September 2012

“Evening Community Meetings in School Libraries” is an new program announced today by the office of Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda. The new partnership h will open every school library in Seattle for use by community and neighborhood groups.

Businesses and commercial organizations are excluded as are events that have admissions or fees.

Groups will be able to sign up online for a fee of only $15 to hold meetings in school libraries after school hours.

The spaces are open to any local community group or nonprofit organization.

Reservations will be available from 6 – 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday during normal school calendar academic business days.

Update for Sept. 25
According to the King County Sheriff's Office, detectives believe the woman found dead in Mallard Lake in White Center on Sept. 7 accidentally drowned after swimming in the lake several days earlier, according to witnesses.

The victim, 22-year-old Victoria McMullen, had recently traveled to the Seattle area from California after getting into a fight with her husband, detectives said.

Here are the full details from Sgt. Cindi West with KCSO:

On September 7th around 10 a.m. the King County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body found in Mallard Lake at the Coronado Springs Apartment complex located at 1400 SW 107 street in the White Center neighborhood of King County.

A witness told detectives that on Sunday the 2nd of September she had a yard sale in her front yard which is near the lake. Sometime around 6:30 to 7:00P PM she witnessed a young woman walk into the courtyard area of the apartment complex. The woman had a black and white soccer ball with her. She jumped over the short fence that encircles the pond and was playing around at the water’s edge.

By Cassandra Baker

4:45 p.m., September 3. 43rd block of Greenwood Ave N

A woman called police after someone threw a can at her while she was driving. The victim said she was driving southbound on Greenwood Ave when she heard a car come up behind her. At the intersection, the vehicle pulled up next to her, and the male in the passenger’s seat threw a soda can at her face through the open car windows. The victim described the suspect as a white male and the driver as a white female. The car was a Volkswagen Jetta.

4:00 p.m., September 2. 85th block of Greenwood Ave N

Police spoke with an assault victim in the hospital on the afternoon of September 2. The victim said that he walked around a corner at 85th and Greenwood and was confronted by three black males in red shirts who ordered him to empty his pockets. The victim did not comply, and the suspects began punching him until he fell to the ground, when they began kicking him. The victim was eventually able to get up and run away. He said that the suspects chased him, but he boarded a bus and the driver called 911 for him.

Joey Thomas, the current Ballard High School head football coach and former NFL player, has just been hired on as the full time Success Coordinator under the Graduation Assistance Impacting Needy Students (GAINS) program at Ballard High School.

Under his new position, Thomas will identify and assist students who are behind in grade level or who lack enough credits to graduate from high school. He will then work with students, families and school staff to identify each student's academic and personal challenges preventing him or her from moving forward and succeeding.

It won't be Thomas's first foray into helping youth. He runs the Joey Thomas Foundation which has hosted several youth football camps in conjunction with Seattle Parks and Recreation as well as hosted special events benefiting at-risk agencies in the greater Seattle area. He has also done various motivational speaking engagements for youth around the nation.

In a press release sent out by BHS Foundation, BHS Principal Keven Wynkoop had this to say:

King County Metro is making significant changes to our public transportation system on Sept. 29, including five new routes, two new RapidRide bus lines (including one servicing West Seattle), two renumbered routes, 18 discontinued routes (goodbye 51, 53, 54, 54E, 56, 85 Night Owl to name a few), revision of over 50 routes (including the loss of 21 service to Arbor Heights), the end of the Free Ride Area downtown, and a new pay on entry system.

The specifics can get dizzying, but Metro has set up a website to specifically spell out all changes, found here. http://metro.kingcounty.gov/up/scvchange.html

Here at the Herald we have heard and reported on many community concerns (and occasional applause) regarding the Metro revamp over the past year, and we want to give you a platform to voice those concerns once more.

Please take part in our poll and, if you have any comments you would like to share with us as the changes move closer, please email us at westseattle@robinsonnews.com or leave a comment below the story.

Here's the link to our poll:
http://www.westseattleherald.com/187549

Growing up as a kid in Burien I was usually recognized as “Bernadine’s boy” or “one of the Ted Mathisons.”

Nowadays, out and about Burien, I’m identified as Mr. Mathison’s brother.

After more than 30 years at Highline and Glacier high schools, it sometimes seems like my second-oldest brother, Phil Mathison taught chemistry, physics or tennis to almost everybody in Burien and their brother. Throw in his substitute teaching and volunteer coaching since retirement and he’s known by a whole new generation.

Case in point—the young server at a Normandy Park restaurant.

“You look so familiar to me,” she observed as she handed me a menu.

“Well, you probably saw my column photo in the Highline Times,” I replied, straightening up in my chair.

“I never read newspapers,” she declared proudly.”

Yep, she took Chemistry from Mr. Mathison. So did the husband of a former freelancer I met at a walk ‘n talk last week. As did the rocket scientist we did a story on years ago who mentioned the inspiration he received from his high-school Chemistry teacher.

Though officials from the Federal Administration of Aviation and Alaska Air Group have been touting the “Greener Skies Over Seattle” program, saying it will transform the future of how airlines work, many people at an environmental assessment meeting at the Ballard Branch Library last Friday were frustrated and confused, not understanding what, exactly, it would do for them. Specifically, they had trouble figuring out whether it would reduce noise levels or increase them -- or whether it would do neither.

Greener Skies is a program launched in conjunction by the FAA, Alaska Airlines, the Port of Seattle and the Boeing Co. The most dramatic change that it will bring for airlines is how it will affect the process for the way airplanes land.

UPDATE

Today a diverse delegation of over 50 clergy, including Muslim, Christian and Sikh leaders, led a march near SeaTac Airport of more than 500 workers and community supporters south on International Blvd starting at the Doubletree Inn at S. 188th St. Faith leaders and airport workers delivered a letter to Alaska Airlines and its CEO, Brad Tilden, urging him to offer higher paying jobs with benefits to workers now making $9 to $11 per hour with no benefits. Tilden did not appear, so the letter was received by a few employees under him. According to Working Washington, a conversation occurred, but with little substance offered by the airline.

Hundreds of marchers continued on to a rally at Angle Lake Park in SeaTac, adjacent to the Alaska Airlines headquarters.

The civil rights organization Working Washington was there in support of the workers and helped assist in the march. They represent labor, immigration, and faith-based groups.

Sept. 20 update from King County Sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West:

A 16 year old Seattle girl has been arrested in connection with the murder of a Skyway Man. Detectives said the girl was arrested in the area of 23rd and Cherry around noon Wednesday.

47 year old Herman Tucker was murdered at the Motel 6 in the 20600 blk of Military Rd S around 3:00 AM on September 7th.

Witnesses said they saw the victim enter a room and then heard an argument and a gunshot. The victim stumbled out of the room and died. At least four people were seen fleeing the room at the time of the murder.

Detectives said they are also looking for Kavahn Matthews-Smith, 19 in connection with this murder. If you have information about Smith’s location you are asked to call 911.

Detectives said they expect more arrests in this case but would not go into detail as the investigation is still ongoing.

Our previous coverage:

King County Sheriff's Sgt.Cindi West released this report about a shooting death near
SeaTac this morning:

A man was shot and killed this morning at a Motel 6 in the 20600 block of Military Rd in SeaTac.

By Isabella Fuentes

As I sat down to write this with heavy eyelids, hoarse vocal cords, and a racing heartbeat (yes, I did just see President Obama speak!), an unsavory thought dawned upon me: today, Thursday, Sept. 7, was the last day of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. This was immediately followed by a more pleasant thought: it's my favorite day of the Convention, summary day.

Like the conclusion at the end of a dreaded long-form essay, today was the President's day to speak as well as a day to sum up the events and themes of the week. While the first two days were a lot more specific, last night's speeches fell under the umbrella of reasons to reelect Barack Obama. It was about promises made and, ostensibly, promises kept. The main argument for reelection was Obama's record, which, speakers assert, is filled with checks in the 'yes' column and promises delivered on.