September 2012

A ribbon cutting for the crosswalk and curb bulb that have been put in place at 11th and Holden Street s.w. will feature Mayor Mike McGinn on Wednesday Oct 3, at 8:10am. Following the ceremony the walk will continue to Highland Park Elementary school playground.

The Safe Routes to School improvements to the Highland Park Elementary walk zone are as follows:

Holden:
Marked crosswalk, 4 new curb ramps, curb bump outs on one side (engineers would not allow a bump out on other side because a large truck turning onto 11th from Holden would need to cross the center line).

10th between Trenton and Cloverdale:
Traffic cushions in 4 locations east of the school and Highland Park Playfield.

9th and Henderson:
4 way stop created. (Has slowed traffic tremendously on 9th near the school).

Trenton and 10th, and Trenton and 11th:
New crosswalks which meet federal ADA regulations installed.

The organizers of the event offered their thanks to Highland Park resident Rachael Wright for all her hard work on the Safe Routes to Schools project.

Press release:

At about 4 a.m. this morning Valley Com Dispatch Center began receiving numerous reports of a fully involved house fire with people trapped at the 3900 block of South 238 St in Kent.

The neighborhood is just east of the Des Moines city limits.

A part of the South King Fire & Rescue fire district. The first arriving emergency crew reported a fully involved house fire with heavy flames and thick smoke showing.

South King also serves Des Moines.

The crew found two residents in the front yard who had escaped the fire and who told the crew there were still two trapped in the house.

The crews quickly attempted to enter the structure to rescue the trapped people inside but were driven back by the flames, heat and thick smoke. Minutes later the fire was knocked down enough that the emergency crews were able to enter the house and attempt a rescue. They quickly found the 2 trapped residents, a 69 year man and his 19 year old grandson, who were dead.

The residents who escaped have been displaced by the fire and are receiving housing and other assistance from the Red Cross.

Falling interest rates in the bond market means Highline Public Schools will save taxpayers around $4.6 million on repayment of two construction bond measures passed in 2002 and 2006.

The school board authorized Sept. 26 the district’s finance team to refinance $40-$65 million of the bonds. The team will monitor the bond market and is expected to resell the bonds the week of Oct. 29, if the district can achieve at least a 5 percent savings.

Voters approved a $189.5 million construction bond at the March 12, 2002 election. A $148 million bond was subsequently passed in the March 14, 2006 election. With funds from the two bonds, the district has rebuilt most of its elementary schools and Mt. Rainier High in Des Moines.

District officials are hoping to pass a third bond measure to finance rebuilding or remodeling of the district’s middle and high schools. However, they have held off on proposing another bond because of the poor economy.

Sensing the importance of getting this one right due to its mass and significant location as a “welcome” spot coming into West Seattle and the Triangle, the Southwest Design Review Board decided on Sept. 27 not to move forward a proposal for a 370 apartment, 570 stall of underground parking, 66,000 square foot retail building at the southwest corner of Fauntleroy and Alaska.

To make room, three-quarters of a city block will be demolished, including an old Huling Brothers auto dealership, the Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home, and a Shell gas station. The Masonic Lodge and its parking lot will remain.

The board, made up of citizens who review larger private development projects in West Seattle, concluded the presentation from developer Weingarten Realty (based in Arizona)/Lennar Multi Family and architects from Fuller Sears (of Seattle) left enough big questions unanswered to move the project beyond the early design review process towards a master use permit to start construction.

Instead, the group will hold another early design review meeting at a time yet to be determined, once they have addressed the boards concerns in their design.

Southgate Roller Rink, 9646 17th Ave. SW, in White Center is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Pride Skate this coming Wednesday, Oct. 3. Skating is 9pm-11pm. $7.00 @ the door. Visit the WA United for Marriage Referendum 74 booth. You can then to attend the after party at Company Bar with Baby Ketten Karaoke, 9608 16th Ave SW.

Pride Skate Seattle is a monthly event at the Southgate Roller Rink for the GLBT community of Seattle.

This is an age 18 and older event.

By Marjorie Young

When I was no older than eight or nine, I distinctly remember my father alluding to one of our relatives. “He must be worth (x amount) per year.” Somehow, even at that tender age, I was disturbed by his choice of words. Why would someone’s ‘worth’ be equated by the money they possessed? I recall objecting to my father, who explained it was not meant in the way I’d taken it. But I was not convinced, nor am I to this day.

Normandy Park City Manager, Doug Schulze, warned that the Levy Lid Lift, a property tax increase, must pass in the upcoming election to head off deficits or the city may go out of business within a few years. The third and final meeting on this levy was held at City Hall Sept. 26. There are nearly 6,400 Normandy Park residents, 2,400 residential units, and only 28 area residents attended.

Schultze gave a PowerPoint presentation to help explain why the city now finds itself in a financial hole. He stressed the numerous cost-saving measures the city has adopted to minimize the crisis.

You can find many of the nuts and bolts of the levy, and costs involved, on the city's website, www.normandyparkwa.gov.'

That website states that "each year that costs were greater than revenues, the city had to dip into its reserve fund. The reserve fund is currently operating below recommended levels and is projected to be gone in three years."

Ballard High School homecoming football game

Today's the day to show your Beaver nation pride. It's homecoming weekend.

First, to get amped up for the football game, Beavers will be gathering for a tailgate party at 4:30 p.m. The band, cheerleaders and dance team (and you!) will all be there to help send off the football team, and there will be food and festivities for everyone. It'll be taking place in the parking lot at Ballard High School next to the pool.

Then, at 7:00 p.m., in Memorial Stadium, the Ballard Beavers will be squaring off against the Newport Knights, who are in the top 10 statewide. However, in an interview with the BNT, wide receiver Nate Rauda said the team was confident they can bag another win. Make sure to show up in full force and show your pride!

Car wash for girls basketball team

With rain taking such a long leave of absence, you probably need your car washed. Because, really, who washes their own car?

West Seattle High School’s Fall Harvest Auction, is set for Thursday, November 15th at 5:30 pm The Hall at Fauntleroy in West Seattle.

Tickets are $55 each and are available here: http://wshsptsa.org/events/fall-harvest-auction

The West Seattle High School Foundation is partnering with the PTSA for an evening of food, wine, friends.

All funds raised are for after school activities and this includes math and reading tutoring for at-risk youth; after school enrichment programs such as Youth Venture, a program that teaches students to apply entrepreneurial approaches to address issues they care about; funding for arts programming; replacement of old athletic uniforms and more.

They are also seeking items to be donated.

If you would like to help with decorating, planning, picking up donations please contact Tracy Burrows at teburrows64@gmail.com.

Dear Editor,

We read the Sept. 26 piece, “Taking a stance on coal,” and are disappointed that the reporter did not contact BNSF to fact check some details.

I want to point out a few items that we believe are important for your readers to know.

The reporter stated at the end of his story that taxpayers are responsible for railroad maintenance and upgrades. This is factually incorrect. Railroads are privately funded and pay for their own maintenance and expansion.

Since 2000, BNSF has invested more than $36.5 billion to strengthen and maintain its infrastructure. This year alone, BNSF is investing a record $3.9 billion. Since 1996, we have added more than 1,000 miles of 2nd, 3rd and 4th main track (not including sidings) to our system to accommodate growing freight volumes on our network. All of those dollars came from BNSF, not taxpayers.

BNSF regularly invests more than $100 million to preserve, maintain and grow freight rail capacity in Washington state alone. This year, that number is $106 million.