most out of the existing travel network, learn about the new bus services starting September 29th, 2012 while saving money, avoiding traffic and parking hassles, improving your health, and earning rewards!

Beat the Burn press release

The Port of Seattle Fire Department/Local 1257 Firefighters and the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters Burn Foundation would like to invite you to bring the family and join us on Sunday, September 30th at Jack Block Park on the scenic West Seattle Waterfront.

The BEAT THE BURN 5K RUN/WALK event is open to all runners, walkers and family members of all ages. Join us for a fire engine siren start, live music by SLACKER, a local band favorite, health and safety displays, Lumpia World and Sweet Wheels food trucks, entertainment, beer garden, a kid’s area.

And don’t miss the Alki Kayak Tours standup paddle board and kayak demonstrations at 11:00 a.m., the Bubbleman at 11:30 a.m. and the Northwest Disaster Search Dogs in action at 12:45.

And we’ll have hourly drawings for $100 Gift Cards compliments of Salty’s and a $200 Gift Card from El Gaucho for the first runner across the 5K finish line. And don’t forget to pick-up your 2012 Firefighter Calendar; we’re giving away 100 copies!

UPDATE; Saturday, SEPT. 22:

Over 750 Seattle Pacific University freshmen and transfer students spread out across the Seattle area Saturday, Sept. 22, for their annual CityQuest community service orientation, experience their first day of college off campus fixing up houses, removing graffiti, cleaning up parks, and other outdoor activities.

Included on the cleanup list were Lincoln Park, the West Duwamish Greenbelt behind Pathfinder School, the Longfellow Creek Watershed at S.W. Brandon St. and 29th Ave S.W., and Lakewood Park/Hicks Lake in White Center.

Lizzie and Adam Jackson, who happen to be married, are Delridge residents, and each headed a group of about 15 students in separate West Seattle sites. Lizzie's group was in the Duwamish Greenbelt behind Pathfinder School.

Whittier Elementary's Annual Giving Campaign started Monday, Sept. 17, and will be going on through Friday, Sept. 28.

All donations will support artists-in-residence, the school library, the school nurse, Science on Wheels, Writers in the Schools, funding proposals from Whittier parents and staff, staff discretionary funds and more.

The press release states that Whittier is able to provide all the services and programs it does in great part due to the campaign. Their goal this year is to raise $30,000. A goodly sum, but they stress that no donation is too small.

According to the press release: "Participating is simple -– complete and return the BLUE pledge card in the GOLD envelope before the Campaign ends on Friday, September 28."

More than just benefiting the schools, kids can get a sweet deal out of it, too. All classes with at least 50 percent participation at the halfway mark will get an extra recess on Monday, Sept. 24, and all classes with at least 75% participation at the end of campaign will have a popcorn party on Monday, Oct. 1.