September 2012

A retirement party was held at the SeaTac Police Department for Joe Peluso. He was sworn in Sept. 11, 1962, on his 25th birthday, and officially retires this Sept. 11, 50 years later, when he turns 75. He was surrounded by family, colleagues and friends.

"Today was the department and city's going away gathering for Joe honoring his 50 years as a reserve sheriff's deputy, including 10 years in investigations in my detective group, particularly with investigations around elderly abuse," said SeaTac Police Chief Jim Graddon, who has been with the sheriff's office for 34 years, and SeaTac's Chief for five and a half years.

Lawrence Graddon, Jim's father, was born and raised in Burien, and was with the Sheriff's office from 1950 to 1970.

"Joe volunteers at the LeMay Auto Museum, and is also on the Honor Guard at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent," Graddon added with pride.

"They don't come any better than Joe," Graddon said. "He is a friend, co-worker, mentor, just a great man. This is unprecedented, to serve in any capacity for 50 years."

Graddon said Paluso will receive a key to the city of SeaTac at the Sept. 11 council meeting during a brief presentation.

Saving Great Animals in cooperation with VCA Animal Hospitals, Muttley Crew Cuts and Umpqua Bank is holding their Rescue and Pet Adoption Day Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Admiral branch of the bank at 2620 California Ave. s.w.

If you are looking for a dog, want to rescue a dog, or just want to experience the unconditional love that a dog can provide come to the event and meet the dogs ready to be adopted.

You only have a limited time at the event however since it runs from 10am to 1:30pm

You can also view available dogs at www.savinggreatanimals.org and contact them via email at info@savinggreatanimals.org .

The next Admiral Neighborhood Association (ANA) Adopt-a-Street Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, September 8, from 9am until 11am.

Participants will meet at Metropolitan Market in the outdoor space adjacent to the floral section. Metropolitan Market will provide coffee, fresh fruit and pastries for the volunteers, as well as gourmet sack lunches to take on your way.

The ANA will provide gloves, safety vests, trash bags, and trash picker-uppers for all. The effort will be cleaning up the streets along the Admiral Business District.

Camp Long and Washington State University Extension (WSUE) 4-H Youth Development staff will welcome the public to an open house on the new Camp Long Community Collaboration Project (CCC) from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 23.

The new CCC is a vision for youth development and the collaboration of organizations serving youth. The program uses challenge courses to help youth develop and practice using the tools and life skills they need to succeed.

Consistent with the visions of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Progress Administration, Judge William B. Long and the youth organizations of the Depression era founders who built Camp Long, the New CCC is an effort to help youth develop the skills they need to be successful in our community through training, teamwork, and mentoring. Youth will learn leadership skills on the Challenge Course and connect with youth leaders from other organizations. For background on challenge courses, please click here.

The Collaboration and its Partners

press release:
Christa Colouzis, Enviromental Health and Safety Specialist, and Heidi Lyman, Mathematics Instructor, have been honored with the Trustees Lifelong Learning Award by the Seattle Community Colleges Board of Trustees. The Trustees Lifelong Learning Award is presented annually to recognize and support the intellectual and personal growth for employees of the Seattle Community Colleges. The award recipeints are selected by the Board of Trustees.

Christa and Heidi will each receive a $1,500 award to be used for costs associated with meetings, conferences, professional development classes, college course work and activities which would enhance their intellectual, individual or professional development.

Christa and Heidi will be recognized by the trustees at District Convocation, Wednesday, September 19th, at Seattle Central Community College.

The Seattle Department of Transportation has updated the status of the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project. West Seattle and south Seattle residents the most signifcant news is that the eastbound off-ramp at First Avenue South is scheduled to reopen on the morning of Wednesday, September 19.

Also on Sept. 19, First Avenue South between South Spokane and South Horton Streets will be returned to two lanes of travel in each direction, and the eastbound stretch of South Spokane Street between East Marginal Way South and First Avenue South will reopen.

In a press release today SDOT offered these other updates:

One of the few remaining full street closures will occur next Wednesday and Thursday nights (September 12-13) when the eastbound lanes of the Spokane Street Viaduct will be closed at the off-ramp to northbound SR99. These and other project related traffic impacts are outlined below.

Monday, September 10 – Tuesday, September 11

Don't like fruits and veggies? Well, too bad, says Seattle Public Schools to students K-12.

At least, SPS is going to require students take a 1/2 cup serving of fruits and vegetables with their lunch, following the new guidelines of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and helping create for students a healthier, more balanced meal. It is just one change in a series that will be taking place, causing for the most dramatic change in school lunches in over 31 years.

Really, students can just sluff off the fruits and vegetables into the garbage can if they are truly so against eating healthy. But the hope is that if they have it on their tray, they will eat it, said Wendy Weyer, director of SPS Nutrition Services. Since it is only the second day of school, though, she said there is no way of telling yet if there will actually be any increase in consuming more healthy foods.

West Seattle's ArtsWest Theater begins its 2012-13 season with 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson' a rock musical about our controversial seventh president opening September 19.

The theater describes the show as a, "comedic, audacious mix of historical fact and fiction surrounding Andrew Jackson--the man who invented the Democratic Party, drove the Indians west, and doubled the size of our nation--is about the pleasure and the pain that come with power, influence and fame. It is about you, me, any reality TV star or pop star, and it is about every leader, ruler and country ever known. It's perfect for an election year."

Kody Bringman (Xanadu, The Rocky Horror Show) stars as Andrew Jackson and the cast includes: Cindy Bradder, Justin Carrell, Kimberly Dare, EmilyRose Frasca, Lindsey Hedberg, Justin Huertas, Brian Lange, Alex Latham, Ryan McCabe, Meg McLynn, Jeff Orton, Mandy Price, Rob Scherzer, Zac Stowell, William Williams, and introducing Morgan Gwilym-Tso.

For tickets call 206-938-0339 or visit www.artswest.org.

Information from City of Burien

The city is conducting a series of informational sessions designed to inform North Highline residents about the upcoming North Highline annexation measure on the Nov. 6 General Election ballot. City officials will be present to answer any questions.

The next information session is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 13, 6 p.m. at Beverly Park Elementary School cafeteria, 1201 S. 104th St. The final information session will be Oct. 18, 6 p.m. at Cascade Middle School cafeteria, 11212 10th Ave. SW.

Only registered voters in the proposed annexation area will vote on whether to become part of the City of Burien.

The proposed annexation area includes the unincorporated remainder of North Highline, which takes in White Center, Top Hat, Beverly Park, Glendale, and portions of Boulevard Park, Riverton Heights and Shorewood.

If approved by voters, the annexation would likely take effect in spring 2013. Burien annexed the southern section of North Highline in 2010.

If the annexation is successful, Burien would grow in size by 17,300 residents. Its 65,000 residents would make Burien the 15th largest city in Washington.

Update for Sept. 18
From the King County Prosecutor's Office:
Jaspal Gill was arraigned on Sept. 17 and pleaded not guilty to charges of Murder Second Degree for the shooting death of an unarmed man in Burien on August 28.

Gill allegedly argued with the victim, Harjit Singh, and then shot him multiple times. Gill, 47, remains in jail on $3 million bail. A case setting hearing is scheduled for October 4 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center.

Original post on Sept. 6
Burien resident Jaspal Gill, 47, is in jail with a $3 million bail and is facing a second degree murder charge with a sentencing range of 15 to 23 years in prison for allegedly gunning down victim Harjit Singh, also of Burien, on Aug. 28.

The Highline Times followed the story as it developed, found here.